The technique in English grammar of adding extra emphasis to a syllable or word is called stress. This aids not only pronunciation, it can alter the meaning of a word or shift the purpose of a spoken statement. Syllable Emphasis in a Word Only vowels are stressed, not consonants. A word with one syllable can…

Infinitives are two words that combine to form a single verb, such as “to walk,” “to draw” and “to swim.” Although the pair of words is treated like one verb, “to” is actually a particle; the verb itself is the infinitive. When “to” is dropped, the infinitive is called a “zero (or bare) infinitive.” The…

Phonemes are the most basic units of sound in English and graphemes are the symbols that represent them. For instance, the alphabet has 26 graphemes, and each represents a unique sound. To better remember this, keep in mind that spoken language was invented before written language. Mixing graphemes together in different combinations is how words…

A word or the part of a word that carries the main meaning of other forms is called the root or base. A root can change forms in several ways, such as through conjugation, pluralizing or by adding a prefix or suffix. The meaning of an unfamiliar word can often be determined by identifying the…