English Grammar Basics

Grammar

• Parts of Speech:
  • Nouns: person, place, thing, idea
  • Verbs: action, linking, helping
  • Adjectives: describe nouns
  • Adverbs: describe verbs, adjectives, other adverbs
  • Pronouns: replace nouns
  • Prepositions: show relationships
  • Conjunctions: connect words, phrases, clauses
  • Interjections: express emotion
• Tenses:
  • Present: happening now
  • Past: happened before
  • Future: will happen
  • Present Perfect: started in the past, continues to the present
  • Past Perfect: happened before another action in the past
  • Future Perfect: will be completed at a point in the future
• Clauses:
  • Independent: complete sentence
  • Dependent: cannot stand alone

Sentence Structure

• Sentence Types:
  • Declarative: statement
  • Interrogative: question
  • Imperative: command
  • Exclamatory: strong emotion
• Sentence Length:
  • Simple: one independent clause
  • Compound: two or more independent clauses
  • Complex: one independent clause, one or more dependent clauses
  • Compound-Complex: multiple independent and dependent clauses

Punctuation

• Commas:
  • Separate items in a list
  • Separate clauses in a sentence
• Periods:
  • End a sentence
• Colons:
  • Introduce a list or explanation
• Semicolons:
  • Separate two independent clauses
• Apostrophes:
  • Show possession
  • Form contractions
• Quotation Marks:
  • Set off direct quotes
  • Indicate dialogue

Vocabulary

• Word Roots:
  • Latin and Greek roots form many English words
• Prefixes:
  • Added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning
• Suffixes:
  • Added to the end of a word to change its meaning
• Antonyms:
  • Words with opposite meanings
• Synonyms:
  • Words with similar meanings

Reading Comprehension

• Strategies:
  • Skim and scan
  • Identify main idea and supporting details
  • Make inferences and draw conclusions
  • Visualize and make connections
• Types of Text:
  • Narrative: tells a story
  • Informative: provides information
  • Persuasive: argues a point
  • Descriptive: describes a person, place, or thing

Grammar

• Parts of Speech:

  • Nouns categorize into person, place, thing, and idea
  • Verbs consist of action, linking, and helping verbs
  • Adjectives describe nouns
  • Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs
  • Pronouns replace nouns
  • Prepositions show relationships between words
  • Conjunctions connect words, phrases, and clauses
  • Interjections express emotions

• Tenses:

  • Present tense describes actions happening now
  • Past tense describes actions that happened before
  • Future tense describes actions that will happen
  • Present Perfect tense describes actions started in the past and continues to the present
  • Past Perfect tense describes actions that happened before another action in the past
  • Future Perfect tense describes actions that will be completed at a point in the future

• Clauses:

  • Independent clauses are complete sentences
  • Dependent clauses cannot stand alone as a complete sentence

Sentence Structure

• Sentence Types:

  • Declarative sentences are statements
  • Interrogative sentences are questions
  • Imperative sentences are commands
  • Exclamatory sentences express strong emotions

• Sentence Length:

  • Simple sentences have one independent clause
  • Compound sentences have two or more independent clauses
  • Complex sentences have one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses
  • Compound-Complex sentences have multiple independent and dependent clauses

Punctuation

• Commas:

  • Separate items in a list
  • Separate clauses in a sentence

• Periods:

  • End a sentence

• Colons:

  • Introduce a list or explanation

• Semicolons:

  • Separate two independent clauses

• Apostrophes:

  • Show possession
  • Form contractions

• Quotation Marks:

  • Set off direct quotes
  • Indicate dialogue

Vocabulary

• Word Roots:

  • Latin and Greek roots form many English words

• Prefixes:

  • Added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning

• Suffixes:

  • Added to the end of a word to change its meaning

• Antonyms:

  • Words with opposite meanings

• Synonyms:

  • Words with similar meanings

Reading Comprehension

• Strategies:

  • Skim and scan texts
  • Identify main ideas and supporting details
  • Make inferences and draw conclusions
  • Visualize and make connections

• Types of Text:

  • Narrative texts tell a story
  • Informative texts provide information
  • Persuasive texts argue a point
  • Descriptive texts describe a person, place, or thing