Homogeneous and inhomogeneous definitions: examples

Without definitions explaining the quality and quality of the subject, human speech would be "dry" and uninteresting. All that has a feature, in sentences is passed with the help of definitions. It is the description of objects that creates our knowledge of him and his attitude towards him: a delicious fruit, a bitter experience, a handsome man, a white and fluffy rabbit, etc. Such explanations characterizing objects help them understand better.

The concept of homogeneous terms

For greater disclosure of the content of the proposal or the strengthening of any part of it, homogeneous members of the proposals are often used. They answer one question and explain the same member of the proposal or refer to it. Homogeneous members are completely independent and are linked in the sentence either by enumerative intonation or by co-operative unions. Rarely they can be associated with subordinate unions that convey the meaning of the assignment or the reasons for what is happening.

For example:

• The film was long (concession), although interesting.
• The first yellow leaf fell and gently lay on the grass (the leaf "what did?" - fell down and lay down - homogeneous predicates, determining the subject).

• In the pencil case there were red, blue, black and green pens (homogeneous definitions characterize the subject).
• The meeting was sluggish and uninteresting (homogeneous circumstances characterize the quality of the subject).

Homogeneous can equally be all members of the proposal as secondary, and the main. Difficulties in the arrangement of punctuation marks often raise doubts about their homogeneity. To know when commas are needed, and when not, it is necessary to understand what distinguishes between homogeneous and heterogeneous definitions.

Definitions of heterogeneous and homogeneous

Homogeneous are definitions that refer to one member of a sentence or that characterize it, and answer one question. Between the homogeneous definitions are put commas, as they describe the subject from any side or enumerate its varieties, for example:

• The first tulips blossomed on the flowerbed - red, yellow, pink and mottled (homogeneous definitions characterize the subject only on one side - in color).
• The bench was under a tall, thick oak and had a rest in its shadow (homogeneous definitions enumerate the qualities of the addition).

• Houses, high, brick were the hallmark of this area (the definitions that are after the word being defined are usually homogeneous).

Inhomogeneous definitions give a description of the subject from different angles, characterizing it according to its various qualities.

This is how homogeneous and inhomogeneous definitions are distinguished. Examples have shown that homogeneous ones are divided according to the characteristics and conditions that they characterize. They also have an enumerative intonation.

Inhomogeneous definitions

By the method of expression of features and in place in the sentence, it is possible to separate homogeneous and inhomogeneous definitions.

The heterogeneous include:

• Definitions that characterize or disclose the properties of an object from different angles. It can list its various qualities - shape, color, width, height, material, etc. For example: a long black scarf was wrapped several times around the neck (definitions indicate the length and color of the object).
• Definitions consisting of a combination of qualitative and relative adjectives. For example: a girl removed a red woolen mitten from her hand and stroked the kitten ("red" - a qualitative adjective characterizing the color, "woolen" - relative, indicating the material).
• Definitions represented by qualitative adjectives that are included in different semantic groups. For example: his cheerful green eyes narrowed (two qualitative adjectives characterize the word being determined from different sides).

Another sign that distinguishes between homogeneous and heterogeneous definitions (examples demonstrate this clearly) is the lack of enumerative intonation, when they reveal in their objects different properties.

The main signs of homogeneity

In order to determine to which form the definitions in the sentence relate, it is necessary to know which features of the subject they can characterize. In the section "Homogeneous and Inhomogeneous Definitions" (Grade 8), the main features indicating homogeneity are given:

• Enumeration of the qualities of various objects: aspen were decorated with yellow, purple and red foliage, birches - golden (definitions characterize the leaves of different colors);

• Disclosure of the features of the object, on the one hand, or the state: a warm, quiet, unhurried rain rustled over the foliage (homogeneous determinations convey the state of rain);
• Each following definition reveals or supplements the meaning of the previous one: every September the forest transforms for a short time, acquiring a special, bright, unique form (the subsequent definition reveals the meaning of the previous one);
• Between the definitions can be substituted union and: on the table lay pencil, ink sketches (pencil and ink sketches);
• When they transmit different signs of an object united in a common context by a single property: inflamed red eyes (red due to inflammation);
• When they stand after the word being defined: we immediately looked at a fir tree, fluffy, tall, slender (the word "Christmas tree", after which definitions are describing it);
• When this minor member of the sentence is an adjective and the following communicating behind it : a fragrant, toasty loaf was taken from the oven.

Even distinguish homogeneous and heterogeneous definitions of punctuation marks in the sentence. With homogeneous secondary terms, they are always put.

Punctuation marks for homogeneous definitions

It is important to correctly determine whether or not punctuation marks are given when the sentence contains homogeneous and heterogeneous definitions. The lesson (8th grade), dedicated to this topic, gives the following examples of the arrangement of commas:

• When homogeneous definitions are expressed by a single adjective and the communicating behind it, then a comma is put between them: the son handed his mother a large bouquet of field flowers collected by him.

• When they list the signs of various objects, for example: red, yellow, orange, blue flowers painted by children on a gray fence, made it festive.
• When different properties of one object are listed, pointing to one of its properties: cold, hard ice cream balls were of different colors.
• When all homogeneous definitions refer to one word and between them you can put an alliance and: he answered with an honest, calm look (honest and calm look).
• When they are located immediately after the determined word: he saw the girl graceful, fragile, tender.
• When they list the synonymous properties of an object in a single context: a stormy, roaring, deafening storm broke out.
• When there are signs due to mutual dependence: a strong, protracted rainstorm (lingering due to the fact that it is strong).

Commas are not put, if homogeneous and heterogeneous definitions are divided by a creative union and. For example: red and yellow balls (homogeneous definitions); The house was large and stone (heterogeneous definitions).

Additional signs of homogeneity and heterogeneity

In addition to the main ones, there are additional signs indicating that the definitions are homogeneous. This is characteristic of either verse forms, related to the requirements of rhyme, or terminology. In such speech constructions, definitions, even those standing after the object they determine, can be undetectable. For example:

• Hello, the days are clear autumn.
• Grapes are winter late-ripening.

• Electric overhead traveling crane.

Homogeneous and heterogeneous definitions (exercises confirm this) can be transferred from one quality to another. For example, when one definition stands before another, making up a single phrase with the subject: a long train.

A special kind of definitions

To a particular variety are definitions that link explanatory relationships. In this case it is easy to determine where homogeneous and inhomogeneous definitions. The test for their difference consists in substituting the unions "namely" and "that is".

• Quite another, interesting time (another, namely interesting) has come.
• The play received a new, original sound (new, that is, original).

A comma is placed between homogeneous definitions, connected by explanatory conditions.

Note

As the rules show, they may have exceptions or notes, which confirms the study of the topic "homogeneous and heterogeneous definitions." A lesson in class 11 introduces students to a note on this topic. Both homogeneous and heterogeneous definitions tend to change the meaning of the sentence, for example:

• New yellow cabs appeared on the streets of the city (the former ones were not yellow).
• New yellow cabs appeared on the streets of the city (the number of yellow taxis increased).

In the first example, the emphasis on the fact that the taxi in the city became yellow. In the second, that among the yellow taxi there were new cars.

Double punctuation

Depending on what intonation the speaker uses, in some word combinations the definition following the first one can become not homogeneous, but explanatory. For example:

• The result was brought to the new proven methods (before these methods were not).
• New, proven methods led to the result (the previous methods were not tested).

In the second example, you can substitute the unions "that is" and "namely", so put a comma and change the intonation.