Grammar TerminologyGrammar Terminology

Parts of SpeechParts of Speech

NounsNouns – persons, places, things, or ideas – persons, places, things, or ideasPronounsPronouns – stand in for nouns – stand in for nounsAdjectives Adjectives – describe nouns– describe nounsVerbsVerbs – action words or states of being – action words or states of beingAdverbsAdverbs – describe adjectives, verbs, or – describe adjectives, verbs, or other adverbsother adverbsConjunctionsConjunctions – words that connect phrases – words that connect phrasesPrepositionsPrepositions – words that show placement – words that show placement and relationshipsand relationshipsParticlesParticles – adverbs, conjunctions, and other – adverbs, conjunctions, and other word forms that don’t really exist in Englishword forms that don’t really exist in English

Parts of Speech - ExamplesParts of Speech - Examples

Nouns: Nouns: man, dog, treaty, houseman, dog, treaty, housePronouns: Pronouns: I, we, me, they, him, itI, we, me, they, him, itAdjectives: Adjectives: three, ugly, terrible, happythree, ugly, terrible, happyVerbs: Verbs: I run, He flies, She is, They danceI run, He flies, She is, They danceAdverbs: Adverbs: very, terribly, happily, quicklyvery, terribly, happily, quicklyConjunctions: Conjunctions: and, or, butand, or, butPrepositions: Prepositions: under, near, behind, below, inunder, near, behind, below, inParticles: Particles: “on the one hand,” “for,” “at the “on the one hand,” “for,” “at the same time as”same time as”

VerbsVerbs

Verbs have five characteristics:Verbs have five characteristics: PersonPerson (who is doing the action) (who is doing the action) NumberNumber (singular or plural) (singular or plural) VoiceVoice (is someone doing it—active; or is (is someone doing it—active; or is

someone being done to—passive)someone being done to—passive) MoodMood (does the verb concern real events (does the verb concern real events

or possibilities?)or possibilities?) TenseTense (when did the action occur?) (when did the action occur?) AspectAspect (was the action completed or left (was the action completed or left

incomplete?)incomplete?)

Verbs and PersonVerbs and Person

PersonPerson Who is Doing the Action?Who is Doing the Action?

FirstFirst I (singular)I (singular)We (plural)We (plural)

SecondSecond You (singular)You (singular)You (plural)You (plural)

ThirdThird He, she, it (singular)He, she, it (singular)They (plural)They (plural)

Verbs and NumberVerbs and Number

NumberNumber FunctionFunction

SingularSingular One person or thing is One person or thing is the subjectthe subject

DualDual A pair of people or things A pair of people or things is the subjectis the subject

PluralPlural More than one person or More than one person or thing is the subjectthing is the subject

Verbs and VoiceVerbs and Voice

VoiceVoice FunctionFunction

ActiveActive Subject performs the Subject performs the action (action (Jill hit the ball.)Jill hit the ball.)

PassivePassive Subject receives the Subject receives the action (action (The ball was hit The ball was hit by Jillby Jill).).

MiddleMiddle Subject performs the Subject performs the action on itself or for action on itself or for itself (itself (He shaves dailyHe shaves daily).).

Verbs – Transitive/IntransitiveVerbs – Transitive/Intransitive

TransitiveTransitive – describes if a verb is capable of – describes if a verb is capable of acting on some nounacting on some noun Eric slapped his brother. (slapped is Eric slapped his brother. (slapped is

acting on brother)acting on brother)

IntransitiveIntransitive – describes if a verb is a state of – describes if a verb is a state of being or cannot act upon a nounbeing or cannot act upon a noun Jill is pretty. (“is” – a state of existence)Jill is pretty. (“is” – a state of existence) Fred walks. (walk is not acting upon Fred walks. (walk is not acting upon

anything)anything)

Verbs and MoodVerbs and Mood

Mood Mood FunctionFunction

IndicativeIndicative Events that really happened or will Events that really happened or will happenhappenI walked the dog.I walked the dog.

ImperativeImperative Commands/ordersCommands/ordersWalk the dog!Walk the dog!

SubjunctiveSubjunctive Imagined actions; unreal actionsImagined actions; unreal actionsYou may walk the dog.You may walk the dog.

OptativeOptative Really imagined actions, really Really imagined actions, really unreal actionsunreal actionsThe dog might break dance.The dog might break dance.

Verbs and TenseVerbs and Tense

TenseTense FunctionFunction

PresentPresent Action happening NOWAction happening NOW

ImperfectImperfect Action that was happeningAction that was happening

FutureFuture Action that will happenAction that will happen

AoristAorist Completed action that happenedCompleted action that happened

PerfectPerfect Completed action whose results Completed action whose results continue up to the presentcontinue up to the present

PluperfectPluperfect Action that was completed long agoAction that was completed long ago

Future PerfectFuture Perfect Action that will have been completedAction that will have been completed

Verbs and AspectVerbs and Aspect

AspectAspect FunctionFunction

ImperfectiveImperfective Incomplete action; may still be Incomplete action; may still be going ongoing on

AoristAorist Undefined action; may or may not Undefined action; may or may not be going on stillbe going on still

PerfectivePerfective Finished action; action is Finished action; action is completed, but has an enduring completed, but has an enduring resultresult

Other Properties of VerbsOther Properties of Verbs

Verbs in Greek are CONJUGATEDVerbs in Greek are CONJUGATED Conjugation is the processing of making Conjugation is the processing of making

different forms of verbsdifferent forms of verbs Verbs are classified into families by the Verbs are classified into families by the

vowels in the endings; each family is a vowels in the endings; each family is a different CONJUGATIONdifferent CONJUGATION

Verbs have Principal PartsVerbs have Principal Parts These are 6 forms of the verb that help These are 6 forms of the verb that help

you to remember how to conjugate every you to remember how to conjugate every tense and moodtense and mood

Other Properties of VerbsOther Properties of Verbs

Verbs have INFINITIVESVerbs have INFINITIVES Infinitives are verbal nounsInfinitives are verbal nouns They begin with “to”They begin with “to” They have tense and voice ONLYThey have tense and voice ONLYAccents in verbs are RECESSIVEAccents in verbs are RECESSIVE The accent in a verb wants to be as FAR-The accent in a verb wants to be as FAR-

LEFT as possible (either penult or LEFT as possible (either penult or antepenult depending on the number of antepenult depending on the number of syllables)syllables)