1. Word Classes and Linguistic Terms
Vocabulary
Word Classes and Linguistic Terms
This presentation matches Objective W17.
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2. 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.

3. 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?

4. Activity

5. 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.

6. Nouns

7. 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.

8. Noun phrases
Create noun phrases around three of these nouns.

9. 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

10. Adjectives alphabet game

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. Activity

14. 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

15. 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:

16. 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

17. Prepositions

18. 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.

19. 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

20. 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.