Nouns and articles

What is an indefinite article?

"A" and "an". Is used in front of singular countable nouns which are not specific. No article is used before non-specific nouns in the plural. An is used before nouns that begin with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u).

What is a compound noun?

A compound noun is a noun that is made with two or more words. A compound noun is usually [noun + noun] or [adjective + noun]. There are three forms for compound nouns: open or spaced - space between words (tennis shoe) hyphenated - hyphen between words (six-pack) closed or solid - no space or hyphen between words (bedroom) e.g. bus stop, blackboard, football, fire-fly.

What is a noun?

A word that names a person, place, thing, or idea

What is a common noun?

Common nouns names things or a general category of people, places. e.g. boys, neighbourhood, coffe, phone

What is a proper noun?

Names of specific people, places, days of the week, titles, names of organisations, companies etc. The first letter in proper nouns is capitalized. e.g. William Shakespeare. Everyone dislikes Monday mornings.

What is an abstract noun?

Names things that we cannot perceive through our five senses (touching, smelling, seeing, tasting). E.g. delight, bravery, love, equality.

What is a definite article?

The Can be used in front of all nouns (both singular and plural, countable or uncountable) to describe something is specific or unique. E.g. The sun, the North, the boy, the drama

Why are verbs an essential part of speech?

The shortest sentence you can possibly make contains a verb. You can make a one-word sentence with a verb, for example: "Stop!" You cannot make a one-word sentence with any other type of word.

What is a verb?

Verbs are sometimes described as "action words". This is partly true. Many verbs give the idea of action, of "doing" something. For example, words like run, fight, do and work all convey action. But some verbs do not give the idea of action; they give the idea of existence, of state, of "being". For example, verbs like be, exist, seem and belong all convey state.