1. Verbs: expresses action, being, or state of being.
It makes sense in the blanks: I can ___ it. Let’s _____
It makes sense to add -ed or -ing
Common endings: -ize, -ate, -ify, -en
Common helping verbs: be am is are was were been being do does did have had could should would may might must can shall will
Nouns: person, place, thing, quality, or idea
It makes sense in the blanks: (The)____ is/are interesting. Do you like (the)_____
You can put the or a in front of it.
It has a plural form.
Common noun suffixes: -ness, -tion, -sion, -ment, -ist, -ance, -ence, -ism, -ency, -ancy, -ity, -er, -dom
Adjectives: tell how many, what kind, which one.
It makes sense in one or all of the blanks: We saw ____ things. He is very_____. It was very______.
Adjectival suffixes: -able, -ible, -ary, -ous, ful, -ic, -ical, -ive, -ent, -al, -less, -ish, and -y (if pronounced as a separate syllable, like rainy or pretty-----NOT fly or by)
Adverbs: it tells when, where, how, how many times, in what order, or to what degree.
It makes sense in the blank: He did it______.
It OFTEN (NOT ALWAYS) ends in -ly. They also end in -wise or -ward.
Common adverb intensifiers (they tell to what extent): very, almost, too, less, quite, more, rather, extremely, somewhat.
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2. Pronouns: take the place of a noun.
It can work in the blanks: ___ is interesting. Do you like ___
I, she, he, it, we, they, etc.
Interrogative (to ask a question): who? which? what?
Demonstrative: this, that, these, those.
Indefinite: nothing, everybody, all, somebody, etc.
Reciprocal: each other, one another
Relative: who, which, that, etc.
Prepositions: show the relationship between the noun or pronoun that comes after it and another word in the sentence.
It makes sense in the blank: It went ____ the thing. (THIS DOES NOT WORK FOR THE MOST COMMON PREPOSITION, OF!)
If no noun or pronoun comes after it, it is NOT a preposition.
Example: The game is over. (adjective, modifies game.
We flew over the city. (prepositional phrase shows relationship between flew and city.)
Common problems:
IT’S always means "it is" or "it has" and nothing else. Try changing the ”ITS" to "his" and if it doesn't make sense, then go with "it's.”
THEY’RE: always a contraction of "they are. THEIR is a possessive pronoun like "her" or "our": "They eat their hotdogs with sauerkraut.” THERE is a place.
YOU’RE is always a contraction of "you are." Try substituting "you are." If it doesn't work, the word you want is “YOUR,” showing ownership.
TOO means also, or in excess, TO is a preposition.
WHO’S always and forever means only "who is” or “who has.” WHOSE is the possessive form of who.
Subject/Predicate: A sentence must have both to be a complete sentence.
Subject tells who or what the sentence is about.
Predicate tells what the subject is, was, does, or did. It includes the VERB of the sentence.
Check for a fragment by saying “I believe that…” before the sentence. If it makes sense, it’s probably OK. Try checking these: 1. He runs Because it was cold outside Babysitting for the next door neighbors over the Christmas vacation.
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