CDI5/ WEEK 3
BASIC GRAMMAR REVIEW
This lesson is geared towards directing the learner on reviewing the basics of English grammar. The skills
acquisition on correct grammar is important, before the learner engages in the actual writing process of this course, he
needs to go back and review on the basics. Though English grammar has already been taught in other English subjects,
still the writer needs to reinforce his learning through constant review, repetition, and practice. The basic elements of
grammar like the Eight Parts of Speech, which are the Nouns, Pronouns, Verbs, Adverbs, Adjectives, Prepositions,
Conjunctions, and Interjections, are reviewed in this unit to reinforce previous leanings. The sentence and its kinds are
also emphasized to aid the learner in composing parallel paragraphs using appropriate transitional markers, and
sentences free from errors of comma splices and dangling modifiers. Moreover, agreement and grammar rules are
reviewed to remind the learner that correct grammar and usage are important factors in good writing, because a well
written material will lose its significance when correct grammar usage is not followed.
Basic Elements of Grammar The words in the English language can be designated to one of the eight categories,
known as the Parts of Speech. The meaning and the way the words are used in a sentence determine what part of
speech it is. These parts of speech are considered as one of the basic elements of grammar. Each of the part functions in
accordance with the standard rules of grammar. The eight parts of speech are discussed in details in the next pages.
1. Nouns - The largest of the parts of speech categories constitute nouns. It names a person, place or a thing.
The chart below shows the kinds of nouns with its corresponding description and examples:
a. Abstract Nouns- name something that is non-physical that one cannot readily perceive through any of
the five senses. Examples: (nationalism, terrorism, delinquency, morality love, credibility). As used in
a sentence: A Policeman's credibility and morality is in question if he is involved in illegal activities.
b. Compound Nouns- composed of two or more words acting as a single unit. Examples: (fingerprint,
shot gun, police officer in charge Director General) As used in a sentence: The Director General
ordered the police officer in-charge of the case to submit a written report about the incident.
c. Concrete Nouns- name something that one can physically see, touch, taste, hear, or smell.
Examples: (criminal, police officer, jail, courtroom, patrol car gun, dead body, police station) As used
in a sentence: The gun used by the criminal is in the Police station.
d. Common Nouns- any one of a class of people, places, or things Examples: (victim, cop, explosives,
station, district, evidence) As used in a sentence: The victims of the explosion were assisted by the
cop.
e. Proper Nouns- name a specific person, place, or thing. Examples: (Crimgst. Paulino Pioquinto,
College of Criminology, Philippine National Police, Lapu-Lapu City Police Station) As used in a
sentence: Crmgst. Paulino Pioquinto is the Chaiperson of UCLM College of Criminology.
f. Collective Nouns- name a group of people or things, its meaning may be either singular or plural
depending on how it is used in the sentence. Examples: (council, delegation, jury, team, committee,
troop. entourage). As used in a sentence: The biggest delegation of police officers came from Cebu
City.
2. Pronouns are words that help writers avoid awkward repetition of nouns. They are used in replacement of
nouns. Examples: (a) Mar is taking up BS Criminology at University of Cebu; he will graduate next year. (b)
The crime scene was secured. The police officer cordoned it. Antecedents - Antecedents are nouns or words
that take the place of nouns for which pronoun stands. The italicized word in the examples below is the
antecedent of the underlined pronoun. Examples (a) Before their release, the victims paid a ransom. (b) While
writing his notes, the police officer noticed errors in it. The chart below shows the different kinds of pronouns
with its corresponding description and example:
Figure 2 –
English Pronoun
Source: https://7esl.com/english-pronouns/
3. Preposition - repositions and postpositions, together called adpositions, are a class of words used to express
spatial or temporal relations or mark various semantic roles.
Figure 3– Prepositions
Source: https://eslforums.com/in-on-
at/
4. Verbs - Verbs are words or group of words that express time while showing an action, a condition, or the fact
that something exists. Every complete sentence contains at least 1 verb. The examples below show the
different kinds of verb with its corresponding one verb.
a. Action Verb - Make up the majority of the English verbs; they expressed either physical or mental
action - that is what someone or something does, did, or will do.
i. The suspect attempted to jump over the fence.
ii. The police officer blows his whistle incessantly. L
b. Linking Verb - These verbs serve a more passive function, because it just simply express a condition
showing that something exist.
i. John Raymond is an outstanding law enforcer.
ii. They are both senior officers of the Philippine National Police.
c. Be Verb - These are the most common linking verbs; when be verbs act as liking verbs, they express
the condition of the subject, and sometimes they merely express existence usually by working with
other words to show where the subject is located.
i. The suspects are inside the interrogation room.
ii. The suspect will be subjected to a lie polygraph test.
(Examples: am, are, is, was, were, will be, was being, were being, have been, had been, and has been)
d. Transitive Verb - These verbs direct actions toward someone or something that is named in the same
sentence; the word toward which transitive verb directs its action is called the object of the verb.
i. He filed an affidavit of complaint.
ii. The medical examiner made an autopsy report of the victims.
e. intransitive Verb- These verbs do not direct action toward someone or something that is named in the
sentence; and they never have objects.
i. I washed, dressed, and went out
ii. Kevin couldn't read or write.
5. Adjectives - Adjectives are words that qualify the meaning of a noun or pronoun by giving description about
its appearance, location, and other characteristics. It can answer four questions about a noun, as exemplified
below:
i. What kind? (what kind of car?)
ii. Which one? (which witness?)
iii. How many? (how many pistols)
iv. How much? (how much ransom was paid?)
Figure 4 – Adjectives
Source: https://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/adjectives.htm
6. Adverb is a word or an expression that modifies a verb, adjective, another adverb, determiner, clause,
preposition, or sentence. Adverbs typically express manner, place, time, frequency, degree, level of certainty,
etc., answering questions such as how?, in what way?, when?, where?, and to what extent?
Figure 5– Adverbs
Source:
https://www.youtube.com/watch/L0USJe44yS4
7. Conjunctions are words used to join or connect other words in a sentence. Below are the descriptions and
examples of the three kinds of conjunctions. There are three kinds of conjunctions, namely: Coordinating,
Subordinating, and Correlative.
8. Interjections- An interjection is a word or expression that occurs as an utterance on its own and expresses a
spontaneous feeling or reaction. It is a diverse category, encompassing many different parts of speech, such
as exclamations, curses, greetings, response particles, hesitation markers and other words.
