Grammar Basics

Noun
A noun is the word that refers to a person, thing or abstract idea. A noun can tell you who or what. There are several different types of noun:

There are common nouns such as dog, car, chair etc. Nouns that refer to things which can be counted (can be singular or plural) are countable nouns. Nouns that refer to some groups of countable nouns, substances, feelings and types of activity (can only be singular) are uncountable nouns.An apple, Rice is
uncountable.Note: With uncntable nouns you use much and little (rice)7with countable you use few and many (apples) You can make most uncountable noun countable by putting a countable expression in front of the noun. A

piece of information.

Nouns that refer to a group of people or things are collective nouns. See below. Nouns that refer to people, organisations or places are proper nouns, only proper nouns are capitalised. Ex. microsoft Nouns that are made up of two or more words are called compound nouns. Ex. toothpaste Nouns that are formed from a verb by adding -ingare called gerunds ex. I enjoy walking

Special mention: A collective noun is a noun that is singular in form but refers to a group of people or things. Sometimes they refer to a group of specific things:For example:Tables, chairs, cupboards etc. are grouped under the collective noun furniture. Plates, saucers, cups and bowls are grouped under the collective noun crockery. These collective nouns are often uncountable. Sometimes they are more general:For example:Groups of people - army, audience, band, choir, class, committee, crew, family, gang, jury, orchestra, police, staff, team, trio Groups of animals - colony, flock, herd, pack, pod, school, swarm Groups of things - bunch, bundle, clump, pair, set, stack When such a group is considered as a single unit, the collective noun is used with a singular verb and singular pronouns.

For example - The committee has reached its decision. But when the focus is on the individual members of the group, British English uses a plural verb and plural pronouns. For example - "The committee have been arguing all morning." This is the same as saying "The people in the committe have been ...." A determiner in front of a singular collective noun is always singular: this committee , never these committee (but of course when the collective noun is pluralized, it takes a plural determiner: these committees ).

Pronoun
A pronoun usually refers to something already mentioned in a sentence or piece of text. They are used instead of nouns to prevent repetition of the noun to which they refer. One of the most common pronouns is it.The train was late, it had been delayed. (Much better!)

Adjectives
Adjectives describe or give information about nouns or pronouns. Ex: The greydog barked Special mention: Possesiveadjectives : This is my guitar

Adverb
Adverbs can tell you where, when, how, why and to what extent something happens. Adverbs can modify adjectives

An adjective can be modified by an adverb, which precedes the adjective. For example:That's really nice.

Adverbs can modify adverbs

Some adverbs can modify others. As with adjectives, the adverb precedes the one it is modifying.

For example:She did it really well.

Adverbs can modify nouns

Adverbs can modify nouns to indicate time or place. For example:The concert tomorrow. The room upstairs.

Adverbs can modify noun phrases

Some adverbs of degree such as quite, rather, so, such ... can modify noun phrases. For example:We had quite a good time. They're such good friends.

Adverbs can modify determiners, numerals and pronouns

Adverbs such as almost, nearly, hardly, about, etc., can be used: For example:Nearly everyone, who was invited, came to the party.

Adverbs can modify sentences

Some adverbs modify a whole sentence, not just a part of one. For example:Luckily the car stopped in time. In this sentence luckily modifies the whole sentence, it shows that it was good luck that the car stopped in time.
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Grammar Table of Contents:

Finding Subjects and Verbs

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NOTE: We will use the convention of a thin underline for subjects and a thick underline for verbs. Being able to find the right subject and verb will help you correct errors of agreement.
Example:

The list of items is/are on the desk.

Being able to identify the subject and verb correctly will also help you with commas and semicolons as you will see later. Definition. A Verb is a word that shows action (runs, hits, slides) or state of being (is, are, was, were, am, and so on).
Examples: Heran around the block.

Youare my friend.

Rule 1.

If a verb follows to, it is called an infinitive phrase and is not the main verb. You will find the main verb either before or after the infinitive phrase. Exampl es: Ilike to walk. The efforts to get her elected succeeded.

Definition. A Subject is the noun or pronoun that performs the verb.

Example:

The womanhurried. Woman is the subject.

Rule 2.

A subject will come before a phrase beginning with of.

Examp le:

A bouquet of yellow roses will lend color and fragrance to the room.

Rul e 3.

To find the subject and verb, always find the verb first. Then ask who or what performed the verb. Exampl The jet enginepassed inspection.Passed is the

es:

verb. Who or what passed? The engine, so engine is the subject. If you included the word jet as the subject, lightning will not strike you. Technically, jet is an adjective here and is part of what is known as the complete subject. From the ceiling hung the chandelier. The verb is hung. Now, if you think ceiling is the subject, slow down. Ask who or what hung. The answer is chandelier, not ceiling. Therefore, chandelier is the subject.

Rule 4.

Any request or command such as "Stop!" or "Walk quickly." has the understood subject you because if we ask who is to stop or walk quickly, the answer must be you. Examp le: (You) Please bring me some coffee. Bring is the verb. Who is to do the bringing? You understood.

Rule 5.

Sentences often have more than one subject, more than one verb, or pairs of subjects and verbs. Exampl es: Ilike cake and helikes ice cream. Two pairs of subjects and verbs He and Ilike cake. Two subjects and one verb Shelifts weights and jogs daily. One subject and two verbs