Grammar: Reading And Language Arts Terms Explained
Plain-language definitions of every grammar term your child meets in school, each with kid-friendly explanations, worked examples, and common mistakes to watch for.
Clause
A clause is a group of words that has a subject and a verb and shows an action or a state of being, and it can be a complete sentence or only part of one.
Collective noun
A collective noun is a word that names a group of people, animals, or things as one whole unit, such as "team," "flock," or "class." It looks like a singular noun, but it refers to many members together.
Common noun
A common noun is a word that names a general person, place, thing, or idea, but not a specific one, and it is usually not capitalized unless it starts a sentence.
Comparative and superlative
Comparative and superlative are forms of adjectives and adverbs that show comparisons: comparative compares two people, places, or things ("bigger"), and superlative shows the highest or lowest degree in a group of three or more ("biggest").
Complete sentence
A complete sentence is a group of words that has a subject and a verb, expresses a full idea, and can stand on its own.
Complex sentence
A complex sentence is a sentence that has one complete thought (an independent clause) and at least one extra part that cannot stand alone (a dependent clause), joined with a word like because, when, if, although, or since.
Compound sentence
A compound sentence is a sentence that contains two or more independent clauses, usually joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction such as "and," "but," or "so," or by a semicolon.
Compound-complex sentence
A compound-complex sentence is a sentence that has at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause, all joined with correct punctuation and connecting words.
Concrete noun
A concrete noun is a naming word for something you can detect with your five senses, such as a person, place, animal, or object you can see, hear, smell, taste, or touch.
Conditional
A conditional is a sentence or clause that describes what happens, or would happen, if a certain condition is met, often using words like "if," "unless," or "as long as."
Conjunction
A conjunction is a word that connects words, phrases, or clauses so they work together in one sentence, such as "and," "but," or "because."
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