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Grammar Activity #2: Parts of SpeechIntroduction“Parts of speech” are the basic types of words that English has. Most grammar books say that there are eight parts of speech:?nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, conjunctions, prepositions?and?interjections. We will add one more type:?articles.It is important to be able to recognize and identify the different types of words in English, so that you can understand grammar explanations and use the right word form in the right place. Here is a brief explanation of what the parts of speech are:NounA noun is a naming word. It names a person, place, thing, idea, living creature, quality, or action.Examples:?cowboy, theatre, box, thought, tree, kindness, arrivalVerbA verb is a word which describes an action (doing something) or a state (being something).Examples:?walk, talk, think, believe, live, like, wantAdjectiveAn adjective is a word that describes a noun. It tells you something about the noun.Examples:?big, yellow, thin, amazing, beautiful, quick, importantAdverbAn adverb is a word which usually describes a verb. It tells you how something is done. It may also tell you when or where something happened.Examples:?slowly, intelligently, well, yesterday, tomorrow, here, everywherePronounA pronoun is used instead of a noun, to avoid repeating the noun.Examples:?I, you, he, she, it, we, theyConjunctionA conjunction joins two words, phrases or sentences together.Examples:?but, so, and, because, orPrepositionA preposition usually comes before a noun, pronoun or noun phrase. It joins the noun to some other part of the sentence.Examples:?on, in, by, with, under, through, atInterjectionAn interjection is an unusual kind of word, because it often stands alone. Interjections are words which express emotion or surprise, and they are usually followed by exclamation marks.Examples:?Ouch!, Hello!, Hurray!, Oh no!, Ha!ArticleAn article is used to introduce a noun.Examples:?the, a, anPractice Exercise 1: Identify the correct part of speech for each word.1. oh2. cat3. quickly4. speak5. and6. by7. the 8. they9. beautifulPractice Exercise 2: Identify the correct part of speech for each word.1. difficult2. an3. slowly4. on5. she6. learn7. hi8. class9. butFor more help: The University of Calgary: The Basic Elements of English Grammar GuideAn overview of nouns:NOUN: any word which names a person, place, thing, idea, animal, quality, or actionCount Nouns: anything which can be counted; singular & pluralExample: car - carsMass Nouns: entities which cannot be counted; no plural formExample: moneyCollective Nouns: groups of people or things; sing. & pl.Example: herd - herdsPossessive Nouns: express ownership by adding an apostropheExamples: (sing.) Kelly's anger (pl.) birds' feathersAn overview of pronouns:PRONOUN: a word which takes the place of a noun (called "the antecedent")Personal: refer to person/people speaking, spoken to or spoken aboutExamples: I, me, you, he, him, she, her, it, we, us, theyPossessive: function independently; show possessionExamples: my, mine, your, yours, our, ours, his, her, hersIndefinite: have no specific antecedentsExamples: another, both, everything, nothingReflexive: shows the subject performs actions to/for itselfExamples: myself, yourself, itself, ourselves, themselvesIntensive: refer back to a noun/pronoun to add emphasis to itExamples: (same forms as reflexive pronouns)Reciprocal: show a mutual action or relationshipExamples: each other, one anotherInterrogative: used to ask a questionExamples: who, which, whatRelative: used to introduce a relative clauseExamples: who, which, thatDemonstrative: substitutes for specific nounsExamples: this, that, these, thoseAn overview of verbs:VERB: expresses action or state of beingTransitive: action verb; passes action on to a direct objectExample: We bought a car.Intransitive: do not indicate a transfer of action; no D.O.Example: The eagle soared.Linking: joins subject with a word that renames/describes itExample: The sky is blue.Main: indicates the primary activityAuxiliary: "helps" the main verbModal: indicates ability, obligation, permission, possibilityExamples: can, may, must, should, could, might, ought, wouldFinite: describes a definite and limited action or conditionNon-finite/Verbal: shows an unfinished action or conditionInfinitives: to + verb; act as nouns, adjectives, adverbsParticiples: past or present; always act as adjectivesGerunds: present participle form; act as nounsAn overview of adjectives:ADJECTIVE:?modifies nouns and pronounsDescriptive: name a quality of the nounAttributive: Ex. The brown cow.Predicate: Ex. It was a brown cow.Limiting: limit a nounDefinite/Indefinite Articles: Ex. the, a, anPossessive: Ex. his, her, its, theirDemonstrative: Ex. this, that, these, thoseIndefinite: Ex. several, few, less, many, moreInterrogative: Ex. what, which, whoseCardinal: Ex. one, two, fourOrdinal: Ex. third, fourth, fiftiethNouns: Ex. the?milk?cowProper: Ex. the?German?cowAn overview of adverbs:ADVERB: modifies verbs, adjectives, adverbs, sentencesExamples: sang loudly, ran swiftlyAn overview of prepositions:PREPOSITION: links a noun or a pronoun (the object of the preposition) with some other word or expressionExamples: about, below, in, over, untilAn overview of conjunctions:CONJUNCTION: links sentence elements, ie. words, phrases, clausesCoordinating: join sentence parts of equal grammatical statusExamples: and, but, for, nor, or, so, yetCorrelative: coordinating conjunctions that work in pairs;join words, phrases, clauses, sentencesExamples: both...and, either...or, neither...norSubordinating: connect clauses of unequal statusExamples: after, because, that, thoughAn overview of interjections:INTERJECTION: used in speech to indicate emotion, or transitionExamples: yuk, ouch, eh?A Quick Review: PARTS OF SPEECH Definition: All words are divided into grammar groups. The grammar groups are called parts of speech.The groups are:Nouns (people, places, or things)Verbs (the state or action word in a sentence)Adjectives (give more information about nouns)Adverbs (give more information about verbs)Determiners (words that come before most nouns)Prepositions (give information about place and time)Pronouns (replace nouns)Conjunctions (join?sentences)Example?(The numbers in the example below refer to the numbers in the list above.)Explanation: Each part of speech --has its own rules.is necessary to write grammatically correct sentences.Practice Exercise #3: Find the modified word form according to the part of speech asked for.For example: Medicine (noun): __________ (adjective) Medicine (noun): Medical (adjective)1. dentist (noun): ___________ (adjective)2. responsible (adjective): ______________ (adverb)3. young (adjective): __________________ (noun)4. stress (noun): _______________ (adjective)5. anxious (adjective): ______________ (noun)6. spine (noun): ________________ (adjective)Practice Exercise #4: Plural Nouns: Give the plural form of the following nouns1. roof2. mouse3. remedy4. patient5. medicine6. leaf7. illness8. injury9. goose10. hoof11. person12. life ................
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