Language Notes

VERBALS

• Verbal noun: noun derived from a verb

• Verb: action word

• “swimming”

Infinitive

• An infinitive is the word to combined with the simple form of a verb.

• Example: We all wanted to play baseball.• *Remember that an infinitive includes a verb

and shouldn’t be confused with a prepositional phrase starting with the preposition to, such as “to the street.”

Infinitive Examples

• 1. His goal was to succeed.• 2. My brother likes to sing.• 3. The team must score to win.4. To laugh seemed rude, but the story was

funny.5. For the dishes tonight, your job is to dry.

Gerund

• A gerund is a verb form that acts as a noun

• Example: Baking is something she loves to do.

Gerunds

• Gerunds always end in –ing. A gerund can function in all the same ways a noun can function.

Baking is something she loves to do.• Baking is a gerund; it is a form of the verb to

bake. Baking is used as a noun and functions as the subject of the sentence.

Examples of gerunds

• 1. Joan was punished for cheating.

• 2. Reading is an important skill.

• 3. For most birds, flying is a way to escape predators.

Ellipsis…

• An Ellipsis is a series of three dots… which shows that some text has been left out.

• It is used to shorten a passage

• The omitted text does not change the meaning of the text.

Ellipsis

• Example:• I was late coming home last night. When I

walked in the door my dad started yelling, “You are grounded because you are irresponsible and…no phone for a week.”

• America is a great country to live in because we are free. I still get goose bumps when I recite “I Pledge Allegiance…and justice for all.”

Semicolon ;

• Use a semicolon to join two complete sentences that are closely related.

Example: Hail began to fall. Everyone ran into the building.

Hail began to fall; everyone ran into the building.

Colon :• Use a colon in writing the time 2:01 p.m.• Use a colon to sett off lists Example: I need to bring the following items: journal, paper, and pencil. Use a colon after divisions of topics in a

writing.Plants:

Land plants:Place a colon after the greeting of a business letter. Dear Sir: