English Language Glossary - A

Accent 

The pronounciation of words, regional accents include Cockney and Geordie

Accommodation 

A theory suggesting that we adjust our speech to 'accomodate' the person we are addressing 

Acronym 

A word formed from the initial letters of other words e.g. radar, sos 

Active Voice 

When the subject of a verb is the agent performing the action e.g. 'the police caught the burglar' 

Adjacency Pair 

Two part exchange following a predictable pattern and found in conversation e.g question followed by an answer 

Adjective 

A word that can be used to describe a noun 

Adverb 

A word that tells us more about a verb, adverb or adjective 

Adverbial 

A word or group of words working as an adverb, usually giving information about time, place or manner 

Affix 

A group of letters forming part of a word, usually a prefix or suffix 

Alliteration 

When two or more words begin with the same sound 

Amelioration 

A change in the meaning of a word that gives the word a meaning that is more positive

Anaphoric Reference 

A word or expansion in a text that refers back to another part of the text 

Antonym

A word that is opposite in meaning to another word 

Asyndetic Listing 

Listing which does not involve the use of conjunctions 

Auxiliary Verb

A verb placed in front of a main verb e.g. is, have, can