Table Of ContentThe Farlex Grammar Book:
Complete English Grammar Rules
FARLEX International
Copyright © 2016 Farlex International
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 1535231688
ISBN-13: 978-1535231688
Table of contents
About the author
Preface
Editor’s Note
English Grammar
Parts of Speech
Nouns
Common and Proper Nouns
Nouns of Address
Concrete and Abstract Nouns
Countable Nouns
Uncountable Nouns
Collective Nouns
Compound Nouns
Nominalization (Creating Nouns)
Pronouns
Personal pronouns
Personal Pronouns - Number
Personal Pronouns - Person (First person, Second person, Third person)
Personal Pronouns - Gender
Personal Pronouns - Case
Personal Pronouns - Reflexive Pronouns
Intensive Pronouns
Indefinite Pronouns
Demonstrative Pronouns
Interrogative Pronouns
Relative Pronouns
Reciprocal Pronouns
Dummy Pronouns
Verbs
Finite and Non-finite Verbs
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Regular and Irregular Verbs
Auxiliary Verbs
Primary Auxiliary Verbs
Modal Auxiliary Verbs
Modal Auxiliary Verbs - Will
Modal Auxiliary Verbs - Would
Modal Auxiliary Verbs - Shall
Modal Auxiliary Verbs - Should
Modal Auxiliary Verbs - Can
Modal Auxiliary Verbs - Could
Modal Auxiliary Verbs - May
Modal Auxiliary Verbs - Might
Modal Auxiliary Verbs - Must
Substituting Modal Verbs
Semi-Modal Auxiliary Verbs
Infinitives
Participles
Action Verbs
Stative Verbs
Linking Verbs
Light Verbs
Phrasal Verbs
Common Phrasal Verbs
Conditional Verbs
Causative Verbs
Factitive Verbs
Reflexive Verbs
Adjectives
Attributive Adjectives
Predicative Adjectives
Proper Adjectives
Collective Adjectives
Demonstrative Adjectives
Interrogative Adjectives
Nominal Adjectives
Compound Adjectives
Order of Adjectives
Degrees of Comparison
Comparative Adjectives
Superlative Adjectives
Adverbs
Adverbs of Time
Adverbs of Place
Adverbs of Manner
Adverbs of Degree
Mitigators
Intensifiers
Adverbs of Frequency
Adverbs of Purpose
Focusing Adverbs
Negative Adverbs
Conjunctive Adverbs
Evaluative Adverbs
Viewpoint Adverbs
Relative Adverbs
Adverbial Nouns
Regular and Irregular Adverbs
Degrees of Comparison
Comparative Adverbs
Superlative Adverbs
Order of Adverbs
Prepositions
Prepositional Phrases
Categories of Prepositions
Common Prepositional Errors
Prepositions with Nouns
Prepositions with Verbs
Prepositions with Adjectives
Prepositions in Idioms
Idioms that Start with Prepositions
Idioms that End with Prepositions
Conjunctions
Coordinating Conjunctions
Correlative Conjunctions
Subordinating Conjunctions
Other parts of speech
Particles
Articles
Determiners
Possessive Determiners
Gerunds
Gerunds as Objects of Verbs
Interjections
Inflection (Accidence)
Conjugation
Tense
Present Tense
Present Simple Tense
Present Continuous Tense (Progressive)
Present Perfect Tense
Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Past Tense
Past Simple Tense
Past Continuous Tense
Past Perfect Tense
Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Future Tense (Approximation)
Future Simple Tense
Future Continuous Tense
Future Perfect Tense
Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Aspect
Perfective and Imperfective Aspect
Aspects of the Present Tense
Aspects of the Past Tense
Aspects of the Future Tense
Mood
Indicative Mood
Subjunctive Mood
Subjunctive Mood - Expressing Wishes
Voice
Active Voice
Passive Voice
Middle Voice
Speech
Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)
Grammatical Person
Declension
Plurals
Gender in Nouns
Regular and Irregular Inflection
Syntax
Subjects and Predicates
The Subject
The Predicate
Complements
Objects
Subject Complements
Object Complements
Adjective Complements
Adverbial Complements
Modifiers
Adjuncts
Phrases
Noun Phrases
Adjective Phrases
Adverbial Phrases
Participle Phrases
Absolute Phrases
Appositives
Clauses
Independent Clauses
Dependent Clauses
Noun Clauses
Relative Clauses
Adverbial Clauses
Sentences
Compound Sentences
Complex Sentences
Compound-Complex Sentences
Declarative Sentences
Interrogative Sentences
Negative Interrogative Sentences
Imperative Sentences
Conditional Sentences
Major and Minor Sentences (Regular and Irregular Sentences)
Quiz answers
Index
About the author
Peter Herring was born in Boulder, Colorado, and grew up with a passion for reading. He
attended the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, Canada, where he majored in
English Literature. He went on to complete a master’s degree in Anglo-Irish Literature and
Drama at University College Dublin in Ireland, where he graduated with honors.
Peter has worked as an editor since 2009, lending his passion for words to scientific
research projects, non-fiction publishing, and The Free Dictionary.
He lives in Dublin, Ireland, with his wife and son.
About the editor
Nick Norlen is the managing editor of The Free Dictionary, where he oversees all editorial
projects. After graduating with honors from La Salle University in Philadelphia, he worked
as a reporter before joining the Farlex team in 2008.
He lives in Newtown, Pennsylvania, with his wife and daughter, whose first word is his
favorite word.
Preface
Grammar is without a doubt one of the most daunting aspects of the English language, an
area riddled with complexities, inconsistencies, and contradictions. It has also been in a
state of flux for pretty much its entire existence. For native speakers of English, as well as
for those learning it as a new language, grammar presents a very serious challenge to
speaking and writing both accurately and effectively.
Having a single, reliable, go-to reference guide should therefore be indispensable to those
trying to learn, improve, or perfect their speech or writing. This book is that guide: a clear,
unambiguous, and comprehensive source of information that covers all the relevant topics of
English grammar, while still being easy to understand and enjoyable to read.
Every topic in the book has been broken down into basic units. Each unit can be read and
understood in its own right, but throughout the book you will find cross-references to other
sections and chapters to help make it clear how all the pieces fit together. If you’re having
trouble understanding something, try going back (or forward) to other related topics in the
book.
Finally, it must be mentioned that, because English is such a flexible, inconsistent language,
the “rules” that are often bandied about are usually not rules at all, but rather guides that
reflect how the language is used. Accordingly, the guidelines contained within this book are
just that—guidelines. They are not intended to provide constrictive or proscriptive rules that
confine everyone to a particular way of speaking or writing.
Learning how the English language works will enhance your engagement with speech and
writing every day, from the books you read, to the e-mails you write, to the conversations
you have with friends and strangers alike.
As such, mastering grammar is not an exercise that is confined to the classroom. While it is
certainly important to learn the structures, styles, and rules that shape the language, the key to
truly learning English is to read and listen to the way people write and speak every day,
from the most well-known authors to the people you talk to on the bus. Take the information
you find in this book and carry it with you into the world.
-P. Herring
