Page 128 - SpringBoard_Writing_Workshop_Grade8_Flipbook

Grammar Activities
Activity 1.1
Unit 1
Lesson: Parts of Speech Overview
Learning Target
• Review, identify, and use the parts of speech.
The English language is made up of words, phrases, and clauses, which in turn make up sentences. Sentences make up paragraphs, and paragraphs make up passages and larger texts. To understand English grammar, you need to understand the language’s basic building blocks: parts of speech.
The term parts of speech refers to grammatical units, usually words (but sometimes phrases and clauses), that serve specific functions in sentences.
Common Parts of Speech and Their Functions
Examples
Noun
names a person, place, idea, thing, or animal
Owen, parrot, dragon, innocence, Eiffel Tower, light bulb
Pronoun
takes the place of one or more nouns or pronouns
I, yourself, these, which, that, most, something
Verb
expresses an action or state of being
is, be, were, hold, yank, smell, pursue
Adjective
modifies a noun or pronoun
(boldface words are adjectives) a tower, purple hat, happy face, three answers, icy river
Adverb
modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb
(boldface words are adverbs) spoke excitedly, walked quickly, balanced awkwardly, left beforehand, not leaving
Preposition
shows the relationship of a noun or pronoun (called the object of the preposition) to another word
(boldface words are prepositions) spoke to her, walked ahead of Taylor, leaped under the beam, left after noon
Conjunction
joins words or word groups
and, but, or, nor, so, yet, for, either . . . or, neither . . . nor, both . . . and, because, although
Interjection
expresses emotion
whoops, oh, yay, hey, wow
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