Name ________________________________ Date______________ Section ____________________
Seventh Grade English Memorization Lists
During the course of the year, students will be required to memorize and remember the following
definitions and lists to help them with their grammar and writing skills.
HELPING VERBS
Definition: A helping verb helps the main verb to express action or state of being.
Example: Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky. (Was born is the verb phrase;
was is the helping verb.)
List: am
is
are
was
were
be
being
been
have
has
had
do
does
did
may
might
must
can
could
shall
should
will
would
Mnemonic: Old Mr. Do
Once upon a time there was a wealthy merchant named Mr. Do. Mr. Do was very old and very rich.
His many relatives were dreaming of the day the old man would die. They wondered which one of them
would inherit his money. Finally, one day Mr. Do did die. All the relatives searched his house for a will.
They didn't find one. They searched his house three times. They still did not find a will. The relatives did not
get one dime of Mr. Do's fortune.
The moral: Maybe Mr. Do should have a will.
Just remember this sentence and you will know how to set up a chart of the 23 helping verbs! The largest
"family" is the "BE" family with eight members. The other five families have three members each.
MAY
MIGHT
MUST
BE
BEING
BEEN
AM
IS
ARE
WAS
WERE
DO
DOES
DID
SHOULD
COULD
WOULD
HAVE
HAD
HAS
WILL
CAN
SHALL
LINKING VERBS
Definition: A linking verb is a verb that links, or connects, the subject of a sentence with a
noun, a pronoun, or an adjective in the predicate.
Example:
Denzel Washington is an actor. (The verb is connects actor with the subject Denzel
Washington.
List:
(There are MANY more linking verbs than appear on this list.)
am
is
are
was
were
be
been
being
seem
become
look
smell
taste
feel
sound
appear
remain
COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
Definition: Coordinating conjunctions connect words/groups of words used in the same way.
Example:
bridges or tunnels (the word or joins two nouns)
The alarm did not go off, so I was late. (the word so joins two sentences)
List:
for
and
nor
but
or
yet
so
Mnemonic =
F.A.N. B.O.Y.S.
SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
Definition: A subordinating conjunction is a conjunction which joins two clauses that are not
equally important (joins a dependent to an independent clause).
Example:
When you get your homework, put your name on it. (When is the subordinating
conjunction beginning the dependent clause.)
List:
after
although
because
before
if
since
unless
until
when
while
Mnemonic:
PREPOSITIONS
Definition:
Example:
List:
Mnemonic:
Sung to the tune of the “Happy Birthday” song:
After, although, because,
After, although, because,
Before, if, since, unless,
Until, when, whi-le.
A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or a pronoun
and another word in the sentence.
Megan walked beside the lake.
Megan walked to the lake.
Memorize the prepositions, below.
“The Preposition Song,” sung to the tune of “Yankee Doodle,” includes many, but not all, of
the prepositions.
Yankee Doodle went to town
Riding on a pony
Stuck a feather in his hat
And called it macaroni
about above across after
along among around at
before beside between against
within without beneath through
Yankee Doodle, keep it up
Yankee Doodle dandy
Mind the music and the step
And with the girls be handy.
during under in into
over of off to toward
up on near for from except
by with behind below down
INDEFINITE PRONOUNS
Definition:
a pronoun that does not specifically name its antecedent
Example:
Somebody lost this pencil. (You don’t know who lost the pencil.)
List:
Singular:
each, either, neither, one, everyone, everybody, no one, nobody,
anyone, anybody, someone, somebody
Plural:
both, few, many, several
Both:
all, any, most, none, some (depends on the object of the preposition)