Parts of Speech #1

Nouns, Pronouns, and Adjectives

Nouns

• Nouns are words, phrases, or clauses that name– Persons

– Places

– Things

– Or ideas

4 Tests of a Noun

To determine whether a word or group of words is a noun, check to see if you can answer yes to at least one question below:

• Does it form its plural by adding –s or –es?• Can it be preceded by a, an, or the?• Can it be made possessive by adding ‘s or ’?• Can a pronoun be used in place of it?

Sentence Functions of NounsNouns can serve as the following parts of asentence: simple subject direct object indirect object objective complement object of a preposition predicate nominative appositive object of a verbal direct address

Nouns can be classified as proper nouns, which name a specific person, place, thing, or idea, or as common nouns, which name a general person, place, thing, or idea.

• Proper nouns are capitalized.• Allison McKinley

• Common nouns are not capitalized.• girl

In the sentences below, locate all the nouns. Classify each noun as proper or common.1. Dr. Smith took her students to the museum.2. Mr. Flores and his family visited the Statue of Liberty during the summer.3. The moon cast a soft glow across Lake Nasworthy.

Pronouns

• A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun.– She took her students to the museum.– He and his family visited it during the summer.– It cast a soft glow across Lake Nasworthy.

• Pronouns come in many different types that have different uses in our language.

• Pronouns must be used carefully in order not to confuse the reader about their meaning.

In the sentences below, locate all the nouns and pronouns.

1. You must give him your address.2. Who went with you to the play?3. Those are my books on the desk.4. He did the work himself.5. I can help you now.6. Beth and her sister collect memorabilia from

the Grateful Dead.

Adjectives

• An adjective is a word that modifies, or adds information to, a noun or pronoun. – The tall, willowy blonde seemed shy.– The small village was destroyed by the crashing

waves and howling winds.– The deep dent in the right door resulted from a

serious accident.

4 Tests of an Adjective

• Adjectives will answer one of the following questions:Which one?What kind?How many?Whose?

Those three tall boys fixed Margaret’s flat fronttire.

In the sentences below, locate the nouns, pronouns, and adjectives.

1. As she peered around the corner, the creaking door opened.

2. The winning team will receive the bronze plaque for their hard work.

3. That little grey kitten is vicious and it may bite you.