Word classes Flashcards
(33 cards)
What are the 8 word classes in English?
- Verb
- Noun
- Adjective
- Adverb
- Determiner
- Pronoun
- Conjunction
- Preposition
These classes categorize words based on their function in a sentence.
What does a verb describe?
Actions and states.
Example: ‘Michael remembered her name.’
What is an ordinary verb?
A verb that has meaning on its own and can be the only verb in a phrase.
Example: ‘Jack eats a lot of apples.’
What is an auxiliary verb?
A verb that has no meaning on its own and is used in combination with an ordinary verb.
Example: ‘I am surfing the internet.’
What is a modal verb?
A verb that adds meaning to the ordinary verb.
Example: ‘You should pay attention.’
What does a noun describe?
People, places, things, ideas.
Example: ‘The sun is shining.’
What is the function of an adjective?
To modify nouns.
Example: ‘She wore a yellow bikini.’
What does an adverb modify?
Verbs.
Example: ‘She truly loved her shoes.’
What are closed classes in word classes?
Classes limited to a fixed set of words.
Includes determiners, pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions.
What is a determiner?
A word that expresses a reference of a noun in context.
Examples: articles, quantifiers, numerals, possessives, demonstratives, interrogatives.
What is the role of articles in determiners?
To state whether the noun is definite or indefinite.
Example: ‘The house is on fire.’
What do quantifiers indicate?
The quantity of the noun without being exact.
Example: ‘I saw some ducks.’
What do numerals indicate?
The exact quantity or order of the noun.
Example: ‘We have two cats.’
What is a possessive determiner?
Indicates who or what the noun belongs to.
Example: ‘That’s my house you see over there.’
What is a demonstrative determiner used for?
To draw attention to nouns.
Example: ‘That book is my favourite of all time.’
What does an interrogative determiner do?
Used to introduce questions.
Example: ‘Which song is your favourite?’
What is a pronoun?
A word that replaces a noun (or noun phrase).
Types include personal, possessive, demonstrative, interrogative, relative, reflexive, and indefinite pronouns.
What is a personal pronoun?
Replaces a noun to avoid repetition.
Example: ‘John told me he would be late.’
What is a possessive pronoun?
Indicates possession without a noun following in the same phrase.
Example: ‘Here, you can borrow mine.’
What does a demonstrative pronoun do?
Draws attention to something without a noun following in the same phrase.
Example: ‘That is my favourite of all time.’
What is an interrogative pronoun used for?
To introduce questions without a name following in the same phrase.
Example: ‘Who is that creepy guy over there?’
What is a relative pronoun?
Refers back to an earlier noun to link two sentences.
Example: ‘This is the house that Jack built.’
What is a reflexive pronoun?
Used instead of a personal pronoun when the one doing the action and undergoing the action are the same.
Example: ‘I cut myself this morning.’
