Appendix

This list describes the grammatical terms used above. We’ll use this sample sentence:

Sample sentence:

"Although the body can utilise both ferric and ferrous iron, findings that were recently reported indicate that ferrous iron, which is the less frequent form in dietary sources, is used more efficiently than ferric iron."

1. Sentences

Sentence: the smallest self-contained unit of thought; the unit of a complete thought (compared to a paragraph, which is an integrated series of thoughts)

2. Phrases and Clauses

Phrase: any group of words acting as a single part of speech, that is, as a single noun, verb, adverb or adjective
　Example) "the less frequent form in dietary sources"

Clause: any group of words with a subject and a verb
　Example) "Although the body can utilise both ferric and ferrous iron"

3. Independent and Dependent Clauses

All clauses are either independent or dependent.

Independent clause: a clause that can exist as a sentence by itself
　Example) "findings...indicate that ferrous iron...is used more efficiently than ferric iron"

Dependent clause: a clause which cannot exist as a sentence by itself
　Example) "which is the less frequent form in dietary sources"
　*Relative and subordinate clauses are both dependent.

4. Relative clauses

Add extra information about a noun. There are two types:

Restrictive relative clause: adds information about a noun which is essential to the meaning of the noun
　Example) "that were recently reported"
　*not enclosed by commas

Nonrestrictive relative clause: adds information about a noun which is not essential to the meaning of the noun
　Example) "which is the less frequent form in dietary sources"
　*enclosed by commas

5. Main and subordinate clauses

A subordinate clause is always dependent and always begins with a subordinating conjunction.
A main clause is always independent.

Main clause: the primary clause in a multiclause sentence
　Example)"findings ...indicate that ferrous iron...is used more efficiently than ferric iron" Subordinate clause: a dependent clause introduced by a subordinating conjunction
　Example)"Although the body can utilise both ferric and ferrous iron"

6. Conjunctions

Conjunctions join sentences and sentence parts together. There are three types:

① Coordinating conjunctions: connect ideas of equal value
　　and, but, yet, for, or, nor

② Subordinating conjunctions: connect ideas of unequal value
　　although, because, since, as, despite, while, if, etc.

③ Adverbial conjunctions: connect ideas of near-equal value
　　however, in contrast, nevertheless, moreover, in conclusion, furthermore, in addition, etc.