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Glossary
of Terms |
Glossário de
termos
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- Adjectives
are modifiers. They describe nouns & specify
size, color, number, etc., e.g., The small
"x" in the upper corner of the
window is used to exit your file.
- Adverbs
describe verbs, adjectives & other adverbs,
e.g., The exhausted secretary screamed loudly
as her monitor flickered slowly, then
died.
- Alliteration
can give a pleasing sound to a sentence, as long
as it's not overdone, e.g., World Wide Web . . .
smelly, slimy SCSI . . . resonant ringing.
- Clauses
are groups of words with a subject and predicate.
A main clause stands alone as a sentence; a
subordinate clause is incomplete and is used
with a main clause to express an idea. Main:
I like playing Tetris, Subordinate when
I have time.
- Compound
nouns usually form the plural by pluralizing the
fundamental part of the word, e.g., attorneys
general; spelling matches; vice presidents.
- Conjunctions
join words, phrases or clauses. Coordinating
conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, either,
neither, yet, so, so that. (Yet & so are
also used as adverbs.) Subordinating
conjunctions join two clauses (main and
dependent/subordinate): although, because, since,
until, while, etc.
- Metaphors
suggest comparison between two different things,
e.g., Bill Gates has a heart of gold . . . His
mind is a sharp razor.
- Noun The
name of a person, place, thing, quality or
action. Secretary, desk, computer, Redmond,
technology, frustration.
- Phrases
are closely related words with no subject or
predicate, and may be used as nouns, verbs,
adjectives, or adverbs, e.g., Waiting for
Technical Support has kept me at my desk all
afternoon (noun). The typing could have been
done earlier (verb). The person with the
bleary eyes is a computer nerd (adjective).
Buy memory chips now, since the price will go up
soon (adverb).
- Predicates
are one of two main components of a sentence.
They are verbs and the words used to explain the
action or condition. They always agree with the
Subject, e.g., Choosing the right ISP can be
a difficult process.
- Prepositions
show how nouns or pronouns relate to other words
in a sentence, e.g., Little Susie rolled the
$800 CD ROM into the bathroom; her
mother hid behind the shower curtain.
- Pronouns
are substitutes for nouns, e.g., Judy sat at her
computer and turned it on.
- Proper nouns
form their plurals by adding s to the
singular or es if the word ends in s,
z, ch, sh, or zh, e.g., the Carolinas,
Robinsons, Piersons, Judys, Joneses, Savages,
Morrises.
- Similes
show a similarity between two things, using
"like." Bill Prowell has a mind like a
razor . . . After six hours at the computer, her
eyelids felt like lead weights.
- Subjects,
one of two main components of a sentence, are
nouns, pronouns, or phrases used as nouns, e.g.,
Choosing the right ISP can be a
difficult process.
- Verbs
make things happen, show action or state of
being & also indicate time of action or
being, e.g., Jeff's son waved goodbye to
the computer repairman (past). I need to
shut down Windows (present). You will enjoy
learning HTML (future).
- Voice.
Active is preferable to passive to create action
and interest. Sometimes, in certain types of
documents, passive voice is preferred, e.g.,
Connie typed the letter (active). The letter was
typed by Connie (passive).
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