Correct Grammar in Making Definitions || GRADE 10 || MELC-based VIDEO LESSON | QUARTER 4 | MODULE 4

This video focuses on observing correct grammar in making definitions. It revisits the components of a definition (term, class, distinguishing characteristic) and introduces the concept of grammar as the rules of a language. A common grammatical error in subject-verb agreement is used as an example to highlight the importance of grammar, a principle that also applies to writing definitions.

The first guideline for writing grammatically correct definitions is to use the simple present tense of the verb after the term being defined. An example of 'influenza' is given, showing that 'was' should be corrected to 'is' for an accurate definition.

The second guideline emphasizes that the verb must agree in number with the subject (the term defined). The general rule is that a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb. 'Binoculars' is used as an example, where the plural term requires 'are' instead of 'is'.

The third guideline states that the class or category and the term being defined must agree in number. An example with 'narcolepsy' illustrates that if the term is singular, the class ('disorder') should also be singular, without an 's'.

The fourth guideline advises being specific about the class in a definition. Comparing 'courage is a thing that' versus 'courage is the quality that', the latter is preferred because 'quality' is more specific than 'thing', making the definition clearer and less vague.

The fifth guideline is to use the same part of speech for the class and the term being defined. For instance, if 'microphone' (a noun) is the term, the class should also be a noun, like 'device', not a verb tense like 'is used when'.

To avoid redundancy, guideline six suggests not using the same wordings for the term and the class or distinguishing characteristics. An example clarifies that instead of 'online education is a form of education', it's better to say 'online schooling is a form of education' to prevent repetition.

Guideline seven emphasizes the need for sufficient information in the adjective clause to distinguish the term from other members of its class. An example of 'modem' demonstrates that merely defining it as a device used with a computer and phone is insufficient, as other devices fit that description. A more detailed adjective clause is necessary for clarity.

The eighth guideline outlines various ways to introduce distinguishing characteristics: using relative pronouns (e.g., that, which), present participial phrases (e.g., expressing), past participial phrases (e.g., concerned), and infinitive phrases (e.g., to laugh).

Technical writers should avoid wordiness, and adjective clauses can be reduced by dropping the relative pronoun and the verb 'be' if the clause contains an adjective, a prepositional phrase, or a passive verb. Examples of each scenario are provided to demonstrate how to shorten definitions while maintaining clarity. When the relative pronoun refers to the subject and the verb is active, change the verb to its '-ing' form. Lastly, reducing clauses with modal verbs can shorten the definition but may alter its original meaning.