Grammar BasicsGrammar BasicsGrammar BasicsGrammar BasicsJust as a building is made up of concrete, lumber, steel beams, Just as a building is made up of concrete, lumber, steel beams,

and bricks put together in a certain way, languages are made up and bricks put together in a certain way, languages are made up of different parts of speech combined into sentences. To be a of different parts of speech combined into sentences. To be a

real expert of buildings, you should be able to produce a real expert of buildings, you should be able to produce a construction diagram. To be a real expert in composing construction diagram. To be a real expert in composing

sentences, it helps if you can produce a diagram of a sentence. sentences, it helps if you can produce a diagram of a sentence.

Section IParts of Speech:

The Building Materials of Sentence Construction

There are 8 parts of speech:

Verbs AdverbsNouns PrepositionsPronouns

ConjunctionsAdjectives Interjections

Verbs show action or state of being. Am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been are

being verbs. The being verbs plus have, has, had, shall,

will, should, would, may, might, must, can, and could are helping verbs.

All other verbs show action of some kind.

Texas Aggies are the keepers of many traditions.

Texas A&M University has been in existence since 1876.

The 12th Man stands throughout every football game.

Verbals are forms of verbs used as other parts of

speech.

Gerunds are the “ing” form of verbs that are used as nouns.

They • retain the qualities of verbs (having objects and

tense) • take on the qualities of nouns (being used in places

where nouns can be used).

Going to an Aggie football game is an exciting experience. (“Going” acts as the subject of this sentence.)

Participles are the “ing” and “ed” forms of verbs that are used as adjectives.

They • retain the qualities of a verb (having objects and tense)• take on the qualities of an adjective (answering “which

one,” “what kind of,” or “how many” about a noun)

Supported by the 12th man, Texas Aggies participate in many sports. (“Supported” is the participle, answering which “Texas Aggies.”

Now forming at the north end of Kyle Field, the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band will step off on “Hullabaloo.” (“Forming” is the participle, answering which FTAB.)

Infinitives are the “to + verb” form of verbs that are used as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.

They • retain the qualities of a verb (having objects and

tense)• take on the qualities of

– a noun (being used where nouns can be used) To get an Aggie ring is one of the most exciting experiences of a lifetime.

(used as a noun subject of the sentence)

– an adjective (answering “which one,” ”what kind of,” or “how many” about nouns)

Requirements to get an Aggie ring are definite. (used as an adjective telling what kind of “requirements”)

– an adverb (answering “how,” ”when,” “where,” “why,” or “how much” about verbs, adjectives, or adverbs)

Waiting to get their Aggie ring is exciting for students with ninety-five hours. (used as an adverb telling why they are “waiting”)

Nouns name persons, places, things, and ideas.

Nouns can be used as • subjects of sentences, • direct objects of sentences, • subjective complements of sentences,• appositives, • objects of prepositions, infinitives,

participles, or gerunds.

Pronouns take the place of nouns and can

be used in the same places as nouns.

There are five types of pronouns:personal, relative, interrogative,

indefinite, and demonstrative.

Personal pronouns

Nominative case pronouns are used as subjects of sentences:I, you, he, she, it, we, they.

Objective case pronouns are used as direct objects, objects ofprepositions, participles, gerunds or infinitives:me, you, him, her, it, us, them.

Possessive case pronouns show possession:my, mine, your, yours, his, hers, its, our, ours, their, theirs.

Reflexive pronouns will never be subjects; they show action reflected back to the person named:

myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.

Relative Pronouns

are used to connect dependent clauses to independent clauses:

who – nominative casewhom – objective case whose – possessive casewhich and that – any case

Interrogative Pronouns ask questions:

who – nominative casewhom – objective casewhose – possessive casewhich and what – any case.

Indefinite Pronounsdo not refer to any specific person, place, thing,

or idea. Many times they are used to denote a quality.

Singularanybody, anything, anyone, each, either, everyone,

everybody, everything, neither, nobody, no one, one, someone, something

Plural

all, both, few, most, none, some

If none means “not one,” it is singular.

Demonstrative Pronouns

act as adjectives and point out:thisthatthesethose (all any case).Think dis, dat, dese, and dose—

demonstrative.

Adjectives describe nouns.

They answer the questions “which one,” “what kind of,” and “how many.”

Those three white 12th Man towels will be used in the picture.

Adverbs describe verb, adjectives, and other

adverbs. They answer the questions “how,” “when,”

“where,” “why,” and “how much.”Some people do not fully understand Aggie

traditions.Early in its history, Texas A&M University enrolled

only male students.

Prepositions will be adverbs if not followed by an object in a

prepositional phrase.

In the sky above (adverb), we saw an Apache helicopter flown by a Texas Aggie.

In the sky above the stadium (preposition “above” followed by a noun object “stadium”), we saw an Apache helicopter flown by a Texas Aggie.

Prepositional phrases show relationships and can be used as adjective and adverbs.

Remember“anything an Aggie can do at Kyle Field.” The Aggie can go over, under, around, through,

beside, between, above, across, against, at, among, after, before, behind, beyond, by, down, into, from, in, near, off, to, past, through, toward, on, or up Kyle Field.

About, during, for, except, throughout, until are also prepositions.

Early in its history, Texas A&M University was a military school for male students.

Conjunctions

connect things.

There are two kinds of conjunctions:coordinatingsubordinating

Coordinating Conjunctions

connect elements of equal value.

Think A. B. Fonsy—and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet

Rock and Rockelle are traditions at TAMU.The yell leaders lead yells and tell stories at Midnight Yell.Strange but true, Texas A&M and the University of Texas

are rivals.Aggies excel on the athletic field and in the classroom.To be or not to be is the question.

Correlative conjunctions also connect things of equal

value.

either/or, neither/nor, both/and, or not only/but also

Either Rudder Auditorium or Reed Arena will be the place where important events happen on the TAMU campus.

Neither Reveille nor the Yell Leaders miss important events on the TAMU campus.

Both Muster and Midnight Yell are important events on the TAMU campus.

MSC/OPAS not only brings outstanding performing arts programs to the campus but also sponsors small group discussions about the arts.

Subordinating Conjunctions

connect dependent (adverb) clauses to independent clauses.After, although, as, as if, as _____as, because, before, if, in order

that, since, so that, than, though, unless, until, when, whenever, wherever, while are all subordinating conjunctions.

When you add any of these words to an independent clause, it becomes a dependent clause.

“The Aggies win a football game.” (independent clause) becomes “After the Aggies win a football game,” (dependent

clause),so you have to attach it to an independent clause to keep it from

being a fragment.

After the Aggies win a football game, there is a yell practice at Fish Pond.

Interjections express excitement.

Wow!Geez!Hurray, I’m finished!

Sentences

Instead of getting married again, I am going to find a woman I don’t like and just give her a house.—Rod Stewart

Sometimes I think war is God’s way of teaching us geography.—Paul Rodriguez