correct grammar in writing definition

• formal definition


  precise and unambiguous description of a concept or term within a specific domain
• formal definition


  It aims to provide a clear understanding of the meaning of a word or concept by establishing its essential characteristics and distinguishing it from other related terms
• specie


  term
• genus


  class
• differentia


  distinguishing characteristics
• term


  word/phrase to be defined
• class


  which the term belongs
• distinguishing characteristics


  differentiates it from all others of its class
• how to give a formal definition?

  use the logical pattern: specie - genus - differentia
• specie - genus - differentia


  twitter - a social media - consisting of micro-blogging in 140 characters
• ways in writing a formal definition

  • full form
  • reduced from
  • nominal form
  • expanded form
• full form


  term to be defined (specie) + verb to be + general class (genus) + relative pronoun + specific characteristics(differentia)
• full form


  submarine is a seagoing vessel that operates underwater
• reduced form


  specie + verb to be + genus + differentia
• reduced form


  a formicarium is an artificial nest designed primarily for the study of ant colonies and how ants behave
• nominal form


  genus + relative pronoun + differentia + verb to be + specie
• nominal form


  a highly contagious infection of the respiratory tract which occurs differentia sporadically or in epidemics and that lasts up to a month is called influenza
• expanded form


  definition + follow up sentence
• expanded form


  Chess is a strategic board game played between two players on a square board divided into 64 squares of alternating colors. It is considered one of the oldest and most popular games in the world...
• grammar


  system/rules of a language governing the sounds, words, sentences, and other elements, as well as their combination and interpretation
• use simple present tense of the verb after the term
• the verb must agree in number with the subject (term defined)
• the class or category and the term being defined must agree in number
• be specific about the class
• use the same part of speech for the class and the term being defined
• whenever possible, don't use the same wordings for the term and the class or distinguishing characteristics
• there should be sufficient information in the adjective clause to distinguish the term from other members of the class
• the distinguishing characteristics may be introduced in several ways