Parts of Speech
Ms. Cherylou D. Bacalan | Instructor
Parts of Speech
Nobody learns the grammar of his
own native language, but the grammar of the
English language, our second language, has
to be studied. If one wants to speak and write
in a clear and effective manner, he/she has to
study grammar.
Effective instruction in English is
founded upon the basic skills.
Two Major Parts of Speech
Content Words Function Words
Nouns, Principal Verbs, Noun Determiners, intensifiers,
Adjectives, Adverbs prepositions, relative pronouns,
interrogatives, and interjections
and correlative conjunctions
NOUN
NOUN
▪ Nouns are naming words. They are usually
thought as a word that names a person, place,
thing or idea.
▪ However, nouns can name much more.
▪ They name not only persons but kind of
persons; not only places but kind of places.
▪ In addition, nouns name animals, objects,
qualities, physical conditions, emotions, time
direction, social conditions and activities.
CLASSES OF NOUNS
A. Common & Proper Noun
Common Noun – names anyone of a
general class of persons, places or things.
Proper Noun – names a particular person,
place, or thing.
EXAMPLES:
Common Proper
baby Skyler
cellphone Iphone 13 Pro Max
holiday Independence Day
month September
school Samar Colleges, Inc.
B. Count, Mass & Collective Noun
▪ A noun that can be counted individually
is called count noun.
▪ A noun that cannot be counted but can be
quantified as a unit is called mass noun.
▪ A noun that denotes a number of
persons, places, or things as one group is
called collective noun.
EXAMPLES:
COUNT MASS COLLECTIVE
sixty students piece of advice battalion
one hundred pesos bottles of vinegar orchestra
a classroom gravel committee
t-shirt sugar audience
Counters of Mass Noun
Counters are essential in forming the
plurals of mass nouns. A singular counter
needs a singular verb; plural ones need
plural verbs. Multiples of mass nouns are
expressed as:
▪ bags of cement, cubic feet of cement
▪ barrels of milk, tins of milk, glasses of
milk
▪ bits of information, pieces of information
▪ little knowledge, a great deal of
knowledge
▪ sacks of rice, cups of rice, bowls of rice
▪ tablespoons of sugar, kilos of sugar
REMEMBER!
many, few, much, little, a lot of
count nouns
mass nouns Count & mass
nouns
C. Concrete & Abstract Nouns
▪ A concrete noun names a thing that is actual
or real. It is something that can be seen,
heard, touched or tasted.
▪ An abstract noun names an idea or quality
that cannot be perceived by our senses. They
are usually recognized by these suffixes: -
age, -ance, -asm, -ation, -cry, -dom, -ence, -
hood, -ism, -ion, -ment, -ness, -y,.
EXAMPLES:
CONCRETE Books, building,
cars, house
medicine, toys
ABSTRACT Contentment,
democracy,
happiness, honesty,
intelligence
Classes of Noun
A. Common and Proper
B. Count, Mass and
Collective
C. Concrete and Abstract
PROPERTIES OF
NOUNS
1. Number of Nouns
▪ A singular noun denotes one person,
place or thing.
▪ A plural noun denote more than one
person, place, or thing
Rules in Forming the Plural of Nouns
A. Most nouns form their plural by
adding s to their singular form.
Rules in Forming the Plural of Nouns
B. If the singular noun ends in s, x, z, ch,
sh, add es to form the plural
Singular Plural
crush crushes
dress dresses
speech speeches
tax taxes
waltz waltzes
Rules in Forming the Plural of Nouns
C. Nouns ending in o preceded by a consonant
form their plural by adding es.
Singular Plural
echo echoes
hero heroes
volcano volcanoes
Rules in Forming the Plural of Nouns
D. Nouns ending in o preceded by a
vowel form their plural by adding s.
Singular Plural
cameo cameos
radio radios
stereo stereos
video videos
Rules in Forming the Plural of Nouns
E. Nouns ending in f or fe change the f or fe to
form the plural.
Singular Plural
half halves
shelf shelves
wife wives
Rules in Forming the Plural of Nouns
G. Some nouns ending in f form the
plural by adding s.
Singular Plural
belief beliefs
chief chiefs
grief griefs
scarf scarfs
Rules in Forming the Plural of Nouns
H. Nouns ending in y preceded by a
consonant change the y to i and add es to form
the plural
Singular Plural
ally allies
country countries
entry entries
Rules in Forming the Plural of Nouns
I. Nouns ending in –is form their plural
by changing –is to –es.
Singular Plural
analysis analyses
thesis theses
basis bases
crisis crises
Rules in Forming the Plural of Nouns
J. If the final y is preceded by a vowel, the
plural is formed by adding s.
Singular Plural
journey journeys
valley valleys
monkey monkeys
Rules in Forming the Plural of Nouns
K. Some nouns have irregular plural
forms.
Singular Plural
child children
foot feet
goose geese
ox oxen
Rules in Forming the Plural of Nouns
L. Some nouns of foreign origin have the same
plural forms as their original foreign ones.
Singular Plural
agendum agenda
alumna alumnae
datum data
phenomenon phenomena
Rules in Forming the Plural of Nouns
M. Some nouns borrowed from foreign language have
both foreign and an English plural.
Singular Plural
appendix appendices or appendixes
cactus cacti or cactuses
formula formulae or formulas
memorandum memoranda or memorandums
symposium symposia or symposiums
Rules in Forming the Plural of Nouns
N. Compound words form their plural by
adding –s to the most important word.
Singular Plural
attorney-at-law attorneys-at-law
chief-of-staff chiefs-of-staff
head teacher head teachers
man-of war men-of-war
Rules in Forming the Plural of Nouns
O. Letters, numbers, signs and words regarded as
words form their plural by adding ‘s.
Singular Plural
ABC ABC’s
P P’s
2 2’s
If If’s
GENDER OF
NOUNS
Gender is the property of noun
that distinguishes sex.
Gender of Nouns
A. Masculine
B. Feminine
C. Common
D. Neuter
Gender of Nouns
A. Masculine gender denotes males
Examples: actor, bestman, hero, Mr.
B. Feminine gender denotes females
Examples: actress, bridesmaid,
heroine, Miss
Gender of Nouns
C. Common gender denotes either male
or female
Examples: faculty member,
legislator, nurse, writer.
D. Neuter gender denotes noun without
sex
Examples: camera, ipod, laptop
CASES OF NOUNS
1. Nominative Case
Nouns under the nominative case may
function as subject of the sentence,
predicate nominative or subject
complement, noun of address, appositive
and noun of exclamation.
Nominative Case
The subject tells what the sentence is
about.
Examples:
1. Henry Sy owns SM Supermalls.
2. The girl works in a telecommunication
company.
Nominative Case
The predicate nominative explains,
restates, names or stands for the subject.
Examples:
1. Dr. Nimfa T. Torremoro is the dean of
the College of Education.
2. Ms. Cherylou is a language, literature
and professional education instructor.
Nominative Case
A noun used to call the attention of the
person addressed or spoken to is called a
noun of address.
Examples:
1. Kelly, please make up your mind.
2. Submit the needed documents by
Monday, Ms. Reyes.
Nominative Case
A noun used to explain another noun just
before it is called noun in apposition or
appositive.
1. Skye, a shih tzu, is turning one on
September 3.
Nominative Case
As a noun of exclamation
Example:
O, Princess! Why have you kept me
waiting all these years?
2. Possesive Case
Nouns in the possessive case indicates the
possessor of the referent of that noun.
Possessive Case
Possessive Singular Possessive Plural
author’s signature authors' signature
baby’s stroller babies’ stroller
child’s toy children’s toy
electrician’s gadget electricians’ gadget
3. Objective Case
Nouns under the objective case may
function as direct object, indirect object,
object complement, and object of the
preposition.
Objective Case
The direct object is the noun that is used as
the receiver of the action.
Examples:
[Link] waiter served beer-battered fish and
chips with sesame brown rice,
[Link] faculty and staff of SC visited the
tourist spots in Northern Samar.
Objective Case
The indirect object tells to whom/what or
for whom/what an action is intended.
Examples:
1. Allan gave the students home reading
assignments.
2. The grammar teacher taught Nida the
ways to edit a run-on sentence.
Objective Case
The object complement names the direct
object.
Examples:
[Link] English Club elected Mr. Jacob
president.
[Link] boy named the organization Guild
of English Major Students.
PERSONS OF
NOUNS
Persons of Noun
A. First person refers to the speaker.
Ex. I, a teacher, am asked to improve mankind.
B. Second person refers to the person spoken to.
Ex. Angelo, kindly remind the officers of the meeting.
C. Third person refers to the person spoken of.
Ex. The teachers allow the students to access the
computer room.
COMPOUND
NOUNS
Solid or Closed Compounds
beefsteak housewife jellyfish
countryside wallpaper
Hypenated Compound Nouns
Editor-in-chief Over-the-counter Self-service
Hide-and- On-the-job-
seek training
Two-word or Spaced Compounds
Common sense High school Post office
Mother Snare drum
tongue
TWIN WORDS
These are words which
ordinarily go hand-in-hand,
because they are closely
related. It is sometimes called
English Binomials.
Examples of Twin Words
Assets and liabilities
Bread and butter
Coat and tie
Good manners and right conduct
Guidance and counseling
Husband and wife
Language and literature
