University of Turabo
Schools of Professionals Studies
Undergraduate Program
Albanice Flores
Eng 245
Prof. Cinthia Garcia
I.
Define
1. Subject- part of a sentence or clause that commonly indicated what it is about or
who what performs the action. Typically is the noun, noun phrase or pronoun.
2. Verb agreement- correspondence of a verb with its subject in person (first,
second or third) and number (singular or plural). The principal of subject-verb
agreement applies to fine verbs in the present tense and in a limited way to the
past a form to the verb be (was and were).
3. Passive Voice- grammatical construction (specially, a “voice”) the noun or
nouns phrase that would be the object of an active sentence (such as “Our
Troops defeated the enemy”) appears as the subject of a sentence with passive
voice.
4. Active Voice- when the verb or sentence is in the active voice the subject is
doing the acting as in the sentence “Kevin hit the ball”. Kevin (the subject of the
sentence) acts in relation to the ball.
5. Gerund- a form that it is derived from a verb but that functions as a noun in
English ing ex. Asking, jogging
6. Participles- a word form by a verb and used as an adjective or noun. Also are
used to make compound verb forms. Ex. going/gone, being/been.
7. Infinitives- the basic form of a verb, without an inflection binding it to a
particular subject or tense. Ex. see in/ we came to see/ let him see…
8. Adjectives- a word or phrase naming an attribute, added to or grammatically
related to a noun to modify or describe it. Ex. Sandra is a clever girl.
9. Adverbs- a word of phrase that modifies or qualities an adjective, verb.
Expressing a relation of place, time, circumstanced, manner cause, and degree.
Ex. gently, quite, them, there
University of Turabo
Schools of Professionals Studies
Undergraduate Program
Albanice Flores
Eng 245
Prof. Cinthia Garcia
Prescriptive Grammar
Prescriptive Grammar is an approach grammar that is concerned with establishing norms.
These norms are to correct the incorrect the language usage. Prescriptive grammar formulates
rules based by users of the language. Is another way to define the concept of grammar. It explains
language rules on the commonest grammar, taught in elementary and secondary schools.
Teachers continue to teach this type of grammar, is a view of grammar from the eyes of the
linguistics, who is primarily concerned with the internal mechanics for students to formulate and
speak grammar.
Prescriptive grammar is defined as traditional grammar. This type of grammatical includes
memorizing definitions and correcting errors. Like is mentioned before, is concerned with the
rules on how the learner should use the language correctly. House and Harman (1950) explain
that the traditional prescriptive grammar rules are of Teutonic origin. It says that Germanic
patterns prevalent in English grammar insist of order, structure and form and not vocabulary.
There tendencies seen in English are evident in vowels shifting the tense and pluralization of
nouns. Some people think that the origin of prescriptive grammar begins with the Greeks, because
“operates on the assumption that literary language is better than spoken, and there its focus in
often literature”.
Prescriptive grammar is a way to dictate on how you have to use your language. It is all
about the rules of grammar. In schools the teacher follows this account, because is a way to know
how the student have to use the grammar in writing and speaking. Prescriptive grammar is a way
on how to be prescribed to use the correct phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics. Also, is
a type of study of language. Contrast to descriptive grammar, prescriptive dictates its value
judgments in using correctly the use of English. It is also a way to teach and enforce the correct
way of speaking and writing good grammar. This type of account has to very much enforced on
those learners who are taking English as a second language, it helps understand the meaning of
grammar of English.