Tag: syntax

A branch of linguistics that studies the various forms and structure of words is called morphology. It is one of the major elements of grammar and is traditionally applied to internal structure of words while syntax refers to the structure of a sentence. These two terms are similar in that they both show how language…

Indirect speech and direct speech are used extensively by journalists as well as fiction and non-fiction writers to convey paraphrased statements and direct quotes. Word for word quotes taken directly from a source are known as direct speech. Direct speech rules require quotes to be enclosed within quotation marks while indirect quotes are paraphrased statements…

Misplace your keys, and you may miss an appointment. Misplace your cell phone, and you will miss some calls. But — misplace or dangle your modifiers, and readers will wonder what in the world you’re trying to say. Modifiers are words, phrases, and clauses that limit or describe other words or groups of words. They…