A what?

What do these grammar terms mean?

Let’s start with the parts of speech. A part of speech tells how a word is used in the sentence it is in. Be careful - the same word can be used as a different part of speech in another sentence. There are links for more details or information when available.

There are only eight parts of speech and they really should be learnt. They are:

Adjective

An adjective is a word that describes, limits, or modifies a noun or pronoun. (e.g. a nice woman, a fun game, a quiet place) Some adjectives are used to show which one or how many. (E.g. that woman, our game, every place) Several may be used with one word and they do not have to be right next to the word that they describe, although they often are.

Return to top of page

Adverb

Adverbs describe verbs (He speaks slowly), adjectives (He is an incredibly slow speaker) and other adverbs (He speaks too slowly). They usually tell where, when how or why.

Many adverbs end in -ly, but not all. Similar to adjectives, several may be used with one word and they do not have to be right next to the word that they describe, although they often are.

Return to top of page

Conjunctions

These are used to connect words, parts of speech or complete ideas. Some common conjunctions are and, or, but, either & or, both & and, because, until, etc. These may be little words but they are very important because they help the listener or reader see the relationship between the words or ideas. More details.

Return to top of page

Interjection

An interjection is an exclamation that serves no grammatical function. It usually expresses emotion and comes at the beginning of a sentence. It may even be a sentence of its own. Basically there are no set rules to worry about with interjections. Yeah!

Return to top of page

Noun

Nouns are objects. People, place and thing words are nouns, such as Lynnea, Seattle, computer, etc. Abstract things, such as ideas, concepts, qualities, processes, conditions, etc. can also be nouns, e.g. friendship, kindness, summer, warmth, etc.

Only nouns or words or phrases that act as nouns can be the subject or object of a sentence.

In many languages nouns change their form or ending to show their grammatical function. In English they do not. The function of a noun is shown by its position in the sentence. (E.g. The dog bit me. I bit the dog.)

Nouns do change when they are made plural. In most cases simply adding -s, -es or —ies (for nouns ending in —y) is enough, but there are some irregular nouns that you will just have to learn.

Adding -‘s to most nouns makes them possessive, (e.g. The dog’s bite was worse than mine.)

Some more details

Return to top of page

Preposition

A preposition connects a word (usually a noun or word functioning as a noun) with some other part of the same sentence. E.g. in, on, through, over, etc.

Return to top of page

Pronouns

These are nouns that take the place of or stand in for other nouns.

E.g. I, she, him, ours, themselves, who, whom, everyone, etc. More details.

Return to top of page

Verb

You need a verb to have a sentence in English.

A verb expresses action (e.g. "She works as a trainer.") or a state of being (e.g. "She is a trainer."). The verb says what the subject is or does - or what is done to the subject. More details.

Return to top of page

Other grammar terms and more details on some parts of speech:

Different kinds of conjunctions

There are three different kinds of conjunctions. Coordinate Conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet …) connect two independent clauses. Subordinate Clauses (although, as, because, if, unless …) connect a phrase or subordinate clause to a main clause by showing some relationship between them. Correlative Conjunctions (Either — or, neither — nor, whether — or, both — and, not only — but) connect pairs and must always appear in the sentence together.

Return to top of page

Some words commonly associated or heard with nouns:

Appositive

An appositive is a word or group of words placed next to a noun to identify it or express it another way.

Proper noun

Proper nouns are names of people or specific places, products, groups, events, etc. They are always capitalized in English, e.g. Lynnea, Seattle, etc.

Subject

The subject of the sentence is the noun that is doing the action or, with passive sentences, which is being acted on. E.g.

Singular

When there is only one of something.

Plural

When there is more than just one of something.

Return to top of page

Pronouns in detail — probably more than you ever wanted to know

There are eight kinds of pronouns.

1. Personal Pronouns. The pronoun I or we stands for first person; you stands for second person; and he, she, it, or they stands for third person.
2. Relative Pronouns (who, which, that, etc.) relate a subordinate part of a sentence to the main clause.
3. Demonstrative pronouns (this, that, these, those) point out a specific person or thing.
4. Indefinite Pronouns (all, some, etc.) refer to people or things generally.
5. Interrogative Pronouns ask a question (who, which, what, etc.). They may be the same words as Relative Pronouns, but they are part of the main clause.
6. Numerical Pronouns are numbers standing for nouns.
7. Reflexive Pronouns are formed by adding "-self" or "-selves" to a personal pronoun.
8. Reciprocal Pronouns stand for two or more people or things interacting.

Return to top of page

More details about verbs

Verbs can be transitive (requiring an object), intransitive (complete without an object) or linking (requiring more information).

In English the form of the verb usually (but not always) changes to tell us other things about the action it describes. The number of the form can tell whether the subject is singular or plural (e.g. It goes. They go.) The person can tell whether the subject is I, you, he, she, it or they. The tense can tell whether the action is in the past, present or future. The voice can tell whether the subject performs the action (active) or receives it (passive). The mood can tell whether the action is fact (indicative), command (imperative) or contrary to fact (subjunctive). These changeable forms of verbs are called "conjugations".

Forms of verbs:

Infinitive

The "to" form of the verb. This is the first form of the verb.

Present Participle

The -ing form of the verb. It is used when making Progressive tenses.

Past Participle

The third form of the verb. It is used when making Perfect tenses.

Return to top of page

Clauses and Phrases

Clause

A clause is a group of words that has a subject (noun or pronoun) and a verb with the subject. It may be a whole sentence or part of a sentence. Every sentence must have at least one clause. This is called the main clause.

Phrase

A phrase is a group of words which does not contain a subject and a verb, working together to serve as one of the parts of speech. It can contain a subject or a verb, but not both (then it would be a clause).

A phrase can contain other phrases.

Preposition phrases always serve as adjectives or adverbs. They describe how, where, when, etc.