Deck 4: Exploring Language Elements

Question 1

Name the eight parts of speech and illustrate how each part functions in a sentence.

Answer 1

Anawer: Students' answers will vary. All the many thousands of words in our language can be grouped into eight categories: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.
a) Nouns are the names of persons, places, things, ideas, concepts, or qualities. Some examples are: managers, applicants, Rocky Mountains.
b) Pronouns are words that replace nouns in a sentence.
c) Verbs are words that express action, a state of being, or a condition.
d) Adjectives describe nouns and pronouns by limiting or making more specific the noun or pronoun.
e) Adverbs describe or limit adjectives, verbs, or other adverbs in a sentence.
f) Prepositions are connecting words that show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence.
g) Conjunctions are words that join words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence.
h) Interjections are words that show very strong feeling.

Question 2

Define the subject of a sentence and briefly explain the difference between a simple subject and a compound. Provide example sentences.

Answer 2

The subject of a sentence names (1) the person or persons speaking, (2) the person or persons spoken to, or (3) the person(s) or thing(s) spoken about. A subject is usually a noun or pronoun. Students' example answers will vary but may include: I voted for Tyler in the last election. (Who is speaking); Open a checking account. (Who is spoken to); She is the owner of the coffee shop. (Who is spoken about); This insurance policy covers loss by fire and theft. (What is spoken about).
The simple subject is the main word or words in the complete subject. A compound subject is two or more subjects joined by a conjunction. Again, students' example sentences will vary but may include: The owner of the restaurants is Cory Brookes. (Simple subject); The mechanics and technicians at our local plant have requested additional safety procedures. (Compound subject).

Question 3

Explain the difference between a dependent clause and an independent clause with the help of examples.

Answer 3

Students' answers will vary. A clause is a group of words containing both a subject and a predicate. If the clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a complete sentence, it is an independent clause. If the clause cannot stand alone, then it is called a dependent clause. Note that the following sentence has a subject and a predicate and can stand alone - "Janetta Draymore is a well-known expert in computer science." The sentence is an independent clause. The clause that follows has a subject and predicate but cannot stand alone - "If Mary Courtney accepts the nomination." Therefore, it is a dependent clause. Dependent clauses cannot stand alone as sentences; therefore, they must be joined to independent clauses for their meaning to be complete.

Question 4

Explain the different types of phrases with examples.

Question 5

How do you differentiate between a complete sentence and a fragment? Explain with examples.

Question 6

Discuss the verb tenses and explain each one with an example.

Question 7

Describe transitive and intransitive verbs.

Question 8

Differentiate between regular and irregular verbs.

Question 9

Describe the different conditions under which the predicate agreement rule works.

Question 10

Explain how you would make decisions about the use of predicates in the case of indefinite-pronoun subjects.

Question 11

A(n) _____ is the name of a person, place, thing, idea, concept, or quality.

Question 12

A(n) _____ is a connecting word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence.

Question 13

Words that are used alone and express an extremely strong feeling are called _____.

Question 14

A(n) _____ subject is the main word or words in the complete subject - the core of the subject.

Question 15

The _____ is the part of the sentence that tells what the subject is or does or what is done to the subject.

Question 16

When the writing is an incomplete thought, it is called a sentence _____.

Question 17

The _____ tense is used to show that an action began in the past and may still be occurring.

Question 18

A(n) _____ is a person or thing that directly receives the action of the verb.

Question 19

Nouns that can be either masculine or feminine are known as _____ nouns.

Question 20

The pronouns "who" and "that" are called relative pronouns because they relate to other words, called _____.

Question 21

The italicized words in which of the following sentences is a noun?

A) Jerrybought a car.
B) Timneeds help.
C) Thefood is hot.
D) The shirt isexpensive.

Question 22

Which of the following is an example of a common noun?

A) Teachers
B) The Nile
C) Mr. Burton
D) Buddhism

Question 23

Verbs that do not indicate an obvious action but express a condition or a state of being are called:

A) action verbs.
B) inactive verbs.
C) linking verbs.
D) passive verbs.

Question 24

A sentence reads "She was delighted about the surprise holiday." In this sentence, the adjective used is _____.

A) about
B) surprise
C) she
D) was

Question 25

Which of the following words is NOT a preposition?

A) From
B) And
C) At
D) To

Question 26

A _____ is a group of words that expresses a complete thought and contains a subject and a predicate.

A) sentence
B) phrase
C) dependent clause
D) preposition

Question 27

A sentence reads "The dog jumped over the fence." In this sentence, the subject is _____.

A) dog
B) jumped
C) over
D) fence

Question 28

A sentence reads "Jen and Fiona have been promoted to the same position." In this sentence, "Jen and Fiona" is an example of a(n) _____.

A) compound subject
B) simple predicate
C) verb
D) adverb

Question 29

Which of the following is an example of a declarative sentence?

A) How much is this watch?
B) You are smart.
C) I love this movie!
D) Take care of the laundry.

Question 30

The italicized words in which of the following sentences is a being verb?

A) Jeremyhelped the stranger.
B) Pierredelivered a great presentation.
C) Jamiefelt nervous before his flight.
D) Terencewas tired after his journey.

Question 31

All verb tenses are formed from:

A) the preposition in a verb phrase.
B) the placement of a verb.
C) the principal parts of a verb.
D) the independent clause.

Question 32

Which of the following words is the present participle of the word "answer"?

A) Answered
B) Answering
C) Will answer
D) To answer

Question 33

Which of the following sentences is using the future perfect tense?

A) Jane will have completed her test long before the others.
B) Jane has completed her test long before the others.
C) Jane had completed her test long before the others.
D) Jane is planning to complete her test before the others.

Question 34

Which of the following is the past participle of the irregular verb "fly"?

A) Flew
B) Flying
C) Flown
D) Flee

Question 35

A sentence reads "We finally received the overdue shipment last Thursday." In this sentence, the transitive verb is _____.

A) received
B) shipment
C) Thursday
D) overdue

Question 36

Predicate agreement means that:

A) a predicate must agree with its simple subject in number and in person.
B) a simple subject must agree with its compound subject.
C) a predicate must agree with its compound subject in number and not in person.
D) a predicate must agree with its simple subject in person and not in number.

Question 37

Which of the following is an indefinite pronoun?

A) Nobody
B) He
C) She
D) They

Question 38

A collective noun is a:

A) group of things or persons.
B) collection of adjectives.
C) noun that can be used as a verb.
D) noun that is really an adjective.

Question 39

Which of the following is an example of a collective noun?

A) Family
B) Person
C) Snakes
D) Toys

Question 40

A sentence reads "The students who arrive late for the examination will be penalized." In this sentence, the relative pronoun is _____.

A) students
B) late
C) arrive
D) who

Question 41

In a sentence, nouns function as subjects, direct objects, indirect objects, objects of a preposition, appositives, and complements.

Question 42

A sentence reads "He did not return that day." In this sentence, the pronoun being used is "day."

Question 43

Verbs function as subjects in a sentence.

Question 44

The simple predicate is the main verb of the sentence plus any helping verbs.

Question 45

The normal order of a sentence is predicate first, then subject.

Question 46

A clause is a group of words containing both a subject and a predicate.

Question 47

A sentence reads "The teacher will complete her lesson plans in September." In this sentence, the verb phrase being used is "will complete."

Question 48

The verb tense is the form that tells when the action did or will occur.

Question 49

The past tense of a verb is used to show action that is happening now.

Question 50

A transitive verb is a verb that has an object or a receiver of the verb's action.

Question 51

Predicate agreement means that a predicate must agree with its simple subject in number and in person.

Question 52

"A number" is always singular. "The number" is always plural.

Question 53

The pronouns "who" and "that" are called relative pronouns because they relate to other words, called antecedents.