Nouns Definition: A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea. Concrete nouns name people, places, or things that you can touch, see, hear, smell, or taste. Abstract nouns name ideas or emotions. They are intangible, which means you cannot touch, see, hear, smell, or taste them using your five senses.

Identifying a Noun A noun is a part of speech that denotes a person, animal, place, thing, or idea. The English word noun has its roots in the Latin word nomen, which means “name.” Every language has words that are nouns. As you read the following explanations, think about some words that might fit into each category.

 Person – A term for a person, whether proper name, gender, title, or class, is a noun.  Animal – A term for an animal, whether proper name, species, gender, or class is a noun.  Place – A term for a place, whether proper name, physical location, or general locale is a noun.  Thing – A term for a thing, whether it exists now, will exist, or existed in the past is a noun.  Idea – A term for an idea, be it a real, workable idea or a fantasy that might never come to fruition is a noun.

Noun Examples When we first start to learn the parts of speech, trying to identify different words can seem like a challenge. This process gets easier with practice. Here are some noun examples to help you get started. The nouns in each sentence have been italicized.

 Person – He is the person to see.  Person – John started to run.  Person – Plato was an influential Greek philosopher.  Person – Sharon admires her grandfather.  Person – My mother looks a lot like my grandmother, and I look very much like them.

 Animal – The dog barked at the cat.  Animal – Elephants never forget.  Animal – Sophie is my favorite horse.

 Place – The restaurant is open.  Place – Let’s go to the beach.  Place – Look over there.  Place – Come here.  Place – Harvard and Yale are two famous universities.  Place – Look! There’s the Eiffel Tower.

 Thing – Throw the ball.  Thing – Please close the door and lock it.  Thing – Use words properly to be understood.  Thing – The lamp sits on a table next to the sofa.  Thing – Money doesn’t grow on trees.

 Idea – Follow the rules.  Idea – The theory of relativity is an important concept.  Idea – Love is a wonderful emotion.

How Nouns Function Nouns have several important functions. While it’s impossible to list them all here, we’ll go over the most important jobs nouns are tasked with.

 Nouns are subjects. Every sentence has a subject, which is a noun that tells us what that sentence is all about. John swung the baseball bat.  Nouns are direct objects. These nouns receive action from verbs. John swung the baseball bat.  Nouns are indirect objects. These nouns receive the direct object. Brad threw John the ball.  Nouns are objects of prepositions. These nouns follow the prepositions in prepositional phrases. John swung the baseball bat at Greg.  Nouns are predicate nominatives. These nouns follow linking verbs and rename the subject. John is a baseball player.  Nouns are object complements. These nouns complete the direct object. They named their dog Max.

Classifications of Nouns Proper Nouns Proper nouns are nouns that refer to specific entities. Writers of English capitalize proper nouns like Nebraska, Steve, Harvard, or White House to show their distinction from common nouns. Common Nouns Common nouns refer to general, unspecific categories of entities. Whereas Nebraska is a proper noun because it signifies a specific state, the word state itself is a common noun because it can refer to any of the 50 states in the United States. Harvard refers to a particular institution of higher learning, while the common noun university can refer to any such institution. Material Nouns Material nouns refer to materials or substances from which things are made. While cotton is an adjective when used in cotton dress, cotton is a material noun when used to describe a crop being grown - The farm grew cotton. Compound Nouns A compound noun contains two or more words which join together to make a single noun. Compound nouns can be words written together (closed form) such as softball and toothpaste, words that are hyphenated (hyphenated form) such as six- pack and son-in-law, or separate words (open form) such as post office and upper class that go together by meaning. Countable Nouns To linguists, these count nouns can occur in both single and plural forms, can be modified by numerals, and can co-occur with quantificational determiners like many, most, more, several, etc. For example, the noun bike is a countable noun. Consider the following sentence: There is a bike in that garage. In this example, the word bike is singular as it refers to one bike that is presently residing in a particular garage. However, bike can also occur in the plural form. There are six broken bikes in that garage. In this example, the noun bikes refers to more than one bike as it is being modified by the numeral six. In addition, countable nouns can co-occur with quantificational determiners. In that garage, several bikes are broken. This sentence is grammatical, as the noun bike can take the modification of the quantificational determiner several. Uncountable Nouns or Mass Nouns Conversely, some nouns are not countable and are called uncountable nouns or mass nouns. For example, the word clutter is a mass noun. That garage is full of clutter. This sentence makes grammatical sense. However, the following example does not. That garage is full of clutters. Mass nouns cannot take plural forms, and therefore a sentence containing the word clutters is ungrammatical. Substances, liquids, and powders are entities that are often signified by mass nouns such as wood, sand, water, and flour. Other examples would be milk, air, furniture, freedom, rice, and intelligence. Collective Nouns In general, collective nouns are nouns that refer to a group of something in a specific manner. Often, collective nouns are used to refer to groups of animals. Consider the following sentences. Look at the gaggle of geese. There used to be herds of wild buffalo on the prairie. A bevy of swans is swimming in the pond. A colony of ants live in the anthill. In the above examples, gaggle, herds, bevy, and colony are collective nouns. Concrete Nouns Concrete nouns are nouns that can be touched, smelled, seen, felt, or tasted. Steak, table, dog, Maria, salt, and wool are all examples of concrete nouns. Can I pet your dog? Please pass the salt. Your sweater is made of fine wool. Concrete nouns can be perceived by at least one of our senses. Abstract Nouns More ethereal, theoretical concepts use abstract nouns to refer to them. Concepts like freedom, love, power, and redemption are all examples of abstract nouns. They hate us for our freedom. All you need is love. We must fight the power. In these sentences, the abstract nouns refer to concepts, ideas, philosophies, and other entities that cannot be concretely perceived. Pronouns Personal pronouns are types of nouns that take the place of nouns when referring to people, places or things. The personal pronouns in English are I, you, he, she, it, and they. Amy works at a flower shop. She works at a flower shop. The Greeks invented democracy. They invented democracy. These pronouns take on other forms depending on what type of function they are performing in a sentence. For example, when used to signify possession of another noun, pronouns take on their possessive form such as mine, ours, hers, and theirs. That pizza belongs to Marley. That pizza is hers. When used as the object of a preposition, pronouns take on their objective case. Examples include him, her, me, us, and them. Hand the money over to Jennifer. Hand the money over to her. The police are on to John and Ray. The police are on to them. Bottom line: There are nine types or classifications of nouns, each designed to serve a different purpose in a sentence.

Proper Nouns

What is a Proper Noun?

Proper nouns have two distinct features: They name specific one-of-a-kind items, and they begin with capital letters, no matter where they occur within a sentence. Here, we’ll take a closer look at proper nouns, provide proper noun examples, and help you learn how to use a proper noun the right way.

Remember that all nouns are words naming people, animals, places, things, and ideas. Every noun can be further classified as either common or proper. The distinction is very easy to make once you see some examples and come up with a few of your own.

Proper Noun Examples

In the following sentences, proper noun examples are compared with common nouns. Notice that the proper nouns are specific and unique, while the common nouns are much more general in nature.

1. Common noun: I want to be a writer. Proper noun: Agatha Christie wrote many books.

2. Common noun: I’d like to adopt a cat. Proper noun: Cleopatra is the cutest kitten ever.

3. Common noun: Would you like a cookie? Proper noun: I’m craving Oreos.

4. Common noun: Let’s go to the city. Proper noun: Let’s go to San Francisco.

5. Common noun: My teacher starts work before sunup. Proper noun: Mr. Bell seems to understand what students need.

6. Common noun: I think that’s a planet, not a star. Proper noun: I can see Jupiter tonight.

7. Common noun: He’s always hanging out with his girlfriend. Proper noun: He never goes anywhere without Sarah.

8. Common noun: There are a lot of important documents in the archives. Proper noun: There are many important documents at The Library of Congress.

How to Use Proper Nouns

It’s easy to use proper nouns, once you know what they are. Simply place them in your sentences as you would common nouns, ensuring that you capitalize them. Here are some examples to help you get started.

 Brett had hoped for an easy teacher for his algebra class, but he got Ms. Boggs, whose unreasonable demands and short temper made the semester unbearable. → Teacher is a common noun. Ms. Boggs is a proper noun.

 Gloria had a craving, and not just any cookie would do. She went to the store and bought a box of Oreos. → Cookie is a common noun. Oreos is a proper noun.

 We wanted to try a new restaurant, so we went to Taste of Thai. → Restaurant is a common noun. Taste of Thai is a proper noun.

Exercise:

Proper Noun Examples

Identify the proper noun in each sentence:

1. The boy threw the ball to his dog, Wilson. 2. I’d like you to meet my friend Jeremy. 3. We’ll be vacationing in Aspen this year. 4. My second grade teacher was Mrs. Gilbert, an old battle-axe. 5. We went to Smith’s Furniture and bought a new couch to replace our old one. 6. Do you think the Dolphins will win the game? 7. I’m flying first-class on Emirate Airlines. 8. Thomas Jefferson was a president and philosopher. 9. My best friend moved to Israel to study. 10. When the Titanic sank, the captain went down with the ship.

Types of Nouns in English

Nouns are among the most important words in the English language – without them, we’d have a difficult time speaking and writing about anything. This guide to noun types is intended as a basic overview. Every type of noun comes with its own rules, so be sure to read more in our pages about specific types of nouns.

Abstract Nouns

Abstract nouns are those referring to ideas, concepts, emotions, and other “things” you can’t physically interact with. You can’t see, taste, touch, smell, or hear something named with an abstract noun. Some abstract noun examples are included in the following sentences.

Success seems to come easily to certain people.

His hatred of people smoking indoors is legendary.

She has an incredible love for nature.

This is of great importance.

He received an award for his bravery.

Collective Nouns

When talking about types of noun, it’s important to remember collective nouns. A collective noun is a word that refers to a group. It can be either singular or plural, but is usually used in the singular. Some collective noun examples are included in the following sentences.

Our team is enjoying an unbroken winning streak.

There’s a pack of hyenas outside.

Watch out for that swarm of bees.

You haven’t lived until you’ve seen a herd of wild horses. Our class graduates two years from now.

Common Nouns

Common nouns are used to refer to general things rather than specific examples. Common nouns are not normally capitalized unless they are used as part of a proper name or are placed at the beginning of a sentence. Some common noun examples are included in the following sentences.

Be sure to pick a top university.

Stack those boxes carefully.

Would you like a cookie with your coffee?

People are strange.

My dog won’t stop barking.

Concrete Nouns

Concrete nouns are words used for actual things you can touch, see, taste, feel, and hear – things you interact with every day. Notice that concrete nouns can also be countable, uncountable, common, proper, and collective nouns. Some concrete noun examples are included in the following sentences.

Please remember to buy oranges.

Have a seat in that chair. Countable and Uncountable Nouns In English grammar, countable nouns are individual people, animals, places, things, or ideas which can be counted. Uncountable nouns are not individual objects, so they cannot be counted. Here, we’ll take a look at countable and uncountable nouns and provide both countable noun examples and uncountable noun examples. Although the concept may seem challenging, you’ll soon discover that these two different noun types are very easy to use.

Countable Noun Examples

Anything that can be counted, whether singular – a dog, a house, a friend, etc. or plural – a few books, lots of oranges, etc. is a countable noun. The following countable noun examples will help you to see the difference between countable and uncountable nouns. Notice that singular verbs are used with singular countable nouns, while plural verbs are used with plural countable nouns.

1. There are at least twenty Italian restaurants in Little Italy. 2. Megan took a lot of photographs when she went to the Grand Canyon. 3. Your book is on the kitchen table. 4. How many candles are on that birthday cake? 5. You have several paintings to study in art appreciation class. 6. There’s a big brown dog running around the neighborhood. Uncountable Noun Examples

Anything that cannot be counted is an uncountable noun. Even though uncountable nouns are not individual objects, they are always singular and one must always use singular verbs in conjunction with uncountable nouns. The following uncountable noun examples will help you to gain even more understanding of how countable and uncountable nouns differ from one another. Notice that singular verbs are always used with uncountable nouns.

1. There is no more water in the pond. 2. Please help yourself to some cheese. 3. I need to find information about Pulitzer Prize winners. 4. You seem to have a high level of intelligence. 5. Please take good care of your equipment. 6. Let’s get rid of the garbage. Uncountable nouns can be paired with words expressing plural concept. Using these words can make your writing more specific. Here are some examples of how to format interesting sentences with uncountable nouns.

• Garbage – There are nine bags of garbage on the curb.

• Water – Try to drink at least eight glasses of water each day.

• Advice – She gave me a useful piece of advice. • Bread – Please buy a loaf of bread.

• Furniture – A couch is a piece of furniture.

• Equipment – A backhoe is an expensive piece of equipment.

• Cheese – Please bag ten slices of cheese for me. Countable and Uncountable Nouns Exercises

Is the underlined noun countable or uncountable?

1. The children fell asleep quickly after a busy day of fun. 2. Be careful! The water is deep. 3. The parade included fire trucks and police cars. 4. We like the large bottles of mineral water. 5. My mother uses real butter in the cakes she bakes. 6. How many politicians does it take to pass a simple law? 7. Most kids like milk, but Joey hates it. 8. Most pottery is made of clay. 9. Michael can play several different musical instruments. 10. I was feeling so stressed that I ate an entire box of cookies.

Gerund Phrase What is a gerund phrase?

Though the term might sound a bit intimidating, it really is simple. Here, we’ll take a close look at gerund phrases and provide several examples so you can easily recognize them and use them to create interesting sentences. Decoding the Gerund Phrase

Time for a quick refresher: A gerund is a noun formed with a verb ending in ing. Words like swimming, tying, dreaming, eating, fishing, and drinking can all be used as gerunds. Now that we’ve refreshed your memory, let’s take a look at the gerund phrase. A gerund phrase always follows these rules:

 Gerund phrases always start with gerunds  Gerund phrases always include modifiers and often include other objects  A gerund phrase always functions as a noun  Gerund phrases are always subjects, objects, or subject complements in sentences. Gerund Phrase Examples

In the following gerund phrase examples, the gerund is highlighted in bold and the entire gerund phrase is underlined. A brief explanation of the function of the gerund phrase follows each example.

 Blowing bubbles on a windy day is a fun activity for children. Blowing bubbles on a windy day is the subject of the verb is.

 Piling too much laundry into a washing machine will cause it to malfunction. Piling too much laundry into a washing machine is the subject of the verb will cause.

 Ethan narrowly avoided driving off the cliff. Driving off the cliff is the direct object of the verb avoided.

 Eating ice cream on a hot day can be a good way to cool off. Eating ice cream on a hot day is the subject of the verb can be.

 Jessica really enjoys bothering the neighbors with loud music. Bothering the neighbors with loud music is the direct object of the verb enjoys. Gerund Phrase Exercises

Identify the gerund phrase in each of the following sentences:

1. Eating strawberries without washing them might make you sick. A – might make you sick, B – eating strawberries C – Eating strawberries without washing them 2. They were painting their house when it started to rain. A – painting their house, B – they were painting, C – when it started to rain 3. I’ve been thinking about going shopping on Saturday. A – I’ve been thinking, B – about going shopping, C- going shopping on Saturday 4. Jennifer is always baking something in the kitchen. A – baking something, B – Baking something in the kitchen, C – Jennifer is always baking something 5. Thanks for taking off your shoes before coming in the house. A – taking off your shoes, B – coming in the house, C- Both A and B 6. Jill is playing the violin with the bow Jerry bought her when they went to Italy. A – playing the violin, B – playing the violin with the bow Jerry bought her, C – Jill is playing the violin 7. The kids were excited about eating birthday cake. A – the kids were excited, B – about eating, C – eating birthday cake 8. He was taking a picture when lightning struck. A – he was taking a picture, B – lightning struck, C – taking a picture 9. Please stop texting; you’re going to cause an accident. A – you’re going to cause, B – please stop texting, C – going to cause an accident

What is a Common Noun

A noun is a word that names a person, animal, place, thing, or idea. All nouns can be further classified as proper or common. Common nouns are words used to name general items rather than specific ones. Go into your living room. What do you see? Lamp, chair, couch, TV, window, painting, pillow, candle – all of these items are named using common nouns. Common nouns are everywhere, and you use them all the time, even if you don’t realize it. Wherever you go, you’ll find at least one common noun. Street, closet, bathroom, school, mall, gas station; all of these places are named using common nouns.

People in general are named using common nouns, though their official titles or given names are proper nouns. When we refer to people using common nouns, we use words like teacher, clerk, police officer, preacher, delivery driver, boyfriend, girlfriend, grandma, cousin, and barista.

The takeaway is this: common nouns are general names and unless they are part of a title like Postmaster General or begin a sentence, they’re not usually capitalized. Common Noun Examples

The following common noun examples will help you to recognize common nouns. In the sentences that follow, common noun examples are italicized. Notice that the examples providing proper nouns name specific versions of the same type of person, animal, place, thing, or idea. 1. Common Noun: You broke my favorite mug. Proper Noun: I can’t believe you broke my Snoopy mug. 2. Common Noun: I really want a new pair of jeans. Proper Noun: I really want to buy a new pair of Levis. 3. Common Noun: I wish I could remember the name of that painter. Proper Noun: I really love art by Van Gogh. 4. Common Noun: They’re all waiting for us at the restaurant. Proper Noun: Everyone else is at Bill’s Burgers. 5. Common Noun: I really want to live in a big city someday. Proper Noun: Of all the places I’ve lived, Denver was best. 6. Common Noun: Let’s go to watch a live game at the stadium. Proper Noun: Let’s try to get good seats at Wrigley Field. Common Noun Exercises

Choose the common noun or the phrase containing the common noun to fill in each blank.

1. I’d really like some ______after lunch. A. Entenmann’s chocolate cake B. Vanilla pudding with coconut C. Marie Calendar’s peach pie D. Breyer’s ice cream 2. I received ______from my grandmother today. A. A copy of War and Peace B. A photo of Abraham Lincoln C. A handmade sweater D. A pack of Trident gum 3. Please call ______. A. Jennifer B. The police C. Aunt Sally D. Smith’s department store 4. ______brought our drinks promptly. A. Simon B. Rinaldi C. The waiter D. A flight attendant named Sarah 5. I heard that ______is going to San Francisco in May. A. My cousin B. Bernard C. Wilson D. The whole Nuggets baseball team

What is a Compound Noun

Compound nouns are words for people, animals, places, things, or ideas, made up of two or more words. Most compound nouns are made with nouns that have been modified by adjectives or other nouns. In many compound nouns, the first word describes or modifies the second word, giving us insight into what kind of thing an item is, or providing us with clues about the item’s purpose. The second word usually identifies the item.

Compound nouns are sometimes one word, like toothpaste, haircut, or bedroom. These are often referred to as closed or solid compound nouns.

Sometimes compound nouns are connected with a hyphen: dry-cleaning, daughter-in-law, and well- being are some examples of hyphenated compound nouns.

Sometimes compound nouns appear as two separate words: full moon, Christmas tree, and swimming pool are some examples of compound nouns that are formed with two separate words. These are often referred to as open or spaced compound nouns. Compound Noun Examples

The more you read and write, the more compound noun examples you’ll encounter. The following sentences are just a few examples of compound nouns. Compound noun examples have been italicized for easy identification.

Compound nouns can be made with two nouns: Let’s just wait at this bus stop.

I love watching fireflies on warm summer nights.

While you’re at the store, please pick up some toothpaste, a six-pack of ginger ale, and some egg rolls.

Compound nouns can be made with an adjective and a noun:

Let’s watch the full moon come up over the mountain.

Please erase the blackboard for me.

Compound nouns can be made with a verb and a noun:

Be sure to add bleach to the washing machine.

Let’s be sure to stay somewhere with a swimming pool.

Compound nouns can be made with a noun and a verb:

He always gets up before sunrise.

I really could use an updated hairstyle.

Compound nouns can be made with a verb and a preposition:

Checkout is at noon.

Please remember to schedule your dog’s annual check-up.

Compound nouns can be made with a noun and a prepositional phrase:

My mother-in-law is the kindest person I know.

Compound nouns can be made with a preposition and a noun:

Do you believe in past lives?

This city is vibrant, so it’s hard to believe it has a thriving criminal underworld. Compound nouns can be made with a noun and an adjective:

We need a truckful of mulch for the garden. Q1) Compound Nouns Exercises

Choose the word that makes each of these nouns into a compound noun.

1. Fund ______(A – driver, B – seat, C – raiser) 2. News ______(A– paper, B – story, C – travels) 3. Sun ______(A– day, B – glasses, C – heat) 4. Child ______(A – hood, B – ren, C – play) 5. Door ______(A– frame, B – handle, C – way)

Q2) Fill in the blanks to complete each compound noun, or with the one-word compound noun that fits best.

1. Prevent a heart ______by eating properly and getting enough exercise. (A – stroke, B –attack, C – murmur) 2. Do you prefer peppermint or cinnamon flavored ______? (A– cookies, B – toothpaste, C – applesauce) 3. The full ______looked enormous as it rose over the horizon. (A – moon, B – sun, C –sunset) 4. I’m going to the barber for a ______. (A – trim, B – new style, C – haircut) 5. They’re digging a new swimming ______in the park. (A – suit, B – pool, C – game) 6. I’d love to learn to pilot an ______(A–boat, B – airplane, C – submarine) 7. One reason donuts are fattening is that they’re fried in cooking _____. (A – oil, B – sugar, C –pans) 8. Sherrie is upset because she lost an ______. (A – input, B – earring, C – friendship) 9. We put a ______in the garden to chase birds away.(A – runway, B – sunshade, C –scarecrow) 10. 15.I’ve got to pick up a package at the post ______. (A – man, B – office, C – book

What is a Collective Noun

You might not know it, but you encounter collective nouns in everyday speech. Collective nouns are words for single things that are made up of more than one person, animal, place, thing, or idea. You can’t have a team without individual members; even so, we discuss a team as a single entity. Collective Noun Examples

Remember that nouns are words naming people, animals, places, and things. Collective nouns are in a class all their own. Once you’ve read these examples, you’ll find it much easier to recognize collective nouns when you see them.

 Our class took a field trip to the natural history museum.  The herd of bison ran across the prairie, leaving a massive dust cloud in its wake.  We waited anxiously for the jury to come to a verdict.  This year’s basketball team includes three players who are over six feet tall.  Napoleon’s army was finally defeated at Waterloo.  The town council has approved plans to create a new park.  He comes from a huge family: he’s the oldest of eleven kids.  The rock group has been on tour for months.  Everyone in the audience applauded loudly when Elvis appeared on stage. List of Common Collective Nouns

This list of common collective nouns contains words that describe groups of animals, people, or things. These words are sometimes interchangeable, and English writers and speakers often use them to describe different things. For example, the word swarm is usually used to discuss a group of insects such as ants, flies or bees, but many writers use it to talk about a very busy crowd of people. Once you are familiar with these words, you’ll notice that they are used in a variety of situations.

 Herd– A group of herbivore animals  Pack– A group of canine animals such as wolves or dogs; also used to describe playing cards and packages containing multiple objects  Flock– A group of birds; also used to discuss small hooved animals such as sheep or goats  Swarm– A group of insects  Shoal– A group of fish  Group – A very general term used to describe people, places, things, and animals  Crowd – Usually used to describe a group of people  Gang – Usually used to describe a group of criminals; also used to describe a group of workers, particularly sailors or dock workers  Mob – Normally used to describe an angry or unruly group of people; also used to describe a group of kangaroos  Staff – A group of people who work in the same place  Crew – Usually used to denote a group of workers; also used to describe aircraft and ships personnel  Choir – A large, organized group of singers  Orchestra – A large, organized group of instrumentalists, led by a conductor  Panel – A group of experts  Board – A group of people, usually professionals, who take on an advisory role  Troupe – A group of actors or acrobats; also used to describe a group of monkeys  Bunch – Usually a group of smallish objects such as grapes, flowers, keys, or bananas  Pile – An untidy collection of items such as rubbish  Heap – A mounded collection of items; used interchangeably with “pile”  Set – A tidy group of matched objects such as dishes; also used to describe rules or a social group of people  Stack – A group of items neatly laid one on top of another; i.e., a stack of books  Series – Used to discuss movies, books, or events that follow one after another, i.e. Star Trek or Harry Potter  Shower – Usually used to describe rain, although it can be used to describe gifts or compliments  Fall – Often used to discuss weather, such as rain, snow or hail

What happens if you can’t decide whether a collective noun is singular or plural?

You can use different words to compose your sentence to be sure there is no agreement error. For example, you can insert the word “members” after a collective noun or use a different word such as “players” instead of “team” or “zebras” instead of “herd” or “students” instead of “class.” Reread what you have written to be sure it sounds natural, and give yourself some time to practice. Soon enough you’ll be able to use plural verbs without worrying whether you have made mistakes. How to Use Collective Nouns

People who are new to writing often encounter some trouble with sentence agreement when using collective nouns. This is understandable, because a collective noun can be singular or plural, depending on a sentence’s context. How do you know if a collective noun is singular? How can you tell if it’s plural? What pronouns and verbs are best for pairing with the collective noun you’ve chosen?

Here’s a simple trick you can use to decide how to use collective nouns in sentences: Imagine a herd of zebras grazing peacefully on the savanna. Suddenly, a lion jumps out of a clump of tall grass. What do the zebras do? They run away as a single unit as they attempt to make a getaway, galloping across the savanna in the same direction.

Often, people behave in the same way, engaging in a single activity in unison with everyone else in their group. When individuals are in a team, a choir, a committee, or part of any other collective noun, that noun is singular and is paired with singular pronouns and singular verbs. As you read the examples that follow, notice that each individual who is part of the collective noun is doing the same action at the same time as others who are part of that collective noun.

 Every morning, the herd follows its leader to the watering hole for a drink. → Herd is a singular collective noun. Follows is a singular verb, and the word its is a singular pronoun. All the animals in the herd arrive at the watering hole at the same time.

 Today, Ms. Kennedy’s class takes its SOL test. → Class is a singular collective noun. Takes is a singular verb, and the word its is a singular pronoun. All the students in Ms. Kennedy’s class are taking the same test at the same time.

 The committee agrees that people are misusing their cell phones, so its verdict is that phones must not be used during working hours. → Committee is a singular collective noun. Agrees is a singular verb, and the word its is a singular pronoun. All the members of the committee are thinking alike.

Now imagine three teenagers in the living room. Are they all doing the same thing at once? Not likely! One is watching TV intently. Another is reading a book and listening to music. The third has one eye on the TV and the other on his computer. There is a single group of teenagers, but the members of the group are doing different things.

Members of collective nouns can act the same way, as individuals doing their own thing. When members of a collective noun act as individuals, that collective noun is plural and must be paired with plural pronouns and plural verbs. As you read the following examples, you’ll notice that members of the collective noun are not functioning in unison.

 After eight hours sitting in the stuffy courtroom, the jury stretch, look at their watches, and head to their cars for the commute home. → Jury is a plural collective noun in this instance. Stretch, look, and head are plural verbs, and their is a plural pronoun. The members of the jury are stretching and looking at their individual watches before they head to different cars to go to their own homes.

 After taking a test, the class start their papers on Shakespeare’s sonnets. → Class is a plural collective noun in this instance. Start is a plural verb, and their is a plural pronoun. Although the students are in the same class, they are beginning their own papers on different sonnets written by Shakespeare. Collective Noun Exercises

Each of these sentences contains a collective noun. Select the correct answer from the options that follow the sentence:

1. Keys, marbles, and rubber bands were just a few of the things in the pile of objects in his drawer. A – marbles, B – things, C – pile 2. The boys decided to join the navy after graduation. A – boys, B – navy, C – graduation 3. After the performance, all the actors joined hands and bowed toward the audience. A – performance, B – actors, C – audience 4. The team celebrated heartily after scoring a winning goal. A – team, B – winning, C – goal 5. Most of the students on the council are also on the honor roll. A – students, B – council, C, – honor roll 6. The boat’s crew worked all night to stop the leak. A – boat’s, B – crew, C – leak 7. The talent show featured several individual performers, along with three bands. A – show, B – performers, C – bands 8. Our extended family includes great-grandparents and second cousins. A – family, B – great-grandparents, C – cousins 9. All of the students are attending a school assembly on Friday. A – students, B – school, C – assembly 10. The senate will be voting on three education funding bills tomorrow. A – senate, B – bills, C – tomorrow 11. The teachers and administrators held a meeting in the faculty office. A – teachers, B – administrators, C – faculty 12. The sheep clustered in a tight flock to ward off the cold weather. A – sheep, B – flock, C – weather

What are Abstract Nouns

Abstract nouns are words that name things that are not concrete. Your five physical senses cannot detect an abstract noun – you can’t see it, smell it, taste it, hear it, or touch it. In essence, an abstract noun is a quality, a concept, an idea, or maybe even an event.

Abstract nouns and concrete nouns are usually defined in terms of one another. Something that is abstract exists only in the mind, while something that is concrete can be interacted with in a physical way. Qualities, relationships, theories, conditions, and states of being are some examples of the types of things abstract nouns define. Types of Abstract Nouns

It’s not always easy to determine if a noun is abstract or concrete. Many grammar experts argue over whether certain terms, making things even worse. The line separating abstract nouns from concrete nouns is often quite blurry. For example, many abstract noun lists include the word laughter, but others leave it out, as it’s something that can be heard, seen, and physically felt. Abstract Noun Examples

The following lists contain different types of abstract nouns. Certain abstract nouns, especially the ones describing feelings and emotions, easily fit into multiple categories, as they can be used in different ways. Get to know them, and it’ll be easier for you to spot an abstract noun when you see one.

Feelings States Emotions Qualities Concepts Ideas Events

Advent Anxiety Being Anger Beauty Charity Beliefs ure

Confusio Chaos Despair Beauty Comfort Commununic Birthda ation y

Happine Fear Freedom Brilliance Culture Curiosity Career ss

Childho Pain Liberty Hate Courage Deceit Democracy od

Indiffere Pleasure Luxury Dedication Energy Friendship Death nce

Satisfact Determina Misery Joy Failure Interest Future ion tion

Sensitivi Nervousn Generosit Grief Faith Knowledge Holiday ty ess y

Opennes Stress Love Honesty Motivation Thought Life s

Sympath Opportunit Marriag Peace Sadness Patience Sacrifice y y e

Pessimis Persevera Warmth Sorrow Trust Wisdom Past m nce

More Examples

Although you may not realize it, you experience abstract nouns every day and in many different types of situations. Once you’ve read these abstract noun examples, you’ll probably find it very easy to come up with some abstract nouns of your own. • Love, fear, anger, joy, excitement, and other emotions are abstract nouns.

• Courage, bravery, cowardice, and other such states are abstract nouns.

• Desire, creativity, uncertainty, and other innate feelings are abstract nouns.

These are just a few examples of non-concrete words that are sensed. The following sentences contain abstract noun examples which have been italicized for easy identification. Notice that although the ideas expressed are real, they are things you can’t see, touch, taste, smell, or hear.

• I want to see justice served.

• I’d like the freedom to travel all over the world.

• Joe felt a nagging sense of doom.

• Love is a kind of irresistible desire; it’s hard to define.

• When Sarah jumped into the lake to rescue a drowning cat, her bravery astonished onlookers.

Abstract Nouns Exercises

Many abstract nouns are formed from adjectives, though some are formed from verbs or nouns. You’ll find one of these words in parenthesis at the end of each sentence. Use it to form an abstract noun to fill in the blank.

1. ______is something almost everyone appreciates. (kind) 2. The wrestlers exhibited immense ______. (strong) 3. As the sun dipped below the horizon, ______came over the city. (dark) 4. It is my ______to welcome the mayor. (please) 5. Our ______will last forever. (friend)

Gerund and Infinitive: What’s the Difference? Knowing the difference between gerund and infinitive can save you from making costly grammar mistakes when writing. In a nutshell, a word formed from a verb acting as a noun and ending in ing is a gerund. Infinitive phrases – normally referred to as infinitives – are formed with the word to in front of a verb. Both gerunds and infinitives can be subjects in sentences, and both gerunds and infinitives can serve as the object of a verb.

Now that you know how these two elements can work in similar ways, it’s time to note an important difference in the gerund/infinitive equation: A gerund can be the object of a preposition; an infinitive cannot. Gerund & Infinitive Examples

Examples of gerunds

Gerunds are formed with the letters “ing”. For example:

• Thinking

• Acting

• Walking

• Talking

• Fishing

• Caring

• Writing

• Listening

Examples of infinitives

Infinitives are prefaced with the word “to”. For example:

• To think

• To act

• To walk • To talk

• To fish

• To care

• To write

• To listen

Both Gerunds and Infinitives can act as the subject of a sentence:

Thinking is something that comes naturally.

To think is something that comes naturally.

You can use a gerund or an infinitive as the object of a verb:

I like fishing.

I like to fish.

Only a gerund can be the object of a preposition. An infinitive cannot:

We are thinking about walking in the woods.

Gerund & Infinitive Usage

At first glance, it may seem difficult to know when to use an infinitive and when to use a gerund. You will find the following guidelines for gerund/infinitive usage helpful.

Gerunds

Gerunds are best for use in sentences about actions that are real or complete, or that have been completed.

• I stopped worrying about the future.

In this example, the worrying was real and it happened until I stopped. • We really enjoy climbing mountains.

In this example, the climbing is real and it’s something we like to do.

Infinitives

Infinitives are best for use in sentences about actions that are unreal or abstract, or that will occur in the future.

• I’d like you to think about something.

In this example, I’m asking you to think about something, but the thinking hasn’t happened yet.

• Can we take a walk without you stopping to smoke?

In this example, we’re talking about taking a walk and the smoking hasn’t happened yet.

Without pronouns, we’d have to keep on repeating nouns, and that would make our speech and writing repetitive, not to mention cumbersome. Most pronouns are very short words. Examples include:

 He  She  They  It  We  Who As mentioned, pronouns are usually used to replace nouns, however they can also stand in for certain adverbs, adjectives, and other pronouns. Anytime you want to talk about a person, animal, place or thing, you can use pronouns to make your speech or writing flow better. Types of Pronouns

Pronouns can be divided into numerous categories including:

 Indefinite pronouns – those referring to one or more unspecified objects, beings, or places  Personal pronouns – those associated with a certain person, thing, or group; all except you have distinct forms that indicate singular or plural number  Reflexive pronouns – those preceded by the adverb, adjective, pronoun, or noun to which they refer, and ending in –self or –selves  Demonstrative pronouns – those used to point to something specific within a sentence  Possessive pronouns – those designating possession or ownership  Relative pronouns – those which refer to nouns mentioned previously, acting to introduce an adjective (relative) clause  Interrogative pronouns – those which introduce a question  Reciprocal pronouns – those expressing mutual actions or relationship; i.e. one another  Intensive pronouns – those ending in –self or –selves and that serve to emphasize their antecedents Pronoun Rules

There are a few important rules for using pronouns. As you read through these rules and the examples in the next section, notice how the pronoun rules are followed. Soon you’ll see that pronouns are easy to work with.

 Subject pronouns may be used to begin sentences. For example: We did a great job.  Subject pronouns may also be used to rename the subject. For example: It was she who decided we should go to Hawaii.  Indefinite pronouns don’t have antecedents. They are capable of standing on their own. For example: No one likes the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard.  Object pronouns are used as direct objects, indirect objects, and objects of prepositions. These include: you, me, him, her, us, them, and it. For example: David talked to her about the mistake.  Possessive pronouns show ownership. They do not need apostrophes. For example: The cat washed its whiskers. Examples of Pronouns

In the following examples, the pronouns are italicized.

1. We are going on vacation. 2. Don’t tell me that you can’t go with us. 3. Anybody who says it won’t be fun has no clue what they are talking about. 4. These are terribly steep stairs. 5. We ran into each other at the mall. 6. I’m not sure which is worse: rain or snow. 7. It is one of the nicest Italian restaurants in town. 8. Richard stared at himself in the mirror. 9. The laundry isn’t going to do itself. 10. Someone spilled orange juice all over the countertop! Pronoun Exercises

The following exercises will help you gain greater understanding about how pronouns work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.

1. This is ______speaking. A. John B. He C. He john D. Am 2. Greg is as smart as ______is. A. I B. me C. she D. we 3. The dog chewed on ______favorite toy. A. it’s B. it is C. its’ D. its 4. It could have been ______. A. Jerry B. anyone C. better D. more difficult 5. Terry is taller than ______am. A. I B. me C. she D. we Answers

1. B. This is he speaking. 2. C. Greg is as smart as she is. 3. D. The dog chewed on its favorite toy. 4. B. It could have been anyone. 5. A. Terry is taller than I am. List of Pronouns

As you read through this list of pronouns, remember that each one of these pronouns is a word that can be used to take the place of a noun. Think about ways to use the pronouns on this list in sentences, as this will increase your understanding.

I

We

Me

Us

You

She

He

Her

Him

They Them

It

That

Which

Who

Whom

Whose

Whichever

Whoever

Whomever

This

These

That

Those

Anybody

Anyone

Anything

Each

Either

Everyone

Everybody Everything

Nobody

Neither

No one

Nothing

Somebody

One

Someone

Something

Few

Many

Both

Several

Any

All

Some

Most

None

Myself

Yourself

Ourselves Yourselves

Herself

Himself

Themselves

Itself

Who

What

Which

Whose

Whom

What is a Demonstrative Pronoun?

A demonstrative pronoun is a pronoun that is used to point to something specific within a sentence. These pronouns can indicate items in space or time, and they can be either singular or plural.

When used to represent a thing or things, demonstrative pronouns can be either near or far in distance or time:

 Near in time or distance: this, these  Far in time or distance: that, those Because there are only a few demonstrative pronouns in the English language, there are just three simple rules for using them correctly. Remember them and you will have no difficulty using these surprisingly interesting parts of speech.

 Demonstrative pronouns always identify nouns, whether those nouns are named specifically or not. For example: “I can’t believe this.” We have no idea what “this” is, but it’s definitely something the writer cannot believe. It exists, even though we don’t know what it is.  Demonstrative pronouns are usually used to describe animals, places, or things, however they can be used to describe people when the person is identified, i.e., This sounds like Mary singing.  Do not confuse demonstrative adjectives with demonstrative pronouns. The words are identical, but demonstrative adjectives qualify nouns, whereas demonstrative pronouns stand alone. Demonstrative pronouns can be used in place of a noun, so long as the noun being replaced can be understood from the pronoun’s context. Although this concept might seem a bit confusing at first, the following examples of demonstrative pronouns will add clarity. Demonstrative Pronouns Examples

In the following examples, demonstrative pronouns have been italicized for ease of identification.

This was my mother’s ring.

That looks like the car I used to drive.

These are nice shoes, but they look uncomfortable.

Those look like riper than the apples on my tree.

Such was her command over the English language.

None of these answers are correct.

Neither of the horses can be ridden.

Demonstrative Pronouns Exercises

The following exercises will help you gain greater understanding about how demonstrative pronouns work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.

1. ______was such an interesting experience. A. That B. These C. Those D. Such 2. Are ______your shoes? A. That B. Them C. Those D. This 3. You’ll have to get your own pen. ______is mine. A. That B. Those C. Such D. This 4. There is no end to ______. A. Such B. Those C. This D. None 5. Because of their bad behavior, ______of the children were given allowances. A. None B. That C. Those D. Them 6. ______of them had seen it before. A. Those B. Neither C. Such D. This 7. Is ______yours? A. This B. Those C. These D. Such 8. Everyone ate early. When we arrived, ______was left. A. That B. Such C. None D. Neither 9. Please give me one of ______. A. That B. Those C. This D. Such 10. ______are nice-looking. A. This B. That C. These D. Such

Demonstrative Pronouns List

Such

This

That

These

Those

None

Neither

What is a relative pronoun?

A relative pronoun is one which is used to refer to nouns mentioned previously, whether they are people, places, things, animals, or ideas. Relative pronouns can be used to join two sentences.

There are only a few relative pronouns in the English language. The most common are which, that, whose, whoever, whomever, who, and whom. In some situations, the words what, when, and where can also function as relative pronouns. Because there are only a few of them, there are also just a few rules for using relative pronouns. Keep them in mind as you write.

 Relative clauses are typically introduced by relative pronouns, and that the relative pronoun can function as a possessive pronoun, an object, or a subject.  When relative pronouns introduce restrictive relative clauses, no comma is used to separate the restrictive clause from the main clause.  In American English, the relative pronoun whom is used rarely. You may notice this in conversations, but it is best to use the term when writing to ensure that your work is grammatically correct. Relative Pronouns Examples

The following sentences contain examples of relative pronouns. The relative pronoun in each example is italicized.

1. The cyclist who won the race trained hard. 2. The pants that I bought yesterday are already stained. 3. The four team leaders, whomever the committee selects, will be at tomorrow’s meeting. 4. Spaghetti, which we eat at least twice a week, is one of my family’s favorite meals. 5. Where did you buy the dress what you wore last week? 6. The book, when it was finally returned, was torn and stained. 7. The store on the corner, where we usually buy all of our art supplies, burned to the ground.

Relative Pronouns Exercises

The following exercises will help you gain greater understanding about how relative pronouns work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.

1. The festival, ______lasted all day, ended with a banquet. A. That B. Who C. Which D. What 2. I am looking for someone ______can watch my dog while I go on vacation. A. Which B. Who C. Whom D. Whoever 3. The police needed details ______could help identify the robber. A. Who B. Whatever C. That D. What 4. I’d like to take you to a café ______serves excellent coffee. A. What B. Whatever C. Which D. Whichever 5. The clubhouse, in ______the dance was held, housed about 200 people. A. Which B. Where C. That D. Whom 6. You can choose one person, ______you like, to share the cruise with you. A. Whomever B. That C. Which D. Whom 7. I saw the shoes ______you bought last week on sale for less this week. A. When B. What C. Who D. Whom 8. The winners, ______known, will receive money and other prizes. A. Whoever B. Who C. When D. That 9. This is the place ______we met. A. When B. Where C. Who D. That 10. The baby, ______nap had been interrupted, wailed loudly. A. Whose B. Whomever C. Whom D. Who

List of Relative Pronouns

Who

Whom

That

Which Whoever

Whomever

Whichever

Reflexive Pronouns What Is a Reflexive Pronoun?

A reflexive pronoun is a type of pronoun that is preceded by the adverb, adjective, pronoun, or noun to which it refers, so long as that antecedent is located within the same clause.

In English grammar, a reflexive pronoun indicates that the person who is realizing the action of the verb is also the recipient of the action. While this might seem strange at first glance, the following examples of reflexive pronouns and the accompanying list of reflexive pronouns will help you gain thorough understanding. In fact, you will probably notice that you yourself use reflexive pronouns frequently when speaking or writing. Examples of Reflexive Pronouns

In the following examples of reflexive pronouns, the reflexive pronoun in each sentence is italicized.

1. I was in a hurry, so I washed the car myself. 2. You’re going to have to drive yourself to school today. 3. He wanted to impress her, so he baked a cake himself. 4. Jennifer does chores herself because she doesn’t trust others to do them right. 5. That car is in a class all by itself. 6. We don’t have to go out; we can fix dinner ourselves. 7. You are too young to go out by yourselves. 8. The actors saved the local theatre money by making costumes themselves. Reflexive Pronoun Exercises

The following exercises will help you gain greater understanding about how reflexive pronouns work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence. 1. Each morning, I brush my teeth and stare at ______in the mirror. A. Himself B. Herself C. Myself D. Itself 2. Dad and I painted the trailer ______. A. Myself B. Himself C. Itself D. Ourselves 3. The children made holiday decorations by ______. A. Itself B. Ourselves C. Themselves D. Their selves

4. Paul copies his friend’s homework instead of doing it ______. A. Itself B. Himself C. Myself D. Yourself

5. Please make ______at home while you wait. A. Themselves B. Himself C. Yourselves D. Herself Answer: C. Please make yourselves at home while you wait. Reflexive Pronouns List As you read through the following list of reflexive pronouns, consider ways to use them in sentences like the ones in the preceding section.

Myself

Yourself

Herself

Himself

Itself

Yourselves

Ourselves

Themselves

What is a possessive pronoun?

Possessive pronouns are those designating possession. They may also be used as substitutes for noun phrases, and they are typically found at the end of a sentence or clause. There are only a few possessive pronouns in the English language, and there are only two specific rules for using them correctly. Keep these rules in mind when using possessive pronouns, and you’ll discover that writing properly is easier.

 Like its name suggests, a possessive pronoun indicates ownership.  Possessive pronouns do not contain apostrophes.

A possessive pronoun is used to avoid repeating information that has already been made clear. These useful pronouns make sentences less confusing, as you’ll see when you read the following sentences containing examples of possessive pronouns. Examples of Possessive Pronouns The following sets of sentences illustrate how possessive pronouns provide clarity. Possessive pronoun examples are italicized.

1. This is my cat, not your cat. (Sounds repetitive) 2. This cat is mine, not yours. 3. I didn’t have my book so Jenny lent me her book. (Sounds repetitive) 4. I didn’t have my book, so Jenny lent me hers. 5. Your car is a lot faster than my car. (Sounds repetitive) 6. Your car is a lot faster than mine. Common Noun Examples

Possessive pronouns are often accompanied by common nouns. The following are some examples of common nouns that are frequently used in the same sentences as possessive pronouns.

1. I 2. It 3. You 4. Me 5. This 6. That 7. Him 8. Her 9. They 10. We 11. Them In the following example sentences, the common noun is in bold, and the possessive pronoun is in italics.

 I lost my watch.  This is her birthday.  I’m going to give you your money back Possessive Pronoun Exercises The following exercises will help you gain greater understanding about how possessive pronouns work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.

1. The mother cat and ______kittens napped in the sunshine. A. His B. Your C. Hers D. Her 2. I like cream cheese on ______bagels. A. My B. Mine C. Your D. Our 3. ______grandfather used to take us fishing. A. Mine B. My C. Our D. Ours 4. Elaine bought ______dress at the mall. A. Yours B. Mine C. Her D. D. Hers 5. The car lost ______rear bumper in an accident. A. It’s B. Its C. His D. Her .

6. The horse swished ______tail to keep flies away. A. It’s B. Its C. Its’ D. The 7. This dessert is ______but you can have it. A. My B. Mine C. Yours D. Delicious 8. Please return ______money at once. A. Mine B. Your C. My D. Its 9. ______car is so dirty I can’t even tell what color it is. A. Your B. Yours C. Hers D. Ours 10. When the cat saw the dog, it stopped in ______tracks. A. My B. Its C. His D. Hers Possessive Pronouns List

The following list of possessive pronouns is accompanied by a list of corresponding subjects. While other subjects may be substituted, the following examples give the possessive pronouns context.

Subject Possessive Pronoun

It Its

I My, Mine You Your

She Her, Hers

He His

We Our, Ours

They Their, Theirs

You Yours (plural)

What is a Personal Pronoun?

A personal pronoun is a pronoun that is associated primarily with a particular person, in the grammatical sense. When discussing “person” in terms of the grammatical, the following rules apply:

 First person, as in “I”  Second person, as in “you”  Third person, as in “It, he, she”

Personal pronouns may take on various forms depending on number (singular or plural for the most part). They may also take different forms depending on case, gender, or formality. It is important to note that personal pronouns may refer to objects, animals, or people.

Personal pronouns provide us with the following information:

 The person – Who is speaking?  The number – Is the pronoun plural or singular?  The gender – Is the pronoun feminine, masculine, or neuter? Examples of Personal Pronouns

The word “he” is an example of a personal pronoun. He is third person (because he is the person being spoken about), singular, and masculine. The word “we” is another example of a personal pronoun. We is first person (because we are speaking as a group), plural, and neuter. In the following examples, personal pronouns are italicized.

1. You need to stop lying to me. 2. We would love for you to join us. 3. Come look at my cat! He has climbed to the top of that tree. Personal Pronouns as Subject Pronouns

When a personal pronoun takes the place of a noun as the subject of a sentence, it is both a personal pronoun and a subject pronoun. What is a subject pronoun? In essence, it’s any pronoun that is used to replace a common or proper noun as a sentence’s subject. If you are using a personal pronoun to talk about a person, animal, place, or thing that also happens to be the subject of a sentence, then it is classified as both a personal pronoun and a subject pronoun. Personal Pronouns as Object Pronouns

When a personal pronoun is the direct or indirect object of a verb, or when it is used as the object of a preposition, it is called an object pronoun. What is an object pronoun? It’s any pronoun that is affected by the action the subject of the sentence takes. The personal pronouns that are used as object pronouns are different than the personal pronouns that are used as subject pronouns, but they are just as important. There are seven object pronouns that also happen to be personal pronouns: me, you, him, her, it, us, and them.

How Are Subject Pronouns and Object Pronouns Related to Personal Pronouns?

Like all personal pronouns, subject pronouns and object pronouns are used to eliminate repetition within sentences. Additionally, they are always associated with a specific person, group, animal, or inanimate object.

Sometimes it can be difficult to tell the difference between subject and object pronouns. It can be helpful to remember that a subject is what a sentence is about, while an object is affected by the action of the subject.

Just like other personal pronouns, subject pronouns and object pronouns can take on different forms depending on number, i.e. whether they are singular or plural. Additionally, they can be used with any of the three grammatical persons, i.e. first-person, second-person, or third-person. Finally, subject pronouns and object pronouns are related to one another and all other personal pronouns in that the words used may differ depending on the natural or grammatical gender of the words they refer to.

Examples of Sentences Containing Both Subject Pronouns & Object Pronouns

1. I want you to read this book. 2. You are the fastest runner on the team, and we’re depending on you. 3. They talked to me about acting in the play. 4. We enjoyed hearing her sing. Comparing Subject and Object Pronouns

Use the following table to compare subject and object pronouns. Notice that some subject pronouns are identical to certain object pronouns.

Subject Object Pronoun Pronoun

It It

You You

What What

I Me

He Him

She Her

We Us

Who Whom

They Them

Object Pronouns What is an Object Pronoun?

An object pronoun is a type of personal pronoun that is normally used as a grammatical object, either as the direct or indirect object of a verb, or as the object of a preposition. These pronouns always take the objective case, whether they are indirect object pronouns or direct object pronouns.

The seven basic pronouns take on different forms when used as object pronouns rather than as subject pronouns:

 I becomes Me  You becomes You (this rule applies for singular and plural use)  He becomes Him  She becomes Her  It becomes It  We becomes Us  They becomes Them If you know how to find the object of a sentence, then you will find it very easy to identify an object pronoun when you see one. To find the object of a sentence, locate the nouns and verbs and mentally separate them from the rest of the words the sentence contains. Both the subject and object of the sentence will be nouns or pronouns. The subject will be the one doing the action the verb describes. The object is the noun or pronoun receiving the action. Making things even simpler, when the object is not a noun, it’s an object pronoun. Just like subject pronouns, object pronouns can be singular or plural, masculine, feminine, or gender neutral. The masculine or feminine subject pronoun is used whenever the gender is known. When referring to the weather, temperature, time, an inanimate object or a child or animal of undetermined gender, the neuter form “it” can be used. Object Pronoun Examples

In the following examples, the subject is in bold, the verb is in italics, and the object pronoun is in bold and is underlined.

1. Bob took her to work Monday. 2. Will you please tell them to come in? 3. He told you a lie about where he was Saturday. 4. Our grandparents gave us candy and our teeth are just fine. Object Pronouns Exercises

1. Mary wants to talk to ______about your homework. A. Him B. Her C. You D. Them 2. The plate shattered when John dropped ______on the floor. A. Him B. Her C. Them D. It 3. Be careful; he lied to ______before and he may do it again. A. Us B. It C. We D. They 4. Where are Jill and Cherie? Didn’t you invite ______? A. Us B. Them C. They D. Her 5. The spider bit ______on my ankle. A. You B. Me C. Her D. It 6. I heard that Jeremy was cut from the team just because Tyler doesn’t like ______. A. Him B. Her C. It D. Them 7. The bread is stale. You can feed ______to the birds. A. Them B. It C. Him D. Her 8. The movie was hilarious! We really liked ______. A. Him B. Them C. Her D. It

Subject Pronouns What is a Subject Pronoun?

A subject pronoun is exactly what it sounds like: a pronoun that takes the place of a noun as the subject of a sentence. Remember, a sentence’s subject is the person or thing that performs the action of a verb. When you take an even closer look, you’ll see that a subject pronoun is used as the subject of a verb, while an object pronoun is usually used as a grammatical object.

Subject pronouns can be singular or plural, and they can be masculine, feminine, or gender neutral. The masculine or feminine subject pronoun is used when gender is known; when referring to an inanimate object, the gender-neutral form “it” is used. The subject pronoun “it” can be used to refer to animals of unspecific gender, and it is also appropriate to use the subject pronoun “it” to describe a baby of unknown gender. “It” is also used to talk about the weather, temperature, or time.

If you can find the subject of a sentence, then you can find a subject pronoun just as easily! Let’s go back to basics for a moment. Every complete sentence has a subject, a verb, and an object. The subject (or subject pronoun) is always a person, thing, place, or idea, or the plural of one of those, i.e. people, things, places, or ideas. The object or object pronoun is always on the receiving end of the action. One of the easiest ways to identify a subject or subject pronoun is to remember that it is always going to be the who or what that has a direct effect on the action that’s taking place. Subject Pronoun Examples

In the following examples, you can see exactly how this method works. The subject pronoun is in bold and is underlined, the verb is in italics, and the object is in bold.

1. We gave them a head start in the race. 2. You told Jerry that his score was among the best; that made him feel better. 3. She lost weight by cutting out junk food. 4. They drank water from a spring that ran right out of the mountainside. Subject Pronouns Exercises

1. ______kicked the ball so hard that his shoe came off. A. She B. They C. He D. It 2. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think ______enjoy studying. A. He B. She C. You D. I 3. The dog stole Tara’s ice cream before ______ran away. A. You B. I C. They D. It 4. ______enjoys going to the gym early each morning. A. I B. She C. They D. We 5. ______prefer hiking to movies. A. She B. He C. We D. It 6. ______is raining again. A. It B. She C. He D. We 7. ______puts ketchup on everything she eats. A. He B. She C. We D. It 8. You can have ice cream after ______finish your dinner. A. We B. You C. It D. She

Indefinite Pronouns What is an indefinite pronoun?

Indefinite pronouns are those referring to one or more unspecified objects, beings, or places. They are called “indefinite” simply because they do not indicate the exact object, being, or place to which they refer.

Indefinite pronouns include partitives such as any, anybody, anyone, either, neither, nobody, no, someone, and some; they also include universals such as every, all, both, and each; finally, they include quantifiers including any, some, several, enough, many, and much. Many indefinite pronouns can also function as determiners.

There are just two important rules for using indefinite pronouns correctly. Remember these and you will find that writing comes easier for you.

 Adjectives  Verbs  Nouns  Conjunctions  Pronouns  Adverb  Preposition Indefinite Pronouns What is an indefinite pronoun?

Indefinite pronouns are those referring to one or more unspecified objects, beings, or places. They are called “indefinite” simply because they do not indicate the exact object, being, or place to which they refer.

Indefinite pronouns include partitives such as any, anybody, anyone, either, neither, nobody, no, someone, and some; they also include universals such as every, all, both, and each; finally, they include quantifiers including any, some, several, enough, many, and much. Many indefinite pronouns can also function as determiners.

There are just two important rules for using indefinite pronouns correctly. Remember these and you will find that writing comes easier for you.

 Indefinite pronouns are never plural. They are always singular.  Because indefinite pronouns are singular, the pronouns or verbs used to refer to them should also be singular. Examples of Indefinite Pronouns

In the following examples, the indefinite pronouns are italicized.

Many are called, but few are chosen. Somebody ate my sandwich!

Everyone says she is beautiful inside and out.

No one wants to hear about my health problems.

Either choice has its advantages. Indefinite Pronouns Exercises

The following exercises will help you gain greater understanding about how indefinite pronouns work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.

1. ______is making my computer act up. 1. Anyone 2. Something 3. Each 4. Everyone

1. Does ______know what’s happening tonight? 1. Anybody 2. Anyone 3. Someone 4. A, B, and C

1. ______baker presented a beautiful cake to the king. 1. The 2. One 3. Each 4. Both

1. I don’t know ______of the answers. 1. Anyone 2. Any 3. Everyone 4. No one 1. ______happens for a reason. 1. Anybody 2. Everything 3. Some 4. Somebody Indefinite Pronouns List

Anybody

Anyone

Anything

Each

Each one

Either

Neither

Everybody

Everyone Everything

Nobody

No one

Nothing

Somebody

Someone

Something

Both

Many

Few

All

Most None

Some

Interrogative Pronouns What Is an Interrogative Pronoun?

An interrogative pronoun is a pronoun which is used to make asking questions easy. There are just five interrogative pronouns. Each one is used to ask a very specific question or indirect question. Some, such as “who” and “whom,” refer only to people. Others can be used to refer to objects or people. Once you are familiar with interrogative pronouns, you’ll find that it’s very easy to use them in a variety of situations.

Interrogative pronouns can also be used as relative pronouns, which may be found in questions or indirect questions. You’ll know for certain that a pronoun is classified as an interrogative when it’s used in an inquiring way, because interrogative pronouns are found only in question and indirect questions.

The five interrogative pronouns are what, which, who, whom, and whose.

 What – Used to ask questions about people or objects. Examples: o What do you want for dinner? o I wonder what we’re doing tomorrow. o What is your friend’s name? o What time are we supposed to be there?  Which – Used to ask questions about people or objects. Examples: o Which color do you prefer? o Which of these ladies is your mother? o She asked which train to take. o Which seat would you like?  Who – Used to ask questions about people. Examples: o Who is that? o Who was driving the car? o I’m wondering who will be at the party. o Who is going to take out the trash?  Whom – This interrogative pronoun is rarely seen these days, but when it shows up, it is used to ask questions about people. Examples: o Whom did you speak to? o Whom do you prefer to vote for? o You should ask whom to call. o Whom do you live with?  Whose – Used to ask questions about people or objects, always related to possession. Examples: o Whose sweater is this? o Whose parents are those? o I wonder whose dog knocked our garbage can over. o Whose phone is that? In some cases, interrogative pronouns take on the suffix –ever. A few can also take on the old- fashioned suffix –soever, which is rarely seen in writing these days. For example:

 Whatever  Whatsoever  Whichever  Whoever  Whosoever  Whomever  Whomsoever  Whosever Interrogative pronouns are very easy to remember and use. Memorize them to make things even simpler. Examples of Interrogative Pronouns

Sentences containing interrogative pronouns are always questions, so they always end with a question mark. In the following examples, interrogative pronouns have been italicized for ease of identification.

1. What do you want for your birthday? 2. Which shirt do you think looks better on me? 3. Who do you think will win the playoff game? 4. To whom are you speaking? 5. Whose socks are those? Interrogative Pronouns Exercises

Fill in the blanks with an interrogative pronoun.

1. ______threw the football? A. who B. what C. which D. whose 2. ______would you prefer, coffee or tea? A. who B. whom C. which D. whose 3. ______time do we need to be at the airport? A. which B. what C. whose D. whom 4. ______car is that? A. whom B. whose C. what D. who 5. ______is your sister’s name? A. who B. whom C. what D. whose 6. ______did you tell? A. whom B. what C. whose D. which 7. ______of these books have you read? A. what B. whom C. whose D. which 8. ______wants ice cream? A. what B. whom C. who D. whose

Reciprocal Pronouns What is a Reciprocal Pronoun?

A reciprocal pronoun is a pronoun which is used to indicate that two or more people are carrying out or have carried out an action of some type, with both receiving the benefits or consequences of that action simultaneously. Any time something is done or given in return, reciprocal pronouns are used. The same is true any time mutual action is expressed.

There are only two reciprocal pronouns. Both of them allow you to make sentences simpler. They are especially useful when you need to express the same general idea more than once.

 Each other  One another Reciprocal pronouns are easy to use. When you want to refer to two people, you will normally use “each other.” When referring to more than two people, for example the students in a lecture hall, you will normally use “one another.” Examples of Reciprocal Pronouns

Reciprocal pronouns help prevent repetition within sentences. In the following examples, reciprocal pronouns have been italicized for ease of identification. 1. Maria and Juan gave each other gold rings on their wedding day. 2. Maria and Juan kissed each other at the end of the ceremony. 3. Terry and Jack were talking to each other in the hallway. 4. We give each other gifts during the holidays. 5. The students congratulated one another after giving practice speeches. 6. The kids spent the afternoon kicking the ball to one another. 7. The defendants blamed one another for the crime they were charged with.

Intensive Pronouns What Is an Intensive Pronoun?

An intensive pronoun is almost identical to a reflexive pronoun. It is defined as a pronoun that ends in self or selves and places emphasis on its antecedent by referring back to another noun or pronoun used earlier in the sentence. For this reason, intensive pronouns are sometimes called emphatic pronouns.

You can test a word to see whether it’s an intensive pronoun by removing it from the sentence and checking to see if the sentence has the same impact. Reflexive vs. Intensive Pronouns

You can tell the difference between a reflexive pronoun and an intensive pronoun easily: Intensive pronouns aren’t essential to a sentence’s basic meaning. Understanding this basic difference will help to prevent you from confusing the two.

Both intensive and reflexive pronouns end in the suffix –self or –selves, however reflexive pronouns are always objects that refer to a sentence’s subject. The following example shows a reflexive pronoun in action:

Jim made himself coffee.

Without the reflexive pronoun himself, it would be impossible for the reader to know who Jim made coffee for. In the next example, himself is used as an intensive pronoun. The reader would be able to understand the sentence’s complete meaning without this pronoun, but it serves to add emphasis:

Jim made coffee for the king himself.

Here, himself refers to the king rather than to Jim. The reader is meant to be impressed that Jim made coffee for the king. Common Intensive Pronouns

The following list contains the most commonly used examples of intensive pronouns.

 Himself  Herself  Yourself  Themselves  Ourselves Intensive pronouns might not be necessary, but they serve the important function of making your writing more interesting as well as more meaningful, particularly in formal situations. Use them sparingly to ensure that the emphasis they provide isn’t lost. Intensive Pronoun Examples

Intensive pronouns are used to add emphasis to statements. In the following examples, the intensive pronouns have been italicized for ease of identification.

1. Jesse wondered aloud whether he himself was the only one seeing what was happening. 2. Maria knew that she herself could make a positive impact on the world, if only she put her mind to it. 3. You yourself can easily transform your body: All it takes is a proper diet and plenty of exercise. 4. The team knew that they themselves were responsible for playing their best. 5. We ourselves are the ones who make the greatest impact upon the world we live in. Intensive Pronoun Exercises

Choose the correct intensive pronoun to fill the blank in each sentence.

1. We built a garden shed by ______. A. Myself B. Ourselves C. Themselves D. Himself 2. Jordan made ______a sandwich, complete with pickles. A. Ourselves B. Yourself C. Himself D. Themselves 3. I’m a little nervous about walking by ______after dark. A. Myself B. Ourselves C. Themselves D. Herself 4. The twins are growing up fast; they’re already walking by ______. A. Myself B. Ourselves C. Himself D. Themselves 5. Jennifer sewed her dress ______. A. Myself B. Himself C. Ourselves D. Herself

Intensive vs. Reflexive Pronoun Exercises

Identify the italicized word as either a reflexive pronoun or an intensive pronoun.

1. Ben built a boat for himself A. Reflexive pronoun B. Intensive pronoun 2. My mother bakes our family’s bread herself. A. Reflexive pronoun B. Intensive pronoun 3. The mayor herself appeared at the rally. A. Reflexive pronoun B. Intensive pronoun

Verbs What is a verb?

A verb is one of the main parts of a sentence or question in English. In fact, you can’t have a sentence or a question without a verb! That’s how important these “action” parts of speech are.

The verb signals an action, an occurrence, or a state of being. Whether mental, physical, or mechanical, verbs always express activity.

Physical Verbs – Definition and Examples

Physical verbs are action verbs. They describe specific physical actions. If you can create a motion with your body or use a tool to complete an action, the word you use to describe it is most likely a physical verb.

Physical Verb Examples

The physical verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.

 Let’s run to the corner and back.  I hear the train coming.  Call me when you’re finished with class.

Mental Verbs – Definition and Examples

Mental verbs have meanings that are related to concepts such as discovering, understanding, thinking, or planning. In general, a mental verb refers to a cognitive state.

Mental Verb Examples The mental verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.

 I know the answer.  She recognized me from across the room.  Do you believe everything people tell you?

States of Being Verbs – Definition and Examples

Also known as linking verbs, state of being verbs describe conditions or situations that exist. State of being verbs are inactive since no action is being performed. These verbs are usually complemented by adjectives.

States of Being Verb Examples

The state of being verbs in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.

 I am a student.  We are circus performers.  Please is quiet. Types of Verbs

How many types of verbs are there? In addition to the main categories of physical verbs, mental verbs, and state of being verbs, there are several other types of verbs. In fact, there are more than ten different types of verbs that are grouped by function. Action Verbs Action Verbs are verbs that express action. Ex: run, walk, do, drive.

I’ll do my homework when I get home.

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

Most action verbs are defined as transitive or intransitive. This means that some are used with a direct object (the person or thing that receives the action of the subject) and others don’t need a direct object. Some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive depending on their meaning.

1. Transitive Verb – Joe will send the price quote as soon as he can. 2. Intransitive Verb – Many of the students are not well. They coughed throughout the lesson.

Transitive Verbs

Transitive verbs always receive a direct object:

1. Richard annoys his boss so much that he’ll never get a promotion. (His boss is the direct object of annoys and a promotion is the direct object of get) 2. Jenna brings Mrs. Smith lunch every day. (Mrs. Smith is the direct object of brings. Jenna is the subject. Here’s a list of some common transitive verbs that must be followed by a direct object:

 bring  send  owe  contain  buy  show  take  tell  verify  check  get  wash  finalize  annoy  lay  lend  offer  edit  make  phone Intransitive Verbs

Intransitive verbs do not need a direct object in order to complete their meaning. Many are followed by an adjective, adverb, preposition or verb complement (gerund or infinitive).

Here is a list of common intransitive verbs:

 come  explode  laugh  sit  rise  excel  respond  run  cough  swim  emigrate  smile  act  cry  immigrate  lie  arrive  continue  die  go

1. If Cathy continues to be late for work, the boss will fire her. (Continues is followed by an infinitive (to be), with no direct object.) 2. The bomb exploded in the city center. (Exploded is followed by a preposition of place with no direct object.) Many verbs can be both transitive and intransitive depending on their meanings. Examples

1. Jamie set the documents down on the CEO’s desk. (Transitive: The documents are the direct object to the verb: set.) 2. The sun set low over the Pacific Ocean. (Intransitive: Low is an adverb. Set doesn’t need a direct object.) 3. Ms. Tyson manages the accounting department. (Transitive: The accounting department is the direct object to the verb: manage.) 4. John has had difficulty managing since his wife’s death. (Intransitive: Since is a preposition of time. Managing doesn’t need a direct object) Note: Transitive and intransitive verbs can appear in any tense. Here is a list of several verbs that can be both transitive and intransitive depending on their meanings:

 set  leave  give  study  sit  grow  smell  dance  sing  write  teach  burn  eat  paint  drive  manage  stop  climb  run  check  cost  go  pay  improve Exercises – Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

Decide whether the following verbs are transitive, intransitive or both:

1. The workmen have been painting for hours. 2. When they call from the charity, Mrs. Alpert always gives generously. 3. Before you send the proposal, make sure you edit it carefully. 4. That perfume smells nice. 5. My new car cost me a small fortune. 6. Jim owed his landlord $450. 7. Pete emigrated from Australia in 1998. 8. The customer was tired of waiting, so he got up and left. 9. Are you sure you want to paint the ceiling too? 10. Please take the documents over to Mrs. Samuels’ office.

Auxiliary (or Helping) Verbs Auxiliary (or Helping) verbs are used together with a main verb to show the verb’s tense or to form a negative or question. The most common auxiliary verbs are have, be, and do.

1. Does Sam write all his own reports? 2. The secretaries haven’t written all the letters yet. 3. Terry is writing an e-mail to a client at the moment.

Auxiliary verbs, also known as helping verbs, add functional or grammatical meaning to the clauses in which they appear. They perform their functions in several different ways:

 By expressing tense ( providing a time reference, i.e. past, present, or future)  Grammatical aspect (expresses how verb relates to the flow of time)  Modality (quantifies verbs)  Voice (describes the relationship between the action expressed by the verb and the participants identified by the verb’s subject, object, etc.)  Adds emphasis to a sentence Auxiliary verbs almost always appear together with a main verb, and though there are only a few of them, they are among the most frequently occurring verbs in the English language. How to Identify an Auxiliary Verb

You probably know that every sentence has at least one verb in it. There are two main types of verbs. Action verbs are used to depict activities that are doable, and linking verbs are used to describe conditions. Both action verbs and linking verbs can accompany auxiliary verbs including the three main ones: do, be, and have.

Sometimes actions or conditions occur only one time and then they’re over. It’s at times like these that some of the same verbs that are used as auxiliary verbs are instead used as action or linking verbs. In this example, we see the word “is”. This is one of the most common auxiliary verbs, but because it stands alone here, it is not functioning as an auxiliary verb. Jerry slammed the car door on his thumb. He is in horrible pain.

“Is” is a linking verb in this sentence. Because it stands alone, it is not an auxiliary verb.

At other times, an action or condition is ongoing, happening predictably, or occurring in relationship to another event or set of events. In these cases, single-word verbs like is are not accurately capable of describing what happened, so phrases that include auxiliary verbs are used instead. These can be made up of anywhere from two to four words.

A main verb, also known as a base verb, indicates the kind of action or condition taking place. An auxiliary or helping verb accompanies the main verb and conveys other nuances that help the reader gain specific insight into the event that is taking place.

Read the following sentences and explanations to gain greater insight into how auxiliary verbs work.

1. Jerry caught his thumb in the car door as coffee spilled from his cup onto his favorite shirt. 2. Jerry is always spilling things. 3. Since Jerry is also accident prone, he should have been drinking coffee from a mug with a lid, which would not have spilled on his favorite shirt. In sentence one, caught and spilled, single-word verbs, describe quick, one-time actions of both Jerry and his messy coffee. This sentence does not contain an auxiliary verb.

Since Jerry often has unfortunate accidents, is spilling communicates the frequency of his clumsy actions in sentence two. In sentence three, the auxiliary verbs that make up should have been drinking and would have stained express time relationships as well as an evaluation of Jerry’s actions. Three Common Auxiliary Verbs

There are just three common auxiliary verbs:

 Have  Do  Be In this section, we’ll take a closer look at how these common verbs work, plus you’ll see some examples.

Have “Have” is a very important verb that can stand alone in all its tenses, including has, have, having, had, and hadn’t or had not. It is usually used to denote ownership, and it can also be used to discuss ability or describe appearance. “Have” is also a very popular substitute for the verbs “eat” and “drink.” For example: “Let’s have dinner.”

When used as an auxiliary verb, have is always teamed up with another verb to create a complete verb phrase, making it easy to differentiate between uses. You can see the difference in the sentences below:

 Jerry has a large coffee stain on his shirt. → Has = action verb  Jerry has bought a new shirt to replace the one that was ruined earlier. → Has = auxiliary verb; bought is a past participle that competes the verb phrase.  Jerry should have been more careful! → Have = auxiliary verb; phrase “should have been” expresses time and evaluates Jerry’s actions.

Do

“Do” can be used as an action verb that stands alone in all its tenses, including to do, do, does, done, did and didn’t, doesn’t or did not .

When used as an auxiliary verb, do is always paired up with another verb to create a complete verb phrase. In some cases, it is used to add emphasis: “I did put the garbage out!” Do is often used to form questions and negated clauses. It is also used in elliptical sentences, where the main verb is understood and is omitted as a result. For example: “He plays piano well, doesn’t he?” or “They all had dinner, but I didn’t.”

 Because he spills things so often, Jerry does more laundry than most people.  Does = action verb  Jerry didn’t put his coffee in a cup with a lid.  Didn’t = auxiliary verb  Jerry doesn’t always spill things, but it happens a lot.  Doesn’t = auxiliary verb

Be

“Be” or “to be” is an important verb that has a multitude of uses in English. It can be used as an action verb that stands alone in all its tenses including be, to be, been, am, are, is, was, were, wasn’t, was not aren’t, are not, weren’t and were not.

When used as an auxiliary verb, be is always paired with another verb to create a complete verb phrase. It can be singular or plural, present or past. Negative sentences are formed by adding the word “not”.  Jerry is messy.  Is = action verb  Although he is always complaining about his accidents, Jerry fails to pay attention.  is = auxiliary verb  Jerry is going to be doing extra laundry for the rest of his life.  to be = auxiliary verb Modal Auxiliary Verbs

In addition to the three main auxiliary verbs, have, do, and be, there are additional auxiliary verbs. These are called modal auxiliary verbs, and they never change form. A complete list of modal auxiliary verbs follows:

 Can  Could  May  Might  Must  Ought to  Shall  Should  Will  Would Auxiliary Verb Examples

Here are some examples of auxiliary verbs and verb phrases. In the examples below, the verb phrase is italicized and the auxiliary verb is in bold.

1. Jessica is taking John to the airport. 2. If he doesn’t arrive on time, he’ll have to take a later flight. 3. Unfortunately, our dinner has been eaten by the dog. 4. I have purchased a new pair of shoes to replace the ones that were lost in my luggage. 5. We hope you don’t have an accident on your way to school. 6. She was baking a pie for dessert. 7. Dad has been working hard all day. 8. The bed was made as soon as I got up. 9. Sarah doesn’t ski or roller skate. 10. Did Matthew bring coffee? Auxiliary Verb Exercises

Fill in the blank with the correct auxiliary verb from the choices presented:

1. What ______the kids doing when you last saw them? (was, were, are, did, been) 2. Carla ______always wanted to try skydiving. (was, doesn’t, has, is, have) 3. Where ______you go on your summer vacation? (were, been, are, did, does) 4. Why do you think she ______call you like she said she would? (didn’t, is, hasn’t, has been, have) 5. Mary ______going to be upset when she hears what happened. (will, don’t, is, didn’t, has) 6. Jeremy ______want to go to the movies; he wants to stay home instead. (doesn’t, isn’t, wasn’t, hasn’t, was not) 7. I ______appreciate his jokes. They weren’t funny. (did, have, been, didn’t, haven’t) 8. I really like fish but I ______care for meat. (weren’t, been, don’t, is, was) 9. Where ______you going when I saw you last night? (were, was, is, do, did) 10. Tara ______called yet; she’s late as usual. (are, were, has, hasn’t, wouldn’t)

Stative Verbs What are Stative Verbs?

Stative verbs are verbs that express a state rather than an action. They usually relate to thoughts, emotions, relationships, senses, states of being and measurements. These verbs are not usually used with ing in progressive (continuous) tenses even though they may take on time expressions such as now and at the moment. We use the simple tenses for them.

1. Paul feels rotten today. He has a bad cold. 2. Do you recognize him? He is a famous rock star. 3. Our client appreciated all the work we did for him.

Verbs Stative Verbs What are Stative Verbs?

Stative verbs are verbs that express a state rather than an action. They usually relate to thoughts, emotions, relationships, senses, states of being and measurements. These verbs are not usually used with ing in progressive (continuous) tenses even though they may take on time expressions such as now and at the moment. We use the simple tenses for them.

1. Paul feels rotten today. He has a bad cold. 2. Do you recognize him? He is a famous rock star. 3. Our client appreciated all the work we did for him.

 Incorrect: I’m smelling your wife’s wonderful spaghetti sauce.  Correct: I smell your wife’s wonderful spaghetti sauce. However, there are some verbs that look like they should be stative, but may appear in the ing form. These verbs differ in meaning to the stative verbs.

Stative Verb Examples: see

1. I see Michael, but he can’t see me. I’m too far away. (I see him with my eyes.) 2. James is seeing Marsha. They’ve been together for a month. (He’s dating her.) hear

1. I hear music coming from the Smith’s apartment. Someone must be home now. (To experience sound) 2. I’m hearing voices. (I’m imagining it) have

1. Jeremy has a Mercedes. (He owns it.) 2. Sara is having lunch with her editor. (She’s eating lunch)

List of Stative Verbs

 adore  agree  appear (seem)  appreciate  be (exist)  believe  belong to  concern  consist of  contain  cost  deny  depend on  deserve  detest  disagree  dislike  doubt  equal  feel  hate  have (possession)  hear  imagine  include  involve  know  lack  like  loathe  look (seem)  love  matter  mean  measure  mind  need  owe  own  possess  promise  realize  recognize  remember  resemble  satisfy  see  seem  smell  sound  suppose  surprise  taste  think (opinion)  understand  want  weigh  wish

Stative Verb Exercises Complete each sentence using the stative verb from the parenthesis:

1. Do you ______the answer? (depend on, know, include) 2. Jim ______dessert every day. (has, eats, possesses) 3. I ______good about the race’s outcome. (am, were, feel) 4. She ______her mother. (imagines, resembles, walks with) 5. Do you ______they will win? (think, involve, promise) 6. They really ______everything you did for them. (include, appreciate, dislike) 7. I think the teacher was ______with my speech. (involved, measured, satisfied) 8. Can you ______the coffee brewing? (feel, smell, dislike) 9. I still ______a lot of money on my student loans. (deserve, owe, involve) 10. You ______more shoes than anyone else I know! (dislike, suppose, have)

Modal Verbs Modal and Modal Phrases (Semi-Modals)

A modal is a type of auxiliary (helping) verb that is used to express: ability, possibility, permission or obligation. Modal phrases (or semi-modals) are used to express the same things as modals, but are a combination of auxiliary verbs and the preposition to. The modals and semi-modals in English are:

1. Can/could/be able to 2. May/might 3. Shall/should 4. Must/have to 5. Will/would

Can, Could, Be Able To

Can, could and be able to are used to express a variety of ideas in English:

Ability/Lack of Ability

Present and Future: can/can’t + base form of the verb

1. Tom can write poetry very well. 2. I can help you with that next week. 3. Lisa can’t speak French. am / is / are / will be + able to + base form of the verb am not/ isn’t / aren’t/ won’t be + able to + base form of the verb

1. Mike is able to solve complicated math equations 2. The support team will be able to help you in about ten minutes. 3. I won’t be able to visit you next summer. Past:

could / couldn’t + base form of the verb

1. When I was a child I could climb trees. was / were + able to + base form of the verb wasn’t / weren’t + able to + base form of the verb hasn’t / haven’t + been able to + base form of the verb

1. I wasn’t able to visit her in the hospital. 2. He hasn’t been able to get in touch with the client yet. Note: Can and could do not take an infinitive (to verb) and do not take the future auxiliary will.

 Incorrect: I can to help you this afternoon.  Correct: I can help you this afternoon.  Correct: I will (I’ll) be able to help you this afternoon.

Possibility / Impossibility

can / can’t + base form of the verb

1. You can catch that train at 10:43. 2. He can’t see you right now. He’s in surgery. could + base form of the verb

1. I could fly via Amsterdam if I leave the day before.

Ask Permission / Give Permission

Can + Subject + base form of the verb (informal)

1. Can you lend me ten dollars? Can + base form of the verb (informal)

1. You can borrow my car. Could + subject + base form of the verb (polite)

1. Could I have your number? 2. Could I talk to your supervisor please?

Make a suggestion – To make a suggestion use:

Could + base form of the verb (informal)

1. You could take the tour of the castle tomorrow. Exercises: Can, Could, Be able to

Fill in the correct form of can, could or be able to as in the examples.

1. Ben could not help his little brother with his homework yesterday. 2. Can I call you later tonight?

1. ______Tony run long distances when he was a boy? 2. ______you please call a tow truck for me? My car broke down. (polite) 3. The students ______to buy their textbooks today. The bookstore is all out of them. 4. ______you teach me how to fix my computer? You’re so good at it. 5. ______you ______reach the customer if you call him at 4:00 his time? May, Might

Formal Permission / Formal Prohibition may / may not + base form of the verb

1. You may start your exam now. 2. You may not wear sandals to work. Polite Request

May + subject + base form of the verb

1. May I help you? Possibility / Negative Possibility may/ might + base form of the verb

1. We may go out dinner tonight. Do you want to join us? 2. Our company might get the order if the client agrees to the price. may not / might not + base form of the verb

1. Adam and Sue may not buy that house. It’s very expensive. 2. They might not buy a house at all. To Make a Suggestion (when there is no better alternative) may as well / might as well + base form of the verb

1. You may as well come inside. John will be home soon. 2. We might as well take Friday off. There’s no work to be done anyway. Polite Suggestion might + base form of the verb

1. You might like to try the salmon fillet. It’s our special today. Exercises: May / Might

Fill in the correct form of may or might as in the example.

1. May I sit here?

1. They ______finish the project on time. The main engineer is ill. 2. You _____ want to stop by the museum gift shop on your way out. 3. _____ I have your autograph? 4. He ______visit the Louvre. He’s in Paris anyway. 5. You ______park your car here. It’s reserved for guests of the hotel only. Shall, Should, Ought to

To Offer of Assistance or Polite Suggestion (When you are quite sure of a positive answer)

Shall + subject + base form of the verb 1. Shall we go for a walk? Note: Shall is only used with I or we. It is used instead of will only in formal English.

To Offer of Assistance or Polite Suggestion (When you are not sure of a positive answer)

Should + subject + base form of the verb

1. Should I call a doctor? A Prediction or Expectation that Something Will Happen should/shouldn’t + base form of the verb

1. The proposal should be finished on time. 2. I shouldn’t be late. The train usually arrives on time. To Give Advice should / ought to + base form of the verb

1. You should check that document before you send it out. 2. You ought to have your car serviced before the winter. To Give Advice (about something you think wrong or unacceptable) shouldn’t + base form of the verb

1. James shouldn’t teach him words like those. Exercises: Should, Shouldn’t, Ought To

Fill in should, shouldn’t or ought in the following sentences as in the example.

1. He shouldn’t encourage such bad behavior.

1. You _____ get your teeth cleaned at least once a year. 2. The house ______be ready to move into by next month. It’s almost finished. 3. Ron ______to improve his attitude. If he doesn’t, he might get fired. 4. ______I get your jacket? It’s cold in here. 5. You ______put your feet on the table. It’s not polite. Must, Have to, Need to, Don’t have to, Needn’t Necessity or Requirement

Present and Future: must / have to / need to + base form of the verb

1. You must have a passport to cross the border. 2. Elisabeth has to apply for her visa by March 10th. 3. I need to drop by his room to pick up a book. Past: had to / needed to + base form of the verb

1. I had to work late last night. 2. I needed to drink a few cups of coffee in order to stay awake. Note: have to and need to are often used in the same context, but many times, need to is used to express something that is less urgent, something in which you have a choice.

Almost 100% Certain must + base form of the verb

1. Thomas has lived in Paris for years. His French must be very good.

To Persuade must / have to + base form of the verb

1. You must try this wine. It’s excellent. 2. You have to visit us while you’re in town.

Prohibited or Forbidden must not / mustn’t + base form of the verb

1. You must not drive over the speed limit. 2. You mustn’t leave medicines where children can get to them.

Lack of Necessity don’t /doesn’t /didn’t + have to + base form of the verb 1. You don’t have to park the car. The hotel valet will do it for you. 2. Tim doesn’t have to go to school today. It’s a holiday. 3. You didn’t have to shout. Everyone could hear you. needn’t + base form of the verb

1. You needn’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. Exercises: Must, Have to, Need to, Don’t Have to, Needn’t

Fill in the blanks with one of these modals: must, must not, have to, has to, don’t have to, doesn’t have to, needn’t as in the examples. There may be more than one correct answer.

1. Shira doesn’t have to drive to the airport. She’s going by taxi. 2. You must speak politely to the customers.

1. You ______tell Anna about the party tomorrow night. It’s a surprise! (must not, need to, doesn’t have to) 2. Tina ______register for her classes on Monday, otherwise she won’t get a place in them. (doesn’t have to, mustn’t, has to) 3. You ______send that fax. I’ve already sent it. (must, will have to, don’t have to) 4. A dog ______get special training in order to be a guide dog. (must, need to, don’t have to) 5. Jeremy ______get up early tomorrow. His class was cancelled. (mustn’t, doesn’t have to, don’t need to) Modals: Will / Would will / won’t + base form of the verb

1. John will pick you up at 7:00am. 2. Beth won’t be happy with the results of the exam.

Polite Request or Statement

Will / Would + base form of the verb

1. Will you please take the trash out? 2. Would you mind if I sat here? 3. I’d (I would) like to sign up for your workshop.

Habitual Past Action

Would/Wouldn’t + base form of the verb

1. When I was a child, I would spend hours playing with my train set. 2. Peter wouldn’t eat broccoli when he was a kid. He loves it now. Exercises: will, would

Fill in the blanks with one of the following words: will, won’t, would, wouldn’t.

1. Will you please help me lift this box?

1. I ______like to order the onion soup please. 2. The manager ______be pleased to hear that a customer slipped on the wet floor. 3. ______it be okay if I slept here tonight? 4. When Igor lived in Russia, he ______call his mother as often as he does now. 5. I can assure you sir, the order ______be shipped out tonight. Exercises – All Modals

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the following modals: can, could, be able to, may, might, shall, should, must, have to, don’t have to, need to – You may have to make the modals negative according to the context of the sentence. – There may be more than one possibility.

1. He has to take his car to be serviced. The brakes are squeaking. 2. Would you please save me a seat at the dinner event?

1. If you are sick, you ______go to work. You’ll infect everyone there. 2. Driver’s ______stop at red lights. 3. You ______finish the proposal today. You can finish it tomorrow. 4. She ______hear much better with her new hearing aids. 5. ______I order us a bottle of wine? 6. Sam ______pick his daughter up from school. She’s taking the bus home. 7. You ______smoke here. It’s a smoke-free building. 8. You ______eat so many sweets. They are bad for you. 9. ______you mind walking a little faster? We’re going to be late. 10. I’m sorry. I ______help you. I don’t know how to do it.

Phrasal Verbs What are Phrasal Verbs?

A phrasal verb is a combination of words (a verb + a preposition or verb +adverb) that when used together, usually take on a different meaning to that of the original verb.

Phrasal Verb Examples

1. break down, check in, tear up When we use phrasal verbs, we use them like normal verbs in a sentence, regardless if it’s a regular or irregular verb.

1. Ella tore up the letter after she read it. 2. Their car broke down two miles out of town. 3. Did the manager deal with that customer’s complaint. More phrasal verb examples:

1. Be sure to put on a life jacket before getting into the boat. 2. We left out the trash for pickup. 3. It’s time to get on the plane. 4. What will she think up next? 5. I’m having some trouble working out the solution to this equation. 6. We’re going to have to put off our vacation until next year. 7. Stand up when speaking in class, please. 8. We’ll have to wake up early if we want breakfast. 9. Take off your shoes before you walk on the carpet. 10. My dog likes to break out of his kennel to chase squirrels. Click here for an extensive list of phrasal verbs Phrasal Verb Exercises

Choose the correct phrasal verb from the parenthesis at the end of the sentence.

1. Someone broke into my car last night and stole the stereo. (broke down/broke into) 2. Will you be able to get by this month with the little you have?(get off / get by)

1. His father always taught him not to _____ those people with less. (look up to / look down on) 2. Stop complaining and _____ your work! (get on with / get over) 3. The boss wants you to _____ your figures for this month to him. (hand out / hand in) 4. We’re going to have to _____ our trip to Spain until September. (put up/ put off) 5. I _____ Amir today at the supermarket. It was great to see him. (ran out of / ran into) 6. I’m so tired of Sophie _____ her engagement ring all the time. (showing off, showing up) 7. The police would not _____ to the kidnapper’s demands. (give up/ give in) 8. I thought I would _____ for a cup of coffee. Is that okay? (drop off/ drop in) 9. Have you ever _____ such an unusual piece of art? (come forward/come across) 10. It’s important to _____ on time. (show up / show off) 11. _____ your feet when walking; you don’t want to trip! (uplift / lift up) 12. The tree was _____ by the wind. (blown up / blown over) 13. He _____ his hat to show me his new haircut. (took off / took up) 14. I just can’t seem to _____ this book. (get off / get into )

Verb Tenses Present Simple

1. Positive: Most kids like milk. 2. Negative: I do not like milk unless it’s chocolate. 3. Yes/No Questions: Do you like milk? 4. Wh-Questions: When do we board the train for Paris? 5. Tag Questions: You like scuba diving, don’t you?

Present Progressive (Continuous)

1. Positive:You are learning to use perfect English. 2. Negative:You are not sleeping now. 3. Yes/No Questions:Are you eating? 4. Wh-Questions:What are you watching? 5. Tag Questions:You aren’t eating liverwurst, are you? Past Simple

1. Positive:I visited my grandmother yesterday. 2. Negative:We didn’t watch the movie on Saturday. 3. Yes/No Questions:Did you have spaghetti for dinner last night? 4. Wh-Questions:Why didn’t you wash the car yesterday? 5. Tag Questions:You went to Paris last year, didn’t you? Past Progressive (Continuous)

1. Positive:We were watching TV when the power went out. 2. Negative:You were not listening to the teacher’s instructions yesterday. 3. Yes/No Questions:Were you skateboarding when you broke your leg? 4. Wh-Questions:What were you doing when you heard the news? Future

Future Simple

1. Be Going To:We are going to the movies tonight. 2. Shall:You will help your grandmother later. Future Progressive (Continuous)

1. Present Simple and Present Progressive with Future Meaning: Sam will be coming home any minute. Perfect Tenses The perfect tenses describe actions that have already been completed or that began in the past and are relevant to the present or that will have happened at a particular time in the future. They are also referred to as the perfective aspect.

Present Perfect Simple

1. Positive:They have been to Paris. 2. Negative:You haven’t gone overseas. 3. Yes/No Questions:Have you been to London? 4. Wh-Questions:Why are we here? 5. Tag Questions:You haven’t been to Zurich, have you? Present Perfect Progressive (Continuous)

1. Positive:They have been swimming for more than an hour. 2. Negative:You haven’t waited thirty minutes yet. 3. Yes/No Questions:Have you been waiting long? 4. Wh-Questions:What time did you begin waiting? 5. Tag Questions:You haven’t been waiting long, have you? Past Perfect Simple

1. Positive:He had studied French before traveling to Paris. 2. Negative: She hadn’t studied French before last semester. 3. Yes/No Questions:Had you studied French before you traveled to Paris? 4. Wh-Questions:Why hadn’t you studied French when you knew you’d be traveling to Paris soon? 5. Tag Questions:You hadn’t visited the U.S. before your trip in 2010, had you? Past Perfect Progressive (Continuous)

1. Positive:We had been waiting for more than three hours when the train finally arrived. 2. Negative:We had not been waiting for more than thirty minutes when her plane landed. 3. Yes/No Questions:Had you been waiting for longer than three hours? 4. Wh-Questions:Why had you been waiting for the last two hours?

Future Perfect Simple / Future Perfect Progressive

1. Future Perfect Simple: You will have perfected your French by the time you come back from Paris. 2. Future Perfect Progressive: We will be waiting for him when his plan arrives tonight.

Irregular Verbs What Are Irregular Verbs?

Irregular verbs are verbs that don’t take on the regular –d, -ed, or -ied spelling patterns of the past simple (V2) or past participle (V3). Many of the irregular V2 and V3 forms are the same, such as: cut – cut, had – had, let – let, hurt – hurt, fed- fed, sold-sold

Irregular Verb Examples

Irregular verbs are also known as strong verbs. Here are nine that are used more often than the rest. These nine irregular verb examples also happen to be among the most commonly used words in the English language. They are:

 Go  Get  Say  See  Think  Make  Take  Come  Know The following list of examples show how irregular verbs are used in sentences. Some sentences contain more than one example.

1. Go get your brother. It’s time to eat dinner. → In this example, all three irregular verbs (go, get, and eat) are in base form. 2. I want to build a sand castle like the one we built last year. → In this example, the irregular verb build is in base form. The irregular verb built is the past simple form of “build”. When you look at the complete list of examples, you’ll notice that built is also the past participle of the irregular verb “build”.

3. He bet me that I couldn’t run five miles without stopping. I proved him wrong; I ran seven miles before I had to catch my breath. → In this example, bet is a past simple form. When you look at the complete list, you will see that all three forms of “bet” are the same. Next, in the same sentence, the irregular verb run is in base form. In the next sentence, ran is the past simple form of “run” and had is the past simple form of “have.” Meanwhile, catch is base form.

4. I awoke to find that a spider had bitten me. Although the wound didn’t bleed, it itched terribly. → In this example, the irregular verb awoke is the past simple form of “awake.” Bitten is past participle form of “bite” and bleed is base form.

5. Let’s drink some of this lemonade. I drank some yesterday and found it delicious. → In this example, the irregular verb drink is in base form. Drank is the past simple form of “drink,” and found is the past simple form of “find.”

For more examples, read our complete list of irregular verbs in the English language. Irregular Verb Exercises

Fill the blank spaces with the appropriate irregular verb.

1. My dog jumped out of the swimming pool and ______himself, causing water to spray everywhere. (shake, shook, shaken) 2. You should have ______Trish’s face when she got her surprise. (saw, had seen, seen) 3. We ______the whole day lounging on the beach. (spend, spent, had spend) 4. Let’s ______a hike on Saturday. (take, took, taken) 5. My brother Mike ______his stinky socks on the coffee table. (leave, left, leaving) 6. This is the ninth time that pitcher has ______a foul ball (throw, threw, thrown) 7. The water balloon ______when it hit its target. (burst, busted, broken) 8. Jesse intentionally ______gum in Jeff’s hair. (stick, stuck, sticky) Confusing Verbs There are many verbs that sound similar and it’s easy to get confused between them. Here is a list of some of the most common confusing verb pairs, their meanings and examples of how they should be used in a sentence.

Verb Meaning/ Use The Verb in Context

borrow To take a loan Can I borrow $20 from you please?

lend To give a loan I will lend you $20.

1. To report someone’s words say 1. Did she say anything about me? 2. To ask about how to use a 2. How do you say “hello” in Spanish? language

1. To instruct 1. Tell him to stop the car. tell 2. To narrate 2. He’s telling a good joke. do To carry out activities or tasks He needs to do his homework.

1. To cause to happen 1. Don’t make him angry. make 2. To create or build something 2. Don’t forget to make a list.

1. I can contact the company if you 1. To show ability can would like me to. 2. To request (informal) 2. Can I help you?

1. To express a possibility 1. I may see you later at the party. may 2. To request (polite) 2. May I help you? meet 1. To come into contact with 1. He met her for the first time yesterday. Verb Meaning/ Use The Verb in Context

someone 2. I will meet you in front of the main 2. To be introduced to someone building. 3. To arrange to see someone

1. To be familiar with someone 1. I’ve known Sheila for a long time. know 2. To understand a fact or truth 2. He knows a lot about geography.

1. Don’t waste your time watching too To fail to use something valuable much TV. waste in an effective way 2. Don’t waste water! We don’t have enough of it.

1. I spent a lot of money at the shop 1. To pay out yesterday. spend 2. To pass time 2. He spends much of his time at the beach.

1. The cat lies in the sun most of the day. 2. The documents are lying on the table 1. To recline or to rest now. lie 2. To not tell the truth 3. He lay on his bed in pain last night. 4. He lied to me about the money he’d spent.

1. He lays his keys on the counter every day. lay To put, place or set down 2. He laid the mail on the table when he came in.

To carry towards someone or bring He brings me flowers every week. somewhere Verb Meaning/ Use The Verb in Context

To carry away from someone or He always takes his brother to hockey take somewhere games.

They adopted a child from Vietnam last adopt To take or claim as one’s own year.

1. John adapted to the weather in the 1. To get used to East quite quickly. adapt 2. To change 2. That company adapts and resells the ideas of others.

1. To get up 1. He rises at 5:00 every morning rise 2. To go up 2. Gas prices are steadily rising.

The government is raising the price of raise to make higher fuel. emigrate To leave a country Joshua emigrated from the UK in 2001. immigrate To move to another country She immigrated to Canada in 2002.

Exercises – Confusing verbs

Choose the correct word from the parenthesis at the end of the sentence as in the example.

1. As a child, I spent each summer in France with my grandmother. (spent/wasted)

1. I have already ____ to the customs in this new country I live in. (adapted / adopted) 2. Ed ______Suzanne at a single’s party last month. (met / knew) 3. The girls ____ money from their father to buy their mom a gift. (lent / borrowed) 4. My father ______the American flag on all US holidays. (raises / rises) 5. He’s ______down because he doesn’t feel well. (laying / lying) 6. Cho left China and ______to Australia in 1998. (emigrated / immigrated) 7. I don’t know how to do it, but I’m sure the service department ______help you. (can / may) 8. I hope you will ______your job well. (make / do) 9. Anna parties every night. It has started ______her work. (effecting / affecting) 10. Please turn off the lights. We don’t like to _____ energy. (spend / waste)

Passive Voice What is the passive voice?

In general we tend to use the active voice. That is when a subject does an action to an object.

1. Somebody stole my laptop. (subject = Somebody / action(verb) = stole / object = my laptop) The passive voice is used when we want to emphasize the action (the verb) and the object of a sentence rather than subject. This means that the subject is either less important than the action itself or that we don’t know who or what the subject is.

1. My laptop was stolen. (The object – now the subject = My laptop / action= was stolen)

1. Passive: Napa Valley is known for its excellent wines. 2. Active: [Many people] know Napa Valley for its excellent wines.

1. Passive: Twenty civilians were killed in the bomb explosion. 2. Active: Someone killed twenty civilians in the bomb explosion.

The passive agent

When we know who the subject is, we put it at the end with by. We call this an agent.

1. Passive: The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo Da Vinci. (agent =Leonardo Da Vinci ) 2. Active: Leonaro Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa. Most writing instructors and editors recommend against using the passive voice, when possible. The reason for this is that when you use the active voice, your writing is clearer and less complicated.

1. Active: While Mr. Taylor was driving down Highway 101, a police officer pulled him over and gave him a speeding ticket. 2. Passive: While Mr. Taylor was driving down Highway 101, he was pulled over and given a ticket by a police officer. If it’s a long sentence and you know who the subject is, it’s best to use the active voice.

The passive is often used to report something or to state a fact.

1. Highway 15 was closed yesterday due to a serious road accident. 2. A lot of corn is grown in Iowa. Forming the passive voice

The passive voice is not a tense in English. Each tense has its own passive voice which is created by using a form of the auxiliary verb to be + V3 (past participle) The passive voice in each tense:

Auxiliary verb + sample V3 Tense Examples (past participle)

Wine is made from grapes. Present simple am, is, are + made Many cars are made in Japan.

The document is being sent right now. Present am, is, are + being + sent I am being sent to work in the London progressive office.

John was invited to speak at the conference. Past simple was, were + invited We were invited to Daniel and Mary’s wedding.

The dog was being washed when I got Past home. was, were + being + washed progressive Their cars were being washed while they were in the mall shopping. Auxiliary verb + sample V3 Tense Examples (past participle)

The contract will be signed tomorrow. Future (will) will be + signed The documents will all be signed by next week.

A bridge is going to be built within the Future (going next two years. am, is, are + going to be + built to) New houses are going to be built in our neighborhood.

That start-up has been sold for $5 million. Present perfect has, have + been + sold The rights to his book have been sold for $250,000.

The new manager had been hired before John left the company. Past perfect had + been + hired All the employees had hired before the store opened.

The car will have been loaded by the time he gets home. Future perfect will + have been + finished The crates will have been loaded by then.

A passport can only be issued at the Modals: embassy. can, could + be + issued can/could He said the documents could be issued within the week. Auxiliary verb + sample V3 Tense Examples (past participle)

A babysitter has to be arranged for this have to, has to, had to + be + evening. Modal: have to arranged Joan’s travel plans have to be arranged by December.

Criminals must be stopped before they Modal: must must + be + stopped commit crimes.

All of the rules for passive negatives and questions are the same as for the active voice.

Note: Verbs that have no object (no one to “receive” the action) cannot be put into the passive, such as, arrive, come, die, exist, go, happen, have, live, occur sleep, etc. Passive Voice – Exercises

Fill in the correct passive form of the verb in parentheses.

1. After the earthquake, aid was sent to the people of Haiti. (sent) 2. The electricity was cut off because the bill hadn’t been paid. (not pay)

1. Penicillin ______by Alexander Fleming in 1928. (discover) 2. Statements ______from all the witnesses at this moment. (take) 3. Whales ______by an international ban on whaling. (must protect) 4. Both weddings ______by Good Taste. (cater) 5. A Picasso ____ from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.(steal) 6. ____ this washing machine ______in Germany? (make) 7. Tea _____ in China. (grow) 8. When we reached the airport, we found that all the flights____ due to the storm. (cancel) 9. The fax _____ until tomorrow morning. (not send) 10. The soundtrack of a movie _____ always _____ after the filming is finished. (is/add)

Adverb What is an Adverb?

An adverb is a word that is used to change or qualify the meaning of an adjective, a verb, a clause, another adverb, or any other type of word or phrase with the exception of determiners and adjectives that directly modify nouns.

Traditionally considered to be a single part of speech, adverbs perform a wide variety of functions, which makes it difficult to treat them as a single, unified category. Adverbs normally carry out these functions by answering questions such as:

 When? She always arrives early.  How? He drives carefully.  Where? They go everywhere together.  In what way? She eats slowly.  To what extent? It is terribly hot. This is called adverbial function and may be accomplished by adverbial clauses and adverbial phrases as well as by adverbs that stand alone.

There are many rules for using adverbs, and these rules often depend upon which type of adverb you are using. Remember these basics, and using adverbs to make sentences more meaningful will be easier for you.

 Adverbs can always be used to modify verbs. Notice that the second of these two sentences is much more interesting simply because it contains an adverb:  The dog ran. (You can picture a dog running, but you don’t really know much more about the scene.)  The dog ran excitedly. (You can picture a dog running, wagging its tail, panting happily, and looking glad to see its owner. You can paint a much more interesting picture in your head when you know how or why the dog is running.)  Adverbs are often formed by adding the letters “-ly” to adjectives. This makes is very easy to identify adverbs in sentences. There are many exceptions to this rule; everywhere, nowhere, and upstairs are a few examples.  An adverb can be used to modify an adjective and intensify the meaning it conveys. For example:  He plays tennis well. (He knows how to play tennis and sometimes he wins.)  He plays tennis extremely well. (He knows how to play tennis so well that he wins often.) As you read the following adverb examples, you’ll notice how these useful words modify other words and phrases by providing information about the place, time, manner, certainty, frequency, or other circumstances of activity denoted by the verbs or verb phrases in the sentences. Examples of Adverbs

As you read each of the following adverb examples, note that the adverbs have been italicized for easy identification. Consider how replacing the existing adverbs with different ones would change the meaning of each sentence.

1. She was walking rapidly. 2. The kids love playing together in the sandbox. 3. Please come inside now. 4. His jokes are always very funny. 5. You don’t really care, do you? Adverbs Exercises

The following exercises will help you gain greater understanding about how adverbs work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.

1. The driver stopped the bus ______. A. Financially B. Exactly C. Abruptly D. Now

2. During autumn, colorful leaves can be seen falling ______from trees. A. Everywhere B. Very C. Gently D. Loudly 3. My grandmother always smiled ______. A. Cheerfully B. Sadly C. Never D. Yesterday 4. After the party, confetti was strewn ______. A. Blandly B. Everywhere C. Later D. Carefully 5. It’s time to go ______. A. Before B. Now C. Yesterday D. Lightly Adverbs List

There are many different words that function as adverbs. The following list is broken down into segments which list adverbs by function. After reading, you will be able to think of additional adverbs to add to your own list – after all, there are thousands.

Many adverbs end in “-ly”. This makes it very easy to spot the adverbs in most sentences.

Abruptly

Boldly

Carefully

Deliberately

Excitedly

Financially

Horribly Mildly

Naughtily

Openly

Poorly

Quickly

Sadly

Terribly

Willingly

Yearly

Some adverbs tell us where the action happened. These are known as adverbs of place.

Everywhere

Here

Inside

There

Underground

Upstairs

Certain adverbs let us know when or how often the action happened. These are known as adverbs of time and adverbs of frequency.

After

Always

Before Later

Now

Today

Yesterday

Many adverbs tell us the extent of the action.

Almost

Enough

So

Too

Quite

Rather

Very

Some adverbs are used as intensifiers.

Absolutely

Certain

Completely

Heartily

Really

Certain adverbs called adverbs of manner tell us about the way in which something was done.

Briskly Cheerfully

Expectantly

Randomly

Willingly

Some groups of words serve the same functions as adverbs. These are known as adverb clauses. Be sure to read the adverb clause section to learn new ways to make your sentences even more interesting.

Adverb Clauses What is an adverb clause?

An adverb clause is a group of words that is used to change or qualify the meaning of an adjective, a verb, a clause, another adverb, or any other type of word or phrase with the exception of determiners and adjectives that directly modify nouns.

Adverb clauses always meet three requirements:

 First, an adverb clause always contains a subject and a verb.  Second, adverb clauses contain subordinate conjunctions that prevent them from containing complete thoughts and becoming full sentences.  Third, all adverb clauses answer one of the classic “adverb questions:” When? Why? How? Where? Examples of Adverb Clauses

As you read the following adverb clause examples, you’ll notice how these useful phrases modify other words and phrases by providing interesting information about the place, time, manner, certainty, frequency, or other circumstances of activity denoted by the verbs or verb phrases in the sentences. While adverb clauses are slightly more complicated than simple adverbs, they are worth learning about.

The adverb clauses in these examples are italicized for easy identification. 1. Jennifer scrubbed the bathtub until her arms ached. (This adverb clause describes how Jennifer scrubbed.) 2. The dogs started chasing my car once they saw it turn the corner. (This adverb clause describes when the dogs started chasing my car.) 3. After having my wisdom teeth out, I had a milkshake for dinner because I couldn’t chew anything. (This adverb clause describes why I had a milkshake for dinner.) Adverb Clause Exercises

The following exercises will help you gain greater understanding about how adverb clauses work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.

1. The women took notes ______. a. While being taught to cook b. Steadily c. Noisily d. For their children

2. We will go to the game ______. a. Friday b. Even if it rains c. Saturday d. Sometime

3. You can put the package ______. a. Outside b. Inside c. Wherever you like d. Somewhere

4. ______, you will not be punished.

a. Since you have apologized

b. We decided

c. He told me

d. You are lucky

5. She was so tired ______.

a. She left

b. She cried

c. Today

d. That she could not stand

Adverb Clauses List

When creating adverb clauses, feel free to be creative. The following examples will help you get started:

 Even when I’m sick  When you have finished working  Whenever you like  Wherever we prefer  Since I returned from vacation  As she was not there  Since you always do well  Before entering high school  After I return  So that he would understand

Adverbs of Frequency What are adverbs of frequency?

Adverbs that change or qualify the meaning of a sentence by telling us how often or how frequently something happens are defined as adverbs of frequency.

An adverb of frequency is exactly what it sounds like – an adverb of time. Adverbs of frequency always describe how often something occurs, either in definite or indefinite terms. An adverb that describes definite frequency is one such as weekly, daily, or yearly. An adverb describing indefinite frequency doesn’t specify an exact time frame; examples are sometimes, often, and rarely.

Adverbs of Frequency Rules

These simple rules for adverbs of frequency will help you to use them correctly:

 Always use adverbs of frequency to discuss how often something happens.  Adverbs of frequency are often used to indicate routine or repeated activities, so they are often used with the present simple tense.  If a sentence has only one verb, place the adverb of frequency in the middle of the sentence so that it is positioned after the subject but before the verb. For example: Tom never flies. He always takes the bus.  When a sentence contains more than one verb, place the adverb of frequency before the main verb. For example: They have often visited Europe.  When using an adverb of frequency in the negative or in forming a question, place it before the main verb. For example: Do you usually get up so late? Examples of Adverbs of Frequency

Each sentence contains an example of an adverb of frequency; the examples are italicized for easy identification.

1. The incubator turns each egg hourly. 2. We take a vacation at least once annually. 3. I usually shop for groceries on Saturday mornings. 4. He is often late for work. 5. We seldom see John. 6. My dentist told me I should floss twice daily. Adverbs of Frequency Exercises

The following exercises will help you to gain better understanding about how adverbs of frequency work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.

1. I ______late on Saturdays. a. Get up usually b. Get usually up c. Usually get up

2. Jared ______late for work. a. Never is b. Is never

3. ______on weekends? a. Often do you travel b. Do you often travel c. Often you do travel

4. Susan ______early for class. a. Often is b. Are often c. Often are d. Is often

5. When do you ______go on vacation each year? a. Always b. Never c. Usually d. Ever

Adverbs of Frequency List

This list of adverbs of frequency contains many of the most common; keep in mind though that there are many other words which can serve in this capacity.

Always

Annually

Constantly

Daily

Eventually

Ever

Frequently

Generally

Hourly

Infrequently

Later

Monthly

Never Next

Nightly

Normally

Now

Occasionally

Often

Quarterly

Rarely

Regularly

Sometimes

Soon

Then

Today

Tonight

Weekly

Yearly

Yesterday

Yet

Adverbs of Manner What is an adverb of manner?

Adverbs of manner describe how something happens. For example, it is possible to walk or run at different speeds. The words used to describe walking or running at different speeds (quickly or slowly for example) are excellent examples of adverbs of manner. They help the reader gain greater insight into the way a written scene is playing out. Comparing the following sentences will help you to understand how these adverbs change the overall meaning of the sentences they’re found in.

The boys ran. (There is no adverb of manner in this sentence, so we can only imagine how fast the boys are running.)

The boys ran quickly. (The adverb of manner is quickly. It tells us that the boys are in a hurry.)

The boys were tired, so they ran more slowly than before. (The adverb of manner is slowly. It tells us that the boys are running, but they aren’t covering as much ground as they were before.)

There are a few rules to remember regarding adverbs of manner:

 When using these adverbs, be careful not to place them between the object and the verb. They often fit best after the sentence’s object or main verb.  If there is a preposition before the object, the adverb of manner may be placed either before the preposition or after the sentence’s object.  Add emphasis by placing an adverb of manner before both the verb and object, and when these adverbs are placed at the beginning of a sentence, they catch the reader’s attention. As you read the following examples of adverbs of manner, you will notice how the same adverb can lend different meanings to sentences containing nearly the exact same set of words. Examples of Adverbs of Manner

The adverb of manner in each example has been italicized for easy identification.

He quickly agreed to go to the store for milk. (His agreement was quick)

He agreed to go to the store for milk quickly. (He would go to the store quickly)

She quietly asked me to leave the room. (Her request was quiet)

She asked me to leave the room quietly. (I am not going to make noise when I leave)

The doctor woke the gently sleeping patient. (The patient was sleeping gently)

The doctor gently woke the sleeping patient. (The doctor was gentle while waking the patient)

Adverbs of Manner Exercises

The following exercises will help you gain greater understanding about how adverbs of manner work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.

1. The excited baby pounded the table ______. a. Badly b. Hungrily c. Normally d. Variously

Answer: B. The excited baby pounded the table hungrily.

2. Walk ______or you may miss the bus. a. Quickly b. Slowly c. Personally d. Happily Answer: A. Walk quickly or you may miss the bus.

3. Reading ______helps you to understand concepts better. a. Rapidly b. Briefly c. Carefully d. Always

Answer: C. Reading carefully helps you to understand concepts better.

4. Playing music too ______can damage your hearing. a. Slowly b. Cheerfully c. Carelessly d. Loudly

Answer: D. Playing music too loudly can damage your hearing.

5. A tortoise walks ______. a. Mostly b. Slowly c. Happily d. Eagerly

Answer: B. A tortoise walks slowly. Adverbs of Manner List The following list of adverbs of manner contains 125 single-word adverbs of manner; this is just a sample, as adverbs of manner actually form the largest of all groups of adverbs. accidentally angrily anxiously awkwardly badly beautifully boldly bravely brightly busily calmly carefully cautiously cheerfully clearly closely correctly courageously cruelly daringly deliberately doubtfully eagerly easily elegantly enormously enthusiastically equally eventually exactly faithfully fast fatally fiercely fondly foolishly fortunately frantically generously gently gladly gracefully greedily happily hard hastily honestly hungrily hurriedly inadequately ingeniously innocently inquisitively irritably joyously justly kindly lazily loosely loudly madly mortally mysteriously neatly nervously noisily obediently openly painfully patiently perfectly politely poorly powerfully promptly punctually quickly quietly rapidly rarely really recklessly regularly reluctantly repeatedly rightfully roughly rudely sadly safely selfishly sensibly seriously sharply shyly silently sleepily slowly smoothly so softly speedily stealthily sternly straight stupidly successfully suddenly suspiciously swiftly tenderly tensely thoughtfully tightly truthfully unexpectedly victoriously violently vivaciously warmly weakly wearily well wildly wisely Adverbs of Place What is an adverb of place?

Adverbs that change or qualify the meaning of a sentence by telling us where things happen are defined as adverbs of place. Some instructors refer to these words or phrases as spatial adverbs. No matter what they are called, these adverbs always answer one important question: Where?

These simple rules for adverbs of place will help you to use them the right way:

 An adverb of place always talks about the location where the action of the verb is being carried out.  Adverbs of place are normally placed after a sentence’s object or main verb.  Adverbs of place can be directional. For example: Up, down, around, away, north, southeast  Adverbs of place can refer to distances. For example: Nearby, far away, miles apart  An adverb of place can indicate an object’s position in relation to another object. For example: Below, between, above, behind, through, around and so forth.  Many adverbs of place indicate movement in a particular direction and end in the letters “- ward or -wards”. For example: Toward, forward, backward, homeward, westward, eastwards onwards Examples of Adverbs of Place

Each sentence contains an example of an adverb of place; the examples are italicized for easy identification. As you read these examples, you will notice that some of the adverbs of place contain more than one word.

Put the cake there.

After a long day at work, we headed homewards.

Please bring that book here.

My grandfather’s house is nearby.

Adverbs of Place Exercises

The following exercises will help you to gain better understanding about how adverbs of place work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.

1. Close the door when you go ______. 1. Out 2. Westward 3. Lightly 4. Here 2. The cat is hiding ______the couch. 1. On 2. Underneath 3. Somewhere 4. There

3. Will you be starting your plants ______or in a greenhouse? 1. Round 2. Home 3. Outside 4. Around 4. The ship sailed ______, encountering heavy weather along the way. 1. Up 2. Down 3. Northwards 4. Backwards

Adverbs of Place List

As you read through the examples this adverbs of place list contains, think about how they denote location or movement. With some consideration, you are likely to come up with some additional terms on your own. Abroad

Across

Ahead

Back

Backwards

Beyond

Down

Downwards

Eastwards

Everywhere

Here

In

Indoors

Inside

Outside

Overseas

There

West Adverbs of Time What is an adverb of time? Adverbs that change or qualify the meaning of a sentence by telling us when things happen are defined as adverbs of time.

An adverb of time is just what you might expect it to be – a word that describes when, for how long, or how often a certain action happened. You will notice that many adverbs of time are the same as adverbs of frequency. There is quite a bit of overlap between these two types of adverbs – so much so that some instructors choose to mention one or the other but not both.

These simple rules for adverbs of time will help you to use them the right way:

 Adverbs of time often work best when placed at the end of sentences. For example:  Robin Hood swindled the Sheriff of Nottingham yesterday.  I’m sick of living in chaos, so I’m going to clean my house tomorrow.  You can change the position of an adverb of time to lend emphasis to a certain aspect of a sentence. For example:  Later Robin Hood stole the king’s crown. (The time is the most important element here.)  Robin Hood later stole the king’s crown. (This is a formal way to use the adverb later. Notice how the statement sounds like it belongs in a police report.)  Robin Hood stole the king’s crown later. (This is a neutral, standard way to use the adverb later.)  Adverbs of time describing for how long an action occurred usually work best at the end of a sentence. For example:  She stayed at her grandmother’s house all day.  My father was up with heartburn for hours.  Adverbs of time that express an exact number of times the action happens usually work best at the end of a sentence. For example:  The newspaper arrives daily.  They go out to dinner weekly.  Our family goes on an outing monthly.  When using more than one adverb of time in a sentence, use them in the following order:  1. How long  2. How often  3. When For example:

 She volunteered at the hospital (1) for three days (2) every month (3) last year.

Examples of Adverbs of Time

Each sentence contains an example of an adverb of time; the examples are italicized for easy identification.

Are you coming to work tomorrow?

I’d like to go to the movies later.

Jim was so sick he spent four weeks in the hospital.

Adverbs of Time Exercises

The following exercises will help you to gain better understanding about how adverbs of time work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.

1. We go out for Japanese food ______. 1. Willingly 2. Normally 3. Weekly 4. Perfectly Answer: C. We go out for Japanese food weekly. (This sentence talks about how often we go out for Japanese food.)

1. Have you done your homework ______? 1. Now 2. Then 3. Yet 4. Still Answer: C. Have you done your homework yet? (This question inquires whether homework has been done at the appointed time.)

1. Do you ______work at the bank? 1. Still 2. Never 3. Grudgingly 4. Happily

2 .Would you rather drive sometimes or take the train ______?

1. Still 2. Never 3. Every day 4. To the beach

3. The patient is ______waiting to see the doctor.

1. Still 2. Never 3. Every day 4. Sadly Answer: A. The patient is still waiting to see the doctor. (This sentence expresses continuity. The patient was waiting to see the doctor before and is still waiting.) Adverbs of Time List After reading this list of adverbs of time, you may be able to come up with several more on your own. Remember that adverbs of time always tell us when, how long, and how often something happens.

When:

Yesterday

Today

Tomorrow

Later

Last year

Now

How long:

All morning

For hours

Since last week

How often:

Frequently

Never

Sometimes

Often

Annually Adverb of Degree What is an adverb of degree?

An adverb of degree is used to discuss the degree or intensity of an adjective, an action, or another adverb. There are so many adverbs of degree that it’s impossible to list them all in one short guide. Some common examples of adverbs of degree follow.

 Almost  Absolutely  Barely  Completely  Deeply  Enough  Enormously  Extremely  Fairly  Fully  Greatly  Hardly  Incredibly  Practically  Quite  Scarcely  Somewhat  Terribly  Virtually

Adverbs of degree are important modifiers. As you will soon see, they are usually placed before the word they are modifying. Examples of Adverbs of Degree

Adverbs of degree allow you to be very specific when writing, no matter what the purpose. In the following examples, the adverbs of degree have been italicized for ease of identification.

They were almost finished. This cake is absolutely wonderful.

The temperature was barely above freezing.

Our driveway is completely frozen.

We felt incredibly lucky after winning tickets to the World Series.

My teacher is terribly grumpy today.

Adjectives What is an adjective?

Adjectives are words that describe or modify other words, making your writing and speaking much more specific, and a whole lot more interesting. Words like small, blue, and sharp are descriptive, and they are all examples of adjectives. Because adjectives are used to identify or quantify individual people and unique things, they are usually positioned before the noun or pronoun that they modify. Some sentences contain multiple adjectives.

Adjective Examples

In the following examples, the highlighted words are adjectives:

1. They live in a big, beautiful 2. Since it’s a hot day, Lisa is wearing a sleeveless 3. The mountaintops are covered in sparkling 4. On her birthday, Brenda received an antique vase filled with fragrant Types of Adjectives

Remember that adjectives can modify as well as describe other words, and you’ll find it much easier to identify different types of adjectives when you see them. Articles

There are only three articles, and all of them are adjectives: a, an, and the. Because they are used to discuss non-specific things and people, a and an are called indefinite articles. For example:

 I’d like a  Let’s go on an Neither one of these sentences names a specific banana or a certain adventure. Without more clarification, any banana or adventure will do.

The word the is called the definite article. It’s the only definite article, and it is used to indicate very specific people or things:

 Please give me a banana. I’d like the one with the green stem.  Let’s go on an adventure. The Grand Canyon mule ride sounds perfect!

Possessive Adjectives

As the name indicates, possessive adjectives are used to indicate possession. They are:

 My  Your  His  Her  Its  Our  Their Possessive adjectives also function as possessive pronouns.

Demonstrative Adjectives

Like the article the, demonstrative adjectives are used to indicate or demonstrate specific people, animals, or things. These, those, this and that are demonstrative adjectives.

 These books belong on that  This movie is my favorite.  Please put those cookies on the blue plate.

Coordinate Adjectives Coordinate adjectives are separated with commas or the word and, and appear one after another to modify the same noun. The adjectives in the phrase bright, sunny day and long and dark night are coordinate adjectives. In phrases with more than two coordinate adjectives, the word and always appears before the last one; for example: The sign had big, bold, and bright letters. Be careful, because some adjectives that appear in a series are not coordinate. In the phrase green delivery truck, the words green and delivery are not separated by a comma because green modifies the phrase delivery truck. To eliminate confusion when determining whether a pair or group of adjectives is coordinate, just insert the word and between them. If and works, then the adjectives are coordinate and need to be separated with a comma.

Numbers Adjectives

When they’re used in sentences, numbers are almost always adjectives. You can tell that a number is an adjective when it answers the question “How many?”

 The stagecoach was pulled by a team of six  He ate 23 hotdogs during the contest, and was sick afterwards.

Interrogative Adjectives

There are three interrogative adjectives: which, what, and whose. Like all other types of adjectives, interrogative adjectives modify nouns. As you probably know, all three of these words are used to ask questions.

 Which option sounds best to you?  What time should we go?  Whose socks are those?

Indefinite Adjectives

Like the articles a and an, indefinite adjectives are used to discuss non-specific things. You might recognize them, since they’re formed from indefinite pronouns. The most common indefinite adjectives are any, many, no, several, and few.

 Do we have any peanut butter?  Grandfather has been retired for many  There are no bananas in the fruit bowl.  I usually read the first few pages of a book before I buy it.  We looked at several cars before deciding on the best one for our family.

Attributive Adjectives Attributive adjectives talk about specific traits, qualities, or features – in other words, they are used to discuss attributes. There are different kinds of attributive adjectives:

 Observation adjectives such as real, perfect, best, interesting, beautiful or cheapest can indicate value or talk about subjective measures.  Size and shape adjectives talk about measurable, objective qualities including specific physical properties. Some examples include small, large, square, round, poor, wealthy, slow and  Age adjectives denote specific ages in numbers, as well as general ages. Examples are old, young, new, five-year-old, and  Color adjectives are exactly what they sound like – they’re adjectives that indicate color. Examples include pink, yellow, blue, and  Origin adjectives indicate the source of the noun, whether it’s a person, place, animal or thing. Examples include American, Canadian, Mexican, French.  Material adjectives denote what something is made of. Some examples include cotton, gold, wool, and  Qualifier adjectives are often regarded as part of a noun. They make nouns more specific; examples include log cabin, luxury car, and pillow cover. Adjective Exercises

Find the adjective or adjectives that fit in each of the blanks best.

1. We visited the museum, where we saw ______artifacts. A. A lot of B. Ancient C. John’s D. A room filled with 2. I received ______awards at the ceremony today. A. The manager’s B. Two C. Information about D. Motivation at the 3. Please get me a bag of ______apples. A. Interesting B. Ripe red C. Oranges and D. Real 4. The president sat in a ______chair. A. Important B. Barber’s C. Funny D. Leather 5. ______weather is the norm in San Francisco. A. Blue B. Big C. Foggy D. The best

Forming adjectives Typical adjective endings

Some adjectives can be identified by their endings. Typical adjective endings include:

1. -able/-ible understandable, capable, readable, incredible 2. -al mathematical, functional, influential, chemical 3. -ful beautiful, bashful, helpful, harmful 4. -ic artistic, manic, rustic, terrific 5. -ive submissive, intuitive, inventive, attractive 6. -less sleeveless, hopeless, groundless, restless 7. -ous gorgeous, dangerous, adventurous, fabulous

Denominal adjectives What are denominal adjectives?

Denominal adjectives (sometimes called denominal adjectives) are adjectives derived from nouns. For example:

1. A mathematical puzzle. (a puzzle based on mathematics) 2. A biological experiment. (an experiment in biology) 3. A wooden boat. (a boat made of wood) Proper adjectives are derived from proper nouns. They commonly describe something in terms of nationality, religious affiliation, or culture. Like proper nouns, proper adjectives have their first letter capitalized. For example:

1. I married a Russian woman. 2. The Jewish community in NY is very large. Adjectives of this type should be carefully distinguished from adjectives denoting nationalities (nominal adjectives). For example:

1. Denominal Adjective: The French people are noted for their wines. 2. Nominal Adjective: The French are noted for their wines. or:

1. Denominal Adjective: The poor people are more vulnerable. 2. Nominal Adjective: The poor are getting poorer. Examples of denominal adjectives

1. A mathematical puzzle. 2. A biological experiment. 3. A wooden boat. 4. I married an American woman. 5. The Jewish community in NY is very big. 6. Mary has a collection of expensive Russian dolls. 7. In the winter you must wear heavy woolen clothes. 8. The polar bear is listed as threatened. Denominal adjective exercises 1. Choose the sentence containing the denominal adjective:

A. We worked on our homework all evening. B. We spent the evening working on our English homework. C. We felt sad about using the evening to do our homework. Answer: B. We spent the evening working on our English homework.

2. A or B? Which of the following sentences contain denominal adjectives?

A. London is noted for its many museums and monuments. B. London is noted for its art museums and monuments.

A. The Japanese embassy is nearby. B. The embassy of Japan is nearby.

A. I gave him a wooden walking stick. B. He needs to use a walking stick. Answers: B,A,A

3. A, B, or C? Which phrase contains the denominal adjective?

A. tidal wave B. screen door C. 10-month-old baby

A. bunny rabbit B. junior high C. wooden boat A. killer bees B. weird science C. oh, fudge!

4. Choose the correct denominal adjective for each sentence:

A. The sun had a cold, ______gleam.

 metallic  strange  constant B. We walked along at a ______pace.

 quick  leisurely  fast C. He does an ______check of his email.

 interest  hourly  scanning

5. Which sentences contain proper denominal adjectives?

A. The Japanese are noted for their sushi. B. The Japanese people are noted for their sushi.

A. He is English, but he married a Russian. B. He is an Englishman, but he married a Russian woman.

A. New York is home to many nationalities; for example, there are many Puerto Ricans living there. B. New York is a melting pot of nationalities; for example, there are many Puerto Rican people living there.

6. Which group of words contains only denominal adjectives?

A. orderly, order, port B. masterly, orderly, cowardly C. cowardly, orderly, order

7. Which of the following sentences does not contain a denominal adjective?

A. The dining room was comfortably appointed. B. She rowed across the Atlantic in a wooden dinghy. C. His grandfather was a carpenter of talent.

8. Which group of words contains no denominal adjectives?

A. Armenian, Indian, American B. museum, clothing, party C. restaurant, wooden, shindig

9. Find the proper denominal adjective in each of the following sentences:

A. His favorite dessert is German chocolate cake. B. She is a long-standing member of the Democratic party. C. We met some interesting Romanian people on the train. 10. Proper or not? Identify the denominal adjectives in the following sentences and state whether they are proper.

A. The Queen had rosy cheeks. B. We enjoyed the finest Greek goat cheese available. C. They lived in a brick house. D. We went to Paris for our yearly vacation. E. My grandfather is a member of the British parliament.

Comparing adjectives Forming comparative adjectives

As well as serving as modifying words like beautiful and big, adjectives are also used for indicating the position on a scale of comparison. The lowest point on the scale is known as the absolute form, the middle point is known as the comparative form, and the highest point is known as the superlative form. Here are some examples: Absolute Comparative Superlative

This book is long. This book is longer than that book. This is the longest book.

The airport is farther than the train This is The airport is far. station. the farthest airport.

My mom is My mom is a better cook than your My mom is a good cook. mom. the best cook.

The comparative form

When two objects or persons are being compared, the comparative form of the adjective is used. The comparative adjective can be formed in two ways:

1. Adding –er to the absolute form of the adjective. 2. Adding the word more before the adjective. For example:

1. My essay is longer than yours. 2. She is more beautiful than her sister. Here are the rules for choosing and forming the right form:

Add When Example Forming and Exceptions

Words of one This is a  Words ending with ‘e‘, add ‘r‘ to –er syllable longer book. the end of the word (e.g., lame → lamer).  Words with one vowel and one consonant at the end, double the consonant Add When Example Forming and Exceptions

and add –er to the end of the word (e.g., big → bigger).  Words with more than one vowel or more than one consonant at the end, add – er to the end of the word (e.g., hard → harder).

Words of two Change ‘y‘ to ‘i‘, and add –er to the –er syllables This doll is prettier. end of the word. ending with ‘y‘

Words of two He is more charming more syllables not Insert more before the adjective than his friend. ending with ‘y‘

This is Three syllable more a more powerful Insert more before the adjective words or longer cable.

When comparing two things, the word than is positioned between the adjective and the thing being compared. For example:

1. Apples are tastier than oranges. 2. This painting is more interesting than that painting. Superlatives

The superlative is used to say what thing or person has the most of a particular quality within a group or of its kind. The superlative can be formed in two ways:

1. Adding –est to the absolute form of the adjective. 2. Adding the word most before the adjective. For example:

1. This is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen. 2. The biggest table in the room. Here are the rules for choosing and forming the right form: Add When Example Forming and Exceptions

 Words ending with ‘e‘, add ‘st‘ to the end of the word (e.g., large → largest).  Words with one vowel and one Words of one This is the consonant at the end, double the consonant –est syllable longest book. and add –est to the end of the word (e.g., big → biggest).  Words with more than one vowel or more than one consonant at the end, add – est to the end of the word (e.g., blue → bluest).

Words of two This doll is the Change ‘y‘ to ‘i‘, and add –est to the –est syllables prettiest. end of the word. ending with ‘y‘

Words of two He is most syllables not the most charming Insert most before the adjective ending with ‘y‘ boy at school.

Three syllable This is most words or the most powerful Insert most before the adjective longer story.

Superlatives are usually preceded by the word the. Positive form

The positive form is used in cases where there are no differences between the two compared things or persons. To form the positive, we use the word as before and after the absolute form of the adjective. For example:

1. Danny is as smart as Phillip. 2. She is as beautiful as her older sister. This can also be applied in a negative context to indicate that the compared objects are not similar:

1. Danny is not as smart as Phillip. 2. She is not as beautiful as her older sister. Exceptions (irregular forms)

Certain adjectives have irregular forms in the comparative and superlative degrees:

Absolute Comparative Superlative

Good Better Best

Bad Worse Worst

Little Less Least

Much/many/some More Most

Examples of comparing adjectives

1. This house is bigger than that one. 2. This flower is more beautiful than that. 3. He is taller than Mr. Hulas. 4. He is more intelligent than this boy. 5. Jonathan is the most handsome man on campus. 6. This is the prettiest dress in the window. 7. I lost my most comfortable shoes. 8. My job is worse than yours. Comparing adjective exercises

1. Choose the comparative adjective in each group of sentences:

A. 1. Her hair is short. 2. Her hair is shorter than it was before. 3. Her hair is the shortest it has ever been. B. 1. We live nearer the train station than we used to. 2. Park in the lot nearest the train station. 3. I know the train station is somewhere near. C. 1. My dog might be ugly, but he is nice. 2. That’s the ugliest dog I’ve ever seen! 3. Because he was uglier than the others, my dog won the ugly dog contest. D. 1. Your presentation was more informative than most. 2. She gave an informative talk on honeybees. 3. That’s the most informative speech I’ve ever heard Professor Brown give!

2. Which of the following sentences does not contain a comparing adjective?

A. I’d like to have more participation from each of you this time around. B. If you’d have listened better, you wouldn’t be confused right now. C. They live in the brick house on the corner.

3. Choose the superlative adjective in each group of sentences:

A. 1. That’s the best ice cream I’ve ever tasted! 2. You’re a lot nicer than your sister. 3. This is delicious cake. B. 1. This presentation seems longer than usual. 2. Of all the hairstyles in the room, hers is most stylish. 3. I’m often trying to do better than others. C. 1. Lake Silfra has some of the clearest water on the world. 2. This shop carries nicer things than it used to. 3. My cat has three adorable kittens. D. 1. Be careful; that’s a fragile vase. 2. You’re more cheerful than you used to be. 3. This is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me.

4. Which of the following sentences contains a superlative adjective?

A. I can run further than before. B. She has the pinkest cheeks I’ve ever seen! C. Jimmy is a cute baby.

5. Choose the absolute adjective in each group of sentences:

A. 1. Your face is red. 2. You have the reddest face! 3. If you don’t wear sunscreen, your face will get redder. B. 1. This is the best book I’ve ever read. 2. I like this book better than the last one I read. 3. That’s a good book. C. 1. Most chocolate is sweet. 2. Milk chocolate is sweeter than dark chocolate. 3. I’m not sure which chocolate is sweetest. D. 1. This is a charming house. 2. Our new home is so much more charming than our old one. 3. She’s the most charming person I’ve ever met. 6. Choose the correct comparing adjective for each sentence:

A. My mother is a ______woman.

 Smart  Smarter  Smartest B. The surgeon worked ______to stabilize the patient.

 Quickly  Most quickly  More quickly C. We ran ______than we did last week.

 Fast  Faster  Fastest D. After the party, the house was the ______it’s ever been.

 Messy  Messier  Messiest

7. Name the type of comparing adjective in each sentence:

A. Jinx is a hairy dog. B. She has the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. C. He made me madder than I’ve been in a long time. D. We felt more excited than ever when we heard the news.

8. Choose the sentence with the positive form comparing adjective:

A. This book is more interesting than that one. B. The story we heard this week was as interesting as last week’s. C. This is one of the most interesting stories I’ve ever heard.

9. Which of the following sentences contains a comparing adjective in the comparative form?

A. We’ve had a run of bad luck lately. B. This is the worst snowstorm we have had in ten years. C. Your injury is worse than mine.

10. Which of the following sentences contains a comparing adjective in the superlative form?

A. She is not as mean as her older sister is. B. This is the least exciting movie I’ve ever seen. C. Mr. Brown is more boring than Mr. Philips. Compound adjectives – Exceptions

Note that combining an adverb and an adjective does not create a compound adjective. No hyphen is required because it is already clear that the adverb modifies the adjective rather than the subsequent noun. For example:

1. It was a terribly hot day. 2. It is an amazingly good idea. In addition, you should not place a hyphen in a compound adjective if the adjectives are capitalized, such as when they are part of a title. Examples of compound adjectives

1. This is a four-foot table. 2. Daniella is a part-time worker. 3. This is an all-too-common error. 4. Beware of the green-eyed monster. 5. He is a cold-blooded man. 6. I love this brightly-lit room! 7. Danny’s dog is well-behaved. 8. You have to be open-minded about things. Compound adjective exercises 1. From each group, choose the sentence that contains a compound adjective:

A. Sheila was horribly moody. B. We’d like you to be part of the decision-making process. C. The company showed steady improvement in their stock trades.

A. This is a widely used procedure for finishing wood floors. B. Moths ate his woolen socks. C. That was really generous of you.

A. Sharon’s adopted son is five years old today. B. My new car has leather upholstery. C. She was a well-known actress by the time she reached age five.

2. Using hyphens in compound adjectives: Which sentences are correct?

A. The group was full of rowdy 10 year old schoolboys. B. The group was full of rowdy 10-year-old schoolboys.

A. The actress is well known. B. The actress is well-known.

A. They enjoyed a three-year profit streak. B. They enjoyed a three-year-profit streak.

3. Using –ly adverbs in compound adjectives: Which sentences are correct?

A. Along the river, rapidly increasing floodwaters caused evacuations. B. Along the river, rapidly-increasing floodwaters caused evacuations.

A. My neighbor Jim is an internationally recognized author. B. My neighbor Jim is an internationally-recognized author.

A. The bank robbers tried to hatch their ill conceived plan and failed. B. The bank robbers tried to hatch their ill-conceived plan and failed.

4. Choose the correct compound adjective for each sentence.

A. He is fond of ______Scotch.

 good  12-year-old  10 year old B. The weather has been ______lately.

 terribly-cold  terribly cold  too cold C. Babysitting these kids is like trying to manage a ______.

 three ring circus  three-ring-circus  three-ring circus

5. Fill in the blanks with the best compound adjective for the situation:

A. Melanie has everything she needs. She is ______.

 two-faced  very badly behaved  well-cared for B. Louis overcomes difficulties easily. He is ______.

 short-tempered  level-headed  internationally renowned C. Mr. Chan likes to hear about new ideas. He is ______.

 strong-minded  two faced  open-minded

6. Fill in the blanks with the best phrase for the situation:

A. Jesse was promoted, so he bought ______.

 himself-a brand new car  himself a brand-new-car  himself a brand-new car B. The ______has been going on for decades.

 gun control debate  gun-control debate  gun-control-debate C. The sound of ______always soothes my mind.

 gently-flowing water  gently flowing water  gently-flowing-water

7. From each group, choose the sentence containing the correct compound adjective:

A. Maria is old-fashioned. She can’t quite see the words on the blackboard. B. Maria is near-sighted. She can’t quite see the words on the blackboard. C. Maria is very shy. She can’t quite see the words on the backboard.

A. She wore an old-fashioned dress to the ball. B. She wore a deeply-rooted dress to the ball. C. She wore a seasonal dress to the ball.

A. He works for a Texas-based pharmaceutical company. B. He works for a rapidly increasing pharmaceutical company. C. He works for an American-style pharmaceutical company.

8. Creating compound adjectives: From each group, choose the sentence pair that makes the most sense.

A. I don’t like glue that dries slowly. = This is a quick-drying glue. B. Did you know that some plants eat meat? = Did you know that there are meat-eating plants? C. Professor Brown has a very narrow mind. = Professor Brown’s mind is very narrow.

A. The price of the car was high. = It was a high-priced car. B. The meal tasted good. = This was a tasteful-meal. C. He likes to weigh in on political issues. = He is loud-mouthed and boring.

A. The tapeworm measured 35 inches. = The tape-worm measured 35-inches. B. The duck has flat feet. = That’s a flat-footed duck. C. Why not try some carrot juice? = Have some carrot-juice.

9. Compound adjectives containing numbers: From each group, choose the sentence containing the correct compound adjective.

A. The earthworms were at least three inches long. B. He ate a 12-inch sandwich for lunch. C. The sumo champion weighed 210-kilograms.

A. He drives a one-ton truck. B. Our house has three-bedrooms and two-bathrooms. C. There are nine-carrots in each bottle of juice.

A. My new chainsaw cost three-hundred dollars. B. I got a 300-dollar chainsaw for two hundred dollars. C. The best chainsaws cost more than three-hundred-dollars.

10. Use the underlined phrase to make a compound adjective.

A. He suggested an innovative plan to save money. B. Her brother had a sharp mind. C. My cat died suddenly when it was ten years old. Order of adjectives How to order adjectives in English

In many languages, adjectives denoting attributes usually occur in a specific order. Generally, the adjective order in English is:

1. Quantity or number 2. Quality or opinion 3. Size 4. Age 5. Shape 6. Color 7. Proper adjective (often nationality, other place of origin, or material) 8. Purpose or qualifier For example:

1. I love that really big old green antique car that always parked at the end of the street. 2. My sister adopted a beautiful big white bulldog. When there are two or more adjectives that are from the same group, the word and is placed between the two adjectives:

1. The house is green and red. 2. The library has old and new books. When there are three or more adjectives from the same adjective group, place a comma between each of the coordinate adjectives:

1. We live in the big green, white and red house at the end of the street. 2. My friend lost a red, black and white watch. A comma is not placed between an adjective and the noun.

Order of adjectives – examples

Quant Quali Prope Purp Determi ity or ty or Siz A Sha Col r ose or No ner numb opini e ge pe or adject qualif un er on ive ier

beauti ol A Italian sports car ful d

beauti litt gol plat The three ful le d es

hear red amazi t- and An sofa ng shap whi ed te

More examples:

1. I love that really old big green antique car that always parked at the end of the street. [quality – age – size – color – proper adjective] 2. My sister has a big, beautiful, tan and white, bulldog. [size – quality – color – color] 3. A wonderful old Italian clock. [opinion – age – origin] 4. A big square blue box. [dimension – shape – color] 5. A disgusting pink plastic ornament. [opinion – color – material] 6. Some slim new French trousers. [dimension – age – origin] 7. A wonderful old Italian clock. [opinion – age – origin] 8. I bought a pair of black leather shoes. [color – material] Order of adjectives exercises 1. Choose the best answer for each sentence.

A. The house is ______.

 large and white  white and large  large white B. They live in a ______house.

 large and white  white and large  large white

2. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?

A. We took a ride on a blue, old Chinese bus. B. We took a ride on a Chinese, old, blue bus. C. We took a ride on an old, blue Chinese bus.

3. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?

A. I’d like three good reasons why you don’t like spinach. B. I’d like a good three reasons why you don’t like spinach. C. I’d like good reasons three why you don’t like spinach.

4. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?

A. I like that really big red old antique tractor in the museum. B. I like that really big old red antique tractor in the museum. C. I like that old, red, really big antique tractor in the museum.

5. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?

A. My brother rode a beautiful big black Friesian horse in the parade. B. My brother rode a beautiful Friesian big black horse in the parade. C. My brother rode a big, black, beautiful Friesian horse in the parade. Answer: A

6. For each of the following sentences, choose the correct order of adjectives to fill in the blank. A. My grandmother lives in the ______house on the corner

 little blue, green and white  little blue and green and white  little, blue, green, and white B. The store carries an assortment of ______objects.

 interesting new, old and antique  new, old, interesting and antique  interesting, old and new and antique C. We went for a two-week cruise on a ______ocean liner.

 incredible brand-new, huge Italian  incredible, huge, brand-new Italian  Italian incredible, brand-new, huge

7. For each of the following sentences, choose the correct order of adjectives to fill in the blank.

A. I bought a pair of ______boots.

 new, nice, red rain  nice new red rain  red nice new rain B. My dad was thrilled with his gift of ______bowties for his clown act.

 three squirting new nice big polka-dotted  three polka-dotted nice new squirting  three nice big new polka-dotted squirting C. Please put the marbles into that ______box.

 round little old red  little old round red  little old red round

8. For each of the following sentences, choose the correct order of adjectives to fill in the blank:

A. I was surprised to receive a ______puppy for my birthday.

 little, cute, eight-week-old golden retriever  cute eight-week-old little golden retriever  cute little eight-week-old golden retriever B. Our work uniform consists of black pants, black shoes, and a ______shirt.

 yellow baggy big polo  big baggy yellow polo  baggy yellow big polo C. I’ve been spending a lot of time in antique shops looking for the perfect ______clock.

 little silver Italian cuckoo  little Italian silver cuckoo  silver little Italian cuckoo

9. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?

A. Our grandparents drive a motorhome with black and white stripes. B. Our grandparents drive a motorhome with black with white stripes. C. Our grandparents drive a motorhome with black, white stripes.

10. Which sentence uses the correct order of adjectives?

A. During my college years, I wore a red, white and black big hat to sporting events. B. During my college years, I wore a big red, white and black hat to sporting events. C. During my college years, I wore a big red white and black, hat to sporting events.

Lists of adjectives Common adjectives

 Good  New  First  Last  Long  great  little  own  other  old  right  big  high  different  small  large  next  early  young  important  few  public  bad  same  able Appearance adjectives

 adorable  beautiful  clean  drab  elegant  fancy  glamorous  handsome  long  magnificent  old-fashioned  plain  quaint  sparkling  ugliest  unsightly  wide-eyed Color adjectives

 red  orange  yellow  green  blue  purple  gray  black  white Condition adjectives

 alive  better  careful  clever  dead  easy  famous  gifted  helpful  important  inexpensive  mushy  odd  powerful  rich  shy  tender  uninterested  vast  wrong Personality adjectives – Positive

 agreeable  brave  calm  delightful  eager  faithful  gentle  happy  jolly  kind  lively  nice  obedient  proud  relieved  silly  thankful  victorious  witty  zealous Personality adjectives – Negative

 angry  bewildered  clumsy  defeated  embarrassed  fierce  grumpy  helpless  itchy  jealous  lazy  mysterious  nervous  obnoxious  panicky  repulsive  scary  thoughtless  uptight  worried Shape adjectives

 broad  chubby  crooked  curved  deep  flat  high  hollow  low  narrow  round  shallow  skinny  square  steep  straight  wide Size adjectives

 big  colossal  fat  gigantic  great  huge  immense  large  little  mammoth  massive  miniature  petite  puny  scrawny  short  small  tall  teeny  teeny-tiny  tiny Sound adjectives

 cooing  deafening  faint  hissing  loud  melodic  noisy  purring  quiet  raspy  screeching  thundering  voiceless  whispering Time adjectives

 ancient  brief  early  fast  late  long  modern  old  old-fashioned  quick  rapid  short  slow  swift  young Taste/touch adjectives

 bitter  delicious  fresh  greasy  juicy  hot  icy  loose  melted  nutritious  prickly  rainy  rotten  salty  sticky  strong  sweet  tart  tasteless  uneven  weak  wet  wooden  yummy Touch adjectives

 boiling  breeze  broken  bumpy  chilly  cold  cool  creepy  crooked  cuddly  curly  damaged  damp  dirty  dry  dusty  filthy  flaky  fluffy  freezing  hot  warm  wet Quantity adjectives

 abundant  empty  few  full  heavy  light  many  numerous  sparse  substantial Examples of adjectives Typical adjective endings

1. They live in a beautiful house. 2. Lisa is wearing a sleeveless shirt today. This soup is not edible. 3. She wore a beautiful dress. 4. He writes meaningless letters. 5. This shop is much nicer. 6. She wore a beautiful dress. 7. Ben is an adorable baby. 8. Linda’s hair is gorgeous. 9. This glass is breakable. 10. I met a homeless person in NY. Denominal adjective examples

1. A mathematical puzzle. 2. A biological experiment. 3. A wooden boat. 4. I married an American woman. 5. The Jewish community in NY is very big. 6. Mary has a collection of expensive Russian dolls. 7. In the winter you must wear heavy woollen clothes. 8. The polar bear is listed as threatened. Order of adjective examples

1. I love that really big old green antique car that is always parked at the end of the street. [quality – size – age – color – qualifier] 2. My sister has a beautiful big white bulldog. [quality – size – color] 3. A wonderful old Italian clock. [opinion – age – origin] 4. A big square blue box. [size – shape – color] 5. A disgusting pink plastic ornament. [opinion – color – material] 6. Some new slim French trousers. [age – shape – origin] 7. My small new red sleeping bag. [size – age – color – purposee] 8. I bought a pair of black leather shoes. [color – material] Comparing adjective examples

1. This house is bigger than that one. 2. This flower is more beautiful than that. 3. He is taller than Mr. Hulas. 4. He is more intelligent than this boy. 5. Jonathan is the most handsome man on campus. 6. This is the prettiest dress in the window. 7. I lost my most comfortable shoes. 8. My job is worse than yours. Compound adjectives examples

1. This is a four-foot table. 2. Daniella is a part-time worker. 3. This is an all-too-common error. 4. Beware of the green-eyed monster. 5. He is a cold-blooded man. 6. We saw a man-eating shark! 7. Danny’s dog is well-behaved. 8. You have to be open-minded about things. Adjectival phrase examples

1. Susan is really clever. 2. The doctor is very late. 3. My sister is fond of animals. 4. I am happy to meet you. 5. The kids are ready to go. 6. Don’t be afraid of the dark. 7. Tony lost his dark brown briefcase. 8. He’s an extraordinary looking man.

Articles

An article is a word used to modify a noun, which is a person, place, object, or idea. Technically, an article is an adjective, which is any word that modifies a noun. Usually adjectives modify nouns through description, but articles are used instead to point out or refer to nouns. he words a, an, and the are special adjectives called articles.

Indefinite Articles: a, an an - used before singular count nouns beginning with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) or vowel sound:

 an apple, an elephant, an issue, an orange a - used before singular count nouns beginning with consonants (other than a, e, i, o, u) :

 a stamp, a desk, a TV, a cup, a book

Definite Article'the

Can be used before singular and plural, count and non-count nouns

1. Indefinite Article (a, an)

Used before singular nouns that are unspecified:

 a pencil  an orange

Used before number collectives and some numbers:

 a dozen  a gallon

Used before a singular noun followed by a restrictive modifier:

 a girl who was wearing a yellow hat

Used with nouns to form adverbial phrases of quantity, amount, or degree:

 I felt a bit depressed.

2. Definite Article (the)

Used to indicate a noun that is definite or has been previously specified in the context:

 Please close the door.  I like the clothes you gave me.

Used to indicate a noun that is unique:

 Praise the Lord!  The Columbia River is near here.

Used to designate a natural phenomenon:

 The nights get shorter in the summer.  The wind is blowing so hard.

Used to refer to a time period:  I was very nave in the past.  This song was very popular in the 1980s.

Used to indicate all the members of a family:

 I invited the Bakers for dinner.  This medicine was invented by the Smiths.

[Quiz 28.1]

Choose the correct article in each sentence.

1) Did you bring (a, an, the) umbrella? 2) Are you looking for (a, an, the) shampoo? 3) I checked (a, an, the) mailbox again. 4) Can I have (a, an, the) spoon please? 5) I was born into (a, an, the) poor family. 6) She will come back in (a, an, the) hour. 7) Have you been to (a, an, the) Space Needle Tower in Seattle? 8) I would love to talk to one of (a, an, the) managers. 9) What (a, an, the) amazing view! 10) The helicopter landed on (a, an, the) roof of a building.

An interjection is a word that expresses some kind of emotion. It can be used as filler. Interjections do not have a grammatical function in the sentence and are not related to the other parts of the sentence. If an interjection is omitted, the sentence still makes sense. It can stand alone.

 Ouch! That hurts.  Well, I need a break.  Wow! What a beautiful dress!

When you are expressing a strong emotion, use an exclamation mark (!) . A comma (,) can be used for a weaker emotion.

Interjections do the following:

1.Express a feeling: wow, gee, oops, darn, geez, oh:

 Oops, I'm sorry. That was my mistake.  Geez! Do I need to do it again?  Oh, I didn't know that. 2.Say yes or no: yes, no, nope

 Yes! I will do it!  No, I am not going to go there.  Nope. That's not what I want.

3.Call attention: yo, hey

 Yo, will you throw the ball back?  Hey, I just wanted to talk to you about the previous incident.

4.Indicate a pause: well, um, hmm

 Well, what I meant was nothing like that.  Um, here is our proposal.  Hmm. You really need to be on a diet.

[Quiz 29.1]

What should be B's expression?

A: I got a perfect score on the math exam. B: (Well. Wow! or Um.)

[Quiz 29.2]

What should be C's expression?

C: ! (Nope, Hey, or Geez) My computer just broke.

Capitalization

Capitalization means using a capital letter (for example, A instead of a) . The use of capital letters helps readers read your writing without confusion.

Always capitalize the following:

The first word in a sentence.

 I grew up in India.  She left a message on my phone.

The pronoun I.

 This country is where I dreamed of.

The first letter of a proper noun (specific name).

 David wants to play soccer with us.  This letter is from Chang.  I graduated from the University of New York.  I like Coca-Cola.  She likes Godiva chocolates.

The first letter of months, days, and holidays (but not seasons).

 Today is June 8, 2011.  Susie's birthday is this Thursday.  The shops are closed on Easter.  This summer is going to be very hot.

The first letter of nationalities, religions, races of people, and languages.

 We often eat Italian food.  I want to master many languages, such as Spanish, Korean, Chinese, and Russian.  There is one Christian church in my town.

The first letter in a person's title.

 This is Dr. Simon.  I got it from Mr. Tom.

Geographic areas: cities, states, countries, mountains, oceans, rivers, etc.

 My destination is Paris, France.  Hawaii is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Historical periods.

 The Renaissance began in the 14th century.  The Qing Dynasty is the last dynasty in China.

The first letter of each major word in the title of a book, movie, article, etc.

 Tolstoy's War and Peace is my favorite novel.  I found the article "How to Write a Good Cover Letter" in this magazine.

[Quiz 30.1]

Correctly write each sentence using proper capitalization.

1) i was born in shanghai, china, but grew up in the united states. 2) mrs. ohana gave me the bible. 3) if you walk two more blocks, you will be able to see mt. rocky. 4) my family will have a summer vacation in hawaii. 5) I didn't want to cook tonight, so I just ordered thai food for dinner.