English Grammar Basics

Nouns

• A noun is a word that refers to a person, place, thing, or idea.
• Types of nouns:
  • Proper nouns: names of specific people, places, or things (e.g. John, London, Google)
  • Common nouns: general terms for things (e.g. dog, city, company)
  • Collective nouns: groups of people, animals, or things (e.g. family, flock, team)
  • Abstract nouns: concepts or feelings (e.g. happiness, freedom, love)

Verbs

• A verb is a word that expresses action, occurrence, or state of being.
• Types of verbs:
  • Action verbs: describe physical or mental actions (e.g. run, think, read)
  • Linking verbs: connect the subject to additional information (e.g. be, seem, appear)
  • Helping verbs: used to help form the tense, mood, or voice of another verb (e.g. will, would, shall)
  • Transitive verbs: take an object directly (e.g. eat, write, paint)
  • Intransitive verbs: do not take an object directly (e.g. sleep, laugh, cry)

Adjectives

• An adjective is a word that modifies, or describes, a noun or pronoun.
• Types of adjectives:
  • Quantitative adjectives: describe quantity (e.g. three, five, many)
  • Qualitative adjectives: describe quality (e.g. happy, tall, blue)
  • Demonstrative adjectives: point out which noun is being referred to (e.g. this, that, these)
  • Possessive adjectives: show ownership or possession (e.g. my, your, his)

Pronouns

• A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun in a sentence.
• Types of pronouns:
  • Personal pronouns: replace nouns that refer to people or things (e.g. I, you, he, she, it)
  • Possessive pronouns: show ownership or possession (e.g. mine, yours, his, hers)
  • Reflexive pronouns: refer back to the subject of the sentence (e.g. myself, yourself, himself)
  • Demonstrative pronouns: point out which noun is being referred to (e.g. this, that, these)

Adverbs

• An adverb is a word that modifies, or describes, a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.
• Types of adverbs:
  • Manner adverbs: describe how something is done (e.g. quickly, loudly, wisely)
  • Time adverbs: describe when something is done (e.g. yesterday, soon, now)
  • Place adverbs: describe where something is done (e.g. here, there, everywhere)
  • Frequency adverbs: describe how often something is done (e.g. often, rarely, never)
  • Degree adverbs: describe the extent or degree of something (e.g. very, extremely, highly)

Nouns

• Refer to a person, place, thing, or idea
• Types of nouns:
  • Proper nouns: names of specific people, places, or things
  • Common nouns: general terms for things
  • Collective nouns: groups of people, animals, or things
  • Abstract nouns: concepts or feelings

Verbs

• Express action, occurrence, or state of being
• Types of verbs:
  • Action verbs: describe physical or mental actions
  • Linking verbs: connect the subject to additional information
  • Helping verbs: used to help form the tense, mood, or voice of another verb
  • Transitive verbs: take an object directly
  • Intransitive verbs: do not take an object directly

Adjectives

• Modify or describe a noun or pronoun
• Types of adjectives:
  • Quantitative adjectives: describe quantity
  • Qualitative adjectives: describe quality
  • Demonstrative adjectives: point out which noun is being referred to
  • Possessive adjectives: show ownership or possession

Pronouns

• Take the place of a noun in a sentence
• Types of pronouns:
  • Personal pronouns: replace nouns that refer to people or things
  • Possessive pronouns: show ownership or possession
  • Reflexive pronouns: refer back to the subject of the sentence
  • Demonstrative pronouns: point out which noun is being referred to

Adverbs

• Modify or describe a verb, an adjective, or another adverb
• Types of adverbs:
  • Manner adverbs: describe how something is done
  • Time adverbs: describe when something is done
  • Place adverbs: describe where something is done
  • Frequency adverbs: describe how often something is done
  • Degree adverbs: describe the extent or degree of something