A Grammar/Mechanics Workshop For You and I ..

oops Me
University Writing Center General Classroom Building, A-309 (336) 334-7764 Mondays -Thursdays: 9:00a.m.-5:00p.m. Fridays: 9:00a.m.-12:00p.m. ~Walk-ins and appointments welcome~

Whats The Purpose?

This workshop series is designed to review basic grammatical usage.

What Will Be Covered Throughout The Series?

The Parts of Speech Sentence Patterns Commas 101 Tenses and Conjugation

The Parts of Speech

There are seven parts of speech used in everyday language and we will show you how each part functions within a sentence.

Whats In A Sentence?
Verbs Nouns Conjunctions *coordinating *subordinating *correlative Adjectives Adverbs

Pronouns

Verbs
Action verbs are the meatiest part of a sentence; they show the action or condition of the words in the sentence. Action verbs show action or movement. You can think about action verbs this way: they activate a sentence. leaped cried played crept saw soared

Verbs Cont.
Linking verbs, as opposed to action verbs, show condition; that is, they link words together. Linking verbs help define or describe other words in a sentence by connecting, or linking, the main subject with its description. They tell us more about the main subject. am was become were seem appear are is

Identify the Verb

James walks to the store.
walks- an action verb

She was going to class soon.

was- a linking verb going - action verb

They are studying in the library.

are- a linking verb studying- an action verb

Nouns
Nouns name the people, places, and things in a sentence. They provide the readers with concrete images or pictures. dog Martha moon family turtle morality Mother Paris

Pronouns
Pronouns are merely substitutions for nouns; they replace nouns that have been previously introduced. I we she hers yours me us they he his my our them her it mine you their him its

Adjectives
Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns. They can explain the color, shape, size, type, or number of a noun. Here are just a few adjectives: fishy few odd rude round many saucy rare small blue fervent quick

Identify the Adjective

Alex wore a black suit to the dance. black- an adjective The square table sat in the middle of the room. square- an adjective The hallway was dark. dark- an adjective

Adverbs
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, or entire sentences. For example, in the sentence Rita charged wildly around the room, the adverb wildly modifies the verb charged; it tells us how Rita charged around the room. Here is a handful of adverbs: here there hauntingly just today yesterday diligently quickly very too also

Prepositions
Prepositions are words that show the time, place, direction, or position of nouns. Here are some common prepositions: to on under from about through for around after without at in

Identify the Preposition

The book was found under the desk. under- the preposition Charles was sleeping during class. during- the preposition Erica went grocery shopping without her list. without- the preposition

Conjunctions
Conjunctions connect clauses, phrases, and items in lists. There are three types of conjunctions:

coordinating conjunctions subordinating conjunctions correlative conjunctions.

Coordinating Conjunctions:
Coordinating conjunctions connect clauses, phrases, and items in lists. FANBOYS is an acronym that can help you remember the seven most common

coordinating conjunctions: For And Nor But Or Yet So

Subordinating Conjunctions:
Subordinating conjunctions introduce a subordinate or dependent clause and connect it with an independent clause: after because since though when whereas before unless wherever once until while

Correlative Conjunctions:
Correlative conjunctions connect pairs of words, phrases or clauses that are of equal importance: bothand eitheror ifthen asas not onlybut also neithernor whetheror

Questions and Answers