GEI 4 _ L4B

GRAMMAR
NEWS August 2021

Parts
of
Speech
Parts of speech
shows how a word
functions in
meaning and
grammatically
within a sentence.
An individual word can Understanding parts of speech is essential for Here is how each word is broken down:
identifying the correct definition of a word.
have more than one part of We  pronoun excitedly  adverb
speech when used in Traditionally, there are eight parts of speech
went  verb to  preposition
in the English Language: noun, pronoun,
different circumstances.  verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, the  article/adjective school  noun
conjunction, and interjection.
for  preposition a  article/adjective
Every word in a sentence has its function in
flag  noun/adjective ceremony  noun
parts of speech. Let’s take a look at the
sentence below: and  conjunction various  adjective

We excitedly went to the school for a flag competitions  noun on  preposition

ceremony and various competitions on
Independence Day last week. Independence  noun/adjective Day  noun

last  determiner/adjective week  noun

In this session,
only four of
parts of speech
will be
discussed, i.e.
noun, verb,
adjective, and
adverb.

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August 2021
Nouns
A noun is the name of a Nouns can be proper nouns
person, place, thing, or or common nouns.  Anything that cannot be
idea.
Proper nouns have two
Helen … Jakarta … bag … distinct features:
philanthropy
a. They name specific
one-of-a-kind items.
b. They begin with
capital letters, no
matter where they
occur within a
sentence.
Take for example, Soedirman,
Opera House, Big Ben.
Common nouns are words
used to name general items
rather than specific ones,
such as grass, chicken, and
fork.
Nouns can also be collective
nouns as well as countable or
uncountable nouns.
Collective nouns are
names for a collection or a
number of people or things
(ex. committee, jury, family,
class). Sometimes the noun
takes singular or plural
meaning.
Example:
My family has a farm. (as a
whole)
My family are loving people.
(members of the family)
Countable nouns are easy
to recognize. They are things
that we can count, such as
chair, flower, rabbit, and
idea.
Nouns: proper – common – collective – countable – uncountable – singular – plural - concrete – abstract – showing possession – roles in a sentence
Verbs
There are three types of verb An intransitive verb
as follows: never has a direct or indirect
object.
1. Action verbs
2. Linking verbs Although it may be followed
3. Auxiliary/helping by an adverb or adverbial
verbs phrase, there is no object to
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GRAMMAR NEWS
There are many
categories to
define nouns. The
discussion just
covers some of
them in general.
Moreover, they can be
singular or plural. When a
countable noun is singular, a
word
like a/an/the/my/this mus
t be used with it. When it is
plural, it can be used alone.
counted is an uncountable
noun; for example, sand,
butter, happiness.
Nouns show possession by
Even though they are not adding apostrophe with s or
individual objects, they are not (’s or ‘).
always singular and one
must always use Examples:
singular verbs in conjunction
with uncountable nouns. I found Jane’s hairpin on the
tea table.
Singular noun means only
one, whereas plural means The committee has finalized
more than one. See the the students’ project.
differences:
Nouns can function in
a child and children different roles within a
sentence; for example, a noun
an apple and apples can be a subject, direct object,
indirect object, subject
the plan and the plans complement, or object of a
Nouns can be abstract or preposition.
concrete. Examples:
A noun that is abstract is an
The Earth rotates for 24
aspect, concept, idea, hours a day. (as subject of the
experience, state of being,
sentence)
trait, quality, feeling, or other
entity that cannot be They are going to see a
experienced with the five peacock in the zoo. (as
senses, like, justice, bravery, direct object of the verb ‘see’)
faith, knowledge, and love.
Mita will give Fia a present.
Abstract nouns can be (as indirect object of the verb
countable or non-countable.
‘give’)
They can also be in singular
or possessive form. Tigers are animals. (as
subject complement of
A concrete noun can be linking verb ‘are’)
identified through one of the
five senses (taste, touch, Did you come by a car? (as
sight, hearing, smell). Under object of preposition ‘by’)
this category, for instance,
smartphone, rain, sugar,
cotton, etc.
The most common linking
verb is the verb to be in all
of its forms (am, are, is,
was, were, etc.). This verb
may also be used as an
auxiliary/helping verb.
To become and to seem
are always linking verbs.
Auxiliary/Helping
Verbs

Verbs express what the
subject does or what the
subject is.
Action Verbs
They are words that express
action (give, eat, walk, etc.) or
possession (have, own, etc.).
Action verbs can be either
transitive or intransitive.
A transitive verb always
has a noun that receives the
action of the verb, called the
direct object.
EXAMPLE:
Larry throws the ball.
The verb is throws.
The ball is the object
receiving the verb’s action.
Therefore, throws is a
transitive verb.
Transitive verbs sometimes
have indirect objects, which
name the object to whom or
for whom the action was
done.
EXAMPLE:
Larry throws Jack the ball.
The verb is throws.
The direct object is the ball.
(What does he throw? The
ball.)
The indirect object is Jack.
(To whom does he throw it?
To Jack.)
Adjectives
An adjective is a word
used to describe, or
modify, noun or a
pronoun.
Adjectives usually
answer questions like
which one, what kind,
or how many.
GRAMMAR NEWS August 2021
receive its action. They are used before action
or linking verbs to give
additional information
regarding aspects
of possibility (can, could,
etc.) or time (was, did, has,
etc.).
The main verb with its
accompanying auxiliary
verb is called a verb phrase.
EXAMPLES:
EXAMPLE: Ted is (helping verb) going
(main verb) to Texas.
Jack jumps quickly.
The trip might (helping
The verb is jumps. verb) be (main verb)
dangerous.
The adverb, quickly,
modifies the verb, but no The following words, called
object receives the action. modals, always function as
helping verbs:
Linking Verbs can – may – must – shall –
It connects the subject of a will – could - might - ought
to – should – would.
sentence to a noun or
adjective that renames or
describes the
subject.
This noun or adjective is
called the subject
complement.
EXAMPLE:
Jim seems happy.
The verb, seems, links the
subject, Jim, to its
complement, happy.
Liz is in good term with
Kyle.
The verb, is, connects the
subject, Liz, to the subject
complement, in good term
with Kyle (describing Liz).
In English, adjectives are usually placed before Nouns can be used as adjectives, too.
nouns or pronouns.
For instance, the student bookstore.
The romantic dinner amused her.
Nouns often combine to produce compound
However, in sentences with linking verbs, such as adjectives that modify a noun as a unit, usually
to be verbs or verbs of “senses”, adjectives can joined by hyphens when they precede the noun.
follow the verb. When they follow the noun, the hyphens are
The dinner was romantic.
omitted:
He was an 18-year-old boy, but the girl was only 16
The soup tastes delicious. years old.
Descriptive adjectives Articles
Descriptive adjectives call up images, tones, and The, an, and a, called articles, are adjectives that
feelings. answer the question which one?
Steamy weather is different from stormy weather. The modifies a noun or pronoun by limiting its
Steamy and stormy express different pictures, reference to a particular or known thing, either
feelings, and associations. singular or plural.
Many descriptive adjectives come from verbs. A expands the reference to a single non-specific or
previously unknown thing.
The verb had broken, without the helping verb,
had, is an adjective  a broken keyboard. An is similar to a, but is used when the word
following it begins with a vowel sound.
Likewise, the -ing verb form, such as is running,
used without its auxiliary verb, is, can be an
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adjective  running shoes.

ADJECTIVES
(CONTD.)
Demonstrative adjectives
They answer the question which one(s)?

They are the only adjectives
that have both a singular
and plural form--this and
that are singular; these and
those are plural.
This novel is the best I've ever
read.
These shoes are much better.

This and these indicate Tell me more about that

things nearby (in time or accident.
space), while that and those
suggest distance (in time or Why does she love about
space): those seasons?

Continues on Page 4

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Possessive adjectives
They answer the question
whose? They include my,
our, your, his, her, its, and
their.
our joke book
its well-worn pages
Indefinite adjectives
Indefinite adjectives include
some, many, any, few,
several, and all:
some jokes
few listeners
Note that these words can
also be used as pronouns,
for example:
Some were in bad taste.
The order of adjectives (OSASCOMP): Opinion – Size – Age – Shape – Color – Origin -
Material - Purpose
GRAMMAR NEWS
Questioning adjectives
Which and what are
adjectives when they
modify nouns or pronouns:
Which jokes did you like
better?
What reasons can you give
for your preference?
Like indefinite adjectives,
the questioning (or
interrogative) adjectives
can also function as
pronouns.
August 2021
Adjective order and
punctuation Adverbs
Coordinate adjectives
can be rearranged freely
without changing the
meaning, and they are
equal and separate in the
way they modify a noun.
An adverb is a word used to
Examples: modify a verb, adjective, or
A dull, dark, and
depressing day goes on.
another adverb.
A depressing, dark, dull
day goes on.
Separate two or more
coordinate adjectives with
commas (note that no
comma goes immediately
before the noun).
Cumulative adjective
groups cannot be freely
rearranged, and they are
not separated by commas.
Examples:
Rich chocolate layer cake
cannot be changed to
layer chocolate rich cake.
An adverb usually modifies An adverb is often formed
by telling where, how, by adding -ly to an
when, how often, how adjective.
much.
adjective: slow      adverb:
slowly
adjective: deep      adverb:
deeply
adjective: fair        adverb:
fairly
Ø However, not all words
that end in -ly are adverbs!
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An adverb can modify a An adverb can

Adverbs (contd.) verb

Example:
modify an adjective
The adverb usually
clarifies the degree or
intensity of the
Go to the principal office first, and then adjective.
come to class. Students are often
(The adverb first modifies the verb go, and entertained and
the adverb then modifies the verb come. Both sometimes confused, but
modify the verbs by telling when.) never bored in that class.

(The adverb often modifies

the adjective entertained,
sometimes modifies
confused, and never
modifies bored by
describing the degree or
intensity of the adjectives.)

An adverb can
modify another
adverb
The modifying adverb
usually clarifies the
degree or intensity of
the adverb.

Sean can discuss the

English language very
thoroughly.

(The adverb very modifies

the adverb thoroughly by
telling to what degree.)

Conjunctive adverbs join

and create transitions
between independent
clauses. It may begin a
sentence and is often
followed by a comma.

When place between

independent clauses, a
conjunctive adverb is
preceded by a semicolon and
is usually followed by a
comma.

Her parents are farmers;

consequently, these days
they are busy from sunrise
until nightfall.
Nevertheless, they are
still home every night to
read her a story.

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