ENGLISH VOCABULARY

 PARTS OF SPEECH
Why Learn Parts of Speech?
 Why Learn Parts of Speech?

 They are the building

blocks of English
grammar.
 Understanding and
applying a process is
learning to learn.
 It is a foundation to
improve your writing.
 Eight Parts of Speech

Nouns

Interjections

Adjectives

Conjunctions
 Word that names

A Person

A Place

 A Thing

 An Idea
 Kinds of Nouns

Common Nouns Proper Nouns

boy John
girl
Mary
Singular Nouns Plural Nouns
boy boys
girl
girls
Concrete Nouns Abstract Nouns
Car Anger
Table Friendship
 Nouns

 Names of persons,  Example:

places, things, feelings, John has a new car,
or ideas. and he parks on the
street under a big tree
in Filer.
 Nouns

 Names of persons, places,  Example:

things, feelings, or ideas. The boy on the red
 Often indicated by bike hit a bird with a
“noun markers” -- a, an, rock at the end of the
and the. long road.
 Nouns

 Names of persons, places,  Example:

things, feelings, or ideas. Happiness is the
 “Noun markers” -- a, an, preference of every
and the. action and is the
 Noun endings: -ness, tendency toward
-ment, -ance, -ence, - kindness and
ancy, -ency, -ity, -ion, - contentment.
ure.
 Nouns

 Names of persons, places,  Example:

things, feelings, or ideas. The needs of the
 “Noun markers” -- a, an, masses may conflict
and the. with expectations of the
 Noun endings: - members of legislative
ness, -ment, -ance, -ence, bodies.
-ancy, -ency, -ity, -ion, -ure.
 Can be made plural with
s or es.
 Nouns

 Names of persons, places, things, feelings, or ideas.

 “Noun markers” -- a, an, and the.
 Noun endings: -ness, -ment, -ance, -ence, -ancy, -
ency, -ity, -ion, -ure.
 Can be made plural with s or es.
A word that expresses action or
otherwise helps to make a
statement “be” verbs
&
taste
feel
sound
look
appear
become
seem
grow
remain
stay
 Every sentence must have

a
© Capital Community College
 Kinds of Verbs
 Action verbs express  Linking verbs make a
mental or physical statement by
action. connecting the
subject with a word
that describes or
explains it.

He rode the horse to

victory.
He has been sick.
VERB
 A verb tells what the
noun does or is…
 An action verb tells
you that “She dances.”
•A linking or state of
being verb tells you that
“The monster is ugly.”
 Verbs

 The action or “doing”  The horse ran, jumped

words in a sentence. and kicked until it threw
the rider.
 Most verbs make sense
in the blanks below:
• He _________.
• They ________.
 Verbs

 The action or “doing”  Example:

words in a sentence. She is a nice person,
 “Linking verbs” show and we are her friends.
being.  Memorize the linking
verbs:
Be, am, is, are, was,
were, been, being.
 Verbs

 The action or “doing”  Example:

words in a sentence.  Today I am on a bus, and
 “Linking verbs” show it goes past my house.
being.  Yesterday I was on a
 Change to show time bus, and it went past my
(tense). house.
The words that change are
verbs.
 Verbs

 The action or “doing”  Always helping verbs:

words in a sentence. Can Will Shall May
Could Would Should Might
 “Linking verbs” show Must
being.  Always verbs, may be
 Change to show time helping:
(tense). • Have, has, had
• Do, does, did, done
 Complete verbs include
• Be, am, is, are, was, were,
“helping verbs.” been, being
 Verbs

 The action or “doing”  Example:

words in a sentence. They might have been
 “Linking verbs” show going to the store if they
being. could have gotten a
 Change to show time ride.
(tense).
 Complete verbs include
“helping verbs.”
 Verbs

 The action or “doing” words in a

sentence.
 “Linking verbs” show being.
 Change to show time (tense).
 Complete verbs include “helping verbs.”
The pronoun is a word used in place of one or more nouns.
It may stand for a person, place, thing, or idea.

Indefinite Pronouns
anybody
each
either
none
someone, one, etc.
 Pronouns

 Specialized words to  Example:

take the place of nouns. Paul gave Emily
stationery because he
wanted her to write to
him when she could.
 Pronouns

 Specialized words to  Memorize:

take the place of nouns. I he we she they
 Often refer to people me him us her them
and have several forms.  Other common
pronouns:
• you, it, this, that, who,
what, someone,
everything, anyone, and
many other similar
words.
 Pronouns

 Specialized words to take  Example:

the place of nouns.
 Often refer to people and
Her red car is faster
have several forms.
than my old Ford, but
their new Honda cost
 May be possessive,
more than ours.
showing ownership and
 Note the form:
working like an
adjective. I he we she they
me him us her them
my his our hers theirs
Others: yours, its, whose
 Pronouns

 Specialized words to take the place of nouns.

 Often refer to people and have several forms.

 May be possessive, showing ownership and
working like an adjective.
 Modifies or describes a
noun or pronoun.
Answers these questions:

Did you lose your address

book?

Is that a wool sweater?

Just give me five minutes.

 Adjectives

 Describe or modify only  Example:

nouns. A big, red dump truck hit
a parked little car and
the worried driver ran
to the other side of the
busy street.
 Adjectives

 Describe or modify only  Example:

nouns.
The three tired teens
 Answer questions,
tried to eat a large pie
“what kind?” or “how
at two pizza parlors.
many?”  How many teens? three
 What kind of teens? tired
 What kind of pie? large
 How many parlors? two
 What kind of parlors? pizza
 Adjectives

 Describe or modify only  Example:

nouns.
 Answer questions, “what
The way to a smile and
kind?” or “how many?” an appreciative attitude
is through the stomach.
 The “noun markers” a,
an, the are always
adjectives.
 Adjectives
 Describe or modify only
nouns.
 Answer questions, “what
kind?” or “how many?”
 The “noun markers” a, an,
the are always adjectives.
 Usually “piled up” before
nouns.
 Example:
The long, shiny black
limousine pulled in
front of the huge old
mansion, and a tall,
well-dressed older
gentleman got out.
 Adjectives
 Describe or modify only nouns.
 Answer questions, “what kind?”
or “how many?”
The “noun markers” a, an, the are

always adjectives.
 Usually “piled up” before nouns.
 May follow linking verbs
and describe the subject.
 Example:
The river is deep, wide
and cold, but the divers
are brave and well-
trained.
Note: to test these, try
putting them in front of
the noun they modify.
 Adjectives

 Describe or modify only nouns.

 Answer questions, “what kind?” or “how
many?”
 The “noun markers” a, an, the are always
adjectives.
 Usually “piled up” before nouns.
 May follow linking verbs and describe the
subject.
Modifies or describes
a verb, an adjective, Answers the questions:
or another adverb.

He ran quickly.
She left yesterday.
We went there.

It was too hot! To what degree or how much?

 Interrogative
Adverbs How did you break your
introduce questions leg?

How often do
you run?
Where did you put the
mouse trap?
 Adverbs
 Describe verbs,  She quickly ran to her
adjectives, or other extremely tired friend
adverbs. and gave him a very big
hug.
 Adverbs

 Describe verbs,  Soon the very able pilot

adjectives, or other confidently flew west,
adverbs. and thus he almost
 Answer the adverb crashed.
questions: How? When? When? soon
Where? Why? Under Where? west
what conditions? How? very,confidently
Why? thus
What conditions? almost
 Adverbs

 Describe verbs, adjectives,  Example:

or other adverbs.
 Answer the adverb
The extremely hungry
questions: How? When? animal howled eerily in
Where? Why? Under what the especially dark
conditions?
night.
 Often end in -ly
 Adverbs

 Describe verbs, adjectives,  Example:

or other adverbs.
 Answer the adverb
We do not very often
questions: How? When? want them here, for
Where? Why? Under what they are always late
conditions?
 Often end in -ly
and almost never want
 Always adverbs: not to go there with us.
very, often, here, almost,
always, never, there
 Adverbs

 Describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.

 Answer the adverb questions: How? When?
Where? Why? Under what conditions?
 Often end in -ly
 Always adverbs: not very, often, here, almost,
always, never, there
 A preposition introduces a noun or pronoun
or a phrase or clause functioning in the sentence
as a noun. The word or word group that the
preposition introduces is its object.

They received a postcard from Bobby telling

about his trip to Canada.

 The preposition never stands alone!

object of
preposition
preposition object

You can press those leaves under glass.

can have more than
one object
Her telegram to Nina and Ralph brought good news.
object can have modifiers
It happened during the last examination.
Some Common Prepositions

aboard behind from throughout

about below in to
above beneath into toward
across beside like under
after between of underneath
against beyond off until
along by on up
among down over upon
around during past with
at except since within
before for through without
 Prepositions

 Specialized words to  The man on the bus with

start prepositional a hat on his head looked
phrases. at me and turned
A prepositional phrase toward the window.
is a group of words
describing things
which starts with a
preposition and ends
with a noun or pronoun.
 Prepositions

 Specialized words to  Memory clue:

start prepositional The rabbit went _____
phrases. the hollow log.
 Most prepositions are
 Memorize:
small, common words
indicating time, place at, from, to, on, in,
or position. into, onto, between,
under, over, against,
around, through
 Prepositions

 Specialized words to start  Example:

prepositional phrases.
 Most prepositions are
The problem with him
small, common words is that he sleeps
indicating time, place or during the day and
position.
spends most of the
 Some prepositions
simply must be night with his friends.
memorized.  Memorize:
of, with, for, during
 Prepositions

 Specialized words to start prepositional

phrases.
 Most prepositions are small, common words
indicating time, place or position.
 Some prepositions simply must be
memorized.
 The conjunction
A conjunction is a word that joins words
or groups of words.

or

but
 Conjunctions

 Words which “hook”  Example:

words, phrases, or She and I left, but they
sentences. stayed, for Joe or Ted
Memory clue: FAN BOYS.
was coming on the
For But
And Or bus, yet not on time.
Nor Yet
So
 Conjunctions

 Words which “hook  Example:

together” words, I ran when I saw her
phrases, or sentences. because I was happy
 Some conjunctions only
since she was home.
hook clauses.
 Memory clue:
They include:
She is cute _____ she
when, as, if, since, smiles.
because, while, after,
although, before
 Conjunctions

 Words which “hook together” words, phrases,

or sentences.
 Some conjunctions only hook clauses.
 The interjection
is an exclamatory word that expresses
emotion
Goodness! What a cute baby!

Wow! Look at that

sunset!
 Interjections

 Words which show  Example:

emotion or are “fillers” Oh, I am surprised, but
with no other function. please don’t do it
again. Ouch, you hurt
me.