Why Learn Parts of Speech?

Why Learn Parts of Speech?

 They are the building
blocks of English
grammar.
 It is a foundation to
improve your writing.
 The Eight Parts of Speech
 Nouns
 Adjectives
 Pronouns
 Verbs
 Conjunctions
 Prepositions
 Adverbs
 Interjections
 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.
 Nouns
 Names of persons, places,
things, feelings, or ideas.
 Often indicated by
“noun markers” -- a,
an, and the.
 Example:
The boy on the red
bike hit a bird with a
rock at the end of the
long road.
 Nouns
 Names of persons, places,
things, feelings, or ideas.
 “Noun markers” -- a,
an, and the.
 Noun endings: - apartment, department;
DOM freedom,
kingdom, wisdom,
stardom, boredom
ICS physics,
mathematics, politics;
linguistics, phonetics,
statistics;
ISM capitalism, socialism,
materialism;
IST dentist, typist, stylist;
MENT treatment,
NESS blindness,
brightness, coldness;
SHIP friendship,
leadership, membership;
ANCE acceptance,
resistance, importance;
ENCE competence;
existence, silence,
 Nouns
 Names of persons, places,
things, feelings, or ideas.
 “Noun markers” -- a,
an, and the.
 Noun endings
 Can be made plural with
s or es.
 Example:
The needs of the
masses may conflict with
expectations of the
members of legislative
bodies.
 Nouns
 Names of persons, places, things, feelings, or ideas.
 “Noun markers” -- a, an, and the.
 Noun endings
 Can be made plural with s or es.
 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, and
 “Linking verbs” show 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 bus,
 Change to show time and it went past my
(tense). house.
The words that change are
verbs.
 Verbs
 The action or “doing” words in a sentence.
 “Linking verbs” show being.
 Change to show time (tense).
 Adjectives
 Describe or modify only  Example: A big, red
nouns. 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, “what tried to eat a large pie at
kind?” or “how many?” two pizza parlors.
 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. The way to a smile and
 Answer questions, “what an appreciative attitude
kind?” or “how many?” is through the stomach.
 The “noun markers” a,
an, the are always
adjectives.
 Adjectives
 Describe or modify only  Example:
nouns. The long, shiny black
 Answer questions, “what limousine pulled in front
kind?” or “how many?” of the huge old mansion,
 The “noun markers” a, an, and a tall, well-dressed
the are always adjectives. older gentleman got out.
 Usually “piled up” before
nouns.
 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.
 Pronouns
 Specialized words to take  Example:
the place of nouns. Paul gave Emily
stationery because he
wanted her to write to
him when she could.
 Pronouns
 Specialized words to take  Memorize:
the place of nouns. I he we she they
 Often refer to people and me him us her them
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. Her red car is faster than
 Often refer to people and my old Ford, but their
have several forms. new Honda cost more
 May be possessive, than ours.
showing ownership and  Note the form:
working like an I he we she they
adjective.
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.
 Prepositions
 Specialized words to  The man on the bus with
start prepositional a hat on his head looked
phrases. at me and turned toward
A prepositional phrase 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 or at, from, to, on, in,
position. into, onto, between,
under, among,
around, through
 Prepositions
 Specialized words to start  Example:
prepositional phrases. The problem with him
 Most prepositions are
is that he sleeps
small, common words
indicating time, place or during the day and
position. spends most of the
 Some prepositions night with his friends.
simply must be  Memorize:
memorized.
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.
 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
bus, yet not on time.
And Or
Nor Yet
So
 Conjunctions
 Words which “hook  Example:
together” words, phrases, I ran when I saw her
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.
 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. The extremely hungry
 Answer the adverb
animal howled eerily in
questions: How? When?
Where? Why? Under what the especially dark
conditions? night.
 Often end in -ly
 Adverbs
 Describe verbs, adjectives,  Example:
or other adverbs. We do not very often
 Answer the adverb
want them here, for
questions: How? When?
Where? Why? Under what they are always late
conditions? and almost never want
 Often end in -ly to go there with us.
 Always adverbs: not,
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
 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.