Grammar Notecards

Noun Definition (part of speech) A person place, thing, or idea Possible Job(s): Subject, object of the preposition, predicate nominative Label/Diagram n Other Hints  One word only  Words ending in ‘ion’ are often nouns

Proper Noun Definition (part of speech) The name of a person place, thing, or idea Possible Job(s): Subject, object of the preposition, predicate nominative Label/Diagram pn ---pn--- Other Hints  Always start with a capital letter  If more than one word, add wings (lines)

Article Definition (part of speech) a, an, the Possible Job(s): modifier Label/Diagram art Other Hints  Always come in front of the noun they modify  Answers the question “Which [noun]?”

Adjective Definition (part of speech) Describe or modify nouns and pronouns Possible Job(s): modifier, predicate adjective Label/Diagram adj Other Hints  Usually come in front of the noun they modify  Answers question “Which [noun]?”

Pronoun Definition (part of speech) A word that takes the place of one or more nouns Possible Job(s): Subject, object of the preposition, predicate nominative (rarely) Label/Diagram pro Other Hints  The word the pronoun replaces is the antecedent

Preposition Definition (part of speech) A word used to show the relationship between two nouns Possible Job(s): modifier Label/Diagram pp Other Hints  BUT AL DOES  The mouse goes _____ the box  Ends with a noun/pronoun

Object of the Preposition Definition (job) The noun at the end of a prepositional phrase Label/DiagramOther Hints Will always be…  Noun  Pronoun  Proper noun

Modifier Definition (job) A word or group of words that gives more information about something Label/ DiagramOther Hints Will always be…  Adjective  Adverb  Article  Prepositional Phrase  Other phrases and clauses

Subject Definition (job) The star of the sentence; does the action of the verb Label/DiagramOther Hints Will always be…  Noun  Pronoun  Proper noun

Action Verb Definition (part of speech) A word that expresses mental or physical action Possible Job(s): verb Label/Diagram av Other Hints  If a verb doesn’t have a subject, then it is a verbal (and should be labeled ‘v’)

Adverb Definition (part of speech) “All-purpose modifier”; modifies verbs, adjectives, or another adverb Possible Job(s): modifier Label/Diagram adv Other Hints  Mainly end in ‘ly’  Adverbs that modify verbs are moveable  If an adverb modifies another modifier, a “dog’s hind leg” is used  Answers “How?” “When?” “Where?” “Why?” “To what extent?”

Direct Object Definition (job) The person or thing receiving the action of the verb The second noun in a sentence in a Pattern 2 (N-AV-N) sentence Label/DiagramOther Hints  It will always be a noun or pronoun  To find the direct object say the subject, the verb, and ask “What?”

Indirect Object Definition (job) Something that is affected by the action of the verb The second noun in a sentence in a Pattern 3 (N-AV-N- N) sentence Label/DiagramOther Hints  It will always be a noun or pronoun  There can never be an indirect object without a direct object

Linking Verb Definition (part of speech) A word that links its subject with a noun (or pronoun) or an adjective The subject of the verb is BEING something Label/Diagram lv Other Hints  If a linking verb is present, the sentence will be either Pattern 4 or Pattern 5

Predicate Nominative Definition (job) The noun that follows a linking verb The second noun in a N-LV-N (Pattern 4) sentence Label/DiagramOther Hints  It will always be a noun or pronoun  It is always THE SAME THING as the subject

Predicate Adjective Definition (job) The adjective that follows a linking verb The second noun in a N-LV-ADJ (Pattern 5) sentence Label/Diagram p-adj Other Hints  It will always be describing the subject

Helping Verb Definition (part of speech) A word or words which comes before a verb (av or lv) and helps form different tenses. Label/Diagram hv Other Hints  Together, the helping verb and the “real” verb make up the verb phrase.  Helping verbs will not always be right next to the av or lv

Conjunction Definition (part of speech) A word (or words) that joins the same kind of word/phrase Label/Diagram conj (see Compound Situations notes for diagrams) Other Hints  Fox example: a conjunction can join two subjects together and we would call that a compound subject