structure of english

STRUCTURE OF ENGLISH

Basic Structure and Rules

NOUN – is a name of person, place, thing, event or an idea.

NOUN CLASSES

• COMMON & PROPER-Naming a particular person, place, thing, event, or idea (proper noun)-Nouns that present general idea (common noun)

• CONCRETE & ABSTRACT-nouns which names something or someone that can be perceived by our senses (concrete)-ideas that we understand even if we haven’t perceive

them yet (Abstract)

• Count & non-Count-nouns that can have singular or plural form

(count nouns)-nouns that you cannot count (non count)

• Collective Nouns-nouns naming a group of things, animals, or persons. Members of the group are countable yet they usually regard the group as one.

NOUN – is a name of person, place, thing, event or an idea.

FUNCTIONS OF NOUNS

• Subject of VerbsSeveral items have ambiguous stems.

• Direct object of VerbsThey administered the test.

• Indirect objects of VerbsThe lecturer provided the participants

hand-outs.• Subject noun predicates

We are LET reviewers

• Object of Noun predicates-the class chose him their

representative• Object of prepositions

-in the DSLU review class• Appositives

LET, a professional examination, is conducted every year.• Vocatives

Anne, how did you find the exam?

FUNCTIONS OF NOUNS

PRONOUNS replace a noun or a noun phrase.

TYPES OF PRONOUNS

• PERSONAL – I, me, you, he, him, her, she, it, we, us, they, them

• POSSESSIVE – my, mine, your, yours, her, hers, his its, our

• DEMONSTRATIVE – this, that, these, those

• INTERROGATIVE – who, whom, whose, which, what

• RELATIVE – who, whom, that, which

TYPES OF PRONOUNS

• INDEFINITE – all, another, any, anyone, anybody, anything, both, either, everybody, everyone, everything, few, many, neither, nobody, none, no one, nothing, one, several, some, somebody, someone, something.

• REFLEXIVE – myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves

• INTENSIVE – myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves,, yourselves, themselves

VERBS

• Denote action

• Has 4 inflections

• INTRANSITIVE VERBS do not take an object

• TRANSITIVE VERBS require an object

• Linking/copula verbs

• TENSE

• ASPECT

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

• Non-count noun subjects take singular verb.• The food is good• Unity builds a nation

• In most cases, collective noun subjects take singular verbs, but if the group I viewed as individual members, use a plural verb.• The class is going on a field trip• The class have been arguing about where to go

• Subject nouns that are derived from adjectives and describe people take plural verbs.

• The rich are in favour of tax cut• The poor are opposing the proposal to revise the

constitution.

• Some proper noun subjects that ends in –s such as names of courses, diseases, places, as well as book and film titles and the word news, take singular verbs.

• Wales is a beautiful region• Measles often has side effects• Mathematics is an interesting subject• The news was very good.


Note: There are some nouns that have the same singular and plural form, in this case, the subject may take either a singular or a plural verb, depending on the intention or the meaning that you wish to express.

• Several species have died over the past centuries• Every species has its own means for survival.

• Plural subject nouns of distance, time, and money that signal one unit take a singular verb.

• Nine hundred nautical miles is too far to travel in a day.


• Basic arithmetical observations (add, subtract, multiply, divide) takes singular verb

• Four times five equals twenty.

• For items that have two parts, when you use the word “pair”, the verb is singular but without the word “pair”, the verb is plural.

• My pair of scissors is lost• My scissors are lost.

• Clausal subjects are singular even if the nouns referred to are plural.

• What we need is more reference books.


• Gerund and infinitive subjects take a singular verb• Reading books is my hobby• To err is human

• With fractions, percentages, and the quantifiers all (of), a lot of, verb agreement depends on the noun coming after these phrases:

• A singular noun, noun clause, or non-count noun takes a singular verb.

• A lot of information is about maritime disasters and safety procedures

• A plural noun takes a plural verb• A lot of students need a review on previous materials

• A collective noun can take either a singular or plural verb depending on meaning

• All my batchmates (stay, stays) at the dorm.



• The ff. indefinite pronouns are always singular:

• Every cadet has a responsibility to study their lessons well.

• Nothing satisfies her.

-one words -body words -thing words others

AnyoneEveryoneSomeoneNo one

One

AnybodyEverybodySomebody

Nobody

AnythingEverythingSomething

Nothing

EachEvery

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENTNote: Indefinite pronouns such as: all, any, a lot of, none, most, and some can be singular or plural. They are singular when they refer to a singular or non count noun or pronoun. They are plural when they refer to a plural noun or pronoun.

• Some of the books are important• Some of the snow has melted

• With a number of as a subject, use a plural verb• With the number of as a subject, use a singular verb

• A number of cadets are taking the exam• The number of cadets taking the exam is 75.

• With NONE as a subject, use a singular verb

• None of the supplies is here

• With EITHER or NEITHER as a subject, use a singular verb

• (Either/Neither) was acceptable to me.

• With correlative subjects EITHER OR or NEITHER NOR, the verb agrees with the closer subject

• Either Bob or my cousins are going to do it.• Neither my cousins nor Bob is going to do it.


• With there subjects, the verb is singular or plural depending on whether the noun phrase following the verb is singular or plural.

• There is one book on the table• There are (three books/ a book and a pen) on the table

• When the subjects joined by AND refer to a single unit or is considered as one, it takes a singular verb.

• Bread and butter is a common breakfast for Americans


• Follow the general rule in pairing subjects and verbs regardless of prepositional phrases or clauses that are sometimes placed in between subject and verb

• The color of his eyes is blue.

• The verb after the relative pronouns who, which, and that agrees with its antecedent.

• Children may not see a film that has an X-rating• Children may not see films that have an X-rating


VERBALS and VERBAL PHRASES• PARTICIPLE - Verb form used as an adjective

• Present participle (clinging, winding, running, sinking)• Past participle (reserved, buried, worn, bent)

• The winning team shook hands with the defeated team.• The blazing sun melted the frozen pond.

• Participle Tim carefully repaired his torn jackets• Verb His jacket was torn in several places.

• PARTICIPIAL PHRASE is a participle with its modifiers and complements – all working together as an adjective• Purring softly, the car seemed very contented• The instructions, written in French, were impossible for me

to read• Every runner winning a race will receive a medal

• GERUND is a verb that is used as a noun

• As a SUBJECT Pointing is impolite• As a DO Pamela likes Skating• As an IO she gives her running an hour each

day• As an OP My friend went a whole day without

speaking• As a PN this year, my favorite winter sport

was skiing.• Appositive Tim has a new major, engineering

• GERUND PHRASE is a gerund with its modifiers and complements – all working together as a noun.

• Traveling inexpensively is a necessity for them• Bryan surprised us by visiting for a week• Painting landscapes is Rebecca’s specialty

• INFINITIVE is a verb form that usually begins with to. It is used as a noun, adjective or adverb.

• To err is human• Everyone should learn to cook• Chimpanzees are quick to learn

• INFINITIVE PHRASE is an infinitive with its modifiers and complements – all working together as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb

• Everyone on the committee promises to work hard• To win at chess requires concentration and patience

LET’S PRACTICE!

1. The number of girls taking mechanical drawing (has, have) doubled this year)

2. Some of the milk (was, were) spilt3. Coffee, like many other beverages, (acts,

act) as stimulant4. Either Jane or Maria (is, are) driving tonight5. The jury (has, have) been out for ten hours.6. The jury (has, have) not been able to come

to an agreement.

7. (Was, Were) the dog fed today?8. Mumps (is, are) a dangerous disease for adults

to contract.9. My Life and Hard Times (tell, tells) about

amusing incidents in James Thurber’s childhood.10. Bacon and egg (is, are) my normal breakfast.

FUNCTIONS OF NOUNS11. Due to arthritis, she could no longer hold the

needle12. Hannah will be our new treasurer13. Andrew Johnson became the president after

Lincoln

14. Jerry gave his car a name.15. In the sandhill by the sea, you’ll find her.

VERBALS and VERBAL PHRASES16. Those are the strawberries to freeze.17. Talking is not allowed in the study hall.18. The heaviest dog on record was a Saint

Bernard weighing 295 pounds.19. They gave rehearsing all of their free

time20. He trained to become a nurse

• IDENTIFYING PARTS OF SPEECH

1. Porch furniture is on sale now.2. They climbed aboard the ship.3. Put the card inside.4. The roses were a symbol of his love5. The somewhat awkward child dances quite well.6. The tomatoes and green beans will soon be

ready.7. How large is you stamp collection?8. Ink the stamp pad!9. Take either the bus or the train10. The bicycle certainly looks sleek.

structure of english

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