Some Common Grammar Terms

Declarative

A sentence used to make a statement is called a declarative sentence.

Examples are:

Ann is a journalist.

The war is over.

I am ready.

Declarative question

A declarative question is a question which has the same grammatical form as a statement.

Examples are:

• That is your girlfriend?

• This is your pen?

• You are coming?

Emphatic pronoun

Reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself, themselves, himself etc.) are often used to emphasize a noun or pronoun. They are then called emphatic pronouns.

I will do it myself.

He himself said so.

They themselves admitted their guilt.

Euphemism

A euphemism is a polite word or expression used in place of a blunter one in order to avoid giving offence.

Examples include pass away for die, and lavatory or rest room for toilet.

• You are telling me a fairy tale. (=a lie)

• He has passed away. (= He has died.)

Fronting

Any construction in which a part of a sentence is moved to the beginning in order to give it special emphasis.

For example, I have never seen such a mess has a fronted counterpart Never have I seen such a mess, in which the adverb never is fronted. In this case the auxiliary verb have must also be placed before the subject I.

Another example is given below.

I can’t watch this movie has a fronted counterpart This movie I can’t watch, in which the direct object this movie is fronted.