Understanding Lexemes, Morphemes, and Word Formation
Lexemes and Grammatical Words
Lexeme – an abstract grammatical entity which is represented by different inflected forms. E.g., the lexeme JUMP is represented by jump, jumps, jumped, jumping.
Grammatical Word – the lexemic and grammatical content of a word form in context. E.g., in jumps over the lazy dog’s head, jumps represents the grammatical word ‘present tense of verb JUMP’; however, in huge jumps it represents the grammatical word ‘plural form of noun JUMP’
Words and Lexical Items
Words
Read MoreEnglish Word Formation Processes: Types and Examples
Key Word Formation Processes in English
This document outlines the primary strategies for creating new words in the English language. These processes include:
- Derivation (Affixation): Prefixation, Suffixation, Pseudo-affixation
- Compounding
- Conversion
- Clipping and Blending
- Alphabetisms
- Acronyms
- Back-formation
- Eponyms
Derivation (Affixation)
Derivation is one of the most common word-formation strategies in English, dating back to Old English (OE). It involves creating new words by adding affixes (bound morphemes)
Read MoreUnderstanding Modality and Modal Verbs in English
Understanding Modality and Modal Verbs
Modality is a semantic category of the verb expressing the speaker’s attitude towards a proposition. The primary grammatical markers for modality in English are the modal verbs. Two major kinds of modality are distinguished: Epistemic and Deontic.
Deontic (Intrinsic) Modality
Deontic modality concerns modes of permission, obligation, ability, and volition, involving some kind of intrinsic human control over events.
Obligation and Compulsion
The modal meaning of
Read MoreSpanish Vocabulary: Meaning, Origin, and Formation
Lexical and Grammatical Meaning in Spanish
Lexical Meaning
This refers to the core meaning of words found in the dictionary, primarily associated with:
- Nouns
- Verbs
- Adverbs
- Adjectives
Grammatical Meaning
This relates to grammatical functions and relationships, such as gender, number, and person. It includes words like:
- Pronouns
- Adjectives (in their grammatical function)
- Determiners
- Prepositions
- Conjunctions
Word Meanings and Relationships
- Polysemy: A single word having several related meanings.
- Homonymy: Words that
Mastering English Tenses and Modals
English Tenses and Modals: A Comprehensive Guide
Present Simple
Uses:
- Habits, customs, and routine activities (e.g., I know, you know, we know, they know; he knows, she knows, it knows).
- General and universal truths.
- States.
- To refer to a future action that is already known.
Present Continuous
Structure: I am, she/he/it is, you/we/they are + verb + ing
Uses:
- Actions happening now.
- Temporary situations.
- Future plans already decided.
Past Simple
Structure: I/he/she/it/we/you/they + past simple (negative: didn’t
Read MoreLanguage Test Validity: A Comprehensive Assessment
Language Test Validity
What is Validity in Language Testing?
Validity refers to whether a test accurately measures the intended abilities. This involves selecting appropriate content and techniques. It also encompasses the generalizability of findings to other subjects and situations.
Types of Validity
Content Validity
A test has content validity if its content represents a sample of the language skills and structures it aims to assess. A valid test includes a proper sample of the relevant structures.
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