Business Writing

Firefly Electric and Lighting Corp. Learning and Development

Human Resources Department

Module 1B

Foundations of Good Business Correspondence

Business Writing

Firefly Electric and Lighting Corp. Learning and Development

Human Resources Department

Module 1B

Foundations of Good Business Correspondence

Lesson 1A

Nouns

Nouns Definition:

A noun is a part of speech that names a person, place or thing or an abstraction such as an idea (democracy); quality (strength); motion (rotation); event (wedding); feeling (depression); emotion (hatred); time (seconds); area (acre); weight (kilo); distance (miles); volume (liter); state (illness) etc.

Grammar Most of the errors committed in relation to

nouns had to do with its two properties: Number and Case.

Number is the property of nouns that indicates whether there’s one or more of a person. place, thing or idea. The number of a noun is singular if there’s only one of that noun and plural if there two or more. This lesson will deal with the transformation a noun may undergo when

Grammar changing from singular form to plural form. (See notes to study the rules in details). These are the rules in plural formation for some of the problematic nouns. Rule 3b. Nouns ending in –y preceded by a vowel, form their plural by adding –s. Examples: alley- alleys; decoy –decoys; essay- essays ; spray-sprays, valley- valleys

Grammar Exception to Rule 3b:

colloquy - colloquies ( a dialogue)– The -y is changed to –I and –es is added.

exequy – exequies – funeral rites

obloquy – obloquies – abusive language

obsequy- obsequies- funeral ceremonies

soliloquy – soliloquies – talking to oneself

The “quy” is pronounced “kwee”

Grammar Rule #5 There are five variation in the formation of the plural forms of words ending in –o. a) add –s: casino- casinos; folio-folios; b) add –es: echo-echoes, hero- heroes; c) add –s to nouns of musical origin – alto- altos; soprano- sopranos d) add -s to Proper nouns ending in –o – Filipino- Filipinos e) add –s or –es archipelago-archipelagos, archipelagoes

Rule #8: Nouns ending in –ics are considered singular if they refer to a subject, a field of concentration or science. They are considered plural if they refer to things in general.

Example: Electronics is my favorite subject in college. (singular –as a subject)

High-tech electronics have improved communication today. (plural – referring to electronic parts of a device.

Grammar

Grammar Rule # 10: Some nouns that are plural in

sense add –s or –es to their secondary plural form.

Example: money- monies; fish-fishes land-lands

Note: the secondary plural form is applied to nouns of different kinds or origin, monies from different countries; fishes of different varieties, water from different sources etc.

Grammar Rule #11:Certain nouns are plural in form but

singular in meaning.

Examples:

address, abscess, measles, mumps, news.

Generally, most diseases that ends in –s are singular.

Examples:

bronchitis, dermatitis, hepatitis, meningitis, conjunctivitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis

Grammar Rule # 12: Certain nouns are plural both in form and sense: Examples: clothes, remains, fireworks, eaves, suds leftovers. refreshments, wages, However, nouns that generally come in pairs and carry the word “pair” take on a singular verb. Example:

boots- plural verb; a pair of boots- singular

verb.

Grammar Rule #14a: Compound nouns place the plural sign on the important word Examples: aide-de-camp –aides-de-camp; baby sitter- baby sitters; father-in-law- fathers- in-law Rule #14b: Some compound nouns show plurality in both words: man servant- men servants; woman doctor- women doctors

Grammar

Rule #14c: Some compound nouns show plurality in either way.

Examples:

attorney –general –attorneys general or

attorney-generals; coup d’etat –coups-

d’etat or coup d’etats; head of state –head

of states or heads of state

Grammar

Rule #14d: A hyphenated compound noun that does not contain a noun as one of its elements appends the plural signal on the final element. Examples: go-between – go-betweens; hang-up hang –ups; hand-me-down- hand-me downs; show-off – show offs;tie –in – tie ins

s

Grammar Rule #15: Some nouns may be construed as singular or plural according to their context. Examples: accommodations, advice, amends, communications, congratulations, goods, means, pyrotechnics Luxurious accommodations is accorded to a visiting head of state. Crowded accommodations cause a lot of complaints among the athletes.

Grammar Rule# 17: Some nouns undergo an internal

vowel change to show plurality.

Examples:

man-men; goose- geese; foot-feet

Rule# 19: A noun used as a modifier loses its property of plurality

Examples:

dog catcher for catcher of dogs

table napkin for napkin for tables

Grammar Rule # 20a: Most abbreviated nouns form

their plural by adding –s only.

Examples:

acct. (account) –accts.; bldg. (building) -

bldgs.: bro. (brother) – bros: dept. (department) –depts.;

Rule #20b: Single letter abbreviation of nouns form the plural by doubling the letter itself.

p. (page) – pp. l. (line) –ll.

Grammar Nouns derived from foreign languages form

their plural in various ways:

a-1:Most nouns derived from Latin, ending in -us form their plural by changing –us to –i

alumnus –alumni; bacillus-bacilli; cactus-cacti; genius – genii (for supernatural spirit , a guardian either of good and evil) but geniuses (for exceptional great gift for mental ability ,art, music, language , math or science); radius -radii

Grammar a-2: A few nouns derived from Latin, ending

in –us have the same singular and plural form.

Examples:

hiatus-hiatus; impetus-impetus;

a-3:A few nouns derived from Latin, ending in -us form their plural by changing –us to –ora

corpus-corpora; opus-opera; viscus- viscera

Grammar b: Other nous derived from Latin ending in –

ex,-ix , - ox , -yx form their plural by changing the listed suffixes to –ic and adding –es or retain the English plural but has a different meaning.

Examples:

apex – apices (for tips of something that

grows); apexes (for the highest ponit of

something.

Grammar matrix- matrices (for a substance enclosing something) matrixes ( for arrangement of interconnected parts)

calyx - calices (for chalice or cup); calyxes (for funnel shape hollows in the pelvis of the kidney through which urine passes); calyces (for group of sepals that supports the petals of a flower)

Grammar c: Nouns derived from Latin ending in –a form their plural by adding –e to the end of the singular. Examples: alumna- alumnae; alga – algae; amoeba – amoebae; antenna –antennae (for a pair of sense organs found in insects or crustaceans); antennas (for radio/ telecommunications; formula- formulae (for solutions like milk) formulas (for mathematical equations)

Grammar d: Nouns derived from Greek ending in –is form their plural by changing –is to –es. Examples: analysis- analyses; basis-bases* (also the plural form of base); crisis-crises; diagnosis- diagnoses; paralysis-paralyses e: Nouns derived from Greek ending in –um form their plural by changing –um to –a. bacterium-bacteria; erratum-errata; datum-data* (data and agenda are already accepted as singular)

Grammar f: Nouns derived from Greek ending in –ma

form their plural by adding –ta to he end of the singular word.

dogma- dogmata (or dogmas); schema-schemata; stigma-stigmata (marks resembling the body wounds of the crucified Christ ) stigma (a stain or reproach as in one’s reputation); stoma- stomata; trauma- traumata/traumas (for emotional shock or bodily injury.

Grammar g: Nouns derived from Greek ending in –on form their plural by changing –on to –a. Examples: criterion –criteria; automaton- automata; phenomenon- phenomena h: Nouns derived from French ending in –ieu, -eau, -ou form their plural by adding –x to the singular word. adieu-adieux; beau –beaux chateau – chateaux; bijou -bijoux

Foundations of Good Business Correspondence

Let’s Review Grammar

Foundations of Good Business Correspondence

Grammar

Grammar I.Give the plural form of the following nouns: 1. quiz 4. tactics 2. monarch 5. t 3. gazebo II.Give the singular forms of the following nouns: 1. capillaries 4. syllabi 2. ethics 5. monies 3. Mesdames

Grammar III.Identify: 1. What is the plural form of “beef” which

means “meat”? 2. What is the secondary plural form of

people? 3. What number is psychosis: singular or

plural? 4. Where do you put the plural sign in “lily of

the valley”? 5. Which plural form of calyx provide support

for petals of flowers?

Grammar

If you got a score of 7 or less in any of the lessons’ practice exercises, please review the lessons and notes on Rules in the formation of Plural Forms of Nouns before taking the quiz.

Foundations of Good Business Correspondence

Module 1B

LESSON 1A

Answers to

Grammar Quiz

Grammar I.Give the plural form of the following nouns: 1. quiz - quizzes 4. tactics - tactics 2. monarch -monarchs 5. t – t’s 3. gazebo- gazebos II.Give the singular forms of the following nouns: 1. capillaries -capillary 4. syllabi - syllabus 2. ethics - ethics 5. monies- money 3. Mesdames - Madame

Grammar III.Identify: 1.What is the plural form of “beef” which means “meat”? beeves 2.What is the secondary plural form of people? peoples 3.What number is psychosis; singular or plural? singular 4.Where do you put the plural sign in “lily of the valley”? lilies of the valley 5.Which plural form of calyx provide support for petals of flowers? calyces

Module 1B Lesson 1A Foundations of Good Business Correspondence Quiz

1. Please proceed to www. Quia.com/web.

2. On the space provided, enter your log in name and your password.

3. Under “Quiz”, please select Module 1B, Lesson 1A Quiz 1.

4. Follow the instructions in the quiz.

5. Follow these same steps when you go to succeeding quizzes after every lesson.

Grammar

Case is the property of nouns that indicates the function of nouns in the sentence. This lesson will deal only with the possessive case of nouns and its formation. (See notes to study the rules in details).

End of Module 1B, Grammar Lesson 1A