Parts of Speech Notes

NOUNS are words or word groups that name:

PersonPlace

Thing IdeaDr. PhilChuck Norriswomenteam

forestcityItalyMiddle East

rainpetsEiffel Towerjewelry

loyaltybeautyfairnessrespect

Compound Noun: 2 or more words used together as a single noun (for example: filmmaker, fire drill, self-control)

Common Noun: any one of a particular group; more ordinary and general (for example: country)

Proper Noun: a particular one; more specific and individual (for example: Spain)

PRONOUNSPronouns take the place of nouns. The word or phrase replaced by a pronoun is called an antecedent.

EXAMPLE: When Sarah was fixing the car, she cut her hand. (Sarah is a noun. She is a pronoun that refers to the antecedent, Sarah.)

Personal Pronouns refer to people or things EXAMPLES: I, his, herInterrogative Pronouns ask a question (think: police interrogation) EXAMPLES: which, whatIndefinite Pronouns refer to nonspecific persons or things EXAMPLES: all, both, eitherDemonstrative Pronouns tells or demonstrates which one(s) EXAMPLES: that, those

Make sure your Pronouns:1. AGREE in NUMBER

EXAMPLE: If Martin parks a car on campus, he has to buy a parking sticker. (NOT: If Martin parks a car on campus, they have to buy a parking sticker.)

2. AGREE in PERSON If you are writing in the "first person" (I), don't confuse your reader by switching to the "second person" ( you) or "third person" (he, she, they, it, etc.), or the other way around.

EXAMPLE: When Laura comes to class, she should have her homework ready. (NOT: When Laura comes to class, you should have your homework ready.)

3. REFER CLEARLY to a specific noun. Here are examples that would confuse your readers:

EXAMPLE: Although the motorcycle hit the tree, it was not damaged. (Is "it" the motorcycle or the tree?)

Adjectives are words used to modify (describe or change) nouns or pronouns.

Adjectives tell us:What Kind How Many

How MuchWhich One

STONE houseYELLOW hairRUSHING riverSECRET messageTIRED dog

SEVEN ringsMORE moneySOME waterSEVERAL others

NEXT customerFIRST dayTHESE mangoesTHAT shirt

Articles are a type of adjective: a, an, the

Demonstrative adjectives demonstrate which one (i.e. THESE and THAT)

Verbs are words that express ACTION or a STATE OF BEING.Ex:Action – We celebrated Chinese New Year.S. of Being – This holiday is usually in February.

1. Action verbs – express physical or mental action Ex: hooted, believe

2. Linking verbs – state of being verbs (am, was, is, were) linking the subject to the words that describe them.Ex: I am happy to be a teacher.

3. Helping verbs – help main verbs express action or state of being.Ex: Kansas has been named the sunflower state.

4. Compound verbs – 2 or more verbs acting on the same subject and that have a conjunction between them.Ex: Nate played well but lost anyway.

Adverbs modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb.

They answer the following questions:1. When? (soon, tomorrow, later)2. Where? (here, inside, there)3. How? (easily, quietly)4. How often? How long? (usually, never)5. How much? (very, almost)

Can appear many places in a sentence:We OFTEN study together.We study together OFTEN.

Commonly ends in –ly, but not always.

Prepositions are words or phrases that show direction or POSITION.

Prepositions show relationships.

A preposition is anywhere a squirrel can go in relation to a tree.

Prepositional Phrase – a phrase that contains a preposition, a noun/pronoun called the object, and any modifiers for that object.