Parts of Speech

1. Parts of Speech COMM 200

2. Verbs Auxiliary verbs Modal auxiliary Nouns Pronouns Common nouns Proper nouns Adjectives Adverbs Sentence adverbs Prepositions Coordinators Subordinators Determiners Interjections Overview

3. Verbs • A type of word that typically conveys an action or a state (e.g., run, said, teach, thought, could, do) • Verbs almost all have present tense and past tense forms (but not must or beware) • Verbs can be modified by adverbs (e.g., run quickly, never did)

4. Nouns • A type of word that typically conveys a physical object, person, place, idea, etc. (e.g., table, Robin, it, St. Catherine's, education, who) • Many nouns have a plural form (one cat, two cats; but not all, e.g., furniture) • All (maybe) nouns have a possessive form (e.g., Johanna’s, our, its, whose) • Nouns can be modified by adjectives (e.g., the class was good, a big dog)

5. Find the Nouns • Would you like coffee or tea? • I didn't finish that work in the morning, so I had to do it in the afternoon. • Newspapers love to write about controversies. • Unskilled manual workers are the most likely to lose their job when the economy changes. • CDs are dying out and MP3s are becoming the norm. • The faculty office is the third door on the left side of the hall.

6. Find the Nouns (answers) • Would you like coffee or tea? • I didn't finish that work in the morning, so I had to do it in the afternoon. • Newspapers love to write about controversies. • Unskilled manual workers are the most likely to lose their job when the economy changes. • CDs are dying out and MP3s are becoming the norm. • The facultyoffice is the third door on the left side of the hall.

7. Find the verbs 1 • I know a little Spanish. • The problem got worse. • I went to Africa last year. • This graph illustrates the change in price. • She turned her head up and saw clouds in the sky. • Some people think this is a good idea, but I don't think so.

8. Find the verbs 1 (answers) • I know a little Spanish. • The problem got worse. • I went to Africa last year. • This graph illustrates the change in price. • She turned her head up and saw clouds in the sky. • Some people think this is a good idea, but I don'tthink so.

9. Find the verbs 2 • People often associate Einstein with science, but he was also a man of peace. • I can't see the words in this book because the writing is too small and I don't have my glasses. • I think the best thing to do now is to go home. • I just thought you might want some coffee. • How many times have I told you not to do that? • I think I can do it, but I don't know.

10. Find the verbs 2 (answers) • People often associate Einstein with science, but he was also a man of peace. • I can'tsee the words in this book because the writing is too small and I don'thave my glasses. • I think the best thing to do now is to go home. • I just thought you mightwant some coffee. • How many times have I told you not to do that? • I think I cando it, but I don'tknow.

11. Coordinators • English has only a small number of coordinators: and, or, but, & nor • Coordinators join words, phrases, and sentences that are at the same level in a sentence. • In contrast subordinators & prepositions join things at a lower level. • Coordinators are usually preceded by a comma, but can also be preceded by a period or no punctuation at all.

12. Coordination

13. Subordination

14. Sentence Adverbs • Sentence adverbs are adverbs that modify entire sentences. • Often these have meanings that are similar to coordinators and subordinators, BUT • Adverbs cannot link sentences. You need sentence-final punctuation (or a semicolon if you like bow ties).

15. accordingly afterwards also furthermore however indeed likewise moreover nevertheless next nonetheless otherwise similarly then therefore Some Sentence Adverbs

16. Comma splices &Run-on Sentences • A run on sentence is a sentence with two or more primary verbs at the same level without any coordinators or punctuation linking. • A comma splice is a sentence with two or more primary verbs at the same level with only a comma (or commas) linking them.

17. Run-on sentence • Examples: • Students often have problems with punctuation for example they leave out periods where they need them. • Students want to be able to write better they want to be taken seriously. • Solutions: Add a • Period • A semicolon (if you’re writing a tuxedo) • (A comma and) a coordinator (if it makes sense)

18. Run-on Sentence fixes • Students often have problems with punctuation. For example they leave out periods where they need them. • Students want to be able to write better, and they want to be taken seriously.

19. Comma splices • Examples: • Students often have problems with punctuation, for example they leave out periods where they need them. • Students want to be able to write better, they want to be taken seriously. • Solutions (same solutions): Add a • Period • A semicolon (if you really want to look fancy) • A comma and a coordinator (if it makes sense)

20. Run-on Exercises • Judy leads a charmed life she never seems to have a serious accident. • The airport is about to shut down because of the snow and if the plane doesn't land soon it will have to go on to Boston. • The show begins at 7:30 make sure you're there before 7:15. • Marcellino always knew his way around the woods this is something he could always depend on.

21. Run-on Exercises 2 • Having prepared himself well for the realtor exams and having exhausted everyone in the family with his requests that someone help him with the true-and-false drills, Jeffrey, who had never been a particularly good student in high school, knew he was ready to take on the greatest challenge of his life. • Throughout history money and religion were closely linked there was little distinction between government and religion. • The head of state and the religious leader were often the same person all power rested in one ruler.

22. Comma Splice Exercises • I completed my essay, however I have not submitted it. • The price of oil has been rising, therefore more people are using transit. • He’s always late, for example last week he missed every 8:00 class. • If I can’t go, I’ll let you know. • I love it here, life’s good.

23. Prepositions • Prepositions are typically short words that show locations in space or time. • Examples:

24. Prepositions + nouns • Prepositions are typically followed by a noun phrase: • the rest of the world • inthe first case, • Given all the problems, • He stood beforethe door. • Traditional grammar insists that prepositions are ALWAYS followed by a noun, but…

25. Prepositions + other things • Prepositions can be followed: • …by other prepositions: • He stepped out from behind the door. • …by verbs (in -ing form): • Beforeopening the book, • …by sentences: (“conjunctions” in traditional grammar) • Before he opened the book, • …by nothing at all: (“adverbs” in traditional grammar) • He had been there before.

26. Prepositions followed by commas • Consider: • If you saw the movie we went to the theatre must have been crowded. • Typically, if you begin your sentence with a prepositional phrase, especially a long one, you should follow it with a comma. • If you saw the movie we went to, the theatre must have been crowded. • Before your got distracted, were you tracted?

27. Prepositions & commas • A comma can also help you avoid errors like this: • By paying too much attention to polls can make a political leader unwilling to propose innovative policies. • Punctuation can completely change the meaning of a sentence: • A woman without her man is nothing. • A woman! Without her, man is nothing.

28. according allowing barring concerning considering counting depending excluding -ing Prepositions • A number of prepositions are “deverbal”. In other words, they’re derived from verbs. • For Example:

29. -ing Prepositions vs. Verbs • When you start a sentence with an -ing verb, it should attach to the subject of the sentence: • Running down the road, I saw the crash. • *Running down the road, the crash was terrible. • In contrast, prepositions don’t need to attach to anything. • Counting the dog, he has a family of six. • Considering the damage, the crash was terrible.

30. Preposition or Verb? • Hurrying for the appointment, she forgot her computer. • Regarding the changes, I can’t say I’m in full support. • Providing the soldiers remembered where the triggers were at the right moment, they were sure to get any plane that entered the field of fire. • Seeing as how you’ve messed this up, I’m sure you’ll get a raise. That’s how business works. • Lying on the grass, she felt happier than she’d felt in a long time.

31. Simpsons & Prepositions • "Something WAS stirring in one Springfield house this Christmas eve, and what it was stirring was up trouble!” • (The Simpsons' house has been broken into on Christmas eve, and all their Christmas presents and decorations have been stolen. Homer is telling his woes to Moe. Moe says,) "You know what I blame this on the breakdown of? Society!"

32. Commas before Prepositions • Generally modern writers prefer a lighter punctuation style in which prepositions are not typically preceded by commas. • He gut stuck under the car with the cat. • He was already a word nerd before it became cool. • Compare: • Before he became a word nerd, he wanted to be a rock star. • We’re all here because Brett gives good grammar.

33. What’s so? And so what? • It’s hard to categorize so. In some ways it’s like a coordinator, in some ways it’s like an adverb, and in some ways it’s like a preposition. • Typically, a comma is used before so: • I’m almost done, so hold on a few more minutes. • But not with so that: • He’s there so that we have somebody to ask.

34. More Prepositions • A complete list of modern English prepositions can be found here. • Try making sentences using: • notwithstanding • regardless • contrary • despite • whereas • though • if • when