Parts of Speech

The Parts of SpeechAnd why they matter

but WHY do we have to learn this?Because grammar is important!

You MUST have a basic understanding of the eight

parts of speech before you can learn anything else.

Think of it this way…

Trying to write without familiarity of grammar is like trying to play a sport without learning the rules.

Improve your writing! Win friends! Influence people! Or pass your EOIs. Whatever.

There are eight parts of speech• Nouns Name things

Replace nounsShow action

Describe characteristicsDescribe quality

Show relationshipsConnect phrases

Show emotion

• Pronouns• Verbs• Adjectives• Adverbs• Prepositions• Conjunctions• Interjections

NounsA noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.

Did you find all 25 nouns in the exercise?

From Barrio Boy by Ernesto Galarza

Hanging from a cord attached to the middle of the ceiling there was an electric bulb, low enough for an adult to reach and turn the black switch. I realized that this was our own electric light for us to turn on and off as we pleased. I pushed a chair under it and after some instruction from my mother proceeded to create lightning in the room by turning the switch as fast as I could. Next I discovered the bedsprings. When I sat on the bed it sank deliciously. Jumping on it in my stocking feet, I held my balance dangerously as I made the bed creak and the mattress bounce. The head and foot of the bed were made of iron scrollwork in loops and rosettes painted white.

• Nouns can be singular or plural depending on whether they name one thing or several.

• For most nouns, forming the plural is simple: you simply add an S. (desk desks; pencil pencils, etc.)

• However, some nouns have alternate spellings in their plural forms. (knife knives, wolf wolves, etc.)

• When you are writing, check a dictionary if you aren’t sure how the plural of a noun is formed!

formed with an apostrophe!

NEVERPlural nouns are

dog’s

phone’s

number’s

apple’s

basketball’s

Just do not.

Possessive NounsPossessive nouns are used to show ownership.

Possessive NounsPossessive nouns are used to show ownership.

When making singular nouns possessive, add an apostrophe and an S even if the noun already ends in S.

children’s toyswomen’s basketball

When making plural nouns (that already end in S) possessive, simply add an apostrophe.

businesses’ payroll BUT when forming a possessive out of an irregularly plural noun, you add both the apostrophe and an S.

business’s payrollTexas’s highways

Concrete and Abstract Nouns

Nouns are classified as either concrete or abstract.Concrete nouns name things that occupy space and can be perceived with any of the five senses.

book, student, desk, school, horse, chair, rain

These words are fixed and tangible. You can see, touch, hear, smell, or taste them.

Concrete and Abstract Nouns

Nouns are classified as either concrete or abstract.Abstract nouns, conversely, name ideas, qualities, or characteristics.

hope, democracy, love, rudeness, beauty, fear, truthfulness

You cannot perceive these things with your senses. They just are.

Proper and Common Nouns

Proper nouns name a specific person, place, thing, or idea. They are capitalized.

Jennifer Lawrence

Uncle Sam

the Eiffel Tower

Christianity

Proper and Common Nouns

Common nouns name the general name of a person, place, thing, or idea.

Jennifer Lawrence

Uncle Sam

the Eiffel Tower

Christianity

actress

propaganda

monument

religion

Collective Nouns

Collective nouns name groups of people, places, things, or ideas.

team, audience, court, family, administration

Collective nouns are considered either singular or plural, depending on the context.

They are singular when you are discussing the group as a whole.

The audience applauds politely.

They are plural when you are discussing the individual members of the group.

The audience have arrived in small groups.

PronounsPronouns replace nouns in order to make writing and speaking less redundant.

The noun or group of nouns replaced by a pronoun is called the antecedent.

Pronouns must agree in number and gender with their antecedents.

• Jennifer Lawrence is my favorite actress. I admire all of her work.

• Sam Bradford returned from injury Saturday night. He looked healthy when throwing a touchdown.

• We have so much paint. I don’t know what to do with it.

Personal and Possessive PronounsPersonal pronouns refer to specific people by indicating the person or thing speaking (the first person), the person or thing being spoken to (the second person), or the person or thing being spoken about (the third person).

Personal Pronouns Singular Plural

First Person I, me we, us

Second Person You You

Third Person He, him, she, her, it They, them

Remember: Third person singular pronouns express gender.

Personal and Possessive PronounsA possessive pronoun takes the place of a possessive noun.

Possessive Pronouns Singular Plural

First Person my, mine our, ours

Second Person your, yours your, yours

Third Person his, her, hers, its their, theirs

Take a moment to note that none of the possessive pronouns have apostrophes.

Notice also which form of “your,” “their,” and “its” is used. These words are commonly confused homophones. Don’t be fooled!

Again, remember that third person possessive pronouns show gender.

Reflexive and Intensive PronounsReflexive and intensive pronouns are formed by adding “-self” or “-selves” to a personal pronoun.

Reflexive/Intensive Pronouns

Singular Plural

First Person myself ourselves

Second Person yourself yourselves

Third Person himself, herself, itself themselves

Reflexive pronouns add something to the sentence and are essential to understanding.

Intensive pronouns are used only for emphasis, and the meaning of the sentence does not change if they are deleted.

Maria outdid herself on planning the dinner.

Jason himself organized the 5k run for charity.

Demonstrative PronounsDemonstrative pronouns point out specific things, people, places, or ideas.

Demonstrative pronouns can come before or after their antecedents. Sometimes the antecedent is understood.

Demonstrative Pronouns

Singular this that

Plural these those

Interrogative and Relative PronounsInterrogative pronouns are used to form questions. They also include the “-ever” forms.

Who? Whom? Whose? What? Which?

Relative pronouns are used to begin subordinate clauses, which we will discuss in a later unit.

Indefinite PronounsIndefinite pronouns refer to things in a more general way than nouns do.

All Many SomebodyAnother Most SomeoneAny Much SomethingAnybody NeitherAnyone NobodyAnything NoneBoth No oneEach NothingEither OneEnough OtherEverybody OthersEveryone PlentyEverything SeveralFew Some