Foreign nouns form their foreign plural by changing their endings as follows:
1. "is" changes to "es".
2. "um" changes to "a".
3. "us" changes to "i".
4. "a" changes to "ae".
5. "on" changes to "a".
6. "x" changes to "ces".
7. "eau" adds "x."
Example: analysis, analyses.
Example: datum, data.
Example: alumnus, alumni, (masculine)
Example: alumna, alumnae, (feminine)
Example: criterion, criteria.
Example: index, indices.
Example: bureau, bureaux.
In a number of instances, however, the English plurals are commonly used instead of the foreign plurals.
Examples:
SINGULAR PLURAL
formula formulas
memorandum memorandums
index indexes
referendum referendums
bureau bureaus
tableau tableau s
trousseau trousseau s
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Irregular Nouns and Foreign Nouns
Irregular Nouns. Some nouns form heir plural by making changes within the words.
Examples:
SINGULAR PLURAL
child children
foot feet
goose geese
madam mesdames
man men
mouse mice
ox oxen
woman women
Some nouns, even though they end in "s," are always singular.
Examples:
SINGULAR SINGULAR
arthritis mathematics
economics molasses
ethics news
logistics politics
Some nouns, regardless of the final letter, are always plural.
Examples:
PLURAL PLURAL
acoustics scissors
athletics spectacles
cattle statistics
goods tactics
gymnastics thanks
proceeds
Other nouns use the same form for both the singular and the plural.
Examples:
SINGULAR PLURAL
corps corps
deer deer
gross gross
means means
series series
sheep sheep
Examples:
SINGULAR PLURAL
child children
foot feet
goose geese
madam mesdames
man men
mouse mice
ox oxen
woman women
Some nouns, even though they end in "s," are always singular.
Examples:
SINGULAR SINGULAR
arthritis mathematics
economics molasses
ethics news
logistics politics
Some nouns, regardless of the final letter, are always plural.
Examples:
PLURAL PLURAL
acoustics scissors
athletics spectacles
cattle statistics
goods tactics
gymnastics thanks
proceeds
Other nouns use the same form for both the singular and the plural.
Examples:
SINGULAR PLURAL
corps corps
deer deer
gross gross
means means
series series
sheep sheep
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Plural Forms of Nouns
General Rule. The plural of nouns are most commonly formed by the addition of "s".
Example:
SINGULAR PLURAL
door doors
obligation obligations
pencil pencils
ruler rulers
Nouns Ending in "x," "ch", "sh," or "ss" The plural of nouns ending in "x," "ch", "sh," or "ss" The plural of nouns ending or "x," "ch", "sh", or "ss" are form by the addition of "es."
SINGULAR PLURAL
box boxes
church churches
bush bushes
business businesses
Nouns Ending in "y". When a final "y" is preceded by a vowel, the plural is formed by the addition of "s". But when the final "y" is preceded by a consonant, the "y" changes to "i" and "es" is added.
Example:
SINGULAR PLURAL
attorney attorneys
delay delays
company companies
courtesy courtesies
Exception: Proper names ending in "y", Mary, Mary; Henry Henry's.
Compound Nouns.
Compound nouns written with hyphens form their plurals by the addition of "s" to the principal word.
Examples:
SINGULAR PLURAL
court-martial courts-martial
editor-in-chief editors-in-chief
hanger-on hangers-on
son-in-law sons-in-law
In some instances both parts of a compound noun are used with the plural
Examples:
SINGULAR PLURAL
manservant menservants
Knight Templar Knights Templars
Nouns Ending in "t" or "f" or "fe". The plurals of most nouns ending "f" or "t" are formed by the addition of "s".
SINGULAR PLURAL
cuff cuffs
belief beliefs
dwarf dwarfs
handkerchief handkerchiefs
chef chefs
safe safes
But in some nouns ending in "f" or "fe" the "f" changes to "v" and the word ends with "ves".
Example:
SINGULAR PLURAL
calf calves
half halves
knife knives
leaf leaves
life lives
loaf loaves
scarf scarves (also scarfs)
shelf shelves
thief thieves
wharf wharves
wife wives
wolf wolves
Nouns ending in "o". The plurals of nouns ending in "o" preceded by a vowel are formed by the addition of the letters "s".
Examples:
SINGULAR PLURAL
cameo cameos
duo duos
folio folios
trio trios
The plurals of most of other nouns associated with music, are formed by the addition of the letters."s".
Examples
SINGULAR PLURAL
albino albinos
banjo banjos
dynamo dynamos
Eskimo Eskimos
kimono kimonos
memento mementos
piano pianos
soprano sopranos
tobacco tobaccos
zero zeros
The plurals of some nouns ending in "o" preceded by a consonant are formed by the addition of "es".
Examples:
SINGULAR PLURAL
buffalo buffaloes
calico calico s
cargo cargoes
desperado desperadoes
domino dominoes
echo echoes
embargo embargoes
hero heroes
mosquito mosquitoes
motto mottoes
mullato mullatoes
negro negroes
potato potatoes
tomato tomatoes
tornado tornadoes
torpedo torpedoes
veto vetoes
volcano volcanoes
Example:
SINGULAR PLURAL
door doors
obligation obligations
pencil pencils
ruler rulers
Nouns Ending in "x," "ch", "sh," or "ss" The plural of nouns ending in "x," "ch", "sh," or "ss" The plural of nouns ending or "x," "ch", "sh", or "ss" are form by the addition of "es."
SINGULAR PLURAL
box boxes
church churches
bush bushes
business businesses
Nouns Ending in "y". When a final "y" is preceded by a vowel, the plural is formed by the addition of "s". But when the final "y" is preceded by a consonant, the "y" changes to "i" and "es" is added.
Example:
SINGULAR PLURAL
attorney attorneys
delay delays
company companies
courtesy courtesies
Exception: Proper names ending in "y", Mary, Mary; Henry Henry's.
Compound Nouns.
Compound nouns written with hyphens form their plurals by the addition of "s" to the principal word.
Examples:
SINGULAR PLURAL
court-martial courts-martial
editor-in-chief editors-in-chief
hanger-on hangers-on
son-in-law sons-in-law
In some instances both parts of a compound noun are used with the plural
Examples:
SINGULAR PLURAL
manservant menservants
Knight Templar Knights Templars
Nouns Ending in "t" or "f" or "fe". The plurals of most nouns ending "f" or "t" are formed by the addition of "s".
SINGULAR PLURAL
cuff cuffs
belief beliefs
dwarf dwarfs
handkerchief handkerchiefs
chef chefs
safe safes
But in some nouns ending in "f" or "fe" the "f" changes to "v" and the word ends with "ves".
Example:
SINGULAR PLURAL
calf calves
half halves
knife knives
leaf leaves
life lives
loaf loaves
scarf scarves (also scarfs)
shelf shelves
thief thieves
wharf wharves
wife wives
wolf wolves
Nouns ending in "o". The plurals of nouns ending in "o" preceded by a vowel are formed by the addition of the letters "s".
Examples:
SINGULAR PLURAL
cameo cameos
duo duos
folio folios
trio trios
The plurals of most of other nouns associated with music, are formed by the addition of the letters."s".
Examples
SINGULAR PLURAL
albino albinos
banjo banjos
dynamo dynamos
Eskimo Eskimos
kimono kimonos
memento mementos
piano pianos
soprano sopranos
tobacco tobaccos
zero zeros
The plurals of some nouns ending in "o" preceded by a consonant are formed by the addition of "es".
Examples:
SINGULAR PLURAL
buffalo buffaloes
calico calico s
cargo cargoes
desperado desperadoes
domino dominoes
echo echoes
embargo embargoes
hero heroes
mosquito mosquitoes
motto mottoes
mullato mullatoes
negro negroes
potato potatoes
tomato tomatoes
tornado tornadoes
torpedo torpedoes
veto vetoes
volcano volcanoes
Friday, November 16, 2012
Subordinate Clauses in Complex Sentences
The subordinate clause in a complex sentence my be a noun clauses, an adjectival clause, or an adverbial clause.
Noun Clause
A noun clause may be used as the subject of the sentence, the predicate noun of a verb, or as the direct object of a verb.
Here are some noun clauses used as:
1. Subject of a sentence.
That man is unjust is a fact.
That President Quezon loved his country is beyond doubt.
That Rizal could have saved himself and did not proved his devotion to duty.
That knowledge is power cannot be denied.
2. Predicate Noun
"Life is what we make it".
Rizal's martyrdom was what the Filipinos needed to stir them to consciousness.
This outcome was what i expected.
The United Nations was what the world needed then to promote brotherhood.
3. Direct object of a verb
We all know that death is inevitable.
Noun Clause
A noun clause may be used as the subject of the sentence, the predicate noun of a verb, or as the direct object of a verb.
Here are some noun clauses used as:
1. Subject of a sentence.
That man is unjust is a fact.
That President Quezon loved his country is beyond doubt.
That Rizal could have saved himself and did not proved his devotion to duty.
That knowledge is power cannot be denied.
2. Predicate Noun
"Life is what we make it".
Rizal's martyrdom was what the Filipinos needed to stir them to consciousness.
This outcome was what i expected.
The United Nations was what the world needed then to promote brotherhood.
3. Direct object of a verb
We all know that death is inevitable.
OBJECT OF PREPOSITION
The preposition shows the relationship between its object and some other word or words in the sentences.
shade of a tree
water in the bucket
rain on the roof
APPOSITIVE
A noun is in the objective case if it is in appositive with another noun in the objective case.
He arrested Vic, the politician's son.
The wedding quest listened to the Doctor, and old man.
Objective Case and Direct Object of a Verb
A noun is said to be in the objective case when it act as the direct object of a verb, the indirect object of a verb, the object of a preposition, or as an appositive of another word in the object case. (Object implies the person or thing receiving an action: John hit Mary. Mary, the object, receives the action that John, the subject initiates.)
DIRECT OBJECT OF A VERB
To determine the word or words acting as object of the verb ask whom? or what? after the verb. The answer yields the object.
She approved my reason.
She approved what? The object of approved is reason.
She approved my reason.
She approved what? The object of approved is reason.
INDIRECT OBJECT OF A VERB
Beside naming the direct object, the person or thing receiving an actions, a verb may also have an indirect object the person for whom or to whom, or the thing for which or to which an action is performed. To determine the indirect object (which usually comes before the direct object) as to whom? or for whom? for what? after the verb.
The professor taught his students grammar.
The professor taught to whom? The answer, [his] student, yields the indirect object.
The professor taught his students grammar.
The professor taught to whom? The answer, [his] student, yields the indirect object.
PRONOUNS
A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun. Note how monotonous a sentence can be if the noun is repeated because in its place no pronoun is used.
Example:
1. Pete lost Pete's watch yesterday when Pete was wrestling with Pete's cousin.
2. The children were told by the children's mother to study the children's lesson carefully.
3. In the garden, the earthworm is looking for the earthworm's food to keep the earthworm's healthy so that the earthworm's can do the earthworm's work well.
Instead of the boldened nouns, pronouns may be used to improve the sentences. The boldened words below are pronouns.
1. Peter lost his book yesterday when he was wrestling with his cousin.
2. The children were told by their mother to study their lesson carefully.
3. In the garden, the earthworm is looking for its food to keep it healthy so that it can do its work well.
4. We who are your friends will help you ad your mother.
The words (1) he, his (2) their, (3) its, it, and we, you, your, who are called pronouns. They are used in place of the nouns (1) Pete, (2) children, (3) earthworm, (4) the person speaking, and the person spoken to, respectively.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
The Nominative Case
A noun is said to be in the nominative (or subjective) case when it acts as the subject of a verb, as a predicated nominative, as a word in direct address (vocative), or as a appositive of an other word in the nominative case.
SUBJECT OF A VERB
To determine the word or words acting as its subject ask who? or what? before the verb, The answer yields the subject. The answer yields the subject.
The nations are as a drop of a bucket. What are as a drop of a bucket? The nations-subject.
How beautiful upon the mountains are his feet.
Here the subject does not precede the verb, as normally it does. Nevertheless, the method of finding the subject remains the same. What are beautiful: feet-subject.
A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench.
There are two verbs in the preceding sentence; shall break and shall quenches, the subject of each, is located by asking who? before the relevant verb.
The nations are as a drop of a bucket. What are as a drop of a bucket? The nations-subject.
How beautiful upon the mountains are his feet.
Here the subject does not precede the verb, as normally it does. Nevertheless, the method of finding the subject remains the same. What are beautiful: feet-subject.
A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench.
There are two verbs in the preceding sentence; shall break and shall quenches, the subject of each, is located by asking who? before the relevant verb.
PREDICATE NOMINATIVE
After the copula or linking verb (a verb that expresses a state of being rather than an actions and acts as a king of equal sign linking subject and predicate) the nominative case is used. The most common of the linking verbs is be ( is, was, will be, have been, had been, ect.); but become, seem, appear, prove, look, and about fifty other verbs may be used as linking verb.
Note in the following examples how the predicate nominative (boldened) serves to define or explain the subject.
God is one.
The Bible is a little-known Book.
The Bible has become a little known book. We shall have been friends.
DIRECT ADDRESS
A noun is said to be an appositive of another noun, or in appositive with another noun. when it identifies the same person or object under another name. A noun is in the nominative case if it is in apposition with another noun in the nominative case.
Tom, the widow's son, raised pigs. Mary, a gardener, planted vegetables.
POSSESSIVE CASE
A noun is in the possessive (also called genitive) case when it adds (apostrophe s) or simply the apostrophe to Indicated ownership (possession), source or origin (genesis), manufacture or authorship, association or connection, and similar relationships.
USES OF THE POSSESSIVE
Ownership: Marco's millions, Edward's eye.
Source of Origin: God's country, mother's son.
Manufacture or authorship: John son's baby lotion.
Association, connection, attribute or duration: a woman's work, a month's delay at sword's point.
FORMATION OF THE POSSESSIVE
To form the possessive singular, add apostrophe s to the simple (nominative) form of the noun.
child's play Dickens' novels woman's work
To form the possessive plural, add only the apostrophe when the simple (nominative) plural form of the noun end in s, but and apostrophe s when the simple plural does not end in s.
Plural Ending in s Plural Not Ending in s
horses's tails children's play
devils' delights people's voices
ladies' day freshmen's folly
NOTE: The methods of forming the possessive case described and illustrated in the foregoing paragraphs have gained wide acceptance; they are valid as any and far more lucid than most, Unfortunately, other systems are in vogue.
To form the plural of a group of words containing a single idea (group genitive) and apostrophe s to the last word.
brother-in-law's virtues
The Y.M.C.A.'s program
In formal usage, inanimate objects do not take the possessive case, except for some constructions that have long been in the language.
pages of a book (rather than a book's pages)
principles of grammar (rather than grammar's principles)
leaves of a tree (rather than a tree's leaves)
BUT:
goodness' sake day's march
hair's breadth earth's surface
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Gender and Denoting Gender Nouns
Gender. In English nouns, gender indicates sex or the absence of sex. Four genders are distinguished:
1. Masculine Gender: male human beings or animals.
boy, father, Joseph, bull, cock, stallion.
2. Feminine Gender: female human beings or animals.
girl, mother, Josephine, cow, hen, mare.
3. Neuter Gender: objects without flower, fire, furnace.
(NOTE: children and animals are sometimes spoken of as Neuter: The baby cries because it is bored.
The dog barks because it can't speak.
4. Common Gender: human beings or animals that may belong to either sex.
cousin, parent, child, fish, bird.
DENOTING GENDER. Gender in nouns may be indicated in three ways: by a different word, by a changed termination, and by an added word.
by a different word.
MASCULINE FEMININE
buck doe
bull cow
cock hen
colt filly
lord lady
by a changed termination
MASCULINE FEMININE
actor actress
baron baroness
god goddess
hero heroine
widower window
by an added word.
MASCULINE FEMININE
billy goat nanny goat
bridegroom bride
landlord landlady
PERSONIFICATION. Sometimes object on forces, normally of neuter gender, are personified - regardless as persons; consequently, they are endowed with masculine or feminine gender.
Crops fail at times, but Death always reaps his harvest.
Then the bully came in, his hand upon his knife.
Fame smiled, displaying her false teeth.
(NOTE: Personifications are often capitalized.)
CASE. In English nouns, case refers to the change in form that shows the grammatical relationship of nouns to other words in the sentence.
Whether a noun initiates an action or receives it, the form remains constant (that is, the spelling of the noun does change)"
John threw the bull.
The bull threw John.
The noun changes its form (or spelling) only when it is used to show possession:
John's cape eluded the bull's horns. Therefore, some grammarians insist that English nouns have two cases only: the common case and the possessive case. However, though the principle is valid, it creates as many difficulties as it solves, since it complicates nomenclature. Throughout this book, consequently, the traditional three cases of nouns are recognized.
1. Masculine Gender: male human beings or animals.
boy, father, Joseph, bull, cock, stallion.
2. Feminine Gender: female human beings or animals.
girl, mother, Josephine, cow, hen, mare.
3. Neuter Gender: objects without flower, fire, furnace.
(NOTE: children and animals are sometimes spoken of as Neuter: The baby cries because it is bored.
The dog barks because it can't speak.
4. Common Gender: human beings or animals that may belong to either sex.
cousin, parent, child, fish, bird.
DENOTING GENDER. Gender in nouns may be indicated in three ways: by a different word, by a changed termination, and by an added word.
by a different word.
MASCULINE FEMININE
buck doe
bull cow
cock hen
colt filly
lord lady
by a changed termination
MASCULINE FEMININE
actor actress
baron baroness
god goddess
hero heroine
widower window
by an added word.
MASCULINE FEMININE
billy goat nanny goat
bridegroom bride
landlord landlady
PERSONIFICATION. Sometimes object on forces, normally of neuter gender, are personified - regardless as persons; consequently, they are endowed with masculine or feminine gender.
Crops fail at times, but Death always reaps his harvest.
Then the bully came in, his hand upon his knife.
Fame smiled, displaying her false teeth.
(NOTE: Personifications are often capitalized.)
CASE. In English nouns, case refers to the change in form that shows the grammatical relationship of nouns to other words in the sentence.
Whether a noun initiates an action or receives it, the form remains constant (that is, the spelling of the noun does change)"
John threw the bull.
The bull threw John.
The noun changes its form (or spelling) only when it is used to show possession:
John's cape eluded the bull's horns. Therefore, some grammarians insist that English nouns have two cases only: the common case and the possessive case. However, though the principle is valid, it creates as many difficulties as it solves, since it complicates nomenclature. Throughout this book, consequently, the traditional three cases of nouns are recognized.
Monday, November 12, 2012
The Plural Number
a. Regularly, the plural of nouns is formed by adding -s to the singular: lands, lovers, books, battles.
b. Singular nouns ending in -s, -x, -z, -sh, or -ch formed the plural by adding -es: kisses, misses;
taxes, waxes, mazes, blazes, dishes, wishes; churches, birches.
b. Singular nouns ending in -s, -x, -z, -sh, or -ch formed the plural by adding -es: kisses, misses;
taxes, waxes, mazes, blazes, dishes, wishes; churches, birches.
NOTE: The ending -s, is added when the plural has no more syllables than the singular; the ending -es is added when the plural has one more syllable than the singular. Thus the singular book and the plural books alike have one syllable; therefore, -s only is to be added in forming the plural. But singular kiss has one syllable and plural kisses has two syllables; therefore, -es is to be added in forming the plural. As a cue to spelling, pronounce the singular and plural of the noun.
c. Singular nouns ending in -y preceded by a consonant form the plural by changing the -y to -i and adding-es: fly - flies; vanity - vanities; soliloquy - soliloquies.
(NOTE: Singular nouns ending in -y preceded by a vowel form the plural by adding -s: day - days; chimney - chimneys; monkey - monkeys.)
d. Singular nouns ending in -o preceded by a consonant general form the plural by adding es: hero - heroes; Negro - Negroes; potato - potatoes. (But there are many exceptions to the generalization: solo - solos; halo - halos; piano - planos.)
e. Singular nouns ending in -o preceded by a vowel form the plural by adding -s: seraglio - seraglios; curio - curios; cuckoo - cuckoos.
f. Singular nouns ending in -f or fe generally form the plural by changing the f to v and adding es: thief - thieves; calf-calves; self-selves; wife - wives; life - lives; knife - knives (But there are many exceptions to the generalization; grief - griefs; turf - turfs; cliff - cliffs; fife - fifes; safe - safes; trife - strifes.)
g. Eight nouns form their plural by mutation - by changing an inside vowel: man - men; woman - women; tooth-teeth; foot-feet; mouse - mice; dormouse - dormouse; louse - lice; goose -geese.
h. Four nouns form their plural by adding -en or -ne, ox - oxen; cone - kine; child - children; brother - brethren. (The u of soliloquy has the sound of the consonant w and so does not violate the principles.)
i. Compound nouns form their plurals by adding -s to the most important word of the compound: mother-in-law - mothers-in-law; court-martial - courts-martial; commander-in-chief - commanders-in-chief. will-o-the wisp-will-o-the-wisps; hand-me-down - hand-me-downs; good -by-good-bys.
(NOTE: Compounds written solidly regularly add -s to form the plural; pickpocket-pickpockets; spoonful - spoonfuls; stepmother-stepmothers.)
j. Foreign nouns, unless they have been thoroughly naturalized, from their plurals according to their native declension. There are several thousand foreign nouns in occasional English use:
SINGULAR PLURAL
LATIN
addendum addenda
alumna alumnae
alumnus alumni
datum data
erratum errata
GREEK
analysis analyses
basis bases
crisis crises
Phenomenon Phenomena
Thesis Theses
FRENCH
bandeau bandeaux
Monsieur Messieurs
g. Eight nouns form their plural by mutation - by changing an inside vowel: man - men; woman - women; tooth-teeth; foot-feet; mouse - mice; dormouse - dormouse; louse - lice; goose -geese.
h. Four nouns form their plural by adding -en or -ne, ox - oxen; cone - kine; child - children; brother - brethren. (The u of soliloquy has the sound of the consonant w and so does not violate the principles.)
i. Compound nouns form their plurals by adding -s to the most important word of the compound: mother-in-law - mothers-in-law; court-martial - courts-martial; commander-in-chief - commanders-in-chief. will-o-the wisp-will-o-the-wisps; hand-me-down - hand-me-downs; good -by-good-bys.
(NOTE: Compounds written solidly regularly add -s to form the plural; pickpocket-pickpockets; spoonful - spoonfuls; stepmother-stepmothers.)
j. Foreign nouns, unless they have been thoroughly naturalized, from their plurals according to their native declension. There are several thousand foreign nouns in occasional English use:
SINGULAR PLURAL
LATIN
addendum addenda
alumna alumnae
alumnus alumni
datum data
erratum errata
GREEK
analysis analyses
basis bases
crisis crises
Phenomenon Phenomena
Thesis Theses
FRENCH
bandeau bandeaux
Monsieur Messieurs
Labels:
English,
Parts of Sentence,
Plural
Friday, November 2, 2012
The Noun
NOUN. The noun names some person, place, thing, quality, state or action.
COMMON AND PROPER NOUNS
A common noun is a general name, common to all persons and a proper noun is a particular name, denoting a person or thing different from every other.
Common Noun Proper Noun
men Victor Wood
City Quezon City
hill Chocolate Hills
smith Captain John Smith
book Tom Sawyer
poem "Last Farewell"
Note: Proper nouns are always capitalized. Common nouns are capitalized only when they begin sentences.
CONCRETE AND ABSTRACT NOUNS
A concrete noun is the name of anything physical, anything that can be touched, seen heard, smelled or otherwise perceived by the senses.
An abstract noun, is the name of a quality, state, or action. It is an idea, and so may not be touched, seen heard, smelled or otherwise perceived by the senses.
CONCRETE NOUN;
coward, democrat, beggar
ABSTRACT NOUN;
fear, democracy, poverty
COLLECTIVE NOUNS
A collective noun names a group of individuals as if they were one individual. Singular in form, it is plural in meaning.
July Flock Committee
Family mob regiment
The collective noun is considered either as a singular or as plural, depending on the purpose it servers.
The committee was unanimous. (That is, the committee acted as a unit, as a single individual.)
(That is, the committee were obviously acting as individuals, not as a unit.)
INFLECTION. Inflection denotes the change in spelling that a word undergoes to show a change in meaning. Noun inflection, which is termed declension, shows changes in number (man, men), gender (man, woman), and case (man, man's)
NUMBER. Number is the form of a noun that shows whether it is singular or plural -- whether it refers to one or more than one.
SINGULAR: girl, country, joy.
PLURAL: girls, countries, joys.
Common Noun Proper Noun
men Victor Wood
City Quezon City
hill Chocolate Hills
smith Captain John Smith
book Tom Sawyer
poem "Last Farewell"
Note: Proper nouns are always capitalized. Common nouns are capitalized only when they begin sentences.
CONCRETE AND ABSTRACT NOUNS
A concrete noun is the name of anything physical, anything that can be touched, seen heard, smelled or otherwise perceived by the senses.
An abstract noun, is the name of a quality, state, or action. It is an idea, and so may not be touched, seen heard, smelled or otherwise perceived by the senses.
CONCRETE NOUN;
coward, democrat, beggar
ABSTRACT NOUN;
fear, democracy, poverty
COLLECTIVE NOUNS
A collective noun names a group of individuals as if they were one individual. Singular in form, it is plural in meaning.
July Flock Committee
Family mob regiment
The collective noun is considered either as a singular or as plural, depending on the purpose it servers.
The committee was unanimous. (That is, the committee acted as a unit, as a single individual.)
(That is, the committee were obviously acting as individuals, not as a unit.)
INFLECTION. Inflection denotes the change in spelling that a word undergoes to show a change in meaning. Noun inflection, which is termed declension, shows changes in number (man, men), gender (man, woman), and case (man, man's)
NUMBER. Number is the form of a noun that shows whether it is singular or plural -- whether it refers to one or more than one.
SINGULAR: girl, country, joy.
PLURAL: girls, countries, joys.
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Part of Speech
Another Look At The Parts of Speech
The usual grouping of the parts of speech in the English language are: noun, pronoun, verb, ajective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection.
NOUNS
A Noun is the name of any person, place, or things. It may be proper or common. Proper nouns are the names of particular persons, places, or things, while common nouns are the names of things used by a class.
Example of proper nouns:
Name of particular persons -- Jose Reyes, Carmen Bañez, Gloria, Fe Hipolito Cruz, Jerry Vidal
Name of particular places -- Bulacan, Pampanga, Masbate, Manila, Philippines, Europe.
Example of proper nouns:
Name of particular persons -- Jose Reyes, Carmen Bañez, Gloria, Fe Hipolito Cruz, Jerry Vidal
Name of particular places -- Bulacan, Pampanga, Masbate, Manila, Philippines, Europe.
Names of particular things -- Mayon Volcano, Pagsanjan Falls, Sierra Madre Mountain, Lake
Buhi, Statue of Liberty, Observatory Hill.
Names pertaining to the deity -- God, Lord, Saviour, Creator, Jesus Christ, Jehovah, Bathala.
Names of personified thing, Here are a few examples:
1. "Save me a like from foolish Pride. Or impious Discontent!" --Pope.
2. "Haste thee, Nymph, and bring with thee Jest and youthful Jollity, Quips, and Cranks, and wanton
Wiles, Nods, and Becks, and wreathed Smiles..." --- Milton.
Common Nouns
Names pertaining to the deity -- God, Lord, Saviour, Creator, Jesus Christ, Jehovah, Bathala.
Names of personified thing, Here are a few examples:
1. "Save me a like from foolish Pride. Or impious Discontent!" --Pope.
2. "Haste thee, Nymph, and bring with thee Jest and youthful Jollity, Quips, and Cranks, and wanton
Wiles, Nods, and Becks, and wreathed Smiles..." --- Milton.
Common Nouns
Common nouns may be collective, concrete, and abstract. Collective nouns are those that denote a group or a multitude, as army, troop, family, crowd, audience, committee, hard, bevy, and flock. Concrete nouns are names of compact, tangible objects and visible things, like house, rock, book, boy, pencil, paper, box, knife, tree, and mountain. Abstract nouns are nouns expressing the qualities of concrete nouns apart from the object, as badness, patience, charity, oblivion, roughness, beauty, endurance, goodness, and virtue.
To these three classes of common nouns, some authorities add a fourth class, the diminutives. Here are a few examples of these nouns that express a lessening of the thing or quality: rivulet, kitten, kitchenette, gosting.
Gender of Nouns
Gender denotes sex. A male nouns is in the masculine gender, a female noun, in the feminine gender, and all sexless nouns are in the neuter gender. Personified objects, however, are regarded as masculine if they denote strength, manliness, vigor; feminine, if they denote beauty, softness, kindness, and other feminine attributes. Adam, Pedro, Carlos, boy, and man are in the masculine gender. Mule, cock, and cockerel are likewise in the masculine gender. Eve, Luisa, Carmen, and Josefa are in the feminine gender. Women, girl, stewardess, mare, pullet, and hen are in the feminine gender, Table, chair, floor and other inanimate objects in the neuter gender. Very small animate objects are often regarded as in the neuter gender.
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Sentence
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
The Parts of Speech
PART OF SPEECH
The term part of speech refers to the job that a word does not in a sentence to its function or use. Since there are eight separate jobs, words are divided into eight classes or eight parts of speech; noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection.
The term part of speech refers to the job that a word does not in a sentence to its function or use. Since there are eight separate jobs, words are divided into eight classes or eight parts of speech; noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection.
Job, Function, Use | Part of Speech | Examples |
---|---|---|
1. To name a person, place, thing, quality, state, or action |
Noun | Adam, Elizabeth, pen, wit, joy, laughter. |
2. To substitute for a noun. | Pronoun Verb | he, she, it. |
3. To express action or non-action (State of being). |
Pronoun Verb | run, talk; think, is was will be |
4. To modify (describe or limit) the noun and pronoun. |
Adjective | strong man, ugly city, limited quantity, few hours. |
5. To modify any verb, adjective, or adverb. |
Adverb | think quickly, unusually ugly, very quickly. |
6. To show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and some other word |
Proposition | cart before horse, dog in manger, bombs over Brooklyn. |
7. To join two words or two groups of words. |
Conjunction | Jack and jill, candy is dandy but liquor is quicker |
8. To display emotion | Interjection | Oh! Gosh! Height-ho! hurrah! |
A word is a noun, verb, adjective, or other part of speech, depending on its use and on its use only. That is to say, a word is a noun if it is used like a noun, if it names; it is a preposition if it is used like a preposition, if it is used like a preposition, if it shows the relationship between nouns; and so on, in the following passage note that the word round is used in five different ways:
Our round world which I shall round once more before I die spins round and round on its axis, at the same time making a circle round the sun that results in the round of the seasons.
a. round world--adjective, because it modifies the noun world.
b. I shall round-- verb, expresses action.
c. spins round and round--adverbs, modifies verb spins.
d. circle round the sun--preposition, shows relationship between two nouns circle and sun.
a. round world--adjective, because it modifies the noun world.
b. I shall round-- verb, expresses action.
c. spins round and round--adverbs, modifies verb spins.
d. circle round the sun--preposition, shows relationship between two nouns circle and sun.
Labels:
English,
Part of Speech
Friday, October 19, 2012
Recognizing Subject and Predicate
In order to decide which word or words make up the subject, simply ask: Whom or what are we speaking about?
Barking dogs never bite. Plainly, dogs are here spoken about; Dogs, Therefore, is the subject. Barking simply describes the subject further.
A rare instance of charity by a miser in news. Since an instance is being spoken about, Instance is the subject. In order to decide which word or words make up the predicate, simple ask: What is said about the subject? a fool and his money are soon parted. What is said about the subject (a fool and his money)? The answer [they] are soon parted, makes up the predicate.
The inclusion of proper names in a dictionary might be defended on the ground that it would be convenient to have them there.
Here, the subject is inclusion ( the full subject is The inclusion of proper names in a dictionary); and the predicate, the statement about the subject, is: might be defended on the ground that it would be convenient to have them there.
KINDS OF SENTENCES
Sentence have three purpose: to state, to ask, and to command.
1. Sentence that state. A sentence that makes a statement ( or denies it) is called a declarative sentence). The boy stood on the burning deck.
2. Sentences that ask. A sentence that asks a question is called an Interrogative sentence.
Did the boy stand on the burning deck?
3. Sentence that command. A sentence that expresses a command is call an Imperative sentence.
Boy, stand on the burning deck! in structure, a sentence may be simple, complex compound, or compound-complex.
THE SIMPLE SENTENCE
Below are example of simple sentences. Note that each simple sentence has only one subject and predicate, either or both of which may be compound.
1. Come.
2. Boys like to play in the woods.
3. Gerry and Luis are working in the shop.
4. By the river a tall narra tree grew.
5. Mother, Jose, and I will go to church on Sunday.
6. Minutes are the gold dust of time.
7. In the sala, in the dining room, and in the kitchen, zinnias are scattered in profusion.
8. The weary travelers lay down under the trees and slept until sunrise.
9. From the cloudless sky, an expected shower came.
10. We must be kind to the poor, the young, the infirm.
All of the sentences given above are simple. Each of them contains only one subject and only one predicate, either or both of which may be compound.
THE COMPOUND SENTENCE
A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses. Here are some examples:
1. Food are essential to essential to life, but it should not be the end of existence.
2. I shall go, but you must stay
3. We knew the password, but we were too tongue-tied to speak.
THE COMPLEX SENTENCE
Barking dogs never bite. Plainly, dogs are here spoken about; Dogs, Therefore, is the subject. Barking simply describes the subject further.
A rare instance of charity by a miser in news. Since an instance is being spoken about, Instance is the subject. In order to decide which word or words make up the predicate, simple ask: What is said about the subject? a fool and his money are soon parted. What is said about the subject (a fool and his money)? The answer [they] are soon parted, makes up the predicate.
The inclusion of proper names in a dictionary might be defended on the ground that it would be convenient to have them there.
Here, the subject is inclusion ( the full subject is The inclusion of proper names in a dictionary); and the predicate, the statement about the subject, is: might be defended on the ground that it would be convenient to have them there.
KINDS OF SENTENCES
Sentence have three purpose: to state, to ask, and to command.
1. Sentence that state. A sentence that makes a statement ( or denies it) is called a declarative sentence). The boy stood on the burning deck.
2. Sentences that ask. A sentence that asks a question is called an Interrogative sentence.
Did the boy stand on the burning deck?
3. Sentence that command. A sentence that expresses a command is call an Imperative sentence.
Boy, stand on the burning deck! in structure, a sentence may be simple, complex compound, or compound-complex.
THE SIMPLE SENTENCE
Below are example of simple sentences. Note that each simple sentence has only one subject and predicate, either or both of which may be compound.
1. Come.
2. Boys like to play in the woods.
3. Gerry and Luis are working in the shop.
4. By the river a tall narra tree grew.
5. Mother, Jose, and I will go to church on Sunday.
6. Minutes are the gold dust of time.
7. In the sala, in the dining room, and in the kitchen, zinnias are scattered in profusion.
8. The weary travelers lay down under the trees and slept until sunrise.
9. From the cloudless sky, an expected shower came.
10. We must be kind to the poor, the young, the infirm.
All of the sentences given above are simple. Each of them contains only one subject and only one predicate, either or both of which may be compound.
THE COMPOUND SENTENCE
A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses. Here are some examples:
1. Food are essential to essential to life, but it should not be the end of existence.
2. I shall go, but you must stay
3. We knew the password, but we were too tongue-tied to speak.
THE COMPLEX SENTENCE
A sentence is complex if it contains a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses. By a main clause is meant a word or a group of words which can stand alone because if expresses a complete thought. A subordinate clause, on the other hand, is a word group that contains a subject and a predicate, but the thought which it expresses is incomplete; hence, it can not stand alone a subordinate clause is used only as a part of the sentence. Here are a few complex sentence. Note the main clauses and the subordinate clauses. The main clauses are, in roman capital letters; the subordinate clauses are italicized.
1. I who am your friend will help you.
I will help you is the main clause, It expresses a complete thought and therefore, can stand alone.
Who am your friend is the subordinate clause. Even if we put a period at the end of this clause and begin it with a capital letter, still the thought remains incomplete; so the clause cannot stand alone.
The Sentence and Its Parts
The sentence is the unit of thought in a composition. it may be a word or a group of words, but the thought must be complete.
to be grammatically complete a sentence must have a subject and a predicate. The subject of a sentence is the word or words about which something is said or the world or words which answer the question who or what; the predicate tells something about the subject. Below are ten sentences showing the two essentials the subject and the predicate.
2. Love and patience are both godlike.
3. The heart of man is a swayed by various emotions.
4. The girl in the old house felt lonesome every day last year.
5. The individual owner of land does not create land value.
6 The big house was a woode which I built structure, on the farm.
THE SENTENCE. A group of words that expresses a complete meaning makes a sentence. in order to have a meaning, two elements are necessary: a subject, a person or thing to speak about, and a predicate, something to say about the person or thing.
SUBJECT AND PREDICATE, No sentence can exist without both subject and predicate. Suppose, for example, that somebody speaks the name Pagliacci. He has not spoken a sentence; for though he has named a person whom he can speak about, he has supplied no predicate.
Now, suppose somebody else utters the world laughs. He has named no person or thing to say his word about he has named no subject.
If the two words are joined, how over a sentence emerges: Pagliacci laughs. It is a "Common thought," a "Full meaning," The sentence may be extended by enlarging the subject.
The subject here is indicated by the single line drawn beneath it, the predicate by the double line.
Or by enlarging the predicate:
Pagliacci, the funniest clown in all Europe, laughs mockingly, bitterly, ironically. Consider the following group of words:
The beautiful girl of the fale, a drudge by day and a princess by night. Here, a person ins named and described in some detail, but the group of words appears somehow incomplete: something else in needed. By adding has vanished, the need is supplied.
The beautiful girl of the fairy tale, a drudge by day and a princess by night, has vanished.
The long group of words underlined simple enlarges the subject, which essentially consists of the word girl; a predicated was required and has vanished fulfills the requirement.
Now consider this group of words: have been stolen by a highly organized and exceedingly clever gang of international thieves operating from a dozen ports throughout the Near East.
Here, again, something is lacking; much has been said but about what? The subject is lacking.
The jewels have been stolen by a highly organized and exceedingly clever gang of international thieves operating from a dozen ports throughout the Near East.
to be grammatically complete a sentence must have a subject and a predicate. The subject of a sentence is the word or words about which something is said or the world or words which answer the question who or what; the predicate tells something about the subject. Below are ten sentences showing the two essentials the subject and the predicate.
Subject Predicate1. God is good.
2. Love and patience are both godlike.
3. The heart of man is a swayed by various emotions.
4. The girl in the old house felt lonesome every day last year.
5. The individual owner of land does not create land value.
6 The big house was a woode which I built structure, on the farm.
THE SENTENCE. A group of words that expresses a complete meaning makes a sentence. in order to have a meaning, two elements are necessary: a subject, a person or thing to speak about, and a predicate, something to say about the person or thing.
SUBJECT AND PREDICATE, No sentence can exist without both subject and predicate. Suppose, for example, that somebody speaks the name Pagliacci. He has not spoken a sentence; for though he has named a person whom he can speak about, he has supplied no predicate.
Now, suppose somebody else utters the world laughs. He has named no person or thing to say his word about he has named no subject.
If the two words are joined, how over a sentence emerges: Pagliacci laughs. It is a "Common thought," a "Full meaning," The sentence may be extended by enlarging the subject.
The subject here is indicated by the single line drawn beneath it, the predicate by the double line.
Or by enlarging the predicate:
Pagliacci, the funniest clown in all Europe, laughs mockingly, bitterly, ironically. Consider the following group of words:
The beautiful girl of the fale, a drudge by day and a princess by night. Here, a person ins named and described in some detail, but the group of words appears somehow incomplete: something else in needed. By adding has vanished, the need is supplied.
The beautiful girl of the fairy tale, a drudge by day and a princess by night, has vanished.
The long group of words underlined simple enlarges the subject, which essentially consists of the word girl; a predicated was required and has vanished fulfills the requirement.
Now consider this group of words: have been stolen by a highly organized and exceedingly clever gang of international thieves operating from a dozen ports throughout the Near East.
Here, again, something is lacking; much has been said but about what? The subject is lacking.
The jewels have been stolen by a highly organized and exceedingly clever gang of international thieves operating from a dozen ports throughout the Near East.
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