(PG = Prescriptive Grammar  —  DG = Descriptive Grammar)

(GL = Grammatical Lingo  —  OB = Obtuse  —  NG = Not Grammatical)

• M, m  —  [PG]  The Letter “M” Is The Thirteenth Letter Of The English Alphabet.  It Is Also The Tenth Consonant In The English Alphabet.

• Main Clause  —  [GL]  The Term “Main Clause” Is not a Grammatical Term.  It is Grammatical Lingo which is used to refer to “Independent Clause” of a Complex Sentence which the Subordinate Clause or Clauses are “Subordinate” to.

For Example:  “WAY too many people decide to take The TOEFL Exam without Properly Preparing For It — which is a really huge mistake, and always turns out badly for them.”

In the Sentence above — the underlined Clause is the Main Clause — it can be a complete Sentence without the other two Subordinate Clauses.  And the Subordinate Clauses depend on the Main Clause.  (Which is why, Subordinate Clauses are often referred to as “Dependent Clauses”)  But a Subordinate Clause can not be a complete Sentence, alone.

• Main Verb  —  [GL]  The Term “Main Verb” Is not a Grammatical Term.  It is Grammatical Lingo which is used to refer to the only Verb which represents the “Action” of a Sentence that has more than one Verb in the Sentence.  This because — in a Sentence such as this — the other Verbs must function as the Subject or Objects.  Only one Verb — the so-called “Main Verb” can be represent “The Action Of The Sentence“.

For Example:  “When I am skiing with my friends, I like to also listen to music, maybe have a few drinks at the slope-side chalet, and meet some pretty girls who are single and looking for a good time.”

In the Sentence above — there are a lot of Words which are Verbs.  But there is only one that represents “The Action Of The Sentence”.  And that is “Like”.

“Skiing” is part of the Prepositional Phrase, referring to in-what situation the person “Likes” the following things.  “Listen”, “Have”, & “Meet” are all part of Phrases which are Objects in a list of things that the speaker “likes”.  And “looking” is part of the Object Complement Phrase describing the “Girls” which is the Indirect Object.

• Major Stress  —  [DG]  The Term “Major Stress” is used to refer to the Word-Stress which has the most emphasis in a Word which has more than one Stressed Syllable.

• Mass Noun  —  [NG]  The Term “Mass Noun” is simply the another Term which is the same thing as an Un-Countable Noun, and is more common in European English.  And since not all Un-Countable Nouns have to do with “Mass” — but all so-called “Mass Nouns” are “Un-Countable” — then this Term is useless, and is there-fore, Grammatical Dross. 

• Maxim  —  [NG]  The Term “Maxim” is not a Grammatical Term.  It is a Linguistic Term which is used to refer to some idea which is a truth which one can “live by”.  Maxims are expressed in different forms of Phrases, but — regardless of the particular form of the phrase — express that truth.

For Example:  “Never argue with an idiot.  He will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.”

• Meaning  —  [NG & GL]  The Term “Meaning”, alone, is not a Grammatical Term.  However it is Grammatical Lingo for what a Word, Phrase, or “Phrasal” actually “Means”.  This is very distinct from how a Word, Phrase, or “Phrasal” is often USED.

However — in Traditional Grammar — and even in almost every dictionary in the world (probably all of them) — there is, often, no distinction between Meaning & Usage.  And this is one of the biggest reasons for the absolutely astounding levels of stupidity in the world as a whole.  This is also one of the biggest motivations for the creation of The Grammar Of The Common Tongue.

• Meaning & Usage  —  [NG & GL]  The Phrase “Meaning & Usage” — alone — is not a Grammatical Term.  However it is Grammatical Lingo that you will find throughout GiveMeSomeEnglish!!!  This is because — there is a very big difference between the “Meaning” of a Word, Phrase, or “Phrasal” — and the “Usage” of that same Word, Phrase, or “Phrasal”.  Therefore — I often use this Phrase to refer to that topic.

This particular Phrase is not used in Traditional Grammar.  Because even in almost every dictionary in the world (probably all of them) — there is, often, no distinction between Meaning & Usage.  And this is one of the biggest reasons for the absolutely astounding levels of stupidity in the world as a whole.  This is also one of the biggest motivations for the creation of The Grammar Of The Common Tongue.

• Metaphor  —  [PG]  The Term “Metaphor” Is used to refer to the Object in a Phrase which is used to describe something else (the Subject) which it is not.  It is a way of comparing the Subject TO the Object by calling it that thing — because it may have similar properties or characteristics — (even if only in the mind of the person making the Statement).

So when an angry woman who does not like men says:  “All Men Are Pigs!” — Then the Metaphor is “Pigs”.  It is NOT the entire Phrase that is the Metaphor.  That may be the way it is described by those who follow Traditional Grammar.  But there is a lot about Traditional Grammar which is illogical & wrong.

In The Grammar Of The Common Tongue — The word “Metaphor” is correctly used to describe (as stated above) the Object of the Phrase.  So then we would say that the Phrase is Metaphorical;  It is a Metaphorical Phrase.

• Metaphorical  —  [PG]  The Adjective “Metaphorical” is used to describe any Phrase which contains a “Metaphor”.

• Metaphorical Phrase  —  [PG]  The Term “Metaphorical Phrase” Is used to refer to ANY Phrase- or Phrasal-Form of a Grammatical Unit in-which the Object is used to describe the Subject, by saying that is IS that thing.  It is a way of comparing the Subject TO the Object because it may have similar Properties, Qualities, or Characteristics.

So when an angry woman who does not like men says:  “All Men Are Pigs!” — Since the Word “Pigs” is being used as a Metaphor, to describe the Subject “Men” — then “All Men Are Pigs” is a Metaphorical Phrase.  (Even thought it is not true.)

• Minor Stress  —  [DG]  The Term “Minor Stress” is used to refer to the Word-Stress which has less emphasis than the Syllable which has the Major Stress in a Word which has more than one Stressed Syllable.

• Mixed Conditional  —  [DG & OB]  The Term “Mixed Conditional” is used to refer to the type of Conditional Sentence that is a mix of the so-called “Structures” of the other Conditional Sentences.

This particular example of Descriptive Grammar is the PERFECT example of how — instead of realizing that there is a difference between the “Rules” and the “Regulations” of Grammar — instead — Those within the Traditional English teaching world try to come up with yet another “Rule” (which should be “regulation”) for something which they can not conceive DOES NOT NEED A RULE OR A REGULATION!!!

ALL Conditional Sentences can be “Mixed”.  There-fore the Term “Mixed Conditional” is Obtuse & Stupid.

• Modal Verb  —  [DG]  The Term “Modal Verb” is a type of Auxiliary Verb which indicates:  Ability (Can, Could, Will, Shall), Possibility (Could, May, Might, Would), Probability (Could), Permission (Can, May), Obligation (Must), Suggestion (Ought, Should), Intention (Will, Shall, Must, Would).

• Modifier  —  [OB]  The Term “Modifier” is a common Grammatical Term in Traditional Grammar — but is completely Obtuse & Stupid because literally EVERY type of Word & Phrase can be a Modifier.  So this classification is useless, and there-fore — is eliminated from The Grammar Of The Common Tongue, and is classified as Grammatical Dross.

• Mondegreen  —  [NG]  The Term “Mondegreen” is not a Grammatical Term.  It is a Lingustic Term which is used to refer to the incident of not correctly hearing someone, and thinking that something else was said, or (usually) sung.

For Example:  “For All Intents & Purposes”  (correct)  ⇒  “For All Intensive Purposes”  (not correct)

• Monosyllabic  —  [NG & OB]  The Term “Monosyllabic” is not necessarily a Grammatical Term.  It is simply a Adjective which is used to describe a Word as having “Only One Syllable“.

Knowing this Term will not help you — in any way — to Comprehend or Communicate in English.

• Morpheme  —  [NG]  The Term “Morpheme” is not a Grammatical Term.  It is a Linguistic Term which is used to refer to “the smallest individual parts” of a Word which carries meaning.

Basically — all Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root-Words are Morphemes.  If you break those down any more, then you simply have the Grammatical Element of Letters.

• Morphology  —  [NG]  The Term “Morphology” is not a Grammatical Term.  It is a Linguistic Term which is used to refer to the study of Words and the “Building Blocks” of Language.