parts of speech: Pronouns

parts of speech: Pronouns: A pronoun is a word used in place of one or more nouns.  We use pronouns to: ◗     Refer to a noun (called its antecedent) that usually ...

PARTS OF SPEECH

Grammar Rules: Parts of Speech

Words are classed into eight categories according to their uses in a sentence.

1. Noun

Name for a person, animal, thing, place, idea, activity.

John, cat, box, desert, liberty, golf

2. Pronoun

Alternate name for a noun.

he, she, it

3. Adjective

Modifies a noun or pronoun.

big, good, full

4. Verb

Expresses action or existence.

went, purred, is

5. Adverb

Modifies a verb, adverb, or adjective.

quickly, loudly, here

6. Conjunction

Connects words, phrases, or clauses.

and, or, but

7. Preposition

Precedes phrase that acts as a modifier or noun.

with, for, at

8. Interjection

Expresses emotion.

Gosh! Wow! Super!

Parts of Speech Review

Parts of Speech Review

(All answers are located at the end of the packet.)

Nouns
A noun is a word used to name a person, animal, place, thing, and abstract idea.

Types Of Nouns

There are many different types of nouns. As you know, you capitalize some nouns, such as "Canada" or "Louise," and do not capitalize others, such as "badger" or "tree" (unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence). In fact, grammarians have developed a whole series of noun types, including the proper noun, the common noun, the concrete noun, the abstract noun, the countable noun (also called the count noun), the non-countable noun (also called the mass noun), and the collective noun. You should note that a noun will belong to more than one type: it will be proper or common, abstract or concrete, and countable or non-countable or collective.
You always write a proper noun with a capital letter, since the noun represents the name of a specific person, place, or thing.
A common noun is a noun referring to a person, place, or thing in a general sense.
A concrete noun is a noun which names anything (or anyone) that you can perceive through your physical senses: touch, sight, taste, hearing, or smell.
An abstract noun is a noun which names anything which you can not perceive through your five physical senses, and is the opposite of a concrete noun, such as, liberty, love or justice.
A countable noun (or count noun) is a noun with both a singular and a plural form, and it names anything (or anyone) that you can count.
A non-countable noun (or mass noun) is a noun which does not have a plural form, and which refers to something that you could (or would) not usually count, such as, oxygen, furniture or gravel.
A collective noun is a noun naming a group of things, animals, or persons, such as, flock, jury, committee or class.

Nouns A

Circle all the nouns in the following sentences.

1. The announcer said that the bus for Minneapolis would leave in thirty minutes.
2. Dr. Cooper was in college with my father.
3. John wanted to change the ribbon on his typewriter, but the ribbon would not cooperate.
4. There was a scream of skidding tires and then a metallic thud, followed by the sound of splintered glass.
5. Bob and his brother crossed the continent in their old car last summer.
6. Bob drove through the desert at night and slept in the daytime.
7. Helen is president of the class, and her sister is secretary.
8. Brad wrote a paper about Willa Cather and her life in Pittsburgh.
9. Half of the people in the world can neither read nor write.
10. There is a fine exhibition of paintings by Thomas Hart Benton at the Cleveland Public Library.

Nouns B

Decide which of the following words are common nouns and which are proper nouns. Begin each proper noun with a capital letter.

1. german, science, language, english
2. lake, lake erie, mountain, mount everest
3. park, joshua national monument, gulf, cape cod
4. village, fairfield township, country, saint paul
5. labor, labor day, good Friday, birthday
6. secretary, governor brown, president johnson, mayor john lindsay
7. uncle, uncle harry, sister, father

8. brooklyn bridge, bridge, rittenhouse square, bottommost

9. cathedral, saint, saint luke’s church, church

10. college, harvard college, university, jeffersonhigh school, indianastate university.

Verbs

A verb or compound verb asserts something about the subject of the sentence and express actions, events, or states of being. The verb or compound verb is the critical element of the predicate of a sentence.

Underline the verbs in the following sentences.

1. The band uniforms finally arrived just before Christmas.
2. The trainer stepped into the cage of the wounded lion.
3. The sophomore class has a very good attendance record.
4. Jack walked unsteadily to the stage and swallowed hard.
5. The author tells of his childhood in a Wyoming ranch.
6. Our team played over its head in the first half.
7. Once, a circus horse literally stuck his right hind foot into his mouth.
8. Helen enjoys responsibility.
9. The murderer appears in the second act.
10. All new cars have safety belts as standard equipment.
Helping Verbs
You construct a compound verb out of a helping verb and another verb. The most common helping verbs are: have, had, were, is, are, been, will, would, could, should, may, might, do, and does.
Underline the complete verb
1. The lighthouse keeper had never seen such a storm.
2. When will the next moon probe be launched?
3. The truck driver was completely blinded by the sudden flash of oncoming lights.

4Our people have always had enough to eat.
5. The new school will almost surely be ready by fall.
6. The new law had been poorly enforced.
7. Do you and your brother have enough blankets?
8. The Norwegian freighter had apparently run aground in the fog.
9. The park bench had been freshly painted.
10. The fog was now rapidly lifting from the field.
Pronouns

A pronoun can replace a noun or another pronoun. You use pronouns like "he," "which," "none," and "you" to make your sentences less cumbersome and less repetitive.

Underline the pronouns. In 1-10 also identify the pronoun antecedent.

1. The doctor told the boys that they could use his boat.
2. Bob, your father wants you to call him.
3. Helen and Karen finished the test first; they found it easy.
4. The long run brought the crowd to its feet.
5. Jane has her own ideas, but her family does not agree with the,.
6. On the third try, the Nautilus made her way under the North Pole.
7. The boys cooked their meal in the open.
8. Then Jim’s power mower broke, the neighbors let him use theirs.
9. Betty has a driver’s license, but she doesn’t have it with her.
10. The police found the car, but they couldn’t move it.
11. Someone had dropped her purse into the pool.
12. What have you done to make Mike so happy?
13. This is the kind of problem that baffles me.

14. Is this the face that launched a thousand ships?
15. Have you had anything to eat?
16. Which of these hats belongs to you?
17. Each one must fend for himself.
18. Nobody knew the answer to that question.
19. That is the best course to take.
20. Several of our students won valuable scholarships.
21. Who wrote the editorial?
22. What did he say?
23. This is the color I prefer.
24. The captain herself gave us permission.
25. Everyone arrived late.
26. That hat is mine.
27. Is that yours?
28. The boys cleaned up the kitchen themselves.

Adjectives

An adjective modifies a noun or a pronoun by describing, identifying, or quantifying words. An adjective usually precedes the noun or the pronoun which it modifies.
Underline the adjectives and identify the word it modifies.

1. The old house had been empty for several years.
2. The second team played during the last quarter.
3. The new coach seems pleasant and competent.
4. The old elephant was suffering from a bad toothache. The enormous jet can not land at the regular airport.
5. A magnetic field surrounds the entire earth.

6. The new atomic submarines are spacious and comfortable.
7. The water in the lake tastes salty.
8. Many young Americans are making important scientific discoveries.
9. The two men in the other car seemed angry.
10. Most European students can speak the English language.
11. This little book contains some big ideas.
12. A cold wind drove the deep snow into the huge drifts.
13. Some small economy cars are neither small nor economical.
14. This new arrangement is good for all of us.

Adverbs

An adverb can modify a verb, an adjective, another adverb, a phrase, or a clause. An adverb indicates manner, time, place, cause, or degree and answers questions such as "how," "when," "where," "how much".
Underline the adverbs and identify the words they modify.
1. The bus almost always arrives late.
2. The class worked hard and successfully on the project.
3. The car usually starts on cold mornings.
4. The streets have become crowded recently.
5. The auditorium was soon filled.
6. The building was slowly deteriorating.
7. The doctor gave orders quietly and confidently.
8. Polio is sometimes rather difficult to diagnose.
9. Lately, the summers have been extremely hot.
10. There goes Mr. Garrison now.

Conjunctions

You can use a conjunction to link words, phrases, and clauses.
You use a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet) to join individual words, phrases, and independent clauses.

A subordinating conjunction introduces a dependent clause and indicates the nature of the relationship among the independent clause(s) and the dependent clause(s). The most common subordinating conjunctions are: after, although, as, because, before, how, if, once, since, than, that, though, until, when, where, whether, and while.
Correlative conjunctions always appear in pairs -- you use them to link equivalent sentence elements. The most common correlative conjunctions are: both...and, either...or, neither...nor, not only...but also, so...as, and whether...or.

Underline the conjunctions (coordinating, correlative, subordinating) and conjunctive verbs.

1. Neither the speeches nor the music was very exciting.
2. Both the Japanese and the Italian delegates opposed the attack.
3. The search party worked quickly and carefully.
4. The policeman beckoned us forward, but we could not move.
5. Although the odds were against him, Washing drove forward.
6. We were not at home when the package arrived.
7. The dictionary is a valuable tool; however we must know how to use it.
8. The outfielders wear glasses so that the sun will not blind them.
9. We will go to Mexico and Peru.
10. The burglars went down the alley, into the basement, and up the stairs.

Prepositions

A preposition links nouns, pronouns and phrases to other words in a sentence. Some common prepositions are: at, under, over, of, to, in, out, beneath, beyond, for, among, after, before, within, down, up, during, without, with, outside, inside, beside, between, by, on, out, from, until, toward, throughout, across, above, about, around.

Find the prepositions and their objects.

1. The truck was stopped at the border and searched for arms.
2. During the centuries, the continents have been drifting apart.
3. Booth jumped to the stage and screamed at the astonished audience.
4. For many years, there have been bad feelings between the towns.
5. After the game, the crowd rushed for the goal posts.
6. According to the morning paper, there will be no school on Friday.
7. Everyone but John had seen the car approaching.
8. Beyond the city limits there is no rule against fireworks.
9. All but one of the trees died during the winter.
10. To whom is the announcement addressed?
Mastery Test for Parts of Speech
Identify each underlined word.
1. Bernice is again enjoying the doldrums.
2. Never peel the bark from a birch tree.
3. Fasten your seat belt for the take-off.
4. When is the next orbital flight?
5. An iceberg was once sighted as far south as Bermuda.
6. Nobody in the room could identify the wallet.
7. The class became hilarious while the teacher was out.
8. The admiral himself gave the order.
9. Everyone except Eve had a smile for Jack.
10. The governor underwent a successful operation.

11. Dad is using his power saw.
12. Hot water is a good reviver of cut flowers.
13. The duck coats its feathers with oil.
14. Each year the firemen stage a water duel.
15. The crew rowed hard at the finish.
16. The suspect was wearing a tan jacket.
17. The police suspect the man’s chauffeur.
18. Outside the embassy, a crowd has gathered.
19. Leave your boats outside.
20. Before the telecast, we were all nervous.
21. Before you leave, let me have your address.
22. Few comic strips are really comical.
23. Few attended the meeting.
24. This isn’t Leslie’s handwriting.
25. This airplane luggage weighs only ten pounds.

Answer Key

Nouns A

1. announcer, bus, Minneapolis, minutes
2. Dr. Cooper, college, father
3. John, ribbon, typewriter, ribbon
4. scream, tires, thud, sound, glass
5. Bob, brother, continent, car, summer
6. Bob, desert, night, daytime
7. Helen, president, class, sister, secretary
8. Brad, paper, Willa Cather, life, Pittsburgh
9. half, people, world
10. Exhibition, paintings, Thomas Hart Benton, Cleveland Public Library

Nouns B

1. Garman, English
2. Lake Erie, Mount Everest
3. Joshua National Monument, Cape Cod
4. Fairfield Township, Saint Paul
5. Labor Day, Good Friday
6. Governor Brown, President Johnson, Major John Lindsay
7. Uncle Harry
8. Brooklyn Bridge, Rittenhouse Square, Boston Common
9. St. Luke’s Church
10. Harvard College, Jefferson High School, Indian State University

Verbs

1. arrived
2. stepped
3. has
4. walked, swallowed
5. tells
6. played
7. stuck
8. enjoys
9. appears
10. have

Helping Verbs

1. had seen
2. will be launched
3. was blided
4. have had
5. will be ready
6. has been enforced
7. Do have
8. had run
9. had been painted
10. was lifting

Pronouns

( ) = pronoun antecedent

1. they (boys), his (doctor)
2. your (Bob, you (Bob), him (father)
3. they (Helen and Karen), it (test)
4. its (crowd)
5. her (Jane), her (Jan), them (ideas)
6. her (Nautilus)
7. their (boys)
8. him (Jim), theirs (neighbors)
9. she (Betty), it (license), her (Betty)
10. they (police), it (car)
11. Someone, her
12. What, you
13. This, me
14. This
15. you
16. Which, these, you
17. Each, one, himself
18. Nobody, that
19. That
20. Several, our
21. Who
22. What, he
23. This, I
24. herself, us
25. Everyone

26. That, mine
27. that, yours
28. themselves

Adjectives

( ) = noun modified
1. old (house), empty (house), several (years)
2. second (team), last (quarter)
3. new (coach), pleasant, competent (coach)
4. old (elephant), bad (toothache)
5. enormous (jet), regular (airport)
6. magnetic (field), entire (each)
7. new, atomic, spacious, comfortable (submarines)
8. salty (lake)
9. Many, young (Americans), important, scientific (discoveries)
10. two (men), other (car), angry (men)
11. Most, European (students), English (language)
12. This, little (book), some big (ideas)
13. cold (wind), deep (snow), huge (drifts)
14. some small economy (cars), small, economical
15. this new (arrangement), good

Adverbs

( ) = word modified
1. almost (always), always (arrives), late (arrives)
2. hard, successful (worked)

3. usually (starts)
4. recently (have become)
5. soon (was filled)
6. slowly (deteriorating)
7. quietly, confidently (gave)
8. sometimes rather (difficult)
9. Lately (have been), extremely (hot)
10. now (goes)

Conjuctions

1. Neither…nor
2. and
3. and
4. but
5. Although
6. when
7. however
8. so that
9. and
10. and
Prepositions
1. at (border, for (arms)
2. During (centuries)
3. to (stage), at (audience)

4. For (years), between (towns)
5. After (game), for (pools)
6. According to (paper), on (Friday)
7. but (John)
8. Beyond (limits), against (fireworks)
9. but (one), of (trees), during (winter)
10. To (whom)

Mastery Test

1. noun
2. verb
3. noun
4. adjective
5. adverb
6. pronoun
7. conjunction
8. pronoun
9. preposition
10. verb
11. adjective
12. adjective
13. verb
14. verb
15. adverb
16. noun

17. verb
18. preposition
19. adverb
20. noun
21. verb
22. preposition
23. adverb
24. preposition
25. conjunction
26. adjective
27. pronoun
28. pronoun
29. adjective

Interjections

An interjection is a word that expresses strong feeling or emotion:

◗ An interjection usually comes at the beginning of the sentence.
◗ An interjection is often followed by an exclamation point (!) when the emotion is         stronger a comma (,) when the emotion is mild.

◗ Do not overuse interjections. Include one when you want to make your point. If    you use too many interjections, your writing loses its power and effectiveness.

◗   Here are some common interjections:

Aw                      Bravo                      Darn                    Dear me
Eek                      Eh                         Gee                     Golly
Goodness           gracious                 Gosh                 Hallelujah Hey
Horrors                Hurrah                 Hurray                 Mmm
Oh                      Oh no                    Oops                  Ouch
Phew                   Rats                       Really                  Ugh
Well                     Whoa                   Whoops              Wow
Yea                      Yeh                        Yes                   Yippee

WRITING TIP

                        Interjections express emotion. Do not overuse this part of speech, which generally is found in dialogue.

With Great Feeling!!! (Interjections) 

Write an appropriate interjection for each of the following sentences in the space provided.

1. ! I smashed my finger with the hammer.
2. , all right, Nick.
3. ! We have finally beaten that team!
4. , take it easy, Reggie!
5. , I think we better look over this paper immediately.
6. , I forgot to take out the garbage this morning.
7. ! The tickets for his concert are incredibly expensive!
8. ! You did so well in tonight’s school play!
9. ! You have no right to say that to him!
10. , now I see what you are trying to say.
11. . I am not very keen on that idea.
12. , what did Mike say about his tryout?
13. ! Does your hand still hurt from the accident?
14. ! Get away from my new car, kid!
15. , this food is absolutely delicious!

 

Conjunctions

A conjunction connects words or group of words . There are three types of conjunctions: coordinating
conjunctions , correlative conjunctions , and subordinating conjunctions. The first
two types of conjunctions are discussed below, and the third type is discussed in the last  lesson

A coordinating conjunction is a single connecting word. These seven words are for, and,nor, but, or, yet, and so.

The boys and girls worked at the fair. ( And joins the names boys and girls. )
Paula or Jeannine can go with you tonight. ( Or joins the names Paula and Jeannine. )
I would like to help you, but I will be busy tonight. ( But joins two sentences or complete
ideas.)
We must leave early so we can get to the wedding reception on time. ( So joins two sentences
or two complete ideas.)
Remember the made-up word FANBOYS when you memorize the coordinating conjunctions.
Each letter in this word ( F or, A nd, N or, B ut, O r, Y et, S o) stands for a coordinating
conjunction.

Correlative conjunctions are pairs of connecting words. These fi ve pairs of words are
both/and, either/or, neither/nor, not only/but also, and whether/or.

Both Henry and Henrietta are leaving the dance now. (The correlative conjunctions join
two names.)
Not only will they leave now, but they will also not be here to help clean up. (The correlative
conjunctions join two sentences or complete ideas.)
Either go with them or stay here and help. (The correlative conjunctions illustrate a
choice.)
He went neither to the stadium nor to the concert hall during this vacation. (The correlative conjunctions join two prepositional phrases.)

WRITING TIP 

                           Using conjunctions adds sophistication to sentences. Rather than using two very simple sentences such as, “The monkey climbed the tree,” and “The
monkey threw down a banana,” combine them by using the conjunction and:
“The monkey climbed the tree and threw down a banana” is a more
sophisticated sentence. Make good use of the conjunctions for combining ideas.

Appropriately Chosen! (Conjunctions)

Circle the conjunction or pair of conjunctions in each sentence:

1. Lyle chose both steak and salad for his dinner.
2. I chose neither steak nor salad for my dinner.
3. Either you or he can drive Dad to the train station tomorrow morning.
4. The panda wanted to eat, for he was hungry.
5. Peanut butter and jelly is Rex’s favorite sandwich.
6. Not only the girls but also the boys will be invited to the assembly.
7. Sara did not know whether to swing at the ball or take the pitch.
8. Mark would like to go, but he cannot.
9. Rich likes the food at this restaurant, yet he seldom eats here.
10. Run with him or her.

Prepositions

A common preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or a pronoun and

another word in the sentence.

The man swam under the bridge. ( Under connects the idea of swam and bridge .)

She walked down the aisle. ( Down connects walked and aisle .)

Julie walked around the campus and toward town. ( Around connects walked and campus.

Toward connects walked and town. )

Here are the most commonly used prepositions:

 

 aboard             about              above                  across
after                 against            along                   among
around                as                    at                       before
behind             below             beneath                 beside
besides           between            beyond                but
by                 concerning        despite                  down
during            except                for                        from
in                     inside               into                       like
near                  of off             on
onto                opposite          out                        outside
over                past                since                      through
throughout       till                  to                         toward
under             underneath       until                      up
upon              with               within                    without

But is a preposition only when it can be replaced by the word except. So in the sentence, “All
but Teddy went inside,” but is a preposition since it connects All and Teddy and can be replaced
by the word except.
A way to get to know these fifty-six prepositions is to remember this sentence: The plane,
Prepi I, flew the clouds. Any single word that can logically be placed into this space is
a preposition, so the only words that you would still have to memorize are those that do not logically
fi t into this space. Compose the list of these words, memorize the Prepi I sentence, and you
will know your prepositions!

 Prepositions (Continued)

 Another type of preposition is the compound preposition. It does the same as a common
preposition but is composed of two or more words. Here are the most common compound
prepositions:
according to                   ahead of           apart from         as of
aside from                   because of           by means    of inaddition to
in back of                    in front of            in place of         in spite of
instead of                  in view of              next to            on account of
out of                          prior to

Adverb or preposition? The difference between a preposition and an adverb is that an
adverb answers the questions, Where? When? How? To what extent? by itself. Both common and
compound prepositions need more than just themselves to answer the same questions:
He fell down . ( Down is an adverb because it takes only one word to tell where he fell.)
He fell down the stairs. ( Down is a preposition because it takes more than a single word
to tell where he fell.)
Trey walked aboard . ( Aboard is an adverb because it takes only one word needed to tell
where Trey walked.)
Trey walked aboard the ship. ( Aboard is a preposition because it takes more than one
word to tell where Trey walked.)

WRITING TIP

                         Know when a word is a preposition and when it is an adverb. In the sentence “The captain walked aboard,” aboard is an adverb because it does not start a
prepositional phrase. In the sentence “The captain walked aboard the ship,”
aboard is a preposition that begins the prepositional phrase, aboard the ship.
Look for the prepositional phrase to check that the word is a preposition and
not an adverb.

 Finding the Four Words (Prepositions)

Underline the preposition in each of the following sentences. Then write the first letter of the

preposition on the line before the sentence. Transfer the fi fteen consecutive letters to the lines

below the last numbered sentence to form four words.

1. The teammates walked beyond the bleachers.

2. The track team ran into the hills.

3. The temperature is several degrees below zero.

4. Call me around four o’clock.

5. It is a matter concerning bad behavior.

6. The parents joined in the conversation.

7. Ronnie fell asleep during the professor’s lecture.

8. We found the sleeping cat underneath the blanket.

9. The couple walked near the bridge.

10. The children slid down the slide yesterday.

11. We lost contact over time.

12. This letter is addressed to your sister.

13. The strong man swam across the wide lake.

14. This group is under great suspicion.

15. I pointed toward the tall building

Adverbs

An adverb is a word that modifi es (qualifi es or limits) a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

◗ Many adverbs end in - ly .
◗ Adverbs answer any of these four questions: Where? When? How? To what extent?
◗ Adverbs make writing more specifi c and more exact.
◗ Here are some adverbs that do not end in - ly :

again            almost                 alone               already                    also
always          away                   even                  ever                        here
just                later                   never                 not                         now
nowhere         often                perhaps             quite                       rather
seldom           so                sometimes           somewhat               somewhere
soon               then                   there               today                        too
very               yesterday           yet

Adverbs modify verbs:

John ate quickly . ( How did he eat?)
I walk there . ( Where did I walk?)
Ashleigh will eat soon . ( When will Ashleigh eat?)

Adverbs modify adjectives:

Rex is very happy. ( Very modifi es the adjective happy and answers the question, To what
extent?)
The program was too unrealistic. ( Too modifi es the adjective unrealistic and answers the
question, To what extent?)
Adverbs modify other adverbs:
Warren walks too quickly. ( Too modifi es the adverb quickly and answers the question,
How quickly?)
He moved rather recently. ( Rather modifi es the adverb recently and answers the question,
How recently?

Adverbs (Continued)

When is a word an adjective, and when is it an adjective? Adjectives describe nouns and pronouns.
Adverbs do not. Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Adjectives do not. Helen has a yearly membership at the local health club. ( Yearly is an adjective since it modifies the noun membership and tells which membership.)
Helen contributes yearly . ( Yearly is an adverb since it modifies the verb contributes and answers the question, When does Helen contribute ?)
Mike arrived late . ( Late is an adverb since it tells when Mike arrived.)
The late delivery cut down on sales in the supermarket. ( Late is an adjective because it tells
which delivery.

 WRITING TIP

                         Adverbs help readers visualize actions better. Select the precise adverb to help your reader see more clearly. Slowly might not be as accurate as gradually,
leisurely, or unhurriedly. Use a dictionary or thesaurus for help.

 Scrambled Up for You! (Adverbs)

 In each sentence, the letters of the underlined adverb are scrambled. Unscramble the letters,

1. He walks tsaf.
2. Do you want to stop ehre ?
3. He visits his grandmother ywlkee.
4. Do you feel lewl enough to go on the trip?
5. Have you erve been to Mexico City?
6. I wasaly run errands for her.
7. Have I met you foebre ?
8. I would raerht drive to your house tonight.
9. Are you ilslt going to go to summer school?
10. I am tno trying to insult you, Nick.
11. Will you bat frsit tonight?
12. Are you ftneo at this location, Mitch?
13. Let’s start the performance onw.
14. May I aoslassist you, Helene?
15. Thank you nlidyk

 Dressing Up (Adverbs)

On the line next to the sentence number, tell whether the underlined adverb modifi es a verb, an adjective, or another adverb by writing the correct answer’s corresponding letter.

1. Patricia slept peacefully. (b) verb (c) adjective (d) adverb
2. Our teachers are very happy with the results. (t) verb (s) adjective (l) adverb
3. Larry’s unusually good cooking skills came in handy last weekend. (b) verb
    (h) adjective (o) adverb
4. He ran swiftly away from the tackler. (e) verb (a) adjective (i) adverb
5. She danced so gracefully in the competition. (d) verb (m) adjective (p) adverb
6. They sang beautifully during the entire winter concert. (l) verb (n) adjective
    (p) adverb
7. My aunt was extremely hungry after we completed the three-hour hike. (r) verb
    (o) adjective (d) adverb
8. We had met somewhat earlier than you think. (v) verb (n) adjective (a) adverb
9. Are they going away ? (t) verb (e) adjective (r) adverb
10. His rather clever remarks were not appreciated. (g) verb (e) adjective (u) adverb
11. These stories seem strangely familiar to me. (x) verb (s) adjective (o) adverb
12. They will hardly try to win. (n) verb (r) adjective (s) adverb
13. Francine earns high grades quite often. (t) verb (e) adjective (t) adverb
14. Do not walk alone in the forest. (s) verb (u) adjective (f) adverb
15. We met only recently. (g) verb (h) adjective (s) adverb

Verbs

There are several types of verbs to be studied: the action verb, the linking verb, and the helping

verb.
7 Action Verbs
An action verb tells what action (often a physical action) a subject is performing, has performed,
or will perform.
My father delivers packages to department stores each day.
Louie bowled a perfect game last night.
Suzanne skated across the rink in Central Park.
Turn at the next corner, Noel.
Oscar will help Petra with the project.
7 Linking Verbs
A linking verb connects (or links) a subject to a noun or an adjective in the predicate. The most
common linking verbs are the forms of the verb “to be” ( is, are, was, were, been, being, am ) and
appear , become, feel, grow, look, remain, seem, smell, sound, stay, taste, and turn.
My sister is a doctor. (The linking verb, is, connects the subject, sister, with the predicate
nominative, doctor. )
My sister is studying to become a doctor. (In this sentence the word is is a helping verb
for the main verb, studying. Is does not function as a linking verb.)
He appeared tired. (The linking verb, appeared, links the subject, He, with the predicate
adjective, tired. )
He appeared at the game. (In this sentence the verb, appeared, is an action verb, not a
linking verb.)
In the following group of sentences, the odd-numbered sentences exemplify the linking
verb and the even-numbered sentences show the same verb used as either an action verb or a
helping verb. Discuss why each verb functions as it does.
1. Reggie looked confused.
2. Reggie looked for his missing wallet.
3. Tammy grew tired during the long concert.
4. Tammy grew tomatoes in her garden this year.
5. I feel confused in math class.
6. I feel the penny at the bottom of this pool.

Verbs (Continued)

Helping Verbs
A helping verb assists the main verb in a sentence. There can be more than one helping verb in
each sentence. In a questioning (interrogative) sentence, the helping verb is usually separated
from the main verb.
The common helping verbs are am, is, are, was, were, be, been, being, has, had, have, do,
does, did, may, might, must, can, could, shall, should, will, and would.
The italicized word in each sentence below is the helping verb. The underlined word is the
main verb.
The members are going to the city tomorrow evening.
Are the members going to the city tomorrow evening?
That joke has been heard around the offi ce.
Has that joke been heard around the offi ce?
Her brothers are leaving for the train.
Are her brothers leaving for the train?
Think you know your verbs? On the lines below, write a verb that starts with the letter a, and
then one that starts with the letter b, and so forth until you have written a verb for each of the
twenty-six letters of the alphabet. These verbs can be action, linking, or helping verbs.

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 WRITING TIP 

                        Use the precise verb for each situation. Walk might not suit the situation as well as stroll, pace, totter, or saunter. Use a dictionary or a thesaurus to help
you along.

  Where the Boys Are (Verbs)

 Underline the verb in each of the following sentences. Then on the line before each sentence,
write the first letter of the verb found in that sentence. Finally, write the twenty consecutive letters
on the lines below the last numbered item to identify the names of fi ve boys.

1.   Will he remember the name of the boys?
2.   Yes, she understands your explanation.
3.   Please shuffl e the cards now.
4.   Send the messenger to the principal’s offi ce.
5.   Juan jokes around most of the time.
6.   You omitted several names of tonight’s program.
7.   The scientists simulated the rocket’s path.
8.   Mrs. Simmons, our teacher, erased the board quickly.
9.   The plant withered last week.
10.  Coach Albers inspired us before the big football game last week.
11.  The runner leaped with enthusiasm after her record-breaking performance.
12.  They loved last night’s dance recital.
13.  The cyclists pedaled through the mountains during the grueling segment of the Tour de France.
14.  He envies the other players.
15.  I told you that earlier.
16.  The artist etched the rough outline.
17.  I forgot my jacket in the music room.
18.  They easily recalled the unforgettable incident.
19.  That game ended his hopes for a professional career.
20.  Her parents decided that long ago.

Connecting Verbs and Vocabulary

Thirty verbs are listed alphabetically in the box below. Show your vocabulary knowledge by
placing each specifi c verb in its proper space underneath one of the fi ve less specifi c general
verbs that follow. Each less specifi c general verb should have six specifi c verbs below it. Use each
specifi c verb only once.

 accomplish      achieve       apprehend      chatter          chuckle
claw                collar            confess           conquer        corral
giggle              gossip           guffaw             howl            meander
overcome       parade           plod                pronounce    roar
score              shuffle           snare               snicker         soliloquize
stride              trap              trek                  triumph         verbalize

 

Adjectives

An adjective modifi es (qualifi es or limits the meaning of ) a noun or a pronoun. It answers the questions, What kind? Which one(s)? How many? How much?

        Carrie read an interesting story. ( What kind of story?)
        The recent article has that information. ( Which article?)
        Kent owns those surfboards. ( Which surfboards?)
        Wendy paid fifty dollars for the jacket. ( How many dollars?)
        Much space was devoted to her artwork. ( How much space?)

The words a, an, and the are the most frequently used adjectives. Although they are sometimes referred to as articles or noun markers, they are really adjectives, plain and simple. Use a
before words that start with a consonant sound ( a joking man or a lucky lottery player) and an before words that start with a vowel sound ( an hour’s wait or an interesting story).  

An adjective can come before or after the noun or pronoun it describes:

   Older cards are found on the table. ( Which cards?)
Tall players and intelligent coaches were interviewed by the interested reporter. ( Which
players? Which coaches? Which reporter?)
Tired and hungry , the campers reached the lodge. ( What kind of campers?)
The campers, tired and hungry , reached the lodge. ( What kind of campers?)

There are several types of adjectives:

A proper adjective is formed from a proper noun.

Italian bread           Herculean strength               Midas touch             Canadian sunset

A compound adjective is a word composed of two or more words. Sometimes these words are
hyphenated.
landmark decision                  black-and-blue mark                    hometown hero

Do not use a hyphen after an adverb ending in - ly.

newly painted mural                     sickly sweet odor                  recently purchased

Adjectives (Continued)

People sometimes confuse adjectives with nouns or with pronouns. Here are some points to remember

QUESTION 1:  When is a word a noun? When is a word an adjective?
The magazine article applauded the students’ efforts in the charity drive. ( Magazine is an
adjective that describes which article.)

The article about the students’ efforts in the charity drive was in the magazine . (Here magazine is a noun since it is the name of a thing and does not describe anything.)

Our Thanksgiving celebration was fun. (Thanksgiving is an adjective describing which
celebration.)
We celebrated Thanksgiving . (Thanksgiving is the name of the holiday that was celebrated.)

QUESTION 2: When is a word a pronoun? When is a word an adjective?
These demonstrative pronouns can be used as adjectives: that, these, this, and those.
These interrogative pronouns can be used as adjectives: what and which.
These indefinite pronouns can be used as adjectives: all, another, any, both, each, either, few, many, more, most, neither, other, several, and some.
This problem is diffi cult. ( This is an adjective since it answers the question, Which problem?)
This is diffi cult. ( This is a pronoun since it takes the place of a noun and does not modify a
noun or a pronoun.)

Some people are very funny. ( Some is an adjective since it answers the question, Which
people?)
Some are funny. ( Some is a pronoun since it takes the place of a noun and does not modify a
noun or a pronoun.)

WRITING TIP 

                       Adjectives tell more and help your reader know more about people, places, and things. Select the precise word to describe people, places, and things. Which is
the most accurate adjective to describe the student: smart, brilliant, insightful,
clever, brainy, or bright? Decide. Use a dictionary to find the subtle difference
in adjectives that are closely related in meaning.

And a Trip to the Zoo (Adjectives)

Sixteen of the words in this activity are not adjectives. Twenty-four are adjectives. On the line after each question number, write the fi rst letter of the twenty-four adjectives in this list below. Then write these twenty-four letters (consecutively) on the lines below Zoo Animals. These twenty-four consecutive letters spell out the names of fi ve animals found in a zoo.

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Pronouns

A pronoun is a word used in place of one or more nouns.

 We use pronouns to:
◗     Refer to a noun (called its antecedent) that usually comes before the pronoun
◗     Make our writing clearer, smoother, and less awkward

       In the sentence, “Roberto feels that he can win the race,” he is the pronoun, and Roberto is
the antecedent.

In the sentence, “Terry and Jim know that they are best friends,” they is the pronoun, and
Terry and Jim are the noun antecedents.

There are several types of pronouns.

Personal pronouns refer to people and things. They are divided into three categories called

fi rst person (referring to the person who is speaking: I went to the mall), second person (referringto the person spoken to: Joey, can you see the bus?), and third person (referring to anyone or

anything else: Bob saw us do this assignment). The pronouns in the two example sentences
above are personal pronouns.
The following list shows these three categories of personal pronouns:

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First person                            Singular                        Plural

First person                                            I, my, mine, me                             we, our, ours, us
(the person speaking)

Second person                                 you, your, yours                                   you, your, yours
(the person spoken to)

Third person                                 he, his, him, she, her,                    they, their, theirs, them
(some other person hers, it, its
or thing)

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Pronouns (Continued)

In addition to personal pronouns, there are several other types of pronouns: refl exive pronouns,relative pronouns, interrogative pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, and indefi nite pronouns.
A reflexive pronoun is formed by adding - self or - selves to certain personal pronouns.
Examples of refl exive pronouns are myself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, themselves, yourself,
and yourselves. The sentence, “I found it myself,” contains the personal pronoun I and the
refl exive pronoun myself.
Hisself and theirselves are NOT real words.

An interrogative pronoun is used to ask a question. These pronouns are which, who,
whom, and whose.

A demonstrative pronoun is used to point out a specifi c person or thing. These pronouns
include this, that, these, and those. In the sentence, “Theresa, is this yours?” this is the demonstrative
pronoun, and yours is the personal pronoun.

An indefi nite pronoun often does not refer to a specifi c or defi nite person or thing. It
usually does not have a defi nite or specifi c antecedent as a personal pronoun does. In the
sentence, “ Everybody will select another to help with everything, ” the three italicized words are
all indefi nite pronouns since they take the place of a noun and do not refer to a specifi c or
defi nite person or thing.

       These are all indefi nite pronouns:

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all                         each                    more                   one
another                 either                   most                   other
any                       everybody            much                  several
anybody               everyone              neither                 some
anyone                 everything            nobody                somebody
anything               few                      none                    someone
both                     many                   no                        one

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 WRITING TIP 

          Make sure that your pronouns are clear so that readers will not be confused. In the sentence, “John told Fred that he had been invited to Lucy’s party,” do we
know who he is? Not really! Set up the situation preceding that sentence so
that it is clear who he is.

Two at a Time (Pronouns)

Underline the two pronouns found in each sentence. Above each pronoun label its type using
these abbreviations: personal (PER), refl exive (REF), demonstrative (DEM), interrogative (INT),
or indefi nite (IND) pronoun

1.   This is the way to do it.
2.   He hurt himself during gym class.
3.   Can you and they fi nish the cleaning by three o’clock?
4.   Who is the person with her?
5.   I held the door for them.
6.   Please tell him that we said hello.
7.   Ours is older than theirs.
8.   Neither of them is the clear winner of the race as of now.
9.   Will she watch someone while Sarah goes shopping?
10.  Those are the best ones to buy.
11.  Please bring yours to us.
12.  After Jerry spotted the giraffe, he photographed it.
13.  Everything has gone well for us.
14.  Will they be able to move the belongings by themselves?
15.  All of the students know both.

 

 Naming the Pronouns

         Circle ten different pronouns in this paragraph. For the total of ten pronouns, if a
pronoun appears more than once within the paragraph, count it only once.

paragraph

" I could not fall asleep last night. It felt as if somebody kept knocking on the window keeping
me up most of the night. This is pretty unusual. So I tried to calm myself down and
think about other things besides being unable to sleep. All of my work paid off when I
fi nally fell asleep."

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Nouns

A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea:

            People farmer, mechanic, father, Professor Haskins, editors, Marcia
            Places ocean, Canada, porch, Spain, classroom
            Things scissors, giraffe, pen, smiles, tugboat, skateboard, braces, drill
            Ideas love, inspiration, courage, anxiety, eagerness, happiness

All nouns are either common or proper nouns:

 A common noun names any person, place, or thing. Examples are basketball, video,
wizard, coin, woman, and coach.

 A proper noun names a particular person, place, or thing and begins with a capital letter.
Examples are Winston Churchill, Babe Ruth, Mr. Richard Turner, and Chicago.

  

Know the difference between a common and a proper noun:

 Common Nouns           Proper Nouns

 hospital                     Mercy General Hospital

 woman                      Martha Washington
 school                       Sayville Middle School
newspaper                 The New York Times

 Here are some specifi c types of nouns:

A collective noun names a group of people or things. Examples of collective nouns are

jury, herd, fl ock, family, fl eet, club, class, and group.

A compound noun is a noun consisting of more than a single word. It could be separate

words such as social studies, physical education, and dining room. It could be two words

joined by a hyphen such as merry-go-round, thirty-three, sister-in-law, and great- grandmother.

It could be a combined word such as schoolteacher, bookkeeper, landlord, and headmaster.

 WRITING TIP   Use a dictionary or a thesaurus for help in choosing the most precise noun for

                               your purpose.

 Plus a Quotation (Nouns)

 Underline each noun in the following sentences. Then write the fi rst letter of each noun on the
line next to the sentence. If your answers are correct, you will spell out the words of a quotation
and the name of the famous American who said the quotation. Write the quotation and its
author’s name on the lines below sentence 15.

 1. ..................Wendy located her housekeeper.
 2....................Some answers on this test are about electricity.
 3................... Her violin and easel were missing.
 4....................Their rabbit that left the yard was returned by the offi cer.
 5.................... He used this umbrella in Alabama.
 6................... After the rain, the electrician checked the box.
 7................... The end of the afternoon arrived quickly.
 8. ..................This group is funny.
 9................... The ostrich and the orangutan are interesting.
 10................. My doctor and my orthodontist are neighbors.
 11. ................In the evening, Archie likes to go boating.
 12................. Unfortunately, he had a rash and an allergy.
 13................. Her height and agility helped her win the match.
 14................ Linda cared for the infant throughout the night.
 15................ The garbage carton near the oven had licorice and noodles in it.

The quotation and its author :

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PARTS OF SPEECH

                                      PARTS OF SPEECH

Pay attention to how a word is used in a sentence before you decide if it is a noun, verb, adverb or adjective.

Instructions:

• Circle the verbs
• Bracket the nouns
• Underline the adjectives

  Exercise:

grandmother	begged	strong	smelled	sofa
shiny	policeman	cute	shoe	rocky
skipped	bamboo	boy	angry	clumsy
big	speak	park	straight	successful
weak	teacher	trophy	chirp	ran