English 1 Week 2: Parts of Speech & Grammar Basics
1. The 8 Parts of Speech
Every word in a sentence has a job. Identifying the job helps you use the word correctly.
| Part of Speech | Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | Names a person, place, thing, or idea | Cat, London, Courage (Abstract), Watch |
| Verb | Action or State of being | Run, Eat, Is, Was, Honoured |
| Adjective | Describes a Noun | Red balloon, Amazing view, Small cat |
| Adverb | Describes a Verb, Adjective, or Adverb | Singing softly, Running fast, Very good |
| Pronoun | Replaces a Noun | He, She, It, Itself (Reflexive), Her |
| Preposition | Shows relationship (time, place) | In, On, At, For, Beneath |
| Conjunction | Joins words or clauses | And, But, Or, Even though |
| Interjection | Expresses emotion | Wow!, Oh! |
2. Tricky Cases & Patterns
2.1 Noun vs. Verb
Many words can be both, depending on context.
- Watch:
- Noun: “I have a nice watch.” (Object)
- Verb: “Please watch the show.” (Action)
- Address:
- Noun: “What is your address?”
- Verb: “I will address the crowd.”
2.2 Adjective vs. Adverb
- Adjective: Adds info to Noun. “He is a fast runner.” (Describes runner)
- Adverb: Adds info to Verb. “He runs fast.” (Describes runs)
- The “-ly” Rule: Many adverbs end in -ly (Softly, Quietly), but not all (Fast, Hard).
- Trap: “Friendly” ends in -ly but is an Adjective.
3. Articles: A, An, The
3.1 The Sound Rule
Use A or An based on the SOUND of the next word, not the spelling.
- Vowel Sound → An
- An apple
- An hour (H is silent, starts with ‘ow’ sound)
- An MP (Starts with ‘em’ sound)
- Consonant Sound → A
- A car
- A university (Starts with ‘y’ sound /j/)
- A one-eyed man (Starts with ‘w’ sound)
3.2 Specific vs. General
- A/An: General (Indefinite). “I need a pen.” (Any pen)
- The: Specific (Definite). “I need the pen you borrowed.” (That specific one)
- No Article: often used for abstract nouns or plural general nouns. “I like music.” (Not ‘the music’).
4. Prepositions: Common Usages
- For: Purpose or Duration.
- “Prescription for headache.”
- “I lived there for 20 years.”
- Since: Starting point.
- “I have lived here since 2010.”
- Beneath: Under/Below.
- “Hid the key beneath the papers.”
- Of: Belonging/Connection.
- “Envious of them.”
- “Ran out of petrol.”
5. Practice Set
- “She was honoured for her courage.”
- Honoured: Verb (Passive voice action).
- Courage: Noun (Abstract).
- “The bus came to a halt by itself.”
- Itself: Reflexive Pronoun.
- “Golconda Fort is the most amazing site.”
- Most amazing: Superlative Adjective phrase.