Download Grammar Final Study Guide

End of year assessment – Grammar Review/Study Guide
1. Noun

Definition – a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.

Compound noun – a noun made up of more than one word.
(Examples: grandmother, baseball, great-grandfather, grand piano)

Possessive nouns – nouns the show ownership. Always uses an apostrophe.
Example: I have John’s pencil. (The pencil belongs to John)

Proper noun – the specific name of a particular person, place, thing, or idea.

Common noun – refers to any one of a general group of persons, places, or things.
Common nouns
Proper nouns
boy
baker
country
team
town
magazine
Jim Carrey
William Bennett
Mexico
Phoenix Suns
San Francisco
Newsweek

Concrete noun – names a person, place or thing that can be understood or experienced
with the five senses.

Abstract noun – names an idea, feeling, or quality.
Concrete Nouns
book
music
tea
ice
Mississippi
Abstract Nouns
love
peace
beauty
imagination
joy
2. Pronoun

Definition – a word used in place of one or more nouns or pronouns.

Antecedent – the word that a pronoun replaces.
Example: Joann placed her coat in the closet with the others.
antecedent

pronoun
Personal pronoun – replaces saying names
First Person
Personal Pronouns
Singular
Plural
I, me, my, mine
we, us, our, ours
Second Person
you, your, yours
you, your, yours
Third Person
he, him, his
she, her, hers
it, its
they, them, their, theirs

Reflexive pronoun – refers back to the subject and directs the action back to the subject. A
reflexive pronoun must be in the sentence in order for the meaning of the sentence to work.
(Example: Jim enjoyed himself at the concert.)

Demonstrative pronoun – points out a person, place, thing, or an idea (this, that, these, those).

Interrogative pronoun – used at the beginning of a question (what, which, who, whom,
whose)

Indefinite pronoun – does not refer to a definite person, place, thing, or idea. (Examples of
commonly used indefinite pronouns: everybody, everyone, anybody, nobody, each, either,
both, few, and some).
3. Adjective

Definition – a word that modifies or describes a noun or pronoun.

A, an, and the are the commonly used adjectives. They are called articles.

When a noun is used to describe another noun or pronoun, it is considered an adjective.
Example: Mother put different kinds of beans in her special bean soup.
noun

adjective
Demonstrative adjectives – when the words this, that, these, and those are used to modify
nouns, they are considered demonstrative adjectives instead of pronouns.
Example: This is my book. This book is mine.
demonstrative
pronoun

demonstrative
adjective
Proper adjectives – an adjective that is made from a proper noun.
Example: One has to visit Mexico to enjoy real Mexican food.
4. Verb

Definition – a word that expresses action or state of being.

Action verb – a verb that expresses physical or mental action.
Examples: I bowled a great game tonight. She believes your story.

Linking verb – instead of showing what the subject is doing, this verb shows the subject in a
state of being. It links the subject to some other word in the sentence that describes, identifies,
or gives more information about it.
Examples: John was sick for two days. John was president of the senior class.
These will always be linking verbs: BE: be, being, been, become
IWAWA: is, was, are, were, am

Some verbs can be either action or linking depending on how they are used. (Examples include:
look, taste, feel, appear, remain)
ex. The girl looked at the dog.
action verb
ex. The boy looked sad.
linking verb
5. Adverb

Definition – a word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb.

Adverbs answer these questions: where, when, how, how often, how much, or to what extent.
Examples:
We often study together.
New-comers work incredibly hard to learn the language.
Spanish can be a fairly difficult language to learn.
6. Interjection

Definition – a word that expresses emotion and does not grammatically link to the sentence.
Examples:
Wow! What a great view.
Phew! That was a close call.
7. Conjunction

Definition – a word used to link words, clauses, or phrases

Commonly used conjunctions: and, or, but, nor, for, so, yet, either…or, neither…nor,
both…and, whether…or, not only…but also
Examples:
I went to the house and the mall.
I will either go the house or to the mall.
8. Prepositions

Definition – Shows the relationship of a noun/pronoun to another word

A good test to find a preposition: __________________ the house

Example prepositions: in, on, of, above, beneath, through, before, after, during

A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition and ends with the object of a prepositions
(You can find the object of the preposition by asking “preposition what?” The answer will be a
noun or pronoun.
Complements

Definition – A word that completes the verb. The complement will never be found in a
prepositional phrase.

Action verbs may have a direct object. If so, they may also have an indirect object.
To find the direct object ask: verb what? Then verb whom?
If there is a direct object, look for an indirect object by asking verb to/for whom? Or verb to/for
what?
Examples:
I gave the dog a bone.
IO
DO
I bought a cat.
DO

Linking verbs may have a predicate adjective or predicate nominative.
Find the PA/PN the same way you find the direct object, ask “verb what?” or “verb whom?”
If the answer is a noun, you have a predicate nominative. If it is an adjective, you have a
predicate adjective.
Examples:
I am a scary man.
PN
She is very beautiful.
PA
Clauses

Definition – A group of words with a subject and a verb

All clauses will be either independent or subordinate (dependent.)

Independent clauses can stand on their own as sentences.

Subordinate clauses cannot stand on their own as sentences. They must latch on to an
independent clause to complete their meaning.

Subordinate clauses will be either noun clauses, adjective clauses, or adverb clauses. (Ignore
noun clauses for now.)

Adjective clauses work just like adjectives, but the entire group of words acts like an adjective.

Adverb clauses work just like adverbs, but the entire group of words acts like an adverb.
Phrases

Definition – A group of related words that does not have a subject or a verb.

Examples are prepositional phrases and infinitive phrases.
Kinds of Sentences

Declarative - A declarative sentence makes a statement. A declarative sentence ends with a
period.
Example: The house will be built on a hill.

Interrogative - An interrogative sentence asks a question. An interrogative sentence ends with
a question mark.
Example: How did you find the card?

Exclamatory - An exclamatory sentence shows strong feeling. An exclamatory sentence ends
with an exclamation mark.
Example: The monster is attacking!

Imperative - An imperative sentence gives a command. Sometimes the subject of an
imperative sentence (you) is understood.
Example: Cheryl, try the other door.
Example: Look in the closet. (You, look in the closet.)
Sentence Structures

Simple sentence: 1 independent clause and 0 subordinate

Compound sentence: 1+ independent clauses and 0 subordinates

Complex sentence: 1 independent clause and 1+ subordinate clause

Compound-complex sentence: 2+ independent clauses and 1+ subordinate clauses
Punctuation
1. Commas
 Items in a series
 Compound sentences
 Interrupters
 Introductory Words, Phrases, Clauses
 Conventional Situations
2. Semicolon (;)
 Acts like a weak period by separating two full sentences.
Examples:
I didn’t want to go; it was the last thing I wanted.
3. Colon (:)
 Appears at the end of a main clause and introduces a list, a restatement, or elaboration of the
main clause
Examples:
The following ingredients are necessary for the dip: cream cheese, blue cheese,
honey, and milk.
4. Quotation Marks
 Used to show someone’s exact words.
Example:
The children said, “Let’s ride the train.”
5. Apostrophes
 Used to show possession.
 Whatever comes before the apostrophe shows the number of persons involved.
Examples:
Michael’s sunglasses
Nobody’s book
The girls’ house
6. Agreement
 Pronouns with each, either, one, body, thing are singular
Examples:
Either of the answers is correct.
Each of the girls is fun to be around.
 The following pronouns are always plural: both, few, many, and several
Examples:
Both of the apples are delicious.
 The following pronouns can be either singular or plural, depending on their meaning in the
sentence: all, any, most, none, some
Examples:
Some of the equipment is missing.
Some of the supplies are missing.
Additionally, review the terms on your PSSA review sheets (metaphor, simile, etc.)