English Grammatical Terms
Letter T
(PG = Prescriptive Grammar — DG = Descriptive Grammar)
(GL = Grammatical Lingo — OB = Obtuse — NG = Not Grammatical)
- T, t — [PG] The Letter “T” Is The Twentieth Letter Of The English Alphabet. It Is Also The Sixteenth Consonant In The English Alphabet.
- See Also:“Letter” & “Consonant”
- Tag Question — [DG] The Term “Tag Question” Is used to refer to a Question that is added (“tagged” onto) to the end of a Statement — usually to get the person being asked the Question to either confirm information that is suspected but not fully known — or to get the person who is being asked the Question to agree with the one asking it. Tag Questions are FAR more common in British-English.
Hey! You’re “The Teacher” From GiveMeSomeEnglish!!!, Aren’t You? — Confirming Information
TOEFL Excellence Is Literally The Greatest TOEFL Training System In The Universe, Isn’t It? — Asking For Agreement
The actual Question that is “tagged” on to the end of the Statement is called the “Question Tag”.
- See Also: “Letter” & “Consonant”
- Tautology — [DG & OB] The Term “Tautology” Is not a Grammatical Term. It is a Term of English Usage. “Tautology” is said to be: “The Redundant usage of Words“.
However — the Suffix “-ology” refers to: “The Study Of” (something) or “The Knowledge Of” (something). Therefore — this Term is Stupid & Obtuse because the so-called “Definition” of the Term is clearly not correct — merely by the Knowing & Comprehending the components of the Word alone.
- Tense — [NG] The Word “Tense”, by itself, is NOT Grammatical. But when it is used in Grammar — it is used to refer to the form that a Verb is in — to show what time the action of the Verb is taking place in: Past, Present, Future, or Infinitive Tense.
- See Also: “Past Tense”, “Present Tense”, “Future Tense”, & “Infinitive Tense”
- Term — [DG] The Word “Term” is itself a “Term”. A “Term” is a type of Word that is a name of some “thing” whether tangible or intangible which is used in a specific way — within a specific field of study, work, or interest.
It could be that the specific “Term” only exists within a specific field. Or that the “Term” has a Meaning & Usage which is different to the Meaning & Usage of the same word OUTSIDE of that specific field. That is why the Word “Term” is used, instead of simply calling it a “Word”.
The Above Is True In Both Traditional Grammar [TG] & The Grammar Of The Common Tongue [CTG]
- Text — [NG] The Term “Text” is not a Grammatical Term, but it is Grammatical Lingo. This is because the Word “Text” refers to literally any piece of writing of any length. This description is piece of Text.
- Third Conditional — [DG] The Term “Third Conditional” is used to refer to the type of Conditional Sentence that is used to talk about if some “condition” in the past had been different — then there would have been some other different reaction that would have resulted in a different present situation.
“If I had known you would be coming, I would have prepared more food.”
“If I thought that you could have handled it, I would have given you a few more doses.”
“If I knew that you were going to do that, I never would have left you alone.”
- Third Person — [PG] The Term “Third Person” is a Grammatical Term which is used to refer to the Subject of the Sentence when that Subject is not the “Speaker” of the Sentence, or the “Audience” of the Sentence.
To Illustrate:
I — who am writing this Sentence represents the “Speaker”. So I am the “First Person”. “I” is a “First-Person Pronoun”, and the Verb must Agree with that Pronoun, in-order-to be Grammatically Correct.
.
You — who are reading this Sentence represent the “Audience”. You are the “Second Person”. “You” is a “Second-Person Pronoun”, and the Verb must Agree with that Pronoun, in-order-to be Grammatically Correct.
.
If I were writing or speaking to You about someone else, like “Traditional English Teachers” — then They are the Subject. And since They are not You or I (the “Speaker” or the “Audience”) — then They are the “Third Person”. They is a “Third-Person Pronoun”, and the Verb must Agree with that Pronoun, in-order-to be Grammatically Correct.
Examples Of Pronoun / Verb Agreement Between 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Person:
1st: “I Am“
2nd: “You Are“
3rd: “They Are“
- Third-Person Pronoun — [PG] The Term “Third-Person Pronoun” is used to refer to any Pronoun which represents, and is in the correct form for, the “Third Person” of a Sentence.
- Tmesis — [OB] The Term “Tmesis” is technically a Grammatical Term — but it is only a Term used to talk ABOUT a specific “piece” of Grammar. Therefore — it is not necessary, nor is it useful for the anyone learning Grammar for the sake of better-Comprehending & Communicating in The Common Tongue Of The English Language. As-Such — it is Obtuse, and is Grammatical Dross.
Tmesis is simply the Term for when another Word is inserted in-between a “Phrasal”, or even sometimes a single Word.
Examples:
“To Turn In your assignment” ⇒ “To turn your assignment in” — The Phrasal-Verb is: (to) “Turn In”. But it is separated by the Subject of the Clause. Therefore — we say that this Phrasal-Verb is “Separable”.
“Another” ⇒ “A Whole ‘nother” — First of all — the Word “Another” is actually a Colloquial Compound-Word made-up of the Article “An” & the Word “Other”.
But then it is separated by the Word “Whole” (to indicated something completely separate from whatever it is referring to). But since the Word “Whole” starts with the Consonant Sound of The Letter “H” — it is separated in-between the “A” and the “n” of the Article “An”.
So although it is not Grammatically Correct — it is logically done in an attempt to actually BE Grammatically Correct. It actually WOULD be Grammatically Correct if one were to, instead, say: “A Whole Other”. But this is a Colloquialism which has “stuck”.
Both examples are classified as Tmesis. But the Term Tmesis is almost un-heard-of by anyone outside of Academia. So for the first example (and any other examples like it) we simply say that the Phrase is “Separable”.
For the second example (and any other examples like it) — we refer to them as Slang Terms, or Colloquial Expression.
- See Also: “Separable”, “Colloquial”, “Colloquialism”, & “Colloquial Expression”
- Topic Sentence — [NG] The Term “Topic Sentence” is not a Grammatical Term. It is a Literary Term which is used to refer to the Sentence of a Piece of writing — usually a Paragraph — which explains what the Topic of that Paragraph — or even a much larger piece of writing — actually IS.
- See Also: “Paragraph”
- Traditional Grammar — [NG] The Term “Traditional Grammar” [TG] is a Term which is used throughout GiveMeSomeEnglish!!! to refer-to the English Grammar that has been in existence for hundreds of years and more. This Term is used to refer-to THAT Grammar — in contra-distinction from The Grammar Of The Common Tongue [CTG] — which is what is being compiled and constructed by C. James Cote — Ownerm Founder, & Creator Of GiveMeSomeEnglish!!! & The Common Tongue — in-order-to fix the NUMEROUS mistakes of “Traditional Grammar” — and to make the subject of Grammar itself, MUCH more Simplified, Elegant, & Comprehensible — while at-the-same-time being MUCH more Logical & Practical.
The Grammar Of The Common Tongue is NOT the Grammar of so-called “Scholars”, who only talk ABOUT Grammar — but do nothing to forward it’s comprehension by those who need to learn and use it — or to benefit the world through it’s usage. The Grammar Of The Common Tongue is specifically for those who desire to Know & Comprehend the Language and it’s underlying system — and then to use that Language to make all of reality a MUCH… Better… “Place”… For ALL.
The Term “Traditional Grammar” is not used in “Traditional Grammar”. Instead, it only “thinks of itself” as being, simply… “Grammar”… The only one. The Term “Traditional Grammar” is only used in The Grammar Of The Common Tongue — to distinctly make clear: that-which is a part-of or, or NOT a part-of each and either one… for YOUR better Knowledge & Comprehension.
- See Also: “What Is The Common Tongue”
- Transitive — [NG] The Term “Transitive”, alone, is not a Grammatical Term. But when it is used in Grammar it refers to a Verb which — as they say in Traditional Grammar — “Takes a Direct Object or Objects“. However — this is yet another Stupid & Obtuse way of describing something which should be FAR more logically described, as there is no “taking” involved.
The reason that the Word “Transitive” is used to describe certain Verbs, or how certain Verbs are used in some sentences, is because — the Word “Transitive” means: “Having the effect of Transference”.
So, in Grammar — A “Transitive Verb” is one with-which some sort of “Action” is done BY the “doer” TO the Object. Therefore — there is a “Transference” of the effect of whatever the Verb IS. Thus — Transitive. The “doer” of the “action” Transfers the effect of the “action” to the Object.
“I Explain Grammar To You”
“I” (the doer of the action) — “Explain” (the action) — “Grammar” (The Subject) to “You” (the Object). Therefore I have transferred the effects of my explaining Grammar TO You. Or more simply — the explanation has been Transferred to “You”. And so — the Verb “Explain” is “Transitive”.
- See Also: “Transitive”, “Intransitive”, & “Intransitive Verb”
- Transitive Verb — [PG] The Term “Transitive Verb” is used to refer to a Verb which is “Transitive”, or is being used in the “Transitive” Form within a Sentence (as some Verbs can be either Transitive or Intransitive).
- See Also: “Transitive”, “Intransitive”, “Intransitive Verb”
- Text — [NG] The Term “Text” is not a Grammatical Term, but it is Grammatical Lingo. This is because the Word “Text” refers to literally any piece of writing of any length. This description is piece of “Text”.
- TRUE Long A — [DG] The Term “TRUE Long A” is one that was created by C. James Cote (“The Teacher” from GiveMeSomeEnglish!!!) to describe one of The THREE different pronunciations of the so-called “Long A” sound.
In most cases — the “Long A” is pronounced as a Diphthong. Either a combination of what is commonly understood to be the “Long A” Sound — but which transforms into either the “Long E” Sound, or the “Short I” Sound.
However — the “TRUE Long A” is NOT a Diphthong. It is ONLY the sound that is commonly understood as the “Long A” Sound without transforming into any other Vowel Sound. This happens whenever the so-called “Long A” is in-front of what are referred to as “Plosive” Consonant Sounds when pronounced normally — or when it is Stopped, or becomes a Glottal Stop. It also happens with a couple other Consonant Sounds listed below.
These Letters Are: B, C (hard), D, G (hard & Soft), *J, K, P, T, and the combinations CH, TCH, *DG (same as Soft G)
*These two sounds are not classified as “Plosive” but they still cause a “TRUE Long A” Sound.
If one were to pronounce any Words with the “TRUE Long A” very slowly — one would then here one of the Diphthongs. But this is only a product of speaking un-naturally slow. When these Words are pronounced at a “normal” speed — the Diphthong disappears.
- Pronunciation Lesson — Click Here!
- See Also: “Long A / Long E Diphthong”, “Long A / Short I Diphthong”, “Diphthong”, “Plosive”, “Stopped Consonant Sounds” & “Glottal Stop”
- TRUE-Schwa — [DG] The Term “TRUE-Schwa” is one that was created by C. James Cote (“The Teacher” from GiveMeSomeEnglish!!!) to describe one of The THREE different pronunciations of “The Schwa Sound”.
The “TRUE-Schwa” is best represented with the sound of The Letter “E” in the Article “The” when it is in-front-of a Word that starts with a Consonant or Consonant Sound.
- Video Lesson — Click Here
- See Also: “U-Schwa”, “I-Schwa”, & “Phantom-Schwa”
- TRUE Short A — [DG] The Term “TRUE Short A” is one that was created by C. James Cote (“The Teacher” from GiveMeSomeEnglish!!!) to describe one of The THREE different pronunciations of the so-called “Short A” sound.
In most cases — the “Short A” is pronounced as a Diphthong. Either a combination of what is commonly understood to be the “Short A” Sound — but which transforms into either an “I-Schwa” Sound, or a “U-Schwa” Sound.
However — the “TRUE Short A” is NOT a Diphthong. It is ONLY the sound that is commonly understood as the “Short A” Sound without transforming into any other Vowel Sound. This happens whenever the so-called “Short A” is in-front of what are referred to as “Plosive” Consonant Sounds when pronounced normally — or when it is Stopped, or becomes a Glottal Stop. It also happens with a couple other Consonant Sounds listed below.
These Letters Are: B, C (hard), D, G (hard & Soft), *J, K, P, T, and the combinations CH, TCH, *DG (same as Soft G)
*These two sounds are not classified as “Plosive” but they still cause a “TRUE Short A” Sound.
If one were to pronounce any Words with the “TRUE Short A” very slowly — one would then here one of the Diphthongs. But this is only a product of speaking un-naturally slow. When these Words are pronounced at a “normal” speed — the Diphthong disappears.
- Pronunciation Lesson — Click Here!
- See Also: “Short A / I-Schwa Diphthong”, “Short A / U-Schwa Diphthong”, “Diphthong”, “Plosive”, “Stopped Consonant Sounds” & “Glottal Stop”
- Types Of Adjectives — [DG] The Term “Types Of Adjectives” is not a Grammatical Term. It is Grammatical Lingo used to refer to the different classifications of Adjectives in Traditional Grammar.
However — knowing the different so-called “Types of Adjectives” does not actually help you to Comprehend or Communicate in English. So they are not used in The Grammar Of The Common Tongue as they are Grammatical Dross.
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