Word Synonym Synonym

     abandon discard vacateaccord agree grant

adversity difficulty misfortuneaffluent plentiful rich

aggravate annoy infuriatealleviate lighten mitigate

amenable agreeable favorableanguish distress sorrow

apathetic dispirited lifelessarrogant disdainful imperiousastonish confound overwhelmatrocious appalling detestableaugment add enlarge

avoid ignore shunawkward graceless inept

     baffle confuse deceivebanal common plainbarren desolate sterileberate criticize disapprovebetray deceive foolbias inclination predisposition

bitter acrid sourblend combine mixbliss happiness joybluff boast feignbold daring fearless

bonus award giftbother annoy irritatebrief concise short

brilliant clever intelligentbrisk fast swift

budget allot plan     

candid honest truthfulcaricature cartoon imitation

casual informal naturalcategory classification division

cease desist stopchaotic disordered messycherish esteem love

circumvent avoid go aroundcommemorate celebrate honorcompensate balance recompensecompetent able capableconceive design plan

confirmation acknowledgement proof

contradict deny opposecontribution donation grantcourteous polite well-mannered

craving desire longingcredulous confident trustful

     damp moist wetdare challenge defy

decay decline rotdecent honorable puredense filled packed

designate name selectdetain hold keep

disclose announce revealdogma belief viewdurable constant lastingdwindle abate diminish

     eager earnest keen

eccentric abnormal idiosyncraticelaborate embellish enhanceemanate arise radiateembezzle purloin stealeminent distinguished prominent

encourage foster induceendure last persist

essential cultured learnedessential basic necessaryestimate guess predictevaluate appraise judgeexhaust deplete empty

exhilarated cheerful zestfulexplicit definite specific

     fastidious exacting particularfederation alliance band

feeble helpless infirmfervor intensity passionfeud argument disputefilth dirt squalor

flatter compliment praisefleet nimble swift

frivolous inconsequential trivialfrugal prudent savingfurious angry outraged

     generous benevolent unselfishgenuine actual real

glare gleam glistengloomy cheerless dimgoad provoke badger

grasp grab holdgreed avarice longing

guarantee assure pledgeguile cunning deceit

gullible credulous unsuspicious     

habitual accustomed regularhandicap disability disadvantage

harass annoy disturbharmless innocuous inoffensive

harsh hard coarsehasty abrupt hurried

haughty arrogant pretentioushumiliate humble shamehygiene cleanliness sanitation

hypocrisy duplicity falseness     

ideal goal perfectionidle lazy unoccupied

ignorant stupid unintelligentillogical incongruent rambling

illustrious eminent famousimitate copy reflect

immense huge mammothimpartial candid impersonalimpatient anxious eagerimplicate accuse insinuateimportune beg solicitinadvertent accidental unintentionalindifferent apathetic disinterested

isolate detach quarantine     

jargon argot slangjovial genial merryjudge estimate referee

justification excuse reasonjuvenile adolescent immature

     keen clever observant

     label brand classifylabor toil worklead direct proceedlean slim thinleave abandon desertliberal copious unrestrainedliberal lenient open-minded

limitation boundary constraintlucid clear understandablelucky auspicious fortunate

     

mad furious iratemanage administer control

manipulate control shapemarginal borderline limited

match agree correspondmaze complexity labyrinth

meditate ponder thinkmemorial commemoration monumentmention allude refer tomerge blend fuse

     narrow confined restrictednature aspect character

necessary mandatory requisitenegate contradict refute

negligent careless remissnegotiate bargain deal

nice affable benignnoble aristocratic distinguishednovice beginner nonprofessional

nuisance annoyance offense     

obedient faithful loyalobjection disapproval protestobligatory compulsory requiredobserve notice watchobvious conspicuous definiteoffend anger irritateoffer bid proposalomen premonition signomit exclude remove

opportune advantageous auspicious     

pacify appease placatepain ache discomfort

paramount chief leadingpartisan biased dogmaticpassive inactive lethargicpause break cease

permeate diffuse disseminateperpetuate endure preserve

perplex astonish bafflepersecute afflict harass

     radiate effuse emanateradical basic fundamentalrange anger furorrank arrange classify

realize accomplish fulfillrecalcitrant obstinate stubbornreceptacle container repository

reconcile atone conciliateregret deplore grieve

reliable dependable trustworthy     

sanction approval permitscope aim extent

section division portionsettle adjust compromise

shallow superficial trivialshrewd careful calculating

significant distinctive importantslight delicate slender

spontaneous impromptu unplannedspread announce broadcast

stabilize balance steady     

tame domesticate subduetangle intertwine twisttemper mood nature

tendency inclination trendterm cycle durationthrift conservation prudencetough aggressive unyielding

transfer convey exchangetumult agitation commotion

turbulent disordered violent     

vain boastful inflatedvalid authorized legitimate

variety assortment diversifyverify authenticate substantiate

Words Antonyms

absence presence

accept refuse

accurate inaccurate

advantage disadvantage

alive dead

always never

ancient modern

answer question, query

approval disapproval

approached receded, departed

abundant scarce

admit deny

advance retreat, retire

artificial natural

arrival departure

ascend descend

attack defense

attractive repulsive

attention inattention

asleep awake

ally enemy

agree disagree

bad good

backward forward, onward

bend straighten

beautiful ugly

beginning ending

below above

bent straight

big small, little

blunt sharp

better worse

best worst

blame praise

bless curse

bitter sweet

borrow lend

bravery cowardice

build destroy, demolish

bold timid, meek

bright dull

broad narrow

clear vague, cloudy

careful rush, careless

calm troubled

capable incapable

captivity freedom, liberty

cellar attic

cheap dear, expensive

close distant

clever stupid

cold hot

combine separate

clockwise anti-clockwise

correct incorrect

conceal reveal

come go

common rare

comfort discomfort

courage cowardice

cruel kind

courteous discourteous, rude

cunning simple

dainty clumsy

danger safety

dark light

deep shallow

decrease increase

definite indefinite

demand supply

despair hope

disappear appear

disease health

discourage encourage

dismal cheerful

doctor patient

dry wet

dull clear, bright

dusk dawn

early late

easy difficult

ebb flow

East West

economise waste

encourage discourage

entrance exit

employer employee

empty full

excited calm

end beginning

expand contract

expensive inexpensive, cheap

export import

exterior interior

external internal

fail succeed

false true

feeble sturdy, strong, powerful

foolish wise

fast slow

few many

famous unknown

forelegs hind legs

fat thin

find lose

first last

freedom captivity

fold unfold

frequent seldom

forget remember

found lost

fresh stale

friend enemy

fortunate unfortunate

frank secretive

full empty

generous mean

gentle rough

gather distribute

glad sorry

gloomy cheerful

giant dwarf, pygmy

granted refused

great minute, small, little

guardian ward

guest host

guilty innocent

happy sad, miserable

hard soft

harmful harmless

hasten dawdle

hate love

healthy unhealthy, ill, diseased

here there

heavy light

height depth

hero coward

hill valley

horizontal vertical

hinder aid, help

honest dishonest

humble proud

hunger thirst

imitation genuine

immense tiny, minute

imprison free

include exclude

increase decrease

inhabited uninhabited

inferior superior

inside outside

intelligent unintelligent, stupid

inhale exhale

interior exterior, outside

interesting uninteresting, dull

internal external

intentional accidental

join separate

junior senior

justice injustice

king subject

knowledge ignorance

laugh cry

lawful unlawful

lazy industrious, energetic

land sea

landlord tenant

large little, small

last first

lawyer client

lecturer student

lender borrower

lengthen shorten

left right

less more

light dark, heavy

like dislike, unlike

likely unlikely

leader follower

little large, much, big

lofty lowly

long short

loud soft

loss find, win

low high

loyal disloyal

mad sane

magnetize demagnetize

master servant

mature immature

maximum minimum

me you

merry mirthless, sad

minority majority

miser spendthrift

misunderstand understand

narrow wide

near far, distant

neat untidy

new old

night day

noisy quiet

North South

obedient disobedient

odd even

offer refuse

open shut

optimist pessimist

out in

parent child

past present

patient impatient

peace war

permanent temporary

please displease

plentiful scarce

poetry prose

possible impossible

poverty wealth

powerful feeble, weak

polite impolite, rude

private public

prudent imprudent

pretty unsightly, ugly

pure impure

qualified unqualified

rapid slow

regularly irregularly

rich poor

right wrong, left

rigid pliable, soft

rough smooth

satisfactory unsatisfactory

security insecurity

scatter collect

serious trivial

second-hand new

sense nonsense

shopkeeper customer

singular plural

simple complicated

slim thick, stout

solid liquid

sober drunk

speaker listener

sour sweet

sorrow joy

sow reap

stand lie

straight crooked

strong weak

success failure

sunny cloudy

take give

tall short

tame wild

teacher pupil

thick thin

tight slack, loose

top bottom

transparent opaque

truth untruth, lie

up down

vacant occupied

valuable valueless

victory defeat

virtue vice

visible invisible

voluntary compulsory

vowel consonant

wax wane

wisdom folly

within without

http://www.cooper.com/alan/homonym_list.html

Follow this link for homonyms

Elements of Sentence Construction

Subjects and Predicates

Parts of speech have specific tasks to perform when they are put together in a sentence.

A noun or pronoun functions as the sentence subject when it is paired with a verb functioning as the sentence predicate.

Every sentence has a subject and predicate.

A subject can be a noun or pronoun that is partnered with an action verb.

        Example:

                   

Sometimes a verb will express being or existence instead of action.

        Example:

                         

Sometimes we use sentences in which a subject is not actually stated, but is, nevertheless, understood in the meaning.

        Example:

                               

                A sentence like this gives an order or a request to someone.

                       

Because we use such statements when we are talking directly to someone, we omit the word you.  It is understood in the sentence.  Therefore, in statements like this one, we say the subject is  

                                                    you (understood).

This kind of sentence is an imperative sentence.

     

A predicate is a verb that expresses the subject's action or state of being.

            Example:

                            

Sometimes the predicate will be composed of two or three verbs that fit together - the main verb preceded by one or more auxiliary (helping) verbs.

                           

IMPORTANT NOTE:  To be a predicate, a verb that ends in -ing must ALWAYS have a helping verb with it.  An -ing verb WITHOUT a helping verb cannot be a predicate in a sentence.

         

A subject and predicate may not always appear together or in the normal order, as the following examples show:

                            

        

                           

   

                           

      

Phrases

A phrase is a group of related words that 

                1. does not express a complete thought

                2.  does not have a subject and predicate pair

One type of phrase is a prepositional phrase.

                  Examples:                         

                             

Another kind of phrase is a verbal phrase. 

                Examples:  

                       

Even though these phrases contain nouns (pronouns) and/or verb forms, none of the nouns/pronouns/verbs are subjects or predicates.  None of them work as a partnership.

Also, these phrases do NOT express complete thoughts.

         

Clauses

Words and phrases can be put together to make clauses.

A clause is a group of related words that contain a subject and predicate.

Note the difference between phrases and clauses in the following examples:

                     

Only one of the clauses is a sentence.

Clause #1 gives a thought or an idea that is COMPLETE, that can stand by itself, independent of other words.

However, clause #2 gives an INCOMPLETE thought or idea, one that cannot stand by itself, one that needs some more words to make it whole.  The word after changes the meaning, making the thought incomplete.  After reading this clause, we are left hanging.  

These two clauses illustrate the two kinds of clauses:

            independent clauses and dependent clauses

An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject, a predicate, and a complete thought.

A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate, but does NOT express a complete thought.

Compounding Sentence Elements  

Words, phrases, and clauses may be joined to one another inside a sentence with a conjunction.

The coordinating conjunctions and, but, or, and nor may join subjects, predicates, adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases or dependent clauses within a sentence.  This process is called "compounding."

The following examples show the process of compounding

WORDS

         

  

PHRASES

   

DEPENDENT CLAUSES  

When entire independent clauses (simple sentences) are joined this way, they become compound sentences .

Avoiding Fragments

A complete sentence needs only two elements:

        a subject - predicate unit    AND    a complete thought

In other words, a simple sentence is actually the SAME thing as an independent clause.

Dependent clauses or phrases are called fragments because they are missing one or more parts needed to make a sentence.  

Therefore, they are only pieces or fragments of complete sentences. 

Look at these examples:

            

Avoiding Comma Splices and Fused Sentences

Sometimes two independent clauses (simple sentences) can be joined to form another kind of sentence: the compound sentence.

Two major errors can occur when constructing compound sentences.

Error #1: The Comma Splice

Writers make this error when they try to separate the two independent clauses in a compound sentence with a comma alone.

A comma is not a strong enough punctuation mark to separate the two independent clauses by itself; thus, using it causes the clauses to be spliced together.

Example of a comma splice:

               

This sentence can be repaired in three ways:

    1.  by adding an appropriate coordinating conjunction   

           

    2.  by changing the comma to a semicolon

               

    3.  by changing the punctuation and adding an appropriate conjunctive adverb

            

Error #2: The Fused Sentence

Writers make this error by joining two independent clauses into a compound sentence without using any punctuation between them.

No punctuation between the two independent clauses causes them to "fuse" into an INCORRECT compound sentence.

Example of a fused sentence:

            

This sentence is also repaired in three ways:

    1.  by adding a comma and an appropriate coordinating conjunction

           

    2.  by placing a semicolon between the two clauses

           

    3.  by adding the needed punctuation and an appropriate conjunctive adverb

           

 

Another way to repair a comma splice or fused sentence is to make each independent clause into a simple sentence .

               

 

 

  

Kinds of Sentences and Their Punctuation

      A sentence may be one of four kinds, depending upon the number and type(s) of clauses it contains.

        Review:

        An independent clause  contains a subject, a verb, and a complete thought.

               

        A dependent clause contains a subject and a verb, but no complete thought.

               

           

1. A SIMPLE SENTENCE has one independent clause.

               

Punctuation note: NO commas separate compound elements (subject, verb, direct object, indirect object, subjective complement, etc.) in a simple sentence.

                      

           

2. A COMPOUND SENTENCE has two independent clauses joined by

        A. a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so),

        B. a conjunctive adverb (e.g. however, therefore), or

        C. a semicolon alone.

                

    Punctuation patterns (to match A, B, and C above):

        A. Independent clause, coordinating conjunction independent clause.

        B. Independent clause; conjunctive adverb, independent clause.

        C. Independent clause; independent clause.

            

            

3. A COMPLEX SENTENCE has one dependent clause (headed by a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun ) joined to an independent clause.

            

    Punctuation patterns (to match A, B, C and D above):

        A.  Dependent clause,  independent clause

        B.  Independent clause  dependent clause

        C.  Independent,    nonessential dependent clause,     clause.

        D.  Independent    essential dependent clause     clause.

              

                            

4. A COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCE has two independent clauses joined to one or more dependent clauses.

       

Punctuation patterns:

 Follow the rules given above for compound and complex sentences.A compound-complex sentence is merely a combination of the two.

  

      

CONNECTORS --COMPOUND AND COMPLEX SENTENCES

Two independent clauses may be joined by

    1.  Coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS) Ic, and ic

    2.  Conjunctive adverbs Ic; therefore,  ic.

      

A dependent (subordinate) clause may be introduced by

    1. Subordinating conjunctions (ADVERB CLAUSE)     Dc, ic.   or Ic dc.

    2. Relative pronouns (ADJECTIVE CLAUSE)  I, dc, c. or Idc c.

   3.  Relative pronoun, subordinating conjunctions, or adverbs (NOUN CLAUSE)