Active Voice
The verb form in which the subject of the sentence performs or causes the action expressed by the verb.
Example:
Mariana hizo unos alfajores de fécula de maíz buenísimos.
Adjective
The part of speech that modifies a noun or a pronoun.
Example:
Mozo, tráigame un cortado por favor.
Adverb
The part of speech that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb. Example:
Acá cerca, en Plaza Dorrego, venden unas artesanías interesantísimas.
Clause
A group of words that contains a subject and a predicate. A clause may be either a sentence (independent clause) or a sentence-like construction included within another sentence (dependent clause).
Example:
Ayer por la noche comí en el restaurante [independent clause], que me recomendó mi profesora de español [dependent clause].
Complex Sentence
A sentence that contains at least one independent clause and one dependent clause.
Example:
No te preocupes por lo que diga la gente [independent clause], porque la gente siempre murmura [dependent clause].
Compound Sentence
A sentence that contains at least two independent clauses, often joined by a conjunction.
Example:
Mi hijo es muy trabajador [independent clause], y mi hija es muy estudiosa [independent clause].
Conjunction
The part of speech that serves to connect words, phrases, clauses, or sentences.
Example:
Mis amigos duermen y (conjuction) mis vecinos cantan.
Declarative Sentence
A sentence that makes a statement.
Example:
Ayer por la noche mi vecino me amenazó y yo hice la denuncia a la policía.
Dependent Clause
A group of words that begins with a relative pronoun or a subordinating conjunction.
Example:
Yo soy la mujer [independent clause], que más te amó en toda tu vida [dependent clause].
Direct Object
A noun or pronoun in a sentence that receives the action of a transitive verb.
Example:
Yo como asado a la parrilla una vez por semana.
Exclamatory Sentence
A sentence that expresses strong feelings by making an exclamation.
Example:
¡Qué hermoso día!
Imperative Sentence
A sentence that gives advice or instructions or that expresses a request or a command.
Example:
Comé rápido el helado, porque si no lo hacés, va a derretirse.
Independent Clause
A group of words made up of a subject and a predicate. An independent clause (unlike a dependent clause) can stand alone as a sentence. Also known as a main clause.
Example:
La heladería que me recomendaste (independent clause), es excelente [dependent clause].
Indirect Object
A noun or pronoun that indicates to whom or for whom the action of a verb in a sentence is performed.
Example:
Dígale a Juan que Ana lo llamó por teléfono.
Interrogative Sentence
A sentence that asks a question.
Example:
¿Es verdad que el bife argentino es la mejor del mundo?
Noun
The part of speech that is used to name a person, place, thing, quality, or action and can function as the subject or object of a verb, the object of a preposition, or an appositive.
Example:
Susana camina muchísimo.
Passive Voice
A verb form in which the grammatical subject receives the verb’s action. Contrast with active voice.
Example:
Estos brownies fueron elaborados con mucho amor por mi abuela.
Predicate
One of the two main parts of a sentence or clause, modifying the subject and including the verb, objects, or phrases governed by the verb.
Example:
Mariano y Romina (subject) cenarán en casa de sus padres (predicate).
Prepositional Phrase
A group of words made up of a preposition, its object, and any of the object’s modifiers.
Example:
De muy buena gana (prepositional phrase) comería en casa de mi hermana menor.
Pronoun
A word that takes the place of a noun.
Example:
Lucas es buenísimo. Él (pronoun) siempre piensa en mí.
Sentence
A word or (more commonly) a group of words that expresses a complete idea. A sentence includes a subject and a verb. It begins with a capital letter and ends with a mark of end punctuation. Example:
María siempre tiene ganas de tomar un helado en San Telmo.
Subject
The part of a sentence that indicates what it is about.
Example:
Carlos (subject) quiere estudiar ingeniería en la UBA.
Tense
The time of a verb’s action or state of being, such as past, present, and future. See Forming the Past Tense of Regular Verbs.
Example:
Hace veinte años el tango estaba agonizando [past tense] pero ahora está renaciendo [present tense].
Verb
The part of speech that describes an action or occurrence or indicates a state of being.
Example:
Lucas juega (verb) tenis todos los domingos.
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