What term describes a narrowly defined unit of grammar used as the focus of a lesson?

What term describes a narrowly defined unit of grammar used as the focus of a lesson?

• A. Discrete item
• B. Lexical item
• C. Complex structure
• D. Clause

Answer: (A)

A discrete item is a narrowly defined unit of grammar that a teacher targets in a single lesson. In practice, this means selecting one specific grammar form or function—such as the third-person singular -s, or the present perfect have/has + past participle—and making it the center of practice activities. This focused approach helps learners notice the form, understand how it works, and use it accurately before they encounter it in more complex sentences.

The other terms describe larger or different kinds of language units. A lexical item refers to a single word or fixed phrase, which is about vocabulary rather than a grammatical feature. A clause is a unit with a subject and predicate, often forming part of a sentence, which is bigger than a single grammar feature. A complex structure denotes more elaborate syntactic patterns, not a single feature taught in isolation.