This presentation covers the basics of studying and analysing the word classes in the English language. Topics covered: nouns, verbs, adjectives, active / passive voice, adverbs, pronouns, conjunctions, prepositions, and determiners. The presentation covers the basic points as well as teaching more advanced information on word classes. The simple explanations will clarify any misunderstandings, with the help of clear bullet points, concise definitions, and examples. The presentation is perfect for English Language A Level at both AS and A2.

1. Word
Classes

2. Nouns
Nouns are often called naming words. They are
the names we give to people, places, objects
etc.
They can usually be used in answer to the
question ‘what name do you give this?’

3. Types of noun
Nouns
Proper
Common
Concrete
Abstract
Collective

4. • Proper nouns
usually begin with a capital letter,
referring to specific people and
places: Charlie, Paris
• Common nouns
less specific and usually refer to
types of people, places, feelings
etc. Most nouns are common and
they can be divided further into…

5. • Concrete nouns
things that exist physically, things that
we can see and feel: computer, hand,
house
• Abstract nouns
things that do not exist physically, for
example feelings, ideas and qualities:
friendship, sadness, democracy
• Collective nouns
refer to groups of people, animals or
objects: team, community, flock
Don’t forget! Count nouns are nouns that can be pluralised, e.g. birds, trees.
Non-count nouns have no plural form because they cannot be counted, e.g.
courage, rugby

6. Adjectives
…are describing words. They are used to describe
nouns.
Comparatives make a comparison, usually ending
in –er (e.g. colder, faster)
Superlatives indicate the highest degree, usually
ending in –est (e.g. coldest, fastest)
Comparatives and Superlatives
Comparatives can also be made by putting more in front of the adjective
Superlatives can also be formed by putting most in front of the adjective

7. Verbs
Verbs are often known as doing words, but they
can also refer to ‘mental actions’ e.g. think,
anticipate, and to states e.g. the house stands
on a hill
Verbs tell you what the subject is doing or being

8. Infinitives
• To be is an example of an infinitive (or
base form)
• All verbs have an infinitive from which all
other forms of the verb are derived
• They also include to: to run, to decide,
to fly

9. Verbs
• Verbs which refer to physical actions are called
dynamic verbs
• Verbs which refer to states or conditions are
called stative verbs
• Verbs which have an object are called transitive
verbs
• Verbs which do not have an object are called
intransitive verbs

10. Main verbs and auxiliary verbs
• The main verb is a single verb that
expresses the main meaning
• Auxiliary verbs (aka helping verbs) are
verbs that are placed in front of the main
verbs:
I must have been thinking about
something else
• Auxiliary verbs are of two types: primary
verbs and modal verbs…

11. Primary verbs
Be
Have
Do
• They can indicate when something
happened, add emphasis, be used to
construct questions and negatives.

12. Modal auxiliaries
• These are only ever used in conjunction
with a main verb
Can Will Shall May Must
Could Would Should Might

13. Active voice
• This is used when the subject acts or
does something
• An active sentence tells us what the
subject did
Rachel clipped her nails
The car hit the fawn
• The subject performs the action to the
object

14. Passive voice
• This is used where the subject has
something done to it, or is the receiver of
the action. The subject does not act here
• A passive sentence tells us what was done
to the subject:
Rachel’s toenails were clipped
The fawn was hit by the car
• The subject has the action done to it
+Thepassivevoicecanmakethesubjectseempowerlessandavictim

15. Adverbs
• These usually give us more information
about verbs
• They describe verbs in the same way
adjectives describe nouns
• Mostly they are formed by adding –ly to
the ends of adjectives

16. Pronouns
These are words that take the
place of nouns
There are 7 main types of pronoun…

17. Personal pronouns
• These replace the subject or object of
the subject, for example me and him
which refer to the object
I drove him home
He thanked me for the lift

18. Possessive pronouns
• These show possession
• Instead of saying ‘this is Sarah’s wedding’
we might say ‘this is hers’

19. Reflexive pronouns
• These indicate that the object of a verb
is the same as its subject:
He congratulated himself
• They end in –self or –selves

20. Personal pronouns Possessive pronouns Reflexive pronouns
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
First
person
I, me We, us Mine Ours Myself Ourselves
Second
person
You You Yours Yours Yourself Yourself
Third
person
He, she, it,
him, her
They, them His, hers,
its
Theirs Himself,
herself,
itself
Themselves

21. Demonstrative pronouns
• These have a sense of pointing at
something or someone:
this, that, these, those
Those shoes are ugly
I wish I knew that

22. Indefinite pronouns
• These do not refer to specific persons or
things
For example:
someone, anything, no one, everything

23. Relative pronouns
• These act as linking words in a sentence
• They are always placed immediately
after the noun they refer to:
A city that has many tourist attractions
• The relative pronouns are who, whom
and whose (referring to people) and
which and that (referring to things)

24. Interrogative pronouns
• These are used when asking a question
who, whose, which, what

25. Conjunctions
Coordinating
conjunctions
• These include the
words and, but and or
• They are used when
the parts of a
sentence to be joined
are of equal value:
• I went to the party
and met Tony there
Subordinating
conjunctions
• These connect a
subordinate clause
to a main clause
• Examples include
because, although,
unless, until
These are joining words. They join together the different
parts of a sentence

26. Prepositions
• These usually indicate in some way how one thing is
related to something else
• Examples include prepositions relating to position
(at, on, opposite), direction (into, past, to) and time
(before, during, after)
• A preposition shows the relationship between the
noun that comes after it and something else in the
sentence
I spoke to the man at the reception desk

27. Determiners
• These words precede nouns and refer directly to them
• The most common determiners are the (known as the
definite article) and a/an (known as the indefinite
article)
• Other determiners include possessive determiners (my,
our, you, his, her, its, their) and demonstrative
determiners (this, that, these, those)
• Determiners can also refer to quantity – either
specifically (one, two, three) or more vaguely (some,
few, many)
TIP: determiners precede nouns, pronouns replace nouns