1. Overview of Parts of Speech
Chapter 2
Overview of Parts of Speech
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Business English at Work, 3/e
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. Objectives
Recognize the importance of the terminology used in studying grammar.
Identify nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections.
PP 2-1

3. Why Study Parts of Speech?
You may offend people by violating the major rules of the language.
You become a more effective communicator.
You become more confident when proofreading and correcting errors.
PP 2-2

4. Nouns . . . Proper Nouns Common Nouns woman Melissa state Illinois
Name people, places, things, activities, ideas, or qualities.
Common Nouns
Proper Nouns
woman
state
college
company
continent
Melissa
Illinois
Dana College
Target
Asia
Checkpoint 2.1, page 34 – what is the proper noun?
Proper nouns are capitalized
PP 2-3a

5. Nouns People Place Things Activities Ideas or Qualities
continued
People
Katrina, student, class
Place
San Francisco, highway, school, Ohio
Things
books, desks, pens
Activities
walking, keyboarding, swimming, searching
Ideas or Qualities
promptness, privacy, motivation, efficiency
PP 2-3b

6. Examples of Nouns Maria lives in St. Louis. Tom drives a Honda.
continued
Maria lives in St. Louis.
Tom drives a Honda.
This store sells Dell computers.
The magazine compares printers.
PP 2-3c

7. Personal Pronouns . . . Noun Substitutes Possessives
Take the place of nouns.
Noun Substitutes
Possessives
I me
you you
he him
she her
it it
we us
they them
my mine
your yours
his
her hers
its
our ours
their theirs
PP 2-4a

8. Examples of Pronouns He answered my voice message.
continued
He answered my voice message.
She called her friend at work.
I will forward the message to him.
The answering machine is ours.
Checkpoint 2.2, page 35 – how many personal pronouns in each sentence?
Checkpoint 2.3, page 36
PP 2-4b

9. Verbs . . . Give your statements power and add meaning. Three Kinds
Action Verbs - show action.
read buy walk send scrape
Linking Verbs - show a state of being or condition.
am is are was were
Helping Verbs - assist and precede the main verb.
will are had have might
PP 2-5a

10. Examples of Verbs Action Verbs: I answered the telephone.
continued
Action Verbs:
I answered the telephone.
He calls customers about late payments.
Linking Verbs:
Diana and Dana are excellent employees.
Pam is a customer service representative.
Helping Verbs:
Karen will work in our Santa Fe office.
I am answering the telephone for our company.
Checkpoint 2.4, page 37
PP 2-5b

11. Adjectives answer the questions:
Modify nouns and pronouns.
Adjectives answer the questions:
What kind? helpful salesperson, white paper
How many? frequent messages, five days
Which one? innovative excuse, latest report
Checkpoint 2.5, page 38
PP 2-6

12. Adverbs answer the questions:
Modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
Adverbs answer the questions:
In what manner? We work efficiently in the morning.
Where? She moved the deadlines forward.
When? We prepare the summary yearly.
To what extent? He carefully designed the Web site.
Do/Do Not Do, page 40
Checkpoint 2.6, page 40 & 41
PP 2-7

13. Coordinating conjunctions
Connect or join words, phrases, or clauses.
Coordinating conjunctions
and or but nor
Cell phones and computers can change your life.
Cell phones or computers can change your life.
PP 2-8

14. Prepositions . . .
Connect words; they show the relationship of nouns or pronouns to other words in the sentence.
about
after at
before
behind by
down
from in
into
near of
off on
over
through to
under up
with
PP 2-9a

15. Examples of Prepositions
continued
The telephone is on the desk.
John took papers from the fax machine.
Karen put the report in my inbox.
We went to the board room for the meeting..
PP 2-9b

16. Interjections . . . Good! No Way! Ouch! Show an emotion or reaction.
Usually are followed by an exclamation mark.
Good!
No Way!
Ouch!
Great Job!
Oh!
Wow!
Ha!
Oh,
Yes!
Impossible!
Oh No!
Oops!
Checkpoint 2.7, page 43
Assignment – Ch 2 worksheets except Practice 4 and 8 – due at beginning of class on Thursday.
PP 2-10