Recently Added Articles Page #40

Plurals of Nouns

Notice that words are characterized as nouns by their ability to form plurals. (Some pronouns have this ability as well, e.g., other and others.) You will form the plural for most nouns by adding ‑s or ‑es. Just Add ‑s Plurals of Nouns by Addin...

Possessives of Nouns

Words are also characterized as nouns by their ability to form possessives. Again, some pronouns have this ability as well (other, other’s). So before we explore the main functions of nouns, let’s pause to address an issue that sparks considerabl...

test page

a;slkdf ; d;flskd ;lksd; f ;salkdjf ;lks jd;flks jd;fa;ld f;jsalkdj ;fslkdj ;flakd jf;ls kdaf a;ldkjf ;lsakd jf;lksad f;lkads jf...

What Nouns Do

What do nouns do in our language? It’s crucial that you know, for you cannot begin to engage in any kind of grammatical analysis without knowing the roles of all eight parts of speech.The main roles of nouns break down into three types:1. subject 2...

Groups of Words Acting as Nouns

I realize that you are glued to this website, riveted by the compelling material and scintillating presentation. But just in case your attention is wandering a bit, LET ME SHOUT AT YOU AND WAKE YOU UP BECAUSE I’M ABOUT TO SAY SOMETHING VERY IMPORTA...

A General Summary of Nouns

At this stage, we are still just exploring the eight parts of speech. The first is the noun. Above, we learned that nouns serve to name things, people, places, ideas, feelings, and other abstractions. One way to test a word to see if it’s acting as...

Noun functions - What They Do - A Closer Look

Above, we learned about three functions of the noun: subjects, objects, and complements. But nouns perform 10 functions in our language, and good writers take advantage of all of them. When you finish this more detailed discussion, you’ll start pla...

Noun Function 1 - Subjects of Sentences or Clauses

We reviewed this first function in our overview above: The subject joins with the verb to form the main idea of the sentence. An example will jog your memory. We’ll use our noun-packed sentence, a sentence showing all 10 functions of the noun.1. Su...

Noun Function 2 - Subject Complements

We reviewed this function in our overview above: The subject complement is a noun following the verb to be or other linking verb. An example should suffice to remind you of the gist of the subject complement. Remember, this function also carries the ...

Noun Function 4 - Object of Verbal Phrase

Transitive verbs—those that can directly pick up a noun and stick it to a sentence—can appear as phrases, specifically as infinitive phrases (to win the game) or as present-participial phrases (winning the game). Well, notice that even in phrase ...

Noun Function 5 - Indirect Object

Here’s a function of the noun we skipped over in our general overview above. Look at the following example. Then we’ll discuss the nature of the indirect object.5. Indirect ObjectOnce again, one sentence shows all 10 functions: The professor, Joh...

Noun Functions 1-5 - Verb Dependent

Take a look at the first five noun functions:1. subject of the verb 2. complement of to be or a linking verb 3. direct object of a transitive verb 4. object of a verbal phrase 5. indirect object secondarily affected by the verbAnything stand out?What...

Noun Function 6 - Object of the Preposition

We’ll learn more about this function in the Grammar.com section on prepositions.  (Click here for the beginning of that discussion.) A preposition has one major role in the language: to stick a noun onto the sentence. That noun is the object of th...

Noun Functions 1-6 - Dependent Nouns

Noun Functions - Dependent on Verbs and PrepositionsA noun has a hard time jumping up on the back of a sentence without some help. It turns to the verb for its first five functions, to the preposition for its sixth. Its remaining functions do show so...

Noun Function 7 - Noun Appositives

Now let’s look at some noun structures that can hang directly on sentences all by themselves without prepositions or verbs. We’ll visit the final four functions:7. Noun Appositives 8. Noun Modifiers 9. Noun Adverbs 10. Noun AbsolutesLet’s start...

Noun Function 8 - Noun Modifiers

Nouns often modify other nouns, as in noun modifier or sentence structure. We have thousands of terms where a first noun modifies an ensuing noun: hotdog bun football game college course chair legs and many more Here’s our sentence, this time s...

Noun Function 9 - Noun Adverbs

Words we think of as nouns often act like adverbs.9. Noun AdverbsOur model sentence shows a noun adverb: The professor, John Smith, is the noun expert, so yesterday he gave the class his views on the importance of learning to write papers clearly, hi...

Noun Function 10 - Noun Absolutes

And now we reach the end of the list and find one of the most potent structures the English language makes available to aspiring writers.But before visiting noun absolutes, let’s review. Here’s the list of the 10 functions of nouns. Notice that F...

A Summary of the 10 Functions of Nouns

Here they are again—the 10 functions of nouns.1. Subjects of Sentences The professor, John Smith, is the noun expert, so yesterday he gave the class his views on the importance of learning to write papers clearly, his students feverishly taking not...

Nouns - Definition, Overview, and Lists of Examples

WelcomeWhat's a noun?Below you’ll find links to our discussion on nouns. We recommend that you start with the first topic,Nouns - Words That Name. At the bottom of each page, you’ll find links to “Next” and to “Previous.” So start with th...

Group Nouns - Singular or Plural

Committee Do or Committee Does? Finally, some nouns that look singular might be treated as plural. Words such as group, team, majority, and many others are called collective nouns or group nouns.Are these words singular or plural? That is, when you u...

Noun Function 3 - Direct Object of Transitive Verb

In the Grammar.com section on verbs, we’ll discuss transitive verbs, those that can pick up nouns. (Click here for the beginning of that discussion.) The noun it sticks to the sentence is called the direct object.You’ll recall this function fr...

Noun Function 4 - Object of Verbal Phrase

Transitive verbs—those that can directly pick up a noun and stick it to a sentence—can appear as phrases, specifically as infinitive phrases (to win the game) or as present-participial phrases (winning the game). Well, notice that even in phrase ...

Verbs - Definition, Overview, and Lists of Examples

WelcomeBelow you’ll find links to our discussion on the most important word in the English language—verbs. We recommend that you start with the first topic,Verbs - Words that Do or Are. At the bottom of each page, you’ll find links to “Next...

Verbs - Words That Do or Are

In this section, we’ll explore the most important word in the English language: the verb. If you want to develop a powerful writing style, you must learn what verbs do in our language.Why?The most important word in the English language is the verb....