Week 2: Introduction to Grammar Basics (8 parts of speech)

Question 1

definition of a noun

Answer 1

people, place, thing

• usually marked with an article
• can be plural or possessive

Question 2

abstract noun

Answer 2

this is a noun that is an idea/concept

ex, freedom, history, happiness, etc.

Question 3

concrete noun

Answer 3

this is a noun that is a real, tangible thing

ex, doctor, spoon, fork, etc.

Question 4

proper noun

Answer 4

these are nouns that require capitalization because they refer to a specific person (name) or specific place.
ex, Dorthy, Irwin St, Cloyne, etc.

Question 5

Where can nouns be found?

Answer 5

• as the subject of a verb
• as the direct object of a verb
• as the indirect object of the verb
• as the object of a preposition
• as a subject complement after a linking verb
• as an appositive to any other noun

Question 6

What are the 8 parts of speech?

Answer 6

1. noun
2. pronoun
3. verb
4. adjective
5. adverb
6. preposition
7. conjunction
8. interjection

Question 7

which of the 8 parts of speech are inflected? What does inflected mean?

Answer 7

Inflected means that the type of word takes different forms depending on context
The following are inflected: noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb

Question 8

What is a pronoun? What are the different types of pronouns?

Answer 8

A pronoun is a word that substitutes for a noun and functions as nouns do. An antecendent is the noun which a pronoun replaces.
These are the types of pronouns: 
personal
impersonal
interrogative
relative
demonstrative 
indefinite
reflexive/intensive 
recipricol

Question 9

personal pronouns

Answer 9

pronouns that refer to a specific person

1. for person (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
2. for number (singular/plural)
3. for gender (feminine, masculine, neuter in 2nd and 3rd person)
4. for case (subjective, objective, possessive)

Question 10

subjective case pronouns

Answer 10

refer to the subject of the sentence

ex, I watch the show. She watches the show. (I, she)

Question 11

objective pronouns

Answer 11

reflect the direct or indirect subject of the sentence. The idea hit them. I gave her the book. (them, her)

Question 12

possessive pronouns

Answer 12

Mine, yours, his, hers, ours, yours, theirs

Question 13

possessive adjectives

Answer 13

my, your, his, her, our, your, their

Question 14

interrogative pronouns

Answer 14

subjective: who, which, what
objective: whom, which, what
possessive: whose

Question 15

demonstrative pronouns

Answer 15

this that (singular); these those (plural)
ex, the clerk was helpful; this is what pleased her most (this)

Question 16

Reciprocal pronouns

Answer 16

refers to the subject of the sentence but the subject is always plural
there is only 2: each other (2 subjects) and one another (3+ subjects)

Question 17

impersonal pronouns

Answer 17

one, you, it

Question 18

relative pronouns

Answer 18

introduces relative clause

subjective: who, which, that
objective: whom, which, that
possessive: whose

Question 19

indefinite pronouns

Answer 19

treat most as singular except for both, few, many, several

and sometimes: all, any, more, most, none, some which are singular or plural depending on the context

Question 20

reflexive pronouns

Answer 20

used as an object when the subject is the object

ex, I tripped myself by accident. (myself)

Question 21

intensive pronouns

Answer 21

located directly after a noun for emphasis

ex, the police were late, so John himself had to tackle the man. (himself)

Question 22

verb

Answer 22

action, state of being, or occurrence of words

Question 23

4 categories of verbs

Answer 23

1. transitive
2. intransitive
3. linking
4. helping

Question 24

intransitive verbs

Answer 24

• do not need a direct object or complement to complete their meaning
• may be followed by a modifier (often a prepositional phrase)
  ex, I slept. We laughed. (slept, laughed)

Question 25

transitive verbs

Answer 25

1. take a direct object
2. convey a movement (mental or physical) from the subject to the object
3. can be used in an active or passive voice
   ex, Katie Holmes left Tom Cruise (left)

Question 26

helping/auxiliary verbs

Answer 26

1. combine special forms of verbs to make verb phrases
2. common helper verbs: be, have, do
3. common modal verbs: can, may, could, might, ought, should, shall, must, will, would
   ex, yes, I did walk in the park last night. (DID walk)

Question 27

linking verbs

Answer 27

• connects the subject to a description which renames or describes the subject
• common linking verbs: be, seem, appear, become, grow, remain, stay, prove, feel, smell, sound, taste
  ex, Tom Cruise is a wild actor (is)
  I am very tired (am)
  The students remain calm (remain)

Question 28

How are verbs inflected?

Answer 28

Past
present
future

Question 29

adverb

Answer 29

modify nouns by giving more specific info. answer the questions: which? what kind of? to what degree?
ex, the smelly old truck (the smelly old)
fourteen clowns fit in the tiny car (fourteen, the tiny)

Question 30

preposition

Answer 30

function or structure word that doesn't change form 
from, to, which, of, around, beside, against, above, after, in front of, for, during, until

Question 31

conjunctions

Answer 31

structure words that join together sentence elements

3 types: coordinating, subordinating, correlative

Question 32

Coordinating conjunctions

Answer 32

join elements of equal importance
remember FANBOYS
for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so

Question 33

Subordinating conjunctions

Answer 33

joins subordinate (dependent) clause to an independent clause 
because, since, while, if, after, although, whether, as

Question 34

interjection

Answer 34

word or group of words interjected into a sentence to convey emotion
ex, We saw the new Nicolas Cage movie - yikes! (yikes)

*not used in formal writing