Grammar Basics

Definition of Grammar

• Grammar refers to the set of rules that govern the structure of language, including syntax, morphology, and phonology.
• It encompasses the rules that dictate how words are combined to form sentences, phrases, and clauses.

Parts of Speech

• Nouns: Words that refer to people, places, things, and ideas.
  • Proper nouns: Names of specific people, places, and organizations (e.g. John, London, Google).
  • Common nouns: General terms for things (e.g. dog, city, company).
• Verbs: Words that express action, occurrence, or state of being.
  • Action verbs: Describe an action (e.g. run, jump, read).
  • Linking verbs: Connect the subject to additional information (e.g. be, seem, appear).
• Adjectives: Words that modify or describe nouns or pronouns.
  • Quantitative adjectives: Describe quantity (e.g. three, five, many).
  • Qualitative adjectives: Describe characteristics (e.g. happy, tall, blue).
• Adverbs: Words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
  • Manner adverbs: Describe how an action is performed (e.g. quickly, loudly, wisely).
  • Time adverbs: Describe when an action occurs (e.g. yesterday, soon, recently).
• Pronouns: Words that replace nouns in a sentence.
  • Personal pronouns: Replace nouns referring to people or animals (e.g. I, you, he, she).
  • Possessive pronouns: Show ownership or possession (e.g. my, your, his, hers).
• Prepositions: Words that show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence.
  • Words that indicate location (e.g. in, on, at, by).
  • Words that indicate direction (e.g. to, from, up, down).
• Conjunctions: Words that connect words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence.
  • Coordinating conjunctions: Connect words or phrases of equal importance (e.g. and, but, or).
  • Subordinating conjunctions: Connect a dependent clause to an independent clause (e.g. because, although, if).
• Interjections: Words that express emotion or feeling.
  • Express strong emotions (e.g. oh, wow, ouch).

Sentence Structure

• Independent clauses: Contain a subject and a predicate.
• Dependent clauses: Contain a subject and a predicate, but cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.
• Complete sentences: Contain an independent clause or a combination of independent and dependent clauses.
• Sentence types:
  • Declarative sentences: State a fact or opinion.
  • Interrogative sentences: Ask a question.
  • Imperative sentences: Give a command or make a request.
  • Exclamatory sentences: Express strong emotions.

Grammar Rules

• Subject-verb agreement: The subject and verb must agree in number (singular or plural).
• Tense consistency: Verbs in a sentence or paragraph should maintain the same tense.
• Modality: Express degrees of possibility, necessity, or obligation using modal verbs (e.g. can, should, must).
• Clause order: Typically follows the subject-verb-object (SVO) order in English sentences.

Definition of Grammar

• Grammar refers to the set of rules governing language structure, including syntax, morphology, and phonology.

Parts of Speech

• Nouns: Words referring to people, places, things, and ideas, including:
  • Proper nouns (names of specific people, places, and organizations)
  • Common nouns (general terms for things)
• Verbs: Words expressing action, occurrence, or state of being, including:
  • Action verbs (describe an action)
  • Linking verbs (connect the subject to additional information)
• Adjectives: Words modifying or describing nouns or pronouns, including:
  • Quantitative adjectives (describe quantity)
  • Qualitative adjectives (describe characteristics)
• Adverbs: Words modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, including:
  • Manner adverbs (describe how an action is performed)
  • Time adverbs (describe when an action occurs)
• Pronouns: Words replacing nouns in a sentence, including:
  • Personal pronouns (replace nouns referring to people or animals)
  • Possessive pronouns (show ownership or possession)
• Prepositions: Words showing the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence, including:
  • Words indicating location
  • Words indicating direction
• Conjunctions: Words connecting words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence, including:
  • Coordinating conjunctions (connect words or phrases of equal importance)
  • Subordinating conjunctions (connect a dependent clause to an independent clause)
• Interjections: Words expressing emotion or feeling.

Sentence Structure

• Independent clauses: Contain a subject and a predicate.
• Dependent clauses: Contain a subject and a predicate, but cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.
• Complete sentences: Contain an independent clause or a combination of independent and dependent clauses.
• Sentence types:
  • Declarative sentences (state a fact or opinion)
  • Interrogative sentences (ask a question)
  • Imperative sentences (give a command or make a request)
  • Exclamatory sentences (express strong emotions)

Grammar Rules

• Subject-verb agreement: The subject and verb must agree in number (singular or plural).
• Tense consistency: Verbs in a sentence or paragraph should maintain the same tense.
• Modality: Express degrees of possibility, necessity, or obligation using modal verbs.
• Clause order: Typically follows the subject-verb-object (SVO) order in English sentences.