Glossary

action verb	a verb that shows the subject of the sentence doing something (e.g., Gerard turned on the computer); active verbs are distinguished from passive verbs, which show something being done to the subject of the sentence (e.g., The computer was turned on by Gerard.)



linking verbs	verbs that help describe a subject by connecting it to another word; (e.g., The man is handsome.)



preposition	one of a group of words that precedes a noun or pronoun and indicates direction, position, placement, duration, or another kind of connection to the other words in the sentence; (e.g., about, above, through, under, with)



prepositional phrase	a group of words that begins with a preposition; (e.g., in the house)



simple subject	a word or words denoting one person or thing that performs the verb or receives the main action of the verb (in passive constructions)



subject	who or what a sentence speaks about; usually a noun or pronoun that acts, is acted upon, or is described; (e.g., The boy cries.)



verb	what the sentence says about the subject; a word that shows what a subject does or that helps describe the subject by linking it to another word or words

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