Glossary of Grammatical Terms

Grammar Monster Home Page
Link to Grammar Monster
Grammar Chat Forum

N	[neologism] [neuter] [nominative case] [non-countable noun] [non-restrictive clause] [noun] [noun clause] [noun phrase] [number]

^ top Neologism

Neologism is the introduction of a new word or phrase, or the use of a word or phrase in a new meaning.

D'oh! (interjection), wicked (meaning "good" or "cool")

^ top Neuter

English has three genders for nouns and pronouns: masculine, feminine, and neuter. The associated singular pronouns are "he", "she" and "it". Unless obviously male (e.g. man, boy, bull) or female (e.g. lady, vixen, sow), nouns tend to be neuter by default. An animal can be referred to as "it", or "he" or "she" when the sex is known. Large machines, such as ships and trains, which - by default - are neuter, are sometimes affectionally called "she". For ease, "he" is sometimes used in writing to represent "he" and "her". Likewise, "his" is used for "his" and "her".

Bag / House / Man / Waitress / Wall / Hen [neuter]

^ top Nominative Case

See "Subjective Case"

^ top Non-Countable Noun

A non-countable noun, or mass noun, is a noun which does not have a plural form. (Non-countable nouns refer to things that cannot be counted.)

music, furniture, grit, mercury

Non-countable nouns are always singular.

The air is thin near the top. There's hardly any oxygen. [non-countable noun]

^ top Non-Restrictive Clause

A non-restrictive clause is one that does not identify the word it modifies; i.e. it is just additional information and is usually offset with commas. (Brackets and dashes can be used too.)

I went to Reading with John Baker, who lives next door. (additional info)

non-restrictive clause (comma required)

I went to Reading with the man who lives next door. (identifies the man)

restrictive clause (no commas)

Betty, who is still on the ferry, will arrive before 4 o'clock. [non-restrictive clause]

Related lesson: "Which & Who".

^ top Noun

A noun is a naming word. It is the word used for a person, place or thing.

Anne, policeman, town, Exeter, crayon, The Eiffel Tower, thought, swimming, dream, table, grass, oxygen, ounce, day.

All nouns can be classified as one of the following:

a common noun - the word for a person, place or thing (e.g. cat, letter, pound, bravery, building, sea)

a proper noun - the name given to a person, place or thing (e.g. Felix, The Empire State Building, Atlantic Ocean, Mr Jones, Doomsday Book)

a pronoun - a word used to replace a noun (e.g. he, she, it, who, which, any)

There are other types of nouns; for example, abstract nouns, collective nouns, compound nouns, concrete nouns, mass nouns, gender-specific nouns and verbal nouns. Predominantly, these are all types of common noun.

The gnome was stolen by sailors, who took it around Europe for a week. [noun]

This is covered in more detail in the lessons "Nouns" and "Pronouns".

Related lessons: "Nouns" and "Pronouns"

^ top Noun Clause

A noun clause is a group of related words which play the role of a noun. Like all clauses, a noun clause includes a subject and a verb. For example:

The shopkeeper will only allow 2 children in at once. (normal noun)

The man who owns the shop will only allow 2 children... (noun clause)

Give it back to the boy. (normal noun)

Give it back to the person who gave it to you. (noun clause)

The boy who broke my door returned with roses from my garden. [noun clause]

Related lesson: "Nouns".

^ top Noun Phrase

A noun phrase is a group of related words which play the role of a noun. Like all phrases, a noun phrase does not have a subject and a verb. For example:

The shopkeeper will only allow 2 children in at once. (normal noun)

The overweight shopkeeper will only allow 2 children... (noun phrase)

Give it back to the boy. (normal noun)

Give it back to the boy on the boat. (noun phrase)

Those aliens from Mars must have stolen your precious stapler. [noun phrase]

Related lesson: "Nouns".

^ top Number

The number of a noun or pronoun is either singular, if it refers to one thing, or plural, if it refers to more than one thing.

shark (singular noun)

sharks (plural noun)

he (singular pronoun)

they (plural pronoun)

Related lesson: "Singular?".