Parts of Speech
2014-15
1. Label any Articles: A, An, The (tell a noun is coming): ART
2. Ask “article what?” answer = Noun: person, place, thing
Most nouns are Common Nouns (especially ones with articles): CN
Capitalized NAMES are Proper Nouns: PN
Pronouns replace names (he, she, they, etc.) or things (it): Pro
Some are possessive (possess other nouns)
3. Are there any words in front of the noun which describe it? = Adjective: Adj
4. Does any word(s) describe the Adjective? =Adverb: (Most end in “ly”): Adv
“NOT” is always an adverb
5. Find the verb(s): EVERY sentence has at least one verb
Action verbs: These are being done or were done (often end in ing, ed, s): Av
Linking verbs: Can be replaced with “be” and LINK a noun on the left to a
a noun or adjective on the right. (is, were, am, are): Lv
5b. Helping Verbs: (Some look just like linking verbs) (Can have several in a row): Hv
1. Must be in front of verb
2. Help with verb tense (past, present, future)
3. Tell if verb is important (must, should, could, etc.)
6. Ask “does any word describe the verb (how it is done) = Adverb (usually end in ly)
7. Ask “who or what is doing or being the verb?” = Noun
Answer could be implied (not actually in the sentence)
8. Double check for other nouns
9. Repeat steps 3 +4 (if found other nouns)
10. Check for Prepositions: Prep
The plane flew/landed (preposition) the ground.
“of” is always a prep.
“for” is sometimes a prep.
Preposition must have a noun on the left of it and the right of it (not directly)
11. Coordinating Conjunction:
FANBOYS
(For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So): CC
12. Subordinating Conjuction: SC
SC join clauses (begin the dependent). Some examples = when, since, after, (etc.)
13. “To + a verb” = infinitive: Inf
“ing” words that act like nouns = gerunds: ger
“ing” words that describe nouns = participle: part
Sentence Parts
Simple predicate (sp) = the verb
Simple subject (ss) = who or what did/be’d the verb (must be a noun)
Complete Subject (single underline) = SS + other words about the SS
Complete Predicate (double underline) = SP + anything else the SS did.
Subordinating Conjunctions are NOT a part of either the subject or predicate.
Coordinating Conjunctions that join clauses are NOT a part of either
Prepositional phrase ( ) starts with preposition and ends with noun
The “noun” is the Object of the Preposition (OP)
Infinitive phrase [ ]
Includes infinitive and the answer to: infinitive + what?
Answer = Object of the Infinitive: OI
Is the verb transitive?
Note: all linking (state of being) verbs are intransitive
To determine if an action verb is transitive:
ask what’s verb? (may change verb tense to make it make sense)
If answer is on right of verb and not in prep phrase
= transitive
If answer is on left (or no answer is obvious) = intransitive
If verb is transitive there is a direct object.: DO
Direct object is the answer “on the right”
The direct object (DO) must be a noun (or act like a noun)
The direct object cannot be in a prepositional phrase
Indirect object?
If there is a direct object there might be an indirect object (IO)
To determine if there is one:
Ask: Subject + verb + direct object + whom/what?
If answer is a noun before the DO, that noun is the IO
If verb is intransitive there might be a predicate nominative or adjective
To find:
Ask: subject +linking verb + what?
Answer = noun = nominative: pn
Answer = adjective = adjective: pa
Appositive
Noun which follows another noun and renames it (separated by commas)
Clauses/Types/Purposes
Every sentence has at least one “Independent” clause.
Each clause must have a subject (implied is okay) and a predicate
Every word in the sentence must be included in the clause
EXCEPT a CC (when used to join clauses)
If the sentence only has one verb it only has one clause = independent
Dependent clauses:
Subject and predicate but does not “stand alone”
Would not make sense if that is all one said.
Begins with subordinating conjunction or
Relative pronoun
Sentence Types:
Simple: just one independent clause
Compound: two or more independent clauses (and no dependent ones)
Complex: one independent clause and one dependent clause
Compound-complex: compound + at least one dependent
Sentence Purpose:
Declarative: normal sentence
Imperative: ends with a period but makes a command
Interrogative: asks a question (ends with a question mark)
Exclamatory: ends in an exclamation point
Diagrams
Subject on the left. SS directly to left of intersecting line
Predicate on the right. SP directly to right of intersecting line.
Helping verbs may share the same line as the SP
Direct Object follows non-intersecting perpendicular line (after the sp).
Predicate adjectives/nominative follow slanted non intersecting line (after the sp)
Slanted line means the verb is linking (intransitive)
Prep Phrases (go down and over)
Prep on slanted line
Object of the prep on horizontal line
Goes “down and over”
Modifiers
Go on slanted lines under the word modified. (articles, adjectives, poss pro, adv)
Key Notes:
1. All sentences have a verb.
2. Generally speaking subject (noun) comes before the verb.
3. Articles are modifiers (come under the noun in the diagram)
4. Helping Verbs do not have their own diagram line (all other words do)
5. Conjunctions generally go on dotted lines in diagram.
a. If a solid line is in middle of dotted connecter the conjunction is coordinating.
6. Subject/Predicate Steps
SP – Verb
SS – Noun doing it
P – starts prep phrase
OP – noun after the p – ends prep phrase
DO – noun in predicate after an action verb (not in prep phrase)
7. One verb in sentence – One clause = Independent (simply bracket whole sentence)
8. Two intersections in diagram – two clauses = two verbs