Parts of Speech Flashcards
What is a NOUN?
a word that denotes a PERSON, PLACE, or THING
Nouns answer the question…
Who or what?
Name the 6 categories of nouns
Concrete or abstract, proper or common, count or mass
Name the nouns in this sentence: The clown chased a dog around the ring and then fell flat on her face.
The CLOWN chased a DOG around the RING and then fell flat on her FACE.
What is a PRONOUN?
A word that TAKES THE PLACE OF A NOUN in a sentence.
Name two ways pronouns function in a sentence.
As SUBJECTS or OBJECTS
Name the SUBJECT PRONOUNS
I, you, he, she, it, we, they
Name the OBJECT PRONOUNS
me, you, him, her, it, us, them
List all the PRONOUNS in this sentence: Later that summer, she asked, “What was I thinking of?”
Later that summer, SHE asked, “What was *I* thinking of?”
What is a RELATIVE PRONOUN?
A word that introduces a relative (dependent) clause and connects it to an independent clause
Put another way: a type of pronoun that connects a relative (dependent) clause to an independent clause.
Relative pronouns often ADD INFORMATION.
Example: People WHO LIVE IN GLASS HOUSES should not throw stones.
Name the 5 most common RELATIVE PRONOUNS.
who, whom, what, which, that
A clause that begins with a relative pronoun is poised to answer what kinds of questions?
- Which one?
- What kind?
- How many?
What are ADJECTIVES?
Words that MODIFY nouns or pronouns.
Where do adjectives appear in a sentence?
Before NOUNS or after a form of the reflexive verb “to be”
Adjective order
- Determiner – This means an article (a, an, the), a number or amount, a possessive adjective (my, his, her, its, your, our, their), or a demonstrative (this, that, these, those).
- Observation/Opinion – Beautiful, expensive, gorgeous, broken, delicious, ugly
- Size – Huge, tiny, 4-foot-tall
- Shape – Square, circular, oblong
- Age – 10-year-old, new, antique
- Color – Black, red, blue-green
- Origin – Roman, English, Mongolian
- Material – Silk, silver, plastic, wooden
- Qualifier – A noun or verb acting as adjective
Example of ADJECTIVE ORDER
My beautiful, big, circular, antique, brown, English, wooden coffee table was broken in the move.
What is a verb?
A word that denotes an action or state of being.
What is a verb phrase?
A phrase consisting of a verb plus a helping verb; e.g., “She was dancing all night.”
List all the verbs in this sentence: Judy walked slowly through the art gallery and admired the powerful sculptures exhibited there.
WALKED and ADMIRED
How do ADVERBS function in a sentence?
They modify, or further describe, a verb, adjective, or another adverb.
What do adjectives and adverbs have in common, and what is the difference between the two?
They both modify or further describe
The difference between the two comes down to the parts of speech that they modify
What questions should you ask to identify adverbs?
What? When? Where? Why? How? (The 5 journalism Qs)
How much?
How many?
In what way?
List all the adverbs in this sentence:
She looked very pretty in her new dress.
VERY
What do CONJUNCTIONS do?
Conjunctions join** words, phrases, and **independent clauses together.
- Sarah enjoyed copy editing, so she pursued a career in it.
- I wanted to make it to the show, but the train was stuck.
What are the 3 types of conjunctions?
- coordinating
- correlative
- subordinating
What do COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS do?
Coordinating conjunctions join words, phrases, and independent clauses of EQUAL GRAMMATICAL RANK in a sentence.
Examples: and, but, for, so, or, nor, yet
Name six of the most common coordinating conjunctions.
and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet
What are CORRELATIVE CONJUNCTIONS?
Conjunctions that work together in pairs in a sentence.
Examples: neither/nor, either/or, both/and, not only/but also
● Not only am I finished studying for English, but I’m also finished writing my history essay.
What is a subordinating conjunction?
A conjunction that introduces a dependent clause.
Examples: because, since, as, while, whereas
Sometimes an adverb can function as a subordinating conjunction.
Examples: until, after, before
What are prepositions?
Prepositions are a class of words that work with nouns/pronouns and articles to form phrases that modify verbs, nouns/pronouns, and adjectives.
● Sarah ran up the stairs of the house.
Prepositions most commonly fill in what two details?
Where something is, or when it happened?
What do PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES convey?
Usually: spatial, temporal, or directional meaning
What are prepositions used to indicate?
Prepositions indicate direction, time, location, and spatial relationships
What is the trick to identifying whether a word is a preposition?
Use the word + an objective case pronoun in a phrase.
To HIM
Through THEM
REMEMBER: All prepositions TAKE OBJECTS.
The subject of a sentence will never be found in what kind of phrase?
a prepositional phrase
List all the PREPOSITIONS in…
The manager confidently made his presentation to the board of directors.
The manager confidently made his presentation TO the board OF directors.
How many prepositions can you name?
aboard about above across after against along amid among
around at before behind below beneath beside between beyond
by near down of during off except
on for onto from out in over into past like since through throughout to
toward under underneath until
unto up upon with within without
What is an INTERJECTION?
A word that expresses a sudden, spontaneous feeling or reaction.
Interjections may take what forms?
words, phrases, or clauses
What is the importance of interjections?
Generally used to convey feelings not otherwise apparent in a sentence.
Identify the interjection in this sentence:
Yikes! I’m late for class!`
yikes
What is an article?
Articles are words that appear before a noun or noun phrase in a sentence.
● She bought the dress she wanted.
● She bought a dress.
What are the 2 types of articles?
definite (the) and indefinite (a, an)
When is the indefinite article ‘a’ used?
‘a’ is used in front of words that begin with CONSONANT SOUNDS.
When is ‘an’ used?
in front of words beginning with VOWEL SOUNDS
What are the 3 articles?
a, an, the
Define ‘definite article’
used to refer to a particular member of a group or class
Define ‘indefinite article’
Used to indicate that its noun is NOT a particular, identifiable member of a group or class.
Adverb phrases answer three questions … or …
- In what manner?
- When?
- Where?
or
- they can modify an entire sentence (or clause)
Examples:
–He went OUTSIDE. (where)
–We left EARLY (when)
–He stormed out, SPEWING OBSCENITIES (manner)
–THEREFORE, the case is closed. (sentence adverb)
I.D. the part of speech in caps
He stormed out, SPEWING OBSCENITIES
ADVERB PHRASE
Describes “in what manner”
I.D. the adverb and its type
I only have eyes for you.
ONLY
ADJUNCT
Adjunct adverbs are essential to meaning of sentence;
like all restrictive modifiers, they are not separated by commas
ID the adverb and its type
Additionally, there was a pool.
ADDITIONALLY
CONJUNCT (aka conjunctive adverbs)
Conjunct adverbs CONNECT a sentence or clause to a thought that came before.
Use COMMAS to separate conjunct adverbs.
ID the adverb and its type
Truly, you’re the greatest.
TRULY
DISJUNCT
Disjunct adverbs provide the writer’s COMMENTARY on the whole sentence or clause.
Use COMMAS separate disjunct adverbs
All prepositions take…
OBJECTS
or, more precisely,
COMPLEMENTS (objects that complete them)
The object of a preposition is usually…
a NOUN PHRASE
- I have to go talk with my professor.*
- my professor* is the complement of with
Prepositions may be complemented by…
- noun clauses (I have to talk with my professor)
- participial clauses (He’s tired of being the only grown-up in the room.)
- wh– & how clauses (It’s a matter of which color you prefer.)
- adverbs (From where did you get that painting?)
- adjective (They did their work in private.)
Many phrases function adverbially, especially…
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES
He was dancing LIKE A CRAZY PERSON
I.D. the function and type of “like a…”
Prepositional phrase
acting as an adverb
What is a DETERMINER?
A word that introduces a NOUN PHRASE
He doesn’t have ANY children
I want SOME cake.
What are two things DETERMINERS typically convey?
quantity and definiteness
- I don’t want ANY cake.
- There’s no MORE milk.
- FEW people live for a hundred years.
- I’ll be WHICHEVER toaster you recommend.
Determiners can also be … , depending on what they’re doing in a sentence.
PRONOUNS
- When a pronoun in introduces is a noun, it’s a determiner.
- I want SOME cake (determiner)
- I want SOME (pronoun)
When a pronoun introduces a noun phrase it is functioning as a …
DETERMINER
- I don’t want ANY cake. (indefinite determiner)
- I don’t want ANY (indefinite pronoun)
- I like THIS salad dressing (demonstrative determiner)
- I like THIS. (demonstrative pronoun)
Articles are classified as …
DETERMINERS
Email is an example of what type of noun?
Trick question: it can be used both as a
COUNT NOUN (He sent me six emails on the topic)
and a
MASS NOUN (We received a lot of email on this topic)
What three punctuation marks can be used to directly join independent clauses? What are the differences between?
- Semi-colon — most NEUTRAL of the three
- Colon — used when 2nd clause AMPLIFIES or ILLUSTRATES the first
- Em Dash — used to signal and ABRUPT CHANGE in thought or tone
punctuate this
The past is not dead it’s not even past
The past is not dead; it’s not even past.
Punctuate this
Minds are like parachutes they function only when open
Minds are like parachutes: they function only when open.
Colon because explanation/amplification
How do you punctuate two independent clauses joined by a coordinate conjunction?
use a comma in front of the conjunction
“Ten people suffered minor injuries, and at least twenty homes near the creek were flooded.”
but
if both clauses are short and there’s no chance of a misreading of what’s being connected
then
the comma may be omitted
“Ten people were injured and twenty homes were damaged”
punctuate this:
- this prosecution will appeal the exclusion of the videotape however the courts rarely overrule trial judges on evidentiary matters
- the videotape is essential to the prosecution’s case thus the prosecutor is appealing the exclusion of the tape
- This prosecution will appeal the exclusion of the videotape; however, the courts rarely overrule trial judges on evidentiary matters.
Rule 1: When independent clauses are connected by an ADVERB, use a semi-colon before the adverb and a comma after. But…
- The videotape is essential to the prosecution’s case; thus the prosecutor is appealing the exclusion of the tape.
Rule 1a: The comma after the adverb MAY BE OMITTED if the transition is not abrupt and no emphasis is desired.
The strip revolves around students at the fictitional Oliver Otis University, (a, an) historically black school.
A
Use “a” before a consonant SOUND.
The principal adverb uses answer these four questions…
- “How?” or “In what manner?” (e.g. carefully, quickly)
- “When?” or “How often?” (e.g. soon, yesterday)
- “Where?” (e.g. downstairs, here, outside)
- “To what extent?” (extremely, hardly, somewhat)
A car dealer who certainly could have afforded to hire somebody.
- A car dealer who could [certainly] have afforded to hire somebody.*
- Rule (Fowler p25): Place the adverb between the auxiliaries (could, have).*
- The placement of adverbs follows standard rules:*
- (a) between auxiliaries*
- (b) between and auxiliary and a main verb*
- (c) adverb does NOT separate a verb from its object*
He inadvertently had joined a lonely-hearts club.
He had [inadvertently] joined a lonely-hearts club.
Rule (Fowler p25): Place the adverb between the auxiliary (had) and the main verb (joined).
The placement of adverbs follows standard rules:
(a) between auxiliaries
(b) between and auxiliary and a main verb
(c) adverb does NOT separate a very from its object
He observes dutifully all its quaint customs.
He dutifully] observes all its quaint customs.
Rule (Fowler p25): Do not use an adverb to separate a verb from its object.
The placement of adverbs follows standard rules:
(a) between auxiliaries
(b) between and auxiliary and a main verb
(c) adverb does NOT separate a very from its object
Students at the Bronx High School are the best intellectually equipped in the city.
- Students at the Bronx High School are [intellectually] the best equipped in the city.*
- Rule (Bernstein p27): When more than one adverb appears in a phrase, a misplacement sometimes results not in ambiguity but in stylistic ineptitude: “best” does not qualify “intellectually”; it qualifies “equipped.”*
Identify the sentence elements in
Circumstances are right.
- Circumstances - SUBJECT
- Are - LINKING/STATE OF BEING/COPULATIVE VERB
- Right - PREDICATE COMPLEMENT
Predicate complements can be divided into these three categories…
- predicate nouns (You should be president.)
- predicate pronouns (It might have been you.)
- predicate adjectives (I am optimistic.)
Identify the function of (i.e. the type of sentence element) of chairman in
We named Jones chairman.
OBJECTIVE COMPLEMENT
An objective complement is a word that follows and identifies or describes the direct object of a verb.
