The grammar toolbox continued
Michael McCarthy · 2021
This chapter looks at the different types of words and phrases that act as building blocks in English grammar. The most common words are members of closed systems. Closed systems are groups of words related to one another to which we don’t normally add new members. An example of a closed system in English is the set this, that, these, those. It has four members, and we cannot easily invent a fifth. Other examples of closed systems in English are pronouns, articles, the modal verbs and prepositions. The chapter looks at the main ‘smaller words’, the sort of work they do and the sorts of meanings they can express. Determiners are small words which come before noun. Conjunctions are items which join and link words, phrases and clauses. They ‘conjoin’ things.