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LHHS - English I > Parts of Speech [Definitions & Examples] > Flashcards

Parts of Speech [Definitions & Examples] Flashcards

Use this deck to test your knowledge of parts of speech. I recommend writing your answers on a separate sheet of paper and then checking to see how you did.

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Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

Noun

A

Definition: A person, place, thing, or idea.

Tricks:
[These don’t guarantee a noun, but they can help you rule out non-nouns]

  • Can you stick a “his” or “her” in front of it?
  • Can you kick it?
  • Does it have a noun suffix? [-dom, -ity, -ment, -ion, -ness, -ance, -er/or,
  • ist]
    • https://www.gallaudet.edu/tip/english-center/vocabulary/suffixes-to-know.html
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2
Q

Pronoun

A

Definition: takes the place of a noun

Tricks:

  • Pronouns are pros at impersonating [pretending to be] nouns
  • Is the word generic enough to replace many different nouns? “She” is a pronoun, but “aunt” is too specific.

Note for the Grammatically Inclined:

  • Technically some words are possessive adjectives rather than pronouns… we aren’t going there and will just pretend that they are all pronoun type things so that 3/4 of my students don’t die of confusion. *insert handwavy motion*
    • Possessive Adjectives [my, your, his, her, its, our, your, their]
    • Possessive Pronouns [mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, yours, theirs]
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3
Q

Verb

A

Definition: an action or state of being

Cautionary Statement:

  • All conjugated forms of the infinitives “to be” and “to have” are considered verbs [am, is, are, was, were] [have, has, had] despite them not seeming like something you can do.

Tricks:

  • Can you change the word’s tense from past to present or vice versa?
  • Is it something you can do? [See cautionary statement above before applying this trick]
  • Verb Suffixes [-en, -ize, -ate, -ify/fy]
    • https://www.gallaudet.edu/tip/english-center/vocabulary/suffixes-to-know.html
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4
Q

Adjective

A

Definition: Describes a noun or pronoun.

Tricks:

  • Adjectives add detail to nouns.
    • [Adverbs add detail to verbs and everything else not a noun]
  • Adjectives can generally be removed from the sentence without affecting its grammar. They are additional information. If you remove something and the sentence no longer functions, it probably wasn’t an adjective.
  • Adjective Suffixes [-ive, -en, -ic, -ial, -able, -y, -ous, -ful, -less]
    • https://www.gallaudet.edu/tip/english-center/vocabulary/suffixes-to-know.html
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5
Q

Adverb

A

Definition: Describes a verb, adjective, or other adverb.

Cautionary Statement:

  • Double check that the word isn’t also connecting a noun - if it is it is probably a preposition instead. Prepositional phrases frequently act as adverbs together as a whole, so this can be confusing.

Tricks:

  • Adverbs add details to verbs… and everything else that an adjective doesn’t.
  • Adverb Suffix [-ly]
    • https://www.gallaudet.edu/tip/english-center/vocabulary/suffixes-to-know.html
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6
Q

Preposition

A

Definition: Connects a noun [or noun phrase] to the sentence.

Note for the Grammatically Inclined:

  • Technically a preposition relates an unequal entity to the sentence vs conjunctions linking equal entities… but we aren’t going there.

Cautionary Statement:

  • Conjunctions also connect things within sentences… the difference is sometimes the word used, and sometimes what is being connected. There are words that can be either, so you need to look at precisely what is being connected and how it is being connected.

Tricks:

  • Prepositions frequently [BUT NOT ALWAYS] indicate direction, location, or time [e.g. above, below, around, in, with, during, after]
    • If it doesn’t connect a noun, it ISN’T a preposition DESPITE any indication of direction, location, or time. It is probably an adverb if no noun follows.
  • Is it a small or unusual word that you don’t know what to do with and doesn’t match any other definition? Check to see if it is connecting a noun [e.g. of, except, like, minus, plus, regarding, via, versus]
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7
Q

Conjunction

A

Definition: connects CLAUSES [noun + verb], or SENTENCES [complete thought noun + verb], or WORDS [items in a list].

  • Coordinating Conjunctions: join independent clauses to make compound sentences [FANBOYS - ForAndNorButOrYetSo]
  • Subordinating Conjunctions: join independent clauses to make complex sentences [after, although, as, because, before, though, unless, whether, which, while, etc]

Cautionary Statement:

  • Conjunctions CAN connect a list of nouns. This makes it very easy to confuse a conjunction for a preposition.
    • I had a fruit salad WITH apples AND oranges.
      • WITH is a preposition linking the entire list “apples and oranges” while AND is connecting the two nouns in the list
  • Some words can be a conjunction OR a preposition depending on their use.
    • Preposition: Everyone ate frog legs BUT Jaime.
    • Conjunction: I prefer to run, BUT I do swim.
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8
Q

Blackmailers use1 coercion2 to profit off their victims3. Parents4 frequently coerce5 their children into behaving with6 threats7 of coal at Christmas.

A
  1. Verb
  2. Noun
  3. Noun
  4. Noun
  5. Verb
  6. Preposition (connecting threats)
  7. Noun
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9
Q

The pirate1 divulged2 the secret location of4 his treasure5 under coercion6. His divulgence7 cost him his treasure.

A
  1. Noun
  2. Verb
  3. Preposition (connecting treasure)
  4. Noun
  5. Noun
  6. Noun
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10
Q

My mother dogmatically1 continued to believe in2 her weight loss pills3, despite scientific evidence that their results were4 a placebo5 effect. Her dogma6 ignores all reason.

A
  1. Adverb
  2. Preposition
  3. Noun
  4. Verb
  5. Adjective
  6. Noun
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11
Q

The extraneous1 information in2 the lecture3 made taking concise notes futile4.

A
  1. Adjective
  2. Preposition
  3. Noun
  4. Adjective
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12
Q

Rainsford discovered that General Zaroff’s initial1 gregariousness2 was3 a lie as he discovered more about Zaroff’s grotesque4 hunting5 practices.

A
  1. Adjective
  2. Noun
  3. Verb
  4. Adjective
  5. Adjective
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13
Q

Meticulously1 adding2 spice is3 important in4 cooking, unless you want5 your food to taste insipid6 or7 grotesque8.

A
  1. Adverb
  2. Adjective
  3. Verb
  4. Preposition
  5. Verb
  6. Adjective
  7. Conjunction
  8. Adjective
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14
Q

Rainsford’s temerity1 was2 remarkable when he jumped off a cliff to escape Zaroff’s meticulous3 persuit4.

A
  1. Noun
  2. Verb
  3. Adjective
  4. Noun
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15
Q

Several1 women2 bathed3 in stalls, the easy banter4 between5 them6 marking their7 camaraderie.

A
  1. Adjective
  2. Noun
  3. Verb
  4. Noun
  5. Preposition [connecting the pronoun “them”]
  6. Pronoun
  7. Possessive Adjective [describing whose camaraderie]
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16
Q

The teacher1 castigated2 him for3 his constant tardiness4. Her castigation5 made6 him wince in7 embarrassment8 as the entire class heard her yell at him.

A
  1. Noun
  2. Verb
  3. Preposition [connecting “tardiness”]
  4. Noun
  5. Noun
  6. Verb
  7. Preposition
  8. Noun
17
Q

The pony’s docile1 nature2 made her an excellent choice3 for small children. Her docility4 made her a crowd5 favorite. She docilely6 carried7 the rowdy child on her back.

A
  1. Adjective
  2. Noun
  3. Noun
  4. Noun
  5. Adjective
  6. Adverb
  7. Verb
18
Q

Her grotesquely1 emaciated2 form3 was4 impossible to look away from as she lay in5 the hospital6 bed hooked up to all kinds of machines.

A
  1. Adverb
  2. Adjective
  3. Noun
  4. Verb
  5. Preposition
  6. Adjective
19
Q

Her gauche1 behavior2 at3 the party4 left5 the other guests aghast.

A
  1. Adjective
  2. Noun
  3. Preposition [connecting “party”]
  4. Noun
  5. Verb
20
Q

Going against church1 dogma2 is3 heresy4. Her heretical5 ideas6 were7 frowned upon.

A
  1. Adjective
  2. Noun
  3. Verb
  4. Noun
  5. Adjective
  6. Noun
  7. Verb
21
Q

The college1 students were a motley2 crowd as they went3 from4 bar5 to bar in search of6 libation7.

A
  1. Adjective
  2. Adjective
  3. Verb
  4. Preposition
  5. Noun
  6. Preposition
  7. Noun
22
Q

The child’s grades1 precluded2 her from going on the field3 trip; in4 retribution5, she glued thumb tacks to6 the teacher’s chair7.

A
  1. Noun
  2. Verb
  3. Adjective
  4. Preposition
  5. Noun
  6. Preposition
  7. Noun

LHHS - English I (9 decks)

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