Word Classes and Linguistic Terms Vocabulary Word Classes and Linguistic Terms This presentation matches Objective W17. This icon indicates that detailed teacher’s notes are available in the Notes Page. This icon indicates the slide contains activities created in Flash. These activities are not editable. For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation.

Word classes and linguistic terms In English it’s important to know the names of the language tools and terms we use. Knowledge about words will give you control over the words you use. It will also help you investigate the writing of others. At this stage it may well be worth asking students if they know what word classes are.

Word classes There are different types or classes of word. Here are the main word classes. noun adjective verb adverb pronoun determiner preposition conjunction Do you know what they all are?

Activity

Nouns Did you notice that nouns were missing from the last exercise? Nouns denote people and places, things and ideas. They can be divided into the following groups. proper Names of people, places, etc. They have a capital letter. E.g. London. common All nouns that are not proper nouns. collective This is a noun that refers to a group. E.g. flock, herd.

Nouns

Noun phrases A noun phrase refers to a group of words that are built around a noun. E.g. my sister my little sister my brave little sister my brave little sister on crutches Notice how you can build up noun phrases.

Noun phrases Create noun phrases around three of these nouns.

Adjectives Adjectives describe people or things. They go before nouns and after some verbs. E.g. the happy girl she is happy the wooden table the table looks wooden

Adjectives alphabet game

Adjectives You can compare things using adjectives. This drink is cool. The water is cooler. The cola is coolest. This is the comparative form. This is the superlative form. For words of more than two syllables, we use more and most to make these forms. more important most important This is the comparative form. This is the superlative form.

can be either auxiliary or main verbs. A verb expresses an action or a state of being. She jumped up. He is happy. There are main verbs... I walked away. I was walking away. and auxiliary verbs. Auxiliary verbs help the main verb. These are auxiliary verbs: be, have, do, may, might, can, could, will, would, shall, should, must. be have do can be either auxiliary or main verbs.

Activity

Verbs Verbs can change their form. This gives us an indication of when the action takes place. Look at how these sentences tell us when the action takes place. I dance for enjoyment. I danced all last night. I was dancing for four hours. I will be dancing next week too. present past future

Adverbs Do you know what an adverb is? See if you can spot the adverbs in these sentences. He walked slowly. He walked extremely slowly. His progress was really slow. He walked slowly. He walked extremely slowly. His progress was really slow. Did you spot these? an adjective a verb another adverb An adverb can give more information about... well very often never later now yesterday soon perhaps Adverbs often end in -ly, but here are some more to look out for:

Pronouns Pronouns often replace a noun. They help us to avoid repetition. Here are some very common pronouns: our you whom which those theirs Here are some more to look out for. I me we us you he she it they them my mine our ours your yours his her their myself yourself itself this that these someone who what

Prepositions

Determiners Determiners are used with nouns. The most common determiners are: a an the Other common determiners are: this that these those my you’re his her its our their some many no all each every both enough numbers (one, two, three, etc.) Many determiners are used as pronouns and in these cases they are not followed by a noun.

Conjunctions but and or yet then These are words which join clauses together. but and or yet then Other conjunctions tell us when, where and why. I will be leaving after I have eaten. You will find your ring where you left it. The train is late because it left Penzance late. Some other common conjunctions are: before, since, until, although, unless, so, when, wherever

Quiz This plenary quiz provides a quick revision of word classes, and could also be used as a quiz independent of the rest of this presentation.