1. Chapter 4 Basics of English Grammar
Business Communication
Chapter 4
Basics of English Grammar
Copyright South-Western Cengage Learning

2. TN State Objectives:
8) Evaluate, create, and revise business correspondence, short contracts and reports, electronic forms, and small legal documents for a business in standard English using the following:
b). Using proper grammar essentials, including parts of speech, vocabulary, punctuation, sentence structure.

3. Parts of Speech Noun – names a person, place or thing.
ex:
Pronoun – takes the place of a noun.
Adjective – describes a noun or pronoun.
Verb – a word or phrase that describes the action, state of being, or condition of a person, place or thing.
4.1 Parts of Speech and Sentences

4. Parts of Speech
Adverb – describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb.
ex:
Preposition – connects a noun or pronoun to other words to form a phrase.
Conjunction – joins words or phrases, or clauses.
Interjection – expresses surprise or strong feeling.
4.1 Parts of Speech and Sentences

5. Parts of Speech Activity
“Using well-structured sentences will help you communicate clearly”

6. Sentence Parts Subject
is the person who is speaking, the person who is spoken to, or the person, place or thing about whom is spoken.
A simple subject is the main word in the complete subject that identifies specifically who or what the sentence concerns.
The simple subject of a sentence is never in a prepositional phrase.
A complete subject includes the simple subject plus all the sentence that is not part of the complete subject
Examples:
John writes articles for a newspaper.
John, the young journalist, has written articles for a newspaper.
A compound subject is two or more simple subjects joined by conjunctions.
Ex: John and Hallie work for our company.
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4.1 Parts of Speech and Sentences

7. Sentence Parts Predicate
The complete predicate is everything in the sentence said by, to, or about the subject.
It includes the main verb of the sentence.
Whatever is not included in the complete subject of a sentence belongs in the complete predicate.
The simple predicate is the verb in the complete predicate.
Examples:
John writes articles for the newspaper.
John, the young journalist, has written articles for the newspaper.
A compound predicate consists of two or more verbs with the same subject.
Ex: John and Hallie discussed the matter and concluded that we are handling this situation incorrectly.
© Image Source / Getty Images
4.1 Parts of Speech and Sentences

8. Creating Sentences Activity
“Using well-structured sentences will help you communicate clearly”

9. QUIZ

10. Sentence Parts Objects and subject complements Direct objects
Indirect objects
Subject complements
© Image Source / Getty Images
Using well-structured sentences will help you communicate clearly.
4.1 Parts of Speech and Sentences

11. Clauses, Phrases, and Fragments
Clause: a group of words with a subject and a predicate
Phrase: a group of related words with no subject or predicate
Fragment: an incomplete sentence that may or may not have meaning
4.1 Parts of Speech and Sentences

12. Sentence Structure Simple sentences Compound sentences
Example: Theodore sings and acts.
Compound sentences
Example: Erin loves to ride horses; Manuel loves to draw horses.
Complex sentences
Example: Although it is important to proofread a written message, many people feel they do not have the time.
4.1 Parts of Speech and Sentences

13. Nouns Noun: a word used to name people, places, or things Common nouns
Proper nouns
Singular and plural nouns
Collective nouns
Possessive nouns
4.2 Nouns, Pronouns, and Adjectives

14. Pronouns Pronoun: a word used in the place of a noun Personal pronouns
Nominative case
Objective case
Possessive case
Intensive and reflective pronouns
Interrogative and demonstrative pronouns
4.2 Nouns, Pronouns, and Adjectives

15. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Pronoun antecedent: a noun or phrase that is replaced by a pronoun
Pronouns and antecedents should agree in:
Person
Number
Gender
Compound antecedents
Indefinite pronoun agreement
4.2 Nouns, Pronouns, and Adjectives

16. Adjectives
Adjective: a word that describes or limits nouns and pronouns
Articles
Nouns and pronouns used as adjectives
Compound adjectives
4.2 Nouns, Pronouns, and Adjectives

17. Adjectives Comparison of adjectives Absolute adjectives
Positive degree
Comparative degree
Superlative degree
Absolute adjectives
4.2 Nouns, Pronouns, and Adjectives

18. Verbs
Verb: a word that expresses action, a state of being, or a condition
Types of verbs
Action verbs
Linking verbs
State of being verbs
4.3 Verbs and Adverbs

19. Verbs Tenses Simple tenses Perfect tenses Present Past Future
Present perfect
Past perfect
Future perfect
4.3 Verbs and Adverbs

20. Verbs Transitive verbs Intransitive verbs Voice Active voice
Passive voice
4.3 Verbs and Adverbs

21. Subject and Verb Agreement
Number
Intervening phrases
“A number,” “the number”
Names of companies
Amounts
Compound subjects
4.3 Verbs and Adverbs

22. Adverbs
Adverb: a word that modifies an action verb, an adjective, or another adverb
Conjunctive adverbs
Comparison of adverbs
Positive degree
Comparative degree
Superlative degree
4.3 Verbs and Adverbs

23. Prepositions
Preposition: a word that connects a noun or pronoun to other words to form a phrase
Prepositions introduce phrases
Prepositional phrases may modify:
Nouns (acting as adjectives)
Action verbs
Adjectives
Adverbs
4.4 Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Interjections

24. Conjunctions
Conjunction: a word or phrase that joins two or more words, phrases, or clauses
Coordinate conjunctions
Correlative conjunctions
Subordinate conjunctions
Parallel construction
4.4 Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Interjections

25. Interjections
Interjection: a word or phrase used primarily to express strong emotion
Have no grammatical relationship with other words in the sentence
4.4 Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Interjections

26. Vocabulary active voice adjective adverb clause collective noun
conjunction
direct object
fragment
indirect object
interjection
noun
passive voice
phrase
possessive noun
predicate
preposition
pronoun
pronoun antecedent
sentence
subject
verb
verb tense