:Antecedent
An antecedent is the noun that a pronoun refers to.

:Clause
A clause is a group of words that does have a subject and verb.

:Comma Splice
A comma splice is two independent clauses joined only by a comma.

:Conjunctive Adverb
The following are conjunctive adverbs: however, consequently, therefore, thus, hence, furthermore, moreover, afterward, indeed, otherwise, in fact, that is. When one of these words is used to connect two sentences, a semicolon comes before the conjunctive adverb and a comma comes after it. Some of these words can be used as transitional words or phrases. In that case they do not connect two sentences and are set off with commas. Example: Conjunctive adverb - The students are going to the library; however, their time there is limited. Transitional phrase - The students, however, are going to the library.

:Coordinating Conjunction
The coordinating conjunctions are: and, or, nor, but, for, so, yet. This set of conjunctions connect elements that are equal. Co means equal. You should memorize this set of conjunctions.

:Correlative Conjunctions
The correlative conjunctions come in pairs. The following are the correlative conjunctions: both/and, either/or, neither/nor, and not only/but also. These conjunctions are used to connect parallel structures.

:Dangling Modifier
A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that is too far away from the word that it modifies. A dangling modifier may also be caused because there is not a word for it to modify in the sentence.

:Dependent Clause
A dependent clause is a group of word with a subject and a verb; however, this clause begins with a subordinating word, such as when, if, although, that, who, and can not stand by itself as a sentence.

:Expletives
Expletives are words used to delay the subject until later in sentences. The expletives are there, here, and it. "It" can also be a pronoun. A writer should not use "it" twice in one sentence--once as an expletive and once as a pronoun.

:Forecasting Thesis Statement
A forecasting thesis statement is use for shorter writings that do not contain more than three or four major points. In this type of thesis statement, the major points are stated using parallel structure.

:Gerund
A gerund is a verbal(a verb used as another part of speech). Gerunds are used as nouns. Example: Reading is my hobby.

:Homophones
Homophones are words that sound like but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Example: their, there, and they're

:Indefinite Pronoun
The following are indefinite pronouns: Singular: another, any, anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, much, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, other, somebody, someone, something Plural: both, few, many, others, several Can be singular or plural: All, any, enough, more, most, none, some These pronouns are called "indefinite" because they are the only pronouns that do not have antecedents. Students should know the three lists of singular, plural, or both indefinite pronouns.

:Independent Clause
An independent clause is a group of words that has a subject and a verb and that can stand by itself in meaning.

:Introductory Element
An introductory element is any word, phrase, or clause that physically is located before the subject and its modifiers.

:Items in a Series
Commas are used to separate items in a series. Some people use a comma before the "and" that connects the last item; however, some people do not use that comma. Example: red, white, and blue flag.

:Modifier
A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that acts as an adjective or an adverb and qualifies the meaning.

:Nonrestrictive Element
A nonrestrictive element is a word, phrase, or clause that does not limit or restrict the meaning of the word or words it modifies.

:Participle
A participle is a verbal(a verb used as another part of speech). A participle is used as an adjective. Example: The pracing horse is worth a lot of money. The horse pracing around the arena is worth a lot of money.

:Phrase
A phrase is a group of words that do not have a subject and verb.

:Pronoun
A pronoun takes the place of a noun. The noun that a pronoun refers to is called the antecedent. "Ante" means before; therefore, the antecedent should come before the pronoun.

:Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns introduce dependent clauses. The relative pronouns are: who, whom, whoever, whomever, which, that.

:Restrictive Element
A restrictive element is a word, phrase, or clause that does limit or restrict the word or words that it modifies.

:Run-on Sentence
A run-on sentence, sometimes referred to as a fused sentence, is when a writer puts two independent clauses together without a conjunction or any punctuation.

:Subordinate Clause
A subordinate clause is the same thing as a dependent clause. This group of words has a subject and a verb but begins with a word (subordinating conjunction) that makes the group of words dependent on another independent clause. Some subordinating conjunctions are: who, which, that, although, because, when, if.

:Verbal
A verbal is a verb that ends in ing, ed, or en and does not have an auxilary verb, such as has, is , are, with it.