Word Classes

Word Classes

1. Nouns

   • Subject pronouns are used when it is clear who the actor of the sentence is EG Gemma visited today. SHE was in a good mood
   • Object pronoun Replace the noun that recieves the action of the verb (the object) eg the delivery men promised to carry the parcel indoors
   • Possesive Pronouns are used to show posession of something eg it is mine
   • Reflexive Pronouns are used when the same person is the actor (subject) and receiver of the action (object) in a sentence. They can also be used for emphasis, for example: you really should take more care of yourself

2. Verbs

   • There are two main types of verbs: auxiliary and lexical
     • Auxiliary Verbs can be used to construct different timescales, questions and negatives, to add emphasis or give information about the mood or attitude of a speaker/writer. They support te main verb. EG I CAN NOT travel, I HAVE BEEN watching you, you WILL NOT help that man
     • Lexical Verbs express the meaning in a verb phrase. They are also known as 'main' or 'full' verbs: EG the man RAN up the hill, she KICKED the ball, you will not HELP that man
     • The primary verbs TO BE, TO HAVE and TO DO can act as auxiliary or lexical verbs
   • Transitive verbs have to be followed by an object (the person/thing to which the action of the verb is being done) to complete their meaning: EG I CARRIED the baby, they FOUND the ring, we can MAKE a Christmas cake
   • Intransitive verbs do not need to be followed by an object to make sense. Many verbs describing position (like to sit and to lie) and motion (like to run and to go) are intransitive. The verb will often be followed by a description of place/destination. EG It HAPPENED, the children LAUGHED
   • Circumstance adverbs modify adverbs giving details of circumstances like time, manner and place: time- you must o to school NOW, manner- he was sleeping WELL/the cat was fighting FURIOUSLY, place I lost my wallet DOWNSTAIRS
   • Degree Adverbs modify adjectives or adverbs. Degree: it is VERY good to se you/ I REALLY missed you/ I'm so glad to be back (note these examples can also be called intensifiers)
   • Sentence adverbs modify whole sentences. They can express speakers/ writers attitudes, allowing them to comment on what s being said or written and they can be used to link sentences: attitude: I could PERHAPS go to work, but SURELY you could call someone else, linking FIRSTLY I intend to leave; HOWEVER I will write to you

3. Adjective

   • Attributive Adjectives refer to adjectives that premodify (come before) nouns: EG THE BLUE SEA/ THE HAPPY CHILDREN
   • Predicative adjectives refer to adjectives that come after the noun (and before coupla verbs such as to be or linking verbs like to seem and to become): EG the sea is BLUE/ the children are HAPPY/ The sea BECAME blue; the children SEEM happy