Word Classes

Overview of word classes 

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Nouns

- naming words

- give names to people, places, objects, feelings and ideas 

- can be identified by answering 'what name do you give to this?' 

- shoe, sugar, air, dog, boy, courage 

types of noun: 

proper noun: usually begins with a capital letter, specific - Paris. 

common nouns: less specific, refer to types - man, planet, city 

abstract nouns: refer to things that do not exist physically

collective nouns: refer to groups - team, family, flock

concrete nouns: refer to things that exist physically - computer, hand 

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Adjectives, Comparatives and Superlatives

Adjectives 

- describing words, used to describe nouns 

- a beautiful day, a boring film, a strange feeling 

Comparatvies 

- hotter, bigger

Superlatives 

- hottest, biggest 8900

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Verbs

- known as doing words 

- jump, take, give, explode, throw 

- also known as 'mental actions' 

- 'the house stands on the hill' 'that seems unfair' 

- usually tells you what the the subject is doing or being 

tense 

present: 'i am writing a letter' 

past: 'i wrote a letter' 

active and passive voice 

active: the minister has issued an apology 

passive: an apology has been issued by the minister.

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Adverbs

- give more information about verbs 

- describe verbs 

- usually formed by adding -ly to the end of words 

 - she ran quickly 

- he felt better 

- they left immediately 

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