Terminology - Word Classes

Question 1

What is a proper noun?

Answer 1

Refers to names of people or places

e.g. James, England

Question 2

What is an abstract noun?

Answer 2

Refers to states, feelings and concepts that do not have a physical existence

e.g. love, anger

Question 3

What is a concrete noun?

Answer 3

Refer to objects that have a physical existence

e.g. countable (can be pluralised, e.g. cup)

Question 4

What is a dynamic/material verb?

Answer 4

Show actions or events

e.g. hit, jump, wash, build

Question 5

What is a stative/relational verb?

Answer 5

Identify properties or show states of being

e.g. be, appear, seem, become

Question 6

What is a mental verb?

Answer 6

Show internal processes such as thinking

e.g. think, believe, wish

Question 7

What is a verbal verb?

Answer 7

Show external processes of communicating through speech

e.g. say, shout, scream, whisper

Question 8

What is an auxiliary verb?

Answer 8

An extra or “helping” verb which is used in addition to a main verb

e.g. i HAD gone, we WERE trying

Question 9

What is a modal auxiliary verb?

Answer 9

An auxiliary verb which shows degrees of possibility, probability or obligation

Cannot function as a verb independently

e.g. could, can, would, will, should, shall, may, might, must

Question 10

What is an adjective?

Answer 10

The basic form of an adjective, modifying a noun

e.g. big, interesting, carefully

Question 11

What is a comparative adjective?

Answer 11

A form used to compare two instances, either adding ‘-er’ or using ‘more’

e.g. the parcel was biggER. that was a MORE interesting game. he was MORE careful

Question 12

What is a superlative adjective?

Answer 12

A form used to compare more than two instances, identifying a most extreme example

e.g. that was the BIGGEST parcel. this is the MOST interesting game. it was the MOST careful he had ever been

Question 13

What is a manner adverb?

Answer 13

Tells us how something happened

e.g. the dog BARKED loudly. the cat HISSED disdainfully

Question 14

What is a time adverb?

Answer 14

Tells us when something happened

e.g. I will see you TOMORROW. YESTERDAY, I went to the shop

Question 15

What is a place adverb?

Answer 15

Tells us where something happened

e.g. he ran UPSTAIRS. I will wait HERE.

Question 16

What is a frequency adverb?

Answer 16

Tells us how often something happened

e.g. OFTEN, he bought carrots. SOMETIMES he bought peppers

Question 17

What is a degree adverb?

Answer 17

Tells us how strongly a description applies

e.g. he was VERY tired. she was SLIGHTLY nervous

Question 18

What is a sentence adverb?

Answer 18

Provides an attitude to a whole sentence

e.g. SADLY, he was unsuccessful. FORTUNATELY, he liked peas

Question 19

What is a personal pronoun?

Answer 19

Refers to people and are differentiated in terms of person (1st, 2nd, 3rd), number (singular or plural) and gender (male or female)

e.g. I (1st person singular)
you (2nd personal singular/plural)
she (3rd person, singular, feminine)
they (3rd person, plural)

Question 20

What is a demonstrative pronoun?

Answer 20

Orientate the reader or listener towards a person, object or idea, either nearby or further away

e.g. this, these, that, those

Question 21

What is an indefinite pronoun?

Answer 21

Refer to a person, object or idea that is non-specific

e.g. someone, anybody, everything

Question 22

What is a possessive pronoun?

Answer 22

Show the ownership of the noun they replace

e.g. mine, yours, ours

Question 23

What is an article determiner?

Answer 23

Show that something is definite or indefinite

e.g. the (definite)
a/an (indefinite)

Question 24

What is a possessive determiner?

Answer 24

Show ownership

e.g. me, your, her, our

Question 25

What is a quantifier determiner?

Answer 25

Show either specific or non-specific quantities of a noun

e.g. one, two (specific)
some, any, a few (non-specific)

Question 26

What is a preposition?

Answer 26

Show the relationship of two things in terms of time or space

e.g. after, before, above, on, in

Question 27

What is a premodifier?

Answer 27

An adverb or adjective which is placed before the thing it is modifying

e.g. the GINGER cat
the HAPPY mouse

Question 28

What is a postmodifier?

Answer 28

An adverb or adjective which is placed after the thing it is modifying, sometimes linked with a verb

e.g. the cat is GINGER
the mouse seemed HAPPY
we walked SLOWLY