Verbs can be classified according to whether they are action verbs or linking verbs.
Action verbs
There are two types of action verbs: transitive and intransitive.
Transitive verbs
A transitive verb expresses an action and is followed by an object that receives the action of the verb.
In the following examples, transitive verbs are shown in color and direct objects of these verbs are underlined.
I washed (what?) the car yesterday.
I took (whom?) my sister to the movie.
John studies (what?) English.
Intransitive verbs An intransitive verb expresses an action but is not followed by an object. Applying (what?) or (whom?) test to an intransitive verb shows immediately that an object cannot follow.
Tom’s grades improved (what? whom?) with the help of a tutor.
The child cried (what? whom?) loudly.
The mother sang (what? whom?) to her children.
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Many verbs can be both transitive and intransitive.
In the following examples, transitive verbs are shown in color and direct objects of transitive verbs are underlined. Intransitive verbs are shown in color and underlined.
John studies (what?) English.
John studies hard.
The mother sang (what?) the song to her children.
The mother sang to her children.
Linking Verbs
Linking verbs do not show action.
A linking verb (also called copulative verb) links or establishes a relationship between the subject and its complement. It describes or renames the subject.
She is angry.
The word is (a form of the verb to be) links the subject she to the subject complement angry.
Linking Verb followed by predicate nouns:
My friend is a teacher.
Mike became the president of the company.
Linking Verb followed by predicate adjectives:
I feel nervous.
That pie tastes delicious.
List of common linking verbs
appear, become, feel, get, go, grow, look, prove, remain, seem, smell, sound, taste, turn and any form of the verb be. See The verb "To Be" below.
Only become and seem are always linking verbs. Other verbs from the list above sometimes can function as action verbs.
In the following examples, verbs feel and taste are functioning as action verbs.
I feel pain from the injury.
Taste the pie and tell me if you like it.
To determine whether a verb is a linking verb substitute am, is, or are for the verb. If it fits – the substituted verb is a linking verb.
In the following examples, verb feel is substituted with am.
I feel nervous.
I am nervous.
Makes sense so feel is linking verb.
I feel pain from the injury.
I am pain from the injury.
Does not make sense so feel is action verb.
domingo, 28 de marzo de 2010
EXERCISE ON REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS
Reflexive and Reciprocal Pronouns
Decide whether you have to use the reflexive pronoun, the reciprocal pronoun (each other) or nothing.
John hurt ( himself - each other) when climbing the tree.
Peter and Sue helped (themselves- each other-) with the homework.
I feel (myself-each other-) much better today.
Did she make( herself- each other-)a cup of tea?
The wild monkey looked at (itself- each other-) in the mirror.
Brigit and Billy smiled at (themselves-each other-).
We're meeting (ourselves- each other-) at the station.
During the meeting, Jane and Mary were talking to (themselves-each other-).
I don't remember (myself-each other-) where we spent our holiday last year.
We need to concentrate (ourselves-each other-.)
Decide whether you have to use the reflexive pronoun, the reciprocal pronoun (each other) or nothing.
John hurt ( himself - each other) when climbing the tree.
Peter and Sue helped (themselves- each other-) with the homework.
I feel (myself-each other-) much better today.
Did she make( herself- each other-)a cup of tea?
The wild monkey looked at (itself- each other-) in the mirror.
Brigit and Billy smiled at (themselves-each other-).
We're meeting (ourselves- each other-) at the station.
During the meeting, Jane and Mary were talking to (themselves-each other-).
I don't remember (myself-each other-) where we spent our holiday last year.
We need to concentrate (ourselves-each other-.)
domingo, 21 de marzo de 2010
TRANSITIVE INTRANSITIVE VERBS -ARTICLE AND EXERCISE
Transitive verbs
A transitive verb takes a direct object; that is, the verb transmits action to an object.
He sent the letter. ( letter = direct object of sent)
She gave the lecture. ( lecture = direct object of gave)
In these sentences, something is being done to an object.
A transitive verb can also have an indirect object that precedes the direct object. The indirect object tells to or for whom the action is done, although the words to and for are not used. In the following examples, notice the difference between the direct and indirect objects.
The direct object (letter) receives the action (sent). The indirect object (Robert) is the person to whom the letter is sent.
He sent Robert the letter.
The direct object (lecture) receives the action ( gave). The indirect object ( class) is the group to whom the lecture is given.
She gave her class the lecture.
Learn to recognize words that are direct and indirect objects of verbs. When these words are pronouns, they must be in the objective case.
Intransitive verbs
An intransitive verb does not take an object.
She sleeps too much.
He complains frequently.
In these sentences, nothing receives the action of the verbs sleep and complain.
Many verbs can be either transitive or intransitive.
She sings every day. (no object = intransitive)
She sings spirituals. (spirituals receives the action of sings = transit
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Depending on the type of object they take, verbs may be transitive, intransitive, or linking.
The meaning of a transitive verb is incomplete without a direct object, as in the following examples:
INCOMPLETE
The shelf holds.
COMPLETE
The shelf holds three books and a vase of flowers.
INCOMPLETE
The committee named.
COMPLETE
The committee named a new chairperson.
INCOMPLETE
The child broke.
COMPLETE
The child broke the plate.
An intransitive verb, on the other hand, cannot take a direct object:
This plant has thrived on the south windowsill.
The compound verb "has thrived" is intransitive and takes no direct object in this sentence. The prepositional phrase "on the south windowsill" acts as an adverb describing where the plant thrives.
The sound of the choir carried through the cathedral.
The verb "carried" is used intransitively in this sentence and takes no direct object. The prepositional phrase "through the cathedral" acts as an adverb describing where the sound carried.
The train from Montreal arrived four hours late.
The intransitive verb "arrived" takes no direct object, and the noun phrase "four hours late" acts as an adverb describing when the train arrived.
Since the company was pleasant and the coffee both plentiful and good, we lingered in the restaurant for several hours.
The verb "lingered" is used intransitively and takes no direct object. The prepositional phrase "in the restaurant for several hours" acts as an adverb modifying "lingered."
The painting was hung on the south wall of the reception room.
The compound verb "was hung" is used intransitively and the sentence has no direct object. The prepositional phrase "on the south wall of the reception room" acts as a adverb describing where the paint hung.
Many verbs can be either transitive or intransitive, depending on their context in the sentence. In the following pairs of sentences, the first sentence uses the verb transitively and the second uses the same verb intransitively:
transitive
According to the instructions, we must leave this goo in our hair for twenty minutes.
In this example, the verb "leave" takes a direct object, the noun phrase "this goo."
intransitive
We would like to stay longer, but we must leave.
In this example, the verb "leave" does not take a direct object.
transitive
The audience attentively watched the latest production of The Trojan Women.
In this example, the verb "watch" is used transitively and takes the noun phrase "the latest production of The Trojan Women" as a direct object.
intransitive
The cook watched while the new dishwasher surreptitiously picked up the fragments of the broken dish.
In this example, the verb "watched" is used intransitively and takes no direct object.
intransitive
The crowd moves across the field in an attempt to see the rock star get into her helicopter.
Here the verb "moves" is used as an intransitive verb and takes no direct object.
transitive
Every spring, William moves all boxes and trunks from one side of the attic to the other.
In this sentence "moves" is used as a transitive verb and takes the noun phrase "all the boxes and trunk" as a direct object.
Written by Heather MacFadyen
FIND THE FINITE VERB IN EACH SENTENCE AND STATE WHETHER IT IS TRANSITIVE OR INTRANSITIVE
1) Kim Worked all day long.
2) James Oglethorpe founded Georgia.
3) The class nominated Ella for the position.
4) In 1847, Abe Lincoln gave his first speech as a member of the House of Representatives.
5) Actor Tom Selleck turned down the role of Indiana Jones for the film Raiders of the Lost Ark.
6) Deb and Simon have been jogging all morning long.
7) The conductor fell during the concert.
8) Professor Zeeman proved the difficult theorem in under five minutes.
9) My mother lived in Peru during her childhood.
10) My grandmother makes a great cake.
A transitive verb takes a direct object; that is, the verb transmits action to an object.
He sent the letter. ( letter = direct object of sent)
She gave the lecture. ( lecture = direct object of gave)
In these sentences, something is being done to an object.
A transitive verb can also have an indirect object that precedes the direct object. The indirect object tells to or for whom the action is done, although the words to and for are not used. In the following examples, notice the difference between the direct and indirect objects.
The direct object (letter) receives the action (sent). The indirect object (Robert) is the person to whom the letter is sent.
He sent Robert the letter.
The direct object (lecture) receives the action ( gave). The indirect object ( class) is the group to whom the lecture is given.
She gave her class the lecture.
Learn to recognize words that are direct and indirect objects of verbs. When these words are pronouns, they must be in the objective case.
Intransitive verbs
An intransitive verb does not take an object.
She sleeps too much.
He complains frequently.
In these sentences, nothing receives the action of the verbs sleep and complain.
Many verbs can be either transitive or intransitive.
She sings every day. (no object = intransitive)
She sings spirituals. (spirituals receives the action of sings = transit
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Depending on the type of object they take, verbs may be transitive, intransitive, or linking.
The meaning of a transitive verb is incomplete without a direct object, as in the following examples:
INCOMPLETE
The shelf holds.
COMPLETE
The shelf holds three books and a vase of flowers.
INCOMPLETE
The committee named.
COMPLETE
The committee named a new chairperson.
INCOMPLETE
The child broke.
COMPLETE
The child broke the plate.
An intransitive verb, on the other hand, cannot take a direct object:
This plant has thrived on the south windowsill.
The compound verb "has thrived" is intransitive and takes no direct object in this sentence. The prepositional phrase "on the south windowsill" acts as an adverb describing where the plant thrives.
The sound of the choir carried through the cathedral.
The verb "carried" is used intransitively in this sentence and takes no direct object. The prepositional phrase "through the cathedral" acts as an adverb describing where the sound carried.
The train from Montreal arrived four hours late.
The intransitive verb "arrived" takes no direct object, and the noun phrase "four hours late" acts as an adverb describing when the train arrived.
Since the company was pleasant and the coffee both plentiful and good, we lingered in the restaurant for several hours.
The verb "lingered" is used intransitively and takes no direct object. The prepositional phrase "in the restaurant for several hours" acts as an adverb modifying "lingered."
The painting was hung on the south wall of the reception room.
The compound verb "was hung" is used intransitively and the sentence has no direct object. The prepositional phrase "on the south wall of the reception room" acts as a adverb describing where the paint hung.
Many verbs can be either transitive or intransitive, depending on their context in the sentence. In the following pairs of sentences, the first sentence uses the verb transitively and the second uses the same verb intransitively:
transitive
According to the instructions, we must leave this goo in our hair for twenty minutes.
In this example, the verb "leave" takes a direct object, the noun phrase "this goo."
intransitive
We would like to stay longer, but we must leave.
In this example, the verb "leave" does not take a direct object.
transitive
The audience attentively watched the latest production of The Trojan Women.
In this example, the verb "watch" is used transitively and takes the noun phrase "the latest production of The Trojan Women" as a direct object.
intransitive
The cook watched while the new dishwasher surreptitiously picked up the fragments of the broken dish.
In this example, the verb "watched" is used intransitively and takes no direct object.
intransitive
The crowd moves across the field in an attempt to see the rock star get into her helicopter.
Here the verb "moves" is used as an intransitive verb and takes no direct object.
transitive
Every spring, William moves all boxes and trunks from one side of the attic to the other.
In this sentence "moves" is used as a transitive verb and takes the noun phrase "all the boxes and trunk" as a direct object.
Written by Heather MacFadyen
FIND THE FINITE VERB IN EACH SENTENCE AND STATE WHETHER IT IS TRANSITIVE OR INTRANSITIVE
1) Kim Worked all day long.
2) James Oglethorpe founded Georgia.
3) The class nominated Ella for the position.
4) In 1847, Abe Lincoln gave his first speech as a member of the House of Representatives.
5) Actor Tom Selleck turned down the role of Indiana Jones for the film Raiders of the Lost Ark.
6) Deb and Simon have been jogging all morning long.
7) The conductor fell during the concert.
8) Professor Zeeman proved the difficult theorem in under five minutes.
9) My mother lived in Peru during her childhood.
10) My grandmother makes a great cake.
viernes, 19 de marzo de 2010
SECOND QUIZ ON PRONOUNS
A Second Quiz on Pronoun Forms
After each sentence select the pronoun form that will best fit in the blank. The explanation will describe the process of arriving at the correct choice for that sentence. If you choose the correct response, it might still be a good idea to consult the explanation, to see if your understanding of the pronoun choice is the same as ours.
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1. Either the classrooms or the auditorium must have _________ floor refinished.
their
its
Responses:
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2. Every coat on this rack has outlived _________ usefulness.
its
their
Responses:
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3. Tate George scored in the final two seconds, and the crowd roared ________ approval.
their
its
Responses:
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4. When the committee submitted _________ four versions of the document, it was clear to us that the committee members had acted as individuals, not as a group.
its
their
Responses:
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5. Saul's brother left the matter entirely up to _______ and _______ .
he --- I
him --- I
he --- me
him --- me
Responses:
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6. _____ voters must learn to vote in our own self interest.
We
Us
Responses:
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7. The voters have chosen _______ and _______ to be their representatives.
she --- he
her --- him
Responses:
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8. He didn't seem to care much about ______ voters.
we
us
Responses:
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9. I'm very tall, but guess what! My sister is taller than _____ .
me
I
Responses:
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10. At first, I wanted to split the money between Jo-Jo and ________ . I ended up giving the money to ___________ .
myself --- me
me --- myself
I --- myself
Responses:
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Pronouns
Quiz List
Guide to Grammar and Writing
After each sentence select the pronoun form that will best fit in the blank. The explanation will describe the process of arriving at the correct choice for that sentence. If you choose the correct response, it might still be a good idea to consult the explanation, to see if your understanding of the pronoun choice is the same as ours.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Either the classrooms or the auditorium must have _________ floor refinished.
their
its
Responses:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Every coat on this rack has outlived _________ usefulness.
its
their
Responses:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Tate George scored in the final two seconds, and the crowd roared ________ approval.
their
its
Responses:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. When the committee submitted _________ four versions of the document, it was clear to us that the committee members had acted as individuals, not as a group.
its
their
Responses:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Saul's brother left the matter entirely up to _______ and _______ .
he --- I
him --- I
he --- me
him --- me
Responses:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. _____ voters must learn to vote in our own self interest.
We
Us
Responses:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. The voters have chosen _______ and _______ to be their representatives.
she --- he
her --- him
Responses:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. He didn't seem to care much about ______ voters.
we
us
Responses:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. I'm very tall, but guess what! My sister is taller than _____ .
me
I
Responses:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. At first, I wanted to split the money between Jo-Jo and ________ . I ended up giving the money to ___________ .
myself --- me
me --- myself
I --- myself
Responses:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pronouns
Quiz List
Guide to Grammar and Writing
QUIZ ON THE PARTS OF THE SENTENCE
A VERY BASIC QUIZ
JOIN ONE OF THE WORDS TO THE DEFINITIONS ON THE RIGHT.
CLAUSE 1 a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb GERUND 2 locates something in time or place
ADJECTIVE 3 command, protest, or exclamation
PARTICIPLE 4 verb form acting as an adjective
ADVERB 5 group of related words containing a subject and a verb
PHRASE 6 the completer of a sentence
INFINITIVE 7 verb form acting as a noun
PREPOSITION 8 group of related words not containing a subject and a verb
PREDICATE 9 modifies a noun
INTERJECTION 10 "to" plus the root of the verb
JOIN ONE OF THE WORDS TO THE DEFINITIONS ON THE RIGHT.
CLAUSE 1 a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb GERUND 2 locates something in time or place
ADJECTIVE 3 command, protest, or exclamation
PARTICIPLE 4 verb form acting as an adjective
ADVERB 5 group of related words containing a subject and a verb
PHRASE 6 the completer of a sentence
INFINITIVE 7 verb form acting as a noun
PREPOSITION 8 group of related words not containing a subject and a verb
PREDICATE 9 modifies a noun
INTERJECTION 10 "to" plus the root of the verb
DETERMINERS (ARTICLES, QUANTIFIERS)
rticles, Determiners,
and Quantifiers Select from the followingGUIDE Home PageINDEXPrinciples of CompositionQUIZZESSentence Parts and Functions. . . . adjectives. . . . adverbs. . . . conjunctions. . . . determiners. . . . interjections. . . . nouns. . . . objects. . . . prepositions. . . . pronouns. . . . subjects. . . . verbsAbbreviationsArticles and DeterminersAuxiliary VerbsBw 2 Independent ClausesCapitalizationCases -- of pronounsClauses -- Essential Bldg BlocksCompositionCompound Nouns and ModifiersConcise SentencesConfusable WordsConfusion -- Sources, RemediesDiagramming SentencesEssay TypesFragmentsFrequently Asked QuestionsGrammarlogs -- answersGrammarPollItalics and UnderliningModifier PlacementObjects -- dir., indirectParagraph DevelopmentParallel StructuresPassive vs Active VoicePhrasesPlague Words & PhrasesPluralsPossessivesPrimer LanguagePronouns, Antcdnt AgrmntPUNCTUATION. . . . apostrophes. . . . brackets. . . . colons. . . . commas. . . . dashes. . . . ellipses. . . . exclamation marks. . . . hyphens. . . . parentheses. . . . periods. . . . question marks. . . . quotation marks. . . . semicolons. . . . slashesPowerpoint PresentationsRun-on SentencesSearch EngineSentence CombiningSentence Variety and TypesSpelling Rules and QuizzesSubjectsSubject-Verb AgreementTense SequenceTransitions, CoherenceUnbiased LanguageUsing Numbers, Making ListsVerbs and VerbalsVocabulary Builders Definition
Jump to
Articles
Articles, determiners, and quantifiers are those little words that precede and modify nouns:
the teacher, a college, a bit of honey, that person, those people, whatever purpose, either way, your choice
Sometimes these words will tell the reader or listener whether we're referring to a specific or general thing (the garage out back; A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!); sometimes they tell how much or how many (lots of trees, several books, a great deal of confusion). The choice of the proper article or determiner to precede a noun or noun phrase is usually not a problem for writers who have grown up speaking English, nor is it a serious problem for non-native writers whose first language is a romance language such as Spanish. For other writers, though, this can be a considerable obstacle on the way to their mastery of English. In fact, some students from eastern European countries — where their native language has either no articles or an altogether different system of choosing articles and determiners — find that these "little words" can create problems long after every other aspect of English has been mastered.
Determiners are said to "mark" nouns. That is to say, you know a determiner will be followed by a noun. Some categories of determiners are limited (there are only three articles, a handful of possessive pronouns, etc.), but the possessive nouns are as limitless as nouns themselves. This limited nature of most determiner categories, however, explains why determiners are grouped apart from adjectives even though both serve a modifying function. We can imagine that the language will never tire of inventing new adjectives; the determiners (except for those possessive nouns), on the other hand, are well established, and this class of words is not going to grow in number. These categories of determiners are as follows: the articles (an, a, the — see below; possessive nouns (Joe's, the priest's, my mother's); possessive pronouns, (his, your, their, whose, etc.); numbers (one, two, etc.); indefinite pronouns (few, more, each, every, either, all, both, some, any, etc.); and demonstrative pronouns. The demonstratives (this, that, these, those, such) are discussed in the section on Demonstrative Pronouns. Notice that the possessive nouns differ from the other determiners in that they, themselves, are often accompanied by other determiners: "my mother's rug," "the priests's collar," "a dog's life."
This categorization of determiners is based on Understanding English Grammar by Martha Kolln. 4rth Edition. MacMillan Publishing Company: New York. 1994.
Some Notes on Quantifiers
Like articles, quantifiers are words that precede and modify nouns. They tell us how many or how much. Selecting the correct quantifier depends on your understanding the distinction between Count and Non-Count Nouns. For our purposes, we will choose the count noun trees and the non-count noun dancing:
The following quantifiers will work with count nouns:
many trees
a few trees
few trees
several trees
a couple of trees
none of the trees
The following quantifiers will work with non-count nouns:
not much dancing
a little dancing
little dancing
a bit of dancing
a good deal of dancing
a great deal of dancing
no dancing
The following quantifiers will work with both count and non-count nouns:
all of the trees/dancing
some trees/dancing
most of the trees/dancing
enough trees/dancing
a lot of trees/dancing
lots of trees/dancing
plenty of trees/dancing
a lack of trees/dancing
In formal academic writing, it is usually better to use many and much rather than phrases such as a lot of, lots of and plenty of.
There is an important difference between "a little" and "little" (used with non-count words) and between "a few" and "few" (used with count words). If I say that Tashonda has a little experience in management that means that although Tashonda is no great expert she does have some experience and that experience might well be enough for our purposes. If I say that Tashonda has little experience in management that means that she doesn't have enough experience. If I say that Charlie owns a few books on Latin American literature that means that he has some some books — not a lot of books, but probably enough for our purposes. If I say that Charlie owns few books on Latin American literature, that means he doesn't have enough for our purposes and we'd better go to the library.
Unless it is combined with of, the quantifier "much" is reserved for questions and negative statements:
Much of the snow has already melted.
How much snow fell yesterday?
Not much.
Note that the quantifier "most of the" must include the definite article the when it modifies a specific noun, whether it's a count or a non-count noun: "most of the instructors at this college have a doctorate"; "most of the water has evaporated." With a general plural noun, however (when you are not referring to a specific entity), the "of the" is dropped:
Most colleges have their own admissions policy.
Most students apply to several colleges.
Authority for this last paragraph: The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers by Maxine Hairston and John J. Ruszkiewicz. 4th ed. HarperCollins: New York. 1996. Examples our own.
An indefinite article is sometimes used in conjunction with the quantifier many, thus joining a plural quantifier with a singular noun (which then takes a singular verb):
Many a young man has fallen in love with her golden hair.
Many an apple has fallen by October.
This construction lends itself to a somewhat literary effect (some would say a stuffy or archaic effect) and is best used sparingly, if at all.
Basic Quiz on Choosing Quantifiers
Quiz on Quantifiers
Predeterminers
The predeterminers occur prior to other determiners (as you would probably guess from their name). This class of words includes multipliers (double, twice, four/five times . . . .); fractional expressions (one-third, three-quarters, etc.); the words both, half, and all; and intensifiers such as quite, rather, and such.
The multipliers precede plural count and mass nouns and occur with singular count nouns denoting number or amount:
This van holds three times the passengers as that sports car.
My wife is making double my / twice my salary.
This time we added five times the amount of water.
In fractional expressions, we have a similar construction, but here it can be replaced with "of" construction.
Charlie finished in one-fourth [of] the time his brother took.
Two-fifths of the respondents reported that half the medication was sufficient.
The intensifiers occur in this construction primarily in casual speech and writing and are more common in British English than they are in American English. The intensifier "what" is often found in stylistic fragments: "We visited my brother in his dorm room. What a mess!"
This room is rather a mess, isn't it?
The ticket-holders made quite a fuss when they couldn't get in.
What an idiot he turned out to be.
Our vacation was such a grand experience.
Half, both, and all can occur with singular and plural count nouns; half and all can occur with mass nouns. There are also "of constructions" with these words ("all [of] the grain," "half [of] his salary"); the "of construction" is required with personal pronouns ("both of them," "all of it"). The following chart (from Quirk and Greenbaum) nicely describes the uses of these three predeterminers:
The Articles
The three articles — a, an, the — are a kind of adjective. The is called the definite article because it usually precedes a specific or previously mentioned noun; a and an are called indefinite articles because they are used to refer to something in a less specific manner (an unspecified count noun). These words are also listed among the noun markers or determiners because they are almost invariably followed by a noun (or something else acting as a noun).
CAUTION! Even after you learn all the principles behind the use of these articles, you will find an abundance of situations where choosing the correct article or choosing whether to use one or not will prove chancy. Icy highways are dangerous. The icy highways are dangerous. And both are correct.
The is used with specific nouns. The is required when the noun it refers to represents something that is one of a kind:
The moon circles the earth.
The is required when the noun it refers to represents something in the abstract:
The United States has encouraged the use of the private automobile as opposed to the use of public transit.
The is required when the noun it refers to represents something named earlier in the text. (See below..)
If you would like help with the distinction between count and non-count nouns, please refer to Count and Non-Count Nouns.
We use a before singular count-nouns that begin with consonants (a cow, a barn, a sheep); we use an before singular count-nouns that begin with vowels or vowel-like sounds (an apple, an urban blight, an open door). Words that begin with an h sound often require an a (as in a horse, a history book, a hotel), but if an h-word begins with an actual vowel sound, use an an (as in an hour, an honor). We would say a useful device and a union matter because the u of those words actually sounds like yoo (as opposed, say, to the u of an ugly incident). The same is true of a European and a Euro (because of that consonantal "Yoo" sound). We would say a once-in-a-lifetime experience or a one-time hero because the words once and one begin with a w sound (as if they were spelled wuntz and won).
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary says that we can use an before an h- word that begins with an unstressed syllable. Thus, we might say an hisTORical moment, but we would say a HIStory book. Many writers would call that an affectation and prefer that we say a historical, but apparently, this choice is a matter of personal taste.
For help on using articles with abbreviations and acronyms (a or an FBI agent?), see the section on Abbreviations.
First and subsequent reference: When we first refer to something in written text, we often use an indefinite article to modify it.
A newspaper has an obligation to seek out and tell the truth.
In a subsequent reference to this newspaper, however, we will use the definite article:
There are situations, however, when the newspaper must determine whether the public's safety is jeopardized by knowing the truth.
Another example:
"I'd like a glass of orange juice, please," John said.
"I put the glass of juice on the counter already," Sheila replied.
Exception:
When a modifier appears between the article and the noun, the subsequent article will continue to be indefinite:
"I'd like a big glass of orange juice, please," John said.
"I put a big glass of juice on the counter already," Sheila replied.
Generic reference: We can refer to something in a generic way by using any of the three articles. We can do the same thing by omitting the article altogether.
A beagle makes a great hunting dog and family companion.
An airedale is sometimes a rather skittish animal.
The golden retriever is a marvelous pet for children.
Irish setters are not the highly intelligent animals they used to be.
The difference between the generic indefinite pronoun and the normal indefinite pronoun is that the latter refers to any of that class ("I want to buy a beagle, and any old beagle will do.") whereas the former (see beagle sentence) refers to all members of that class.
Proper nouns: We use the definite article with certain kinds of proper nouns:
Geographical places: the Sound, the Sea of Japan, the Mississippi, the West, the Smokies, the Sahara (but often not when the main part of the proper noun seems to be modified by an earlier attributive noun or adjective: We went swimming at the Ocean Park)
Pluralized names (geographic, family, teams): the Netherlands, the Bahamas, the Hamptons, the Johnsons, the New England Patriots
Public institutions/facilities/groups: the Wadsworth Atheneum, the Sheraton, the House, the Presbyterian Church
Newspapers: the Hartford Courant, the Times
Nouns followed by a prepositional phrase beginning with "of": the leader of the gang, the president of our club
Abstract nouns: Abstract nouns—the names of things that are not tangible—are sometimes used with articles, sometimes not:
The storm upset my peace of mind. He was missing just one thing: peace of mind.
Injustice was widespread within the judicial system itself. He implored the judge to correct the injustice.
Her body was racked with grief. It was a grief he had never felt before.
Zero articles: Several kinds of nouns never use articles. We do not use articles with the names of languages ("He was learning Chinese." [But when the word Chinese refers to the people, the definite article might come into play: "The Chinese are hoping to get the next Olympics."]), the names of sports ("She plays badminton and basketball."), and academic subjects ("She's taking economics and math. Her major is Religious Studies.")
When they are generic, non-count nouns and sometimes plural count-nouns are used without articles. "We like wine with our dinner. We adore Baroque music. We use roses for many purposes." But if an "of phrase" comes after the noun, we use an article: "We adore the music of the Baroque." Also, when a generic noun is used without an article and then referred to in a subsequent reference, it will have become specific and will require a definite article: "The Data Center installed computers in the Learning Center this summer. The computers, unfortunately, don't work."
Common count nouns are used without articles in certain special situations:
idiomatic expressions
using be and go We'll go by train. (as opposed to "We'll take the train.)
He must be in school.
with seasons In spring, we like to clean the house.
with institutions He's in church/college/jail/class.
with meals Breakfast was delicious.
He's preparing dinner by himself.
with diseases He's dying of pneumonia.
Appendicitis nearly killed him.
She has cancer
(You will sometimes hear "the measles," "the mumps," but these, too, can go without articles.)
with time of day We traveled mostly by night.
We'll be there around midnight.
Principles of Choosing an Article
Choosing articles and determiners: Briefly defined, a determiner is a noun-marker: when you see one, you know that what follows is a noun or noun phrase. There is a list of such words in the table below. When you place your mouse-cursor over a word or pair of related words (such as either/neither), you will see in the right-hand frame an image describing the kinds of words that word can modify.
Zero article (see table below) means either that no article would be appropriate with that kind of noun or that that kind of noun can be used (in that context) without an article.
If you would like to see these images listed on one page, click HERE.
Notice that there is a difference between a "stressed" some or any and an "unstressed" some or any. Consider the words in ALL CAPS as shouted words and you will hear the difference between these two:
That is SOME car you've got there!
I don't want to hear ANY excuse!
As opposed to. . .
We have some cars left in the lot.
Isn't there any furniture in the living room?
In terms of the words they usually modify, the unstressed some and any do not modify singular count nouns.
Quiz on A, An, and The
Quiz on Articles and Determiners
An excellent text for an in-depth study of articles is A University Grammar of English by Randolph Quirk and Sidney Greenbaum. Longman Group: Essex, England. 1993. Used with permission. Another good resource, especially for students for whom English is a second language, is Quick Access: Reference for Writers by Lynn Quitman Troyka. Simon & Schuster: New York. 1995. Used with permission.
Another place to discover more about the use of articles is at Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL). See, also, the University of Toronto's Rules for Using the Word The and Rensselaer's handout on Article Usage. The online journal for Teachers of English as a Second Language has several quizzes on article usage. Students should be forewarned, however, that the best way to address this problem (if it is one) is to immerse oneself in the use of English, paying particular attention to these "little words."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guide to Grammar
and Writing Principles of
Composition Index
The Guide to Grammar and Writing is sponsored by the Capital Community College Foundation, a nonprofit 501 c-3 organization that supports scholarships, faculty development, and curriculum innovation. I If you feel we have provided something of value and wish to show your appreciation, you can assist the College and its students with a tax-deductible contribution.
For more about giving to Capital, write to CCC Foundation, 950 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06103. Phone (860) 906-5102 or email: jmcnamara@ccc.commnet.edu. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
and Quantifiers Select from the followingGUIDE Home PageINDEXPrinciples of CompositionQUIZZESSentence Parts and Functions. . . . adjectives. . . . adverbs. . . . conjunctions. . . . determiners. . . . interjections. . . . nouns. . . . objects. . . . prepositions. . . . pronouns. . . . subjects. . . . verbsAbbreviationsArticles and DeterminersAuxiliary VerbsBw 2 Independent ClausesCapitalizationCases -- of pronounsClauses -- Essential Bldg BlocksCompositionCompound Nouns and ModifiersConcise SentencesConfusable WordsConfusion -- Sources, RemediesDiagramming SentencesEssay TypesFragmentsFrequently Asked QuestionsGrammarlogs -- answersGrammarPollItalics and UnderliningModifier PlacementObjects -- dir., indirectParagraph DevelopmentParallel StructuresPassive vs Active VoicePhrasesPlague Words & PhrasesPluralsPossessivesPrimer LanguagePronouns, Antcdnt AgrmntPUNCTUATION. . . . apostrophes. . . . brackets. . . . colons. . . . commas. . . . dashes. . . . ellipses. . . . exclamation marks. . . . hyphens. . . . parentheses. . . . periods. . . . question marks. . . . quotation marks. . . . semicolons. . . . slashesPowerpoint PresentationsRun-on SentencesSearch EngineSentence CombiningSentence Variety and TypesSpelling Rules and QuizzesSubjectsSubject-Verb AgreementTense SequenceTransitions, CoherenceUnbiased LanguageUsing Numbers, Making ListsVerbs and VerbalsVocabulary Builders Definition
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Articles
Articles, determiners, and quantifiers are those little words that precede and modify nouns:
the teacher, a college, a bit of honey, that person, those people, whatever purpose, either way, your choice
Sometimes these words will tell the reader or listener whether we're referring to a specific or general thing (the garage out back; A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!); sometimes they tell how much or how many (lots of trees, several books, a great deal of confusion). The choice of the proper article or determiner to precede a noun or noun phrase is usually not a problem for writers who have grown up speaking English, nor is it a serious problem for non-native writers whose first language is a romance language such as Spanish. For other writers, though, this can be a considerable obstacle on the way to their mastery of English. In fact, some students from eastern European countries — where their native language has either no articles or an altogether different system of choosing articles and determiners — find that these "little words" can create problems long after every other aspect of English has been mastered.
Determiners are said to "mark" nouns. That is to say, you know a determiner will be followed by a noun. Some categories of determiners are limited (there are only three articles, a handful of possessive pronouns, etc.), but the possessive nouns are as limitless as nouns themselves. This limited nature of most determiner categories, however, explains why determiners are grouped apart from adjectives even though both serve a modifying function. We can imagine that the language will never tire of inventing new adjectives; the determiners (except for those possessive nouns), on the other hand, are well established, and this class of words is not going to grow in number. These categories of determiners are as follows: the articles (an, a, the — see below; possessive nouns (Joe's, the priest's, my mother's); possessive pronouns, (his, your, their, whose, etc.); numbers (one, two, etc.); indefinite pronouns (few, more, each, every, either, all, both, some, any, etc.); and demonstrative pronouns. The demonstratives (this, that, these, those, such) are discussed in the section on Demonstrative Pronouns. Notice that the possessive nouns differ from the other determiners in that they, themselves, are often accompanied by other determiners: "my mother's rug," "the priests's collar," "a dog's life."
This categorization of determiners is based on Understanding English Grammar by Martha Kolln. 4rth Edition. MacMillan Publishing Company: New York. 1994.
Some Notes on Quantifiers
Like articles, quantifiers are words that precede and modify nouns. They tell us how many or how much. Selecting the correct quantifier depends on your understanding the distinction between Count and Non-Count Nouns. For our purposes, we will choose the count noun trees and the non-count noun dancing:
The following quantifiers will work with count nouns:
many trees
a few trees
few trees
several trees
a couple of trees
none of the trees
The following quantifiers will work with non-count nouns:
not much dancing
a little dancing
little dancing
a bit of dancing
a good deal of dancing
a great deal of dancing
no dancing
The following quantifiers will work with both count and non-count nouns:
all of the trees/dancing
some trees/dancing
most of the trees/dancing
enough trees/dancing
a lot of trees/dancing
lots of trees/dancing
plenty of trees/dancing
a lack of trees/dancing
In formal academic writing, it is usually better to use many and much rather than phrases such as a lot of, lots of and plenty of.
There is an important difference between "a little" and "little" (used with non-count words) and between "a few" and "few" (used with count words). If I say that Tashonda has a little experience in management that means that although Tashonda is no great expert she does have some experience and that experience might well be enough for our purposes. If I say that Tashonda has little experience in management that means that she doesn't have enough experience. If I say that Charlie owns a few books on Latin American literature that means that he has some some books — not a lot of books, but probably enough for our purposes. If I say that Charlie owns few books on Latin American literature, that means he doesn't have enough for our purposes and we'd better go to the library.
Unless it is combined with of, the quantifier "much" is reserved for questions and negative statements:
Much of the snow has already melted.
How much snow fell yesterday?
Not much.
Note that the quantifier "most of the" must include the definite article the when it modifies a specific noun, whether it's a count or a non-count noun: "most of the instructors at this college have a doctorate"; "most of the water has evaporated." With a general plural noun, however (when you are not referring to a specific entity), the "of the" is dropped:
Most colleges have their own admissions policy.
Most students apply to several colleges.
Authority for this last paragraph: The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers by Maxine Hairston and John J. Ruszkiewicz. 4th ed. HarperCollins: New York. 1996. Examples our own.
An indefinite article is sometimes used in conjunction with the quantifier many, thus joining a plural quantifier with a singular noun (which then takes a singular verb):
Many a young man has fallen in love with her golden hair.
Many an apple has fallen by October.
This construction lends itself to a somewhat literary effect (some would say a stuffy or archaic effect) and is best used sparingly, if at all.
Basic Quiz on Choosing Quantifiers
Quiz on Quantifiers
Predeterminers
The predeterminers occur prior to other determiners (as you would probably guess from their name). This class of words includes multipliers (double, twice, four/five times . . . .); fractional expressions (one-third, three-quarters, etc.); the words both, half, and all; and intensifiers such as quite, rather, and such.
The multipliers precede plural count and mass nouns and occur with singular count nouns denoting number or amount:
This van holds three times the passengers as that sports car.
My wife is making double my / twice my salary.
This time we added five times the amount of water.
In fractional expressions, we have a similar construction, but here it can be replaced with "of" construction.
Charlie finished in one-fourth [of] the time his brother took.
Two-fifths of the respondents reported that half the medication was sufficient.
The intensifiers occur in this construction primarily in casual speech and writing and are more common in British English than they are in American English. The intensifier "what" is often found in stylistic fragments: "We visited my brother in his dorm room. What a mess!"
This room is rather a mess, isn't it?
The ticket-holders made quite a fuss when they couldn't get in.
What an idiot he turned out to be.
Our vacation was such a grand experience.
Half, both, and all can occur with singular and plural count nouns; half and all can occur with mass nouns. There are also "of constructions" with these words ("all [of] the grain," "half [of] his salary"); the "of construction" is required with personal pronouns ("both of them," "all of it"). The following chart (from Quirk and Greenbaum) nicely describes the uses of these three predeterminers:
The Articles
The three articles — a, an, the — are a kind of adjective. The is called the definite article because it usually precedes a specific or previously mentioned noun; a and an are called indefinite articles because they are used to refer to something in a less specific manner (an unspecified count noun). These words are also listed among the noun markers or determiners because they are almost invariably followed by a noun (or something else acting as a noun).
CAUTION! Even after you learn all the principles behind the use of these articles, you will find an abundance of situations where choosing the correct article or choosing whether to use one or not will prove chancy. Icy highways are dangerous. The icy highways are dangerous. And both are correct.
The is used with specific nouns. The is required when the noun it refers to represents something that is one of a kind:
The moon circles the earth.
The is required when the noun it refers to represents something in the abstract:
The United States has encouraged the use of the private automobile as opposed to the use of public transit.
The is required when the noun it refers to represents something named earlier in the text. (See below..)
If you would like help with the distinction between count and non-count nouns, please refer to Count and Non-Count Nouns.
We use a before singular count-nouns that begin with consonants (a cow, a barn, a sheep); we use an before singular count-nouns that begin with vowels or vowel-like sounds (an apple, an urban blight, an open door). Words that begin with an h sound often require an a (as in a horse, a history book, a hotel), but if an h-word begins with an actual vowel sound, use an an (as in an hour, an honor). We would say a useful device and a union matter because the u of those words actually sounds like yoo (as opposed, say, to the u of an ugly incident). The same is true of a European and a Euro (because of that consonantal "Yoo" sound). We would say a once-in-a-lifetime experience or a one-time hero because the words once and one begin with a w sound (as if they were spelled wuntz and won).
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary says that we can use an before an h- word that begins with an unstressed syllable. Thus, we might say an hisTORical moment, but we would say a HIStory book. Many writers would call that an affectation and prefer that we say a historical, but apparently, this choice is a matter of personal taste.
For help on using articles with abbreviations and acronyms (a or an FBI agent?), see the section on Abbreviations.
First and subsequent reference: When we first refer to something in written text, we often use an indefinite article to modify it.
A newspaper has an obligation to seek out and tell the truth.
In a subsequent reference to this newspaper, however, we will use the definite article:
There are situations, however, when the newspaper must determine whether the public's safety is jeopardized by knowing the truth.
Another example:
"I'd like a glass of orange juice, please," John said.
"I put the glass of juice on the counter already," Sheila replied.
Exception:
When a modifier appears between the article and the noun, the subsequent article will continue to be indefinite:
"I'd like a big glass of orange juice, please," John said.
"I put a big glass of juice on the counter already," Sheila replied.
Generic reference: We can refer to something in a generic way by using any of the three articles. We can do the same thing by omitting the article altogether.
A beagle makes a great hunting dog and family companion.
An airedale is sometimes a rather skittish animal.
The golden retriever is a marvelous pet for children.
Irish setters are not the highly intelligent animals they used to be.
The difference between the generic indefinite pronoun and the normal indefinite pronoun is that the latter refers to any of that class ("I want to buy a beagle, and any old beagle will do.") whereas the former (see beagle sentence) refers to all members of that class.
Proper nouns: We use the definite article with certain kinds of proper nouns:
Geographical places: the Sound, the Sea of Japan, the Mississippi, the West, the Smokies, the Sahara (but often not when the main part of the proper noun seems to be modified by an earlier attributive noun or adjective: We went swimming at the Ocean Park)
Pluralized names (geographic, family, teams): the Netherlands, the Bahamas, the Hamptons, the Johnsons, the New England Patriots
Public institutions/facilities/groups: the Wadsworth Atheneum, the Sheraton, the House, the Presbyterian Church
Newspapers: the Hartford Courant, the Times
Nouns followed by a prepositional phrase beginning with "of": the leader of the gang, the president of our club
Abstract nouns: Abstract nouns—the names of things that are not tangible—are sometimes used with articles, sometimes not:
The storm upset my peace of mind. He was missing just one thing: peace of mind.
Injustice was widespread within the judicial system itself. He implored the judge to correct the injustice.
Her body was racked with grief. It was a grief he had never felt before.
Zero articles: Several kinds of nouns never use articles. We do not use articles with the names of languages ("He was learning Chinese." [But when the word Chinese refers to the people, the definite article might come into play: "The Chinese are hoping to get the next Olympics."]), the names of sports ("She plays badminton and basketball."), and academic subjects ("She's taking economics and math. Her major is Religious Studies.")
When they are generic, non-count nouns and sometimes plural count-nouns are used without articles. "We like wine with our dinner. We adore Baroque music. We use roses for many purposes." But if an "of phrase" comes after the noun, we use an article: "We adore the music of the Baroque." Also, when a generic noun is used without an article and then referred to in a subsequent reference, it will have become specific and will require a definite article: "The Data Center installed computers in the Learning Center this summer. The computers, unfortunately, don't work."
Common count nouns are used without articles in certain special situations:
idiomatic expressions
using be and go We'll go by train. (as opposed to "We'll take the train.)
He must be in school.
with seasons In spring, we like to clean the house.
with institutions He's in church/college/jail/class.
with meals Breakfast was delicious.
He's preparing dinner by himself.
with diseases He's dying of pneumonia.
Appendicitis nearly killed him.
She has cancer
(You will sometimes hear "the measles," "the mumps," but these, too, can go without articles.)
with time of day We traveled mostly by night.
We'll be there around midnight.
Principles of Choosing an Article
Choosing articles and determiners: Briefly defined, a determiner is a noun-marker: when you see one, you know that what follows is a noun or noun phrase. There is a list of such words in the table below. When you place your mouse-cursor over a word or pair of related words (such as either/neither), you will see in the right-hand frame an image describing the kinds of words that word can modify.
Zero article (see table below) means either that no article would be appropriate with that kind of noun or that that kind of noun can be used (in that context) without an article.
If you would like to see these images listed on one page, click HERE.
Notice that there is a difference between a "stressed" some or any and an "unstressed" some or any. Consider the words in ALL CAPS as shouted words and you will hear the difference between these two:
That is SOME car you've got there!
I don't want to hear ANY excuse!
As opposed to. . .
We have some cars left in the lot.
Isn't there any furniture in the living room?
In terms of the words they usually modify, the unstressed some and any do not modify singular count nouns.
Quiz on A, An, and The
Quiz on Articles and Determiners
An excellent text for an in-depth study of articles is A University Grammar of English by Randolph Quirk and Sidney Greenbaum. Longman Group: Essex, England. 1993. Used with permission. Another good resource, especially for students for whom English is a second language, is Quick Access: Reference for Writers by Lynn Quitman Troyka. Simon & Schuster: New York. 1995. Used with permission.
Another place to discover more about the use of articles is at Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL). See, also, the University of Toronto's Rules for Using the Word The and Rensselaer's handout on Article Usage. The online journal for Teachers of English as a Second Language has several quizzes on article usage. Students should be forewarned, however, that the best way to address this problem (if it is one) is to immerse oneself in the use of English, paying particular attention to these "little words."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guide to Grammar
and Writing Principles of
Composition Index
The Guide to Grammar and Writing is sponsored by the Capital Community College Foundation, a nonprofit 501 c-3 organization that supports scholarships, faculty development, and curriculum innovation. I If you feel we have provided something of value and wish to show your appreciation, you can assist the College and its students with a tax-deductible contribution.
For more about giving to Capital, write to CCC Foundation, 950 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06103. Phone (860) 906-5102 or email: jmcnamara@ccc.commnet.edu. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
domingo, 14 de marzo de 2010
PARTS OF SPEECH
THE PARTS OF SPEECH
The eight parts of speech — verbs, nouns, pronouns, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections — are defined on the pages hyperlinked below. (Some authorities would not list interjections, but would list determiners or articles, instead.) In addition, you can use the Powerpoint presentation on the Parts of Speech. Visit the page on Powerpoint for further information. The terms below — and over 300 others — are also listed in the Guide's INDEX.
Here's a little rhyme — by David B. Tower & Benjamin F. Tweed —that teachers used in days gone by to help students learn the parts of speech. (We include it here in response to popular demand. Why the song leaves out pronouns is a mystery. A writer from Richland, Washington, suggests "A PRONOUN replaces any noun: / he, she, it, and you are found. ) It has been set to music, but we'll leave that up to you to discover or create for yourself:
Three little words you often see
Are ARTICLES: a, an, and the.
A NOUN's the name of anything,
As: school or garden, toy, or swing.
ADJECTIVES tell the kind of noun,
As: great, small, pretty, white, or brown.
VERBS tell of something being done:
To read, write, count, sing, jump, or run.
How things are done the ADVERBS tell,
As: slowly, quickly, badly, well.
CONJUNCTIONS join the words together,
As: men and women, wind or weather.
The PREPOSITION stands before
A noun as: in or through a door.
The INTERJECTION shows surprise
As: Oh, how pretty! Ah! how wise!
The whole are called the PARTS of SPEECH,
Which reading, writing, speaking teach.
The eight parts of speech — verbs, nouns, pronouns, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections — are defined on the pages hyperlinked below. (Some authorities would not list interjections, but would list determiners or articles, instead.) In addition, you can use the Powerpoint presentation on the Parts of Speech. Visit the page on Powerpoint for further information. The terms below — and over 300 others — are also listed in the Guide's INDEX.
Here's a little rhyme — by David B. Tower & Benjamin F. Tweed —that teachers used in days gone by to help students learn the parts of speech. (We include it here in response to popular demand. Why the song leaves out pronouns is a mystery. A writer from Richland, Washington, suggests "A PRONOUN replaces any noun: / he, she, it, and you are found. ) It has been set to music, but we'll leave that up to you to discover or create for yourself:
Three little words you often see
Are ARTICLES: a, an, and the.
A NOUN's the name of anything,
As: school or garden, toy, or swing.
ADJECTIVES tell the kind of noun,
As: great, small, pretty, white, or brown.
VERBS tell of something being done:
To read, write, count, sing, jump, or run.
How things are done the ADVERBS tell,
As: slowly, quickly, badly, well.
CONJUNCTIONS join the words together,
As: men and women, wind or weather.
The PREPOSITION stands before
A noun as: in or through a door.
The INTERJECTION shows surprise
As: Oh, how pretty! Ah! how wise!
The whole are called the PARTS of SPEECH,
Which reading, writing, speaking teach.
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