Parts of Speech

Modified from Bruce Bennett’s

STUS 011 Basic English
Why Learn Parts of Speech?
Because Mr. Victor
loves to torture us!
 Why Learn Parts of Speech?
 They are the
building blocks of
English grammar.
 Understanding and
applying a process
is learning to learn.
 It is a foundation to
improve your writing.
 The Eight Parts of Speech
 Nouns
 Adjectives
 Pronouns
 Verbs
 Conjunctions
 Prepositions
 Adverbs
 Interjections
 Nouns
 Names of persons,  Example:
places, things, John has a
feelings, or ideas. new car, and he
parks on the street
under a big tree in
Rocklin.
 Nouns
 Names of persons,  Example:
places, things, feelings, The boy on
or ideas. the red bike hit a
 Often indicated by bird with a rock at
“noun markers” – the end of the long
the articles a, an, road.
and the.
 Nouns
 Names of persons,  Example:
places, things, feelings, Happiness is
or ideas. the preference of
 “Noun markers” -- every action and is
a, an, and the. the tendency toward
 Noun endings: kindness and
-ness, -ment, -ance, contentment.
-ence, -ancy, -ency,
-ity, -ion, -ure.
 Nouns
 Names of persons,  Example:
places, things, feelings, or The needs of
ideas.

the masses may
“Noun markers” -- a,
an, and the. conflict with
 Noun endings: expectations of the
-ness, -ment, -ance, - members of
ence, -ancy, -ency, -ity, - legislative bodies.
ion, -ure.
 Can be made plural
with s or es.
 Nouns
 Names of persons, places, things, feelings,
or ideas.
 “Noun markers” -- a, an, and the.
 Noun endings: -ness, -ment, -ance, -ence,
-ancy, -ency, -ity, -ion, -ure.
 Can be made plural with s or es.
 Nouns-Different Kinds
 The collective noun is one collection of
many parts.
We have one forest, but it is made of many trees.
We have one class, but it is made of many students.
We have one audience, but it is made of many people.
We have one team, but it is made of many players.
We have one troop, but it is made of many soldiers.

A collective noun names a group, a collection. While it is

made of many parts, it is ONE collection.
 NOUNS-Different Kinds
 The Compound Noun
A compound noun is made up of two or more nouns put together to
make a new word. These words can be separated, hyphenated, or
simple joined together.

1. The seventh grade students are new to middle school.

2. Mr. Victor hit a bull’s-eye on his dart board.
3. Many people have seen the Golden Gate Bridge.
4. You probably want to avoid getting into a teacher’s doghouse.
So, the rule to remember is that when two or more
nouns are joined together, they form a new word with
a new meaning and are called compound nouns.
 Pronouns
 Specialized words to  Example:
take the place of Paul gave Emily
nouns. stationery because
he wanted her to
write to him when
she could.
 Pronouns
 Specialized words to  Memorize:
take the place of I he we she they
nouns. me him us her them
 Often refer to people  Other common
and have several pronouns:
forms. • you, it, this, that, who,
what, someone,
everything, anyone,
and many other
similar words.
 Pronouns
 Specialized words to  Example:
take the place of nouns. Her red car is faster
 Often refer to people than my old Ford, but
and have several forms. their new Honda cost
 May be possessive, more than ours.
showing ownership  Note the form:
and working like an I he we she they
adjective. me him us her them
my his our hers theirs
Others: yours, its, whose
 Pronouns
 Specialized words to take the place of
nouns.
 Often refer to people and have several
forms.
 May be possessive, showing ownership
and working like an adjective.
 Verbs
 The action or  The horse ran,
“doing” words in a jumped and kicked
sentence or state of until it threw the
being. rider off its back.
 Most verbs make
sense in the blanks
below:
• He _________.
• They ________.
 Verbs
 The action or  Example:
“doing” words in a She is a nice
sentence. person, and we are
 “Linking verbs” show her friends.
a state of being.  Memorize the
linking verbs:
Be, am, is, are, was,
were, been, being.
 Verbs
 The action or  Example:
“doing” words in a  Today I am on a
sentence. bus, and it goes
 “Linking verbs” show past my house.
a state of being.  Yesterday I was on
 Change to show a bus, and it went
time (tense). past my house.
The words that
change are verbs.
 Verbs
 The action or “doing”  Always helping verbs:
words in a sentence. Can Will Shall May
 Could Would Should Might
“Linking verbs” show
Must
a State of being.  Always verbs, may be
 Change to show time helping:
(tense). • Have, has, had
 Complete verbs • Do, does, did, done
• Be, am, is, are, was,
include “helping were, been, being
verbs.”
 Verbs
 The action or “doing”  Example:
words in a sentence. They might have
 “Linking verbs” show been going to the
a state of being. store if they could
 Change to show time have gotten a ride.
(tense).
 Complete verbs
include “helping
verbs.”
 Verbs
 The action or “doing” words in a
sentence.
 “Linking verbs” show a state of
being.
 Change to show time (tense).
 Complete verbs include “helping
verbs.”
 Adjectives
 Describe or modify  Example: A
only nouns. They big, red dump truck
help to clarify or hit a parked little
make the noun more car and the worried
specific. driver ran to the
other side of the
busy street.
 Adjectives
 Describe or modify only  Example:
nouns.
The three tired teens
 Answer questions, tried to eat a large pie
“what kind?” “how at two pizza parlors.
much,” or “how  How many teens? three
many?”  What kind of teens? tired
 What kind of pie? large
 How many parlors? two
 What kind of parlors? pizza
 Adjectives
 Describe or modify only  Example:
nouns. The way to a smile and
 Answer questions, an appreciative attitude
“what kind?” “how is through the stomach.
much,” or “how
many?”
 The “noun markers”
a, an, the are
always adjectives
called Articles.
 Adjectives
 Describe or modify only  Example:
nouns. The long, shiny black
 Answer questions, limousine pulled in front
“what kind?” “how of the huge old
much,” or “how mansion, and a tall,
many?” well-dressed older
 The “noun markers” a, gentleman got out.
an, the are always
adjectives.
 Usually “piled up”
before nouns.
 Adjectives
 Describe or modify only  Example:
nouns.
The river is deep, wide
 Answer questions, “what
kind?” “how much,” or and cold, but the divers
“how many?” are brave and well-
 The “noun markers” a, an, trained.
the are always adjectives.
 Usually “piled up” before
nouns.
Note: to test these, try
 May follow linking verbs putting them in front of
and describe the the noun they modify.
subject.
 Adjectives
 Describe or modify only nouns.
 Answer questions, “what kind?” “how
much,” or “how many?”
 The “noun markers” a, an, the are always
adjectives.
 Usually “piled up” before nouns.
 May follow linking verbs and describe
the subject.
 Adverbs
 Describe verbs,  She quickly ran to
adjectives, or other her extremely tired
adverbs. friend and gave him
a very big hug.
 “quickly” describes a
verb, “extremely”
describes a verb,
and “very” describes
an adjective.
 Adverbs
 Describe verbs,  Soon the very able
adjectives, or other pilot confidently flew
adverbs. west, and thus he
 Answer the adverb almost crashed.
questions: How? When? soon
When? Where? Where? west
Why? Under what How? very,confidently
conditions? Why? thus
What conditions? almost
 Adverbs
 Describe verbs,  Example:
adjectives, or other
adverbs.
The extremely hungry
 Answer the adverb animal howled eerily in
questions: How? the especially dark
When? Where? Why?
Under what conditions?
night.
 Often end in -ly
 Adverbs
 Describe verbs, adjectives,  Example:
or other adverbs.
 Answer the adverb
We do not very often
questions: How? When? want them here, for
Where? Why? Under what
conditions? they are always late
 Often end in -ly and almost never want
 Always adverbs: not to go there with us.
very, often, here,
almost, always, never,
there
 Adverbs
 Describe verbs, adjectives, or other
adverbs.
 Answer the adverb questions: How?
When? Where? Why? Under what
conditions?
 Often end in -ly
 Always adverbs: not, very, often, here,
almost, always, never, there
 Prepositions
 Specialized words to  The man on the bus
start prepositional with a hat on his
phrases. head looked at me
A prepositional phrase and turned toward
is a group of words the window.
describing things
which starts with a
preposition and ends
with a noun or pronoun.
 Prepositions
 Specialized words to  Memory clue:
start prepositional The rabbit went _____
phrases. the hollow log.
 Most prepositions  Memorize:
are small, common
words indicating at, from, by, to, on, in,
time, place, or into, onto, between,
position/location. under, over, against,
around, through, near,
beyond, behind
 Prepositions
 Specialized words to  Example:
start prepositional
phrases.
The problem with him
 Most prepositions are is that he sleeps
small, common words during the day and
indicating time, place or
position/location.
spends most of the
 Some prepositions night with his friends.
 Memorize:
simply must be
memorized. of, with, for, during
 Prepositions
 Specialized words to start prepositional
phrases.
 Most prepositions are small, common
words indicating time, place or position.
 Some prepositions simply must be
memorized.
 Conjunctions
 Words which  Example:
“hook/connect” She and I left, but they
words, phrases, or stayed, for Joe or Ted
sentences.
was coming on the
Memory clue: FAN BOYS.
For But bus, yet not on time.
And Or
Nor Yet NOTE: FANBOYS are
So called Coordinating
Conjunctions
 Conjunctions
 Words which “hook  Example:
together” words, I ran when I saw her
phrases, or sentences. because I was happy
 Some conjunctions
since she was home.
only hook clauses.  Memory clue:
They include:
She is cute _____ she
when, as, if, since, smiles.
because, while, after, Note: These are called
although, before subordinating
conjunctions
 Conjunctions
 Words which “hook together” words,
phrases, or sentences.
 Some conjunctions only hook clauses.
 Interjections
 Words which show  Example:
emotion or are Oh, I am surprised, but
“fillers” with no other please don’t do it
function.
again. Ouch, you hurt
me. OMG! Can you
believe she did that?