Lesson 42 - Parts of Speech - Adjectives

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When you are using separate nouns, be sure to use the articles (a, an, or the) before each noun. If only one thing or person is meant, do not repeat the article.

      Examples: 

      I need a secretary and a bookkeeper. ( two persons)

      I need a secretary and bookkeeper. (one person)

      She lost the black and white kitten. (one kitten)

      She lost the black and the white kitten. (two kittens)

Instructions: Choose the correct form in these sentences.

1. Mrs. Jones is (a wife and a doctor, a wife and doctor).

2. Jane wanted (a girl and a boy, a girl and boy) for the committee.

3. Jack was wearing (a green and red, a green and a red) shirt.

4. Joan wants to be (a rock star or a lawyer, a rock star or lawyer).

5. Jim brought (a bat and ball, a bat and a ball).

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Mrs. Jones is a wife and doctor.

2. Jane wanted a girl and a boy for the committee.

3. Jack was wearing a green and red shirt.

4. Joan wants to be a rock star or a lawyer.

5. Jim brought a bat and a ball.

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Lesson 242 - Parts of the Sentence - Verbals Review

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Instructions: Using all the knowledge learned in the previous lessons, find the verbs (v), subjects (subj), predicate nominatives (pn), direct objects (do), appositives (app), nouns of address (na), adjectives (adj), predicate adjectives (pa), adverbs (adv), prepositions (prep), objects of the preposition (op), prepositional phrases (p ph), indirect objects (io), objective complements (oc), conjunctions (c), and verbals in the following sentences.

 

If the word is a verbal, tell whether it is a gerund, participle, noun infinitive, adjective infinitive, or adverb infinitive.  If there are any adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases, verbals, or verbal phrases then tell what word they modify.

Example: 

The actors performed there to entertain and to be seen.

(performed - v; actors - subj; the - adj modifying actors; there - adv modifying performed; to entertain/to be seen - vbl (adv infinitives) modifying performed; and - c)

1. Do you have a car to rent?

2. Flags hung too high are hard to take down.

3. Your moaning and groaning will not make things easier.

4. You know my problem, hating too many foods.

5. To decorate for the wedding will cost a great deal.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. do have - v; you - subj; car - do; a - adj modifying car; to rent - vbl (adverb infinitive) modifying do have

2. are - v; flags - subj; hung - vbl (participle); hung too high - participial phrase modifying flags; high - adv modifying hung; too - adv modifying high; hard - pa modifying flags; to take - vbl (adv infinitive); to take down - adv infinitive phrase modifying hard; down - adv modifying to take

3. will make - v; moaning/groaning - vbl (gerunds) used as subjects; your - adj modifying moaning/groaning; not - adv modifying will make; things - do; easier - oc modifying things; and - c

4. know - v; you - subj; problem - do; my - adj modifying problem; hating - vbl (gerunds); hating too many foods - gerund phrase used as appositive; foods - do; many - adj modifying foods; too - adv
modifying many

5. will cost - v; to decorate for the wedding - noun infinitive phrase used as a subject; to decorate - vbl (noun infinitive); for - prep; wedding - op; for the wedding - prepositional phrase modifying to
decorate; the - adj modifying wedding; deal - do; a/great - adj modifying deal

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Lesson 41 - Parts of Speech - Adjectives

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Use the article an before a word beginning with a vowel (a,e,i,o,u) or a vowel sound (words beginning with a silent h as heir, hour).  Words that start with eu or u that are pronounced with a long u or pronounced like "you" use the article a before them.  

 

     Examples:  

     an egg

     an hour

     an orange

     an idea

     a house

     a mouse

     a river

     a boy

     a ukulele

     a eucalyptus tree

Instructions: Use the correct article before the following words.

1. girl

2. man

3. horse

4. apple

5. honor

6. restaurant

7. industry

8. eye

9. car

10. flower

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. a girl

2. a man

3. a horse

4. an apple

5. an honor

6. a restaurant

7. an industry

8. an eye

9. a car

10. a flower

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Lesson 241 - Parts of the Sentence - Verbals Review

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Instructions: Using all the knowledge learned in the previous lessons, find the verbs (v), subjects (subj), predicate nominatives (pn), direct objects (do), appositives (app), nouns of address (na), adjectives (adj), predicate adjectives (pa), adverbs (adv), prepositions (prep), objects of the preposition (op), prepositional phrases (p ph), indirect objects (io), objective complements (oc), conjunctions (c), and verbals in the following sentences.

 

If the word is a verbal, tell whether it is a gerund, participle, noun infinitive, adjective infinitive, or adverb infinitive.  If there are any adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases, verbals, or verbal phrases then tell what word they modify.

 

Example: 

The actors performed there to entertain and to be seen.

(performed - v; actors - subj; the - adj modifying actors; there - adv modifying performed; to entertain/to be seen - vbl (adv infinitives) modifying performed; and - c)

1. I finally bought me a hearing aid to hear better.

2. Sometimes I just need to try again.

3. Having decided definitely, he stepped onto the train to leave home.

4. The person winning the lottery will have a different life.

5. You can only reach our place by crossing the river.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. bought - v; I - subj; finally - adv modifying bought; me - io; hearing aid - do; a - adj modifying hearing aid; to hear - vbl (adv infinitive); to hear better - adv infinitive phrase modifying bought; better - adv modifying to hear

2. need - v; I - subj; sometimes/just - adv modifying need; to try - vbl (noun infinitive); to try again - noun infinitive phrase used as the direct object; again - adv modifying to try

3. stepped - v; he - subj; having decided - vbl (participle); having decided definitely - participial phrase modifying he; definitely - adv modifying having decided; onto - prep; train - op; onto the train - prepositional phase modifying stepped; the - adj modifying train; to leave - vbl (adv infinitive); to leave home - adv infinitive phrase modifying stepped; home - adv modifying to leave

4. will have - v; person - subj; the - adj modifying person; winning - vbl (participle); lottery - do to winning; winning the lottery - participial phrase modifying person; the - adj modifying lottery; life - do; a/different - adj modifying life

5. can reach - v; you - subj; only - adv modifying can reach; place - do; our - adj modifying place; by crossing the river - prepositional phrase modifying can reach; by - prep; crossing - vbl (gerund); crossing the river - op (gerund phrase); river - do to crossing; the - adj modifying river

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Quiz for Lessons 36-40 - Parts of Speech - Adjectives

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Instructions: Give the comparative and superlative forms for these adjectives.

1. fair

2. tender

3. difficult

4. earnest

5. responsible

6. easy

7. many

8. straight

9, muddy

10. cheerful

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. fair, fairer, fairest

2. tender, tenderer, tenderest

3. difficult, more difficult, most difficult

4. earnest, more earnest, most earnest

5. responsible, more responsible, most responsible

6. easy, easier, easiest

7. many, more, most

8. straight, straighter, straightest

9. muddy, muddier, muddiest

10. cheerful, more cheerful, most cheerful

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Quiz for Lessons 236 - 240 - Parts of the Sentence - Verbals

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Instructions: Find the gerunds, gerund phrases, participles, participial phrases, infinitives, or infinitive phrases in these sentences, tell what kind of verbal they are, and how they are used.

1. Are you too busy to help us?

2. The crying child rushed to his mother.

3. He jumped from the cliff without looking down.

4. Walking is good for everyone.

5. Jim loves to play basketball.

6. Correction by others is hard to take.

7. Fearing their enemies, many small animals are nocturnal.

8. Law and Order is the program to watch tonight.

9. I don't know whether to go or to stay.

10. Our next job, to finish the painting, should be easy.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Are you too busy to help us?

- to help us (adverb infinitive phrase) modifying the predicate adjective busy

2. The crying child rushed to his mother.

- crying (participle) modifying the subject child

3. He jumped from the cliff without looking down.

- looking down (gerund phrase) used as the object of the preposition without

4. Walking is good for everyone.

- Walking (gerund) used as the subject

5. Jim loves to play basketball.

- to play basketball (noun infinitive phrase) used as the direct object

6. Correction by others is hard to take.

- to take (adverb infinitive) modifying the predicate adjective hard

7. Fearing their enemies, many small animals are nocturnal.

- Fearing their enemies (participial phrase) modifying the subject animals

8. Law and Order is the program to watch tonight.

- to watch tonight (adjective infinitive phrase) modifying the predicate nominative program

9. I don't know whether to go or to stay.

- to go/to stay (noun infinitives) used as direct objects

10. Our next job, to finish the painting, should be easy.

- to finish the painting (noun infinitive) used as an appositive

- painting (gerund) used as the direct object to the verbal to finish

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Lesson 40 - Parts of Speech - Adjectives

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Never use double comparisons. If you use er or est, then don't use more or most.

     Example:
     Correct: He is busier than I.
     Incorrect: He is more busier than I.

Instructions: Chose the correct form in the following sentences.

1. Yesterday we played our (worse, worst) concert.

2. I am (more hungrier, hungrier) now.

3. Who is the (shorter, more shorter, most short, shortest) of the four sisters?

4. Is this the (best, better, more better, most best ) value that you have?

5. John is the (most happiest, happiest) kid I know.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. worst

2. hungrier

3. shortest

4. best

5. happiest

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Lesson 240 - Parts of the Sentence - Verbals

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A verbal is a verb form used as some other part of speech. There are three kinds of verbals: gerunds, participles, and infinitives.

A gerund always ends in ing and is used as a noun. 

 

Example: 

Eating is fun.

A participle is used as an adjective and ends various ways. A present participle always ends with ing as does the gerund, but remember that it is an adjective. A past participle ends with ed, n, or irregularly.  

 

Examples: 

played, broken, brought, sung, seeing, having seen, being seen, seen, having been seen

An infinitive is to plus a verb form. It can be a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. 

 

Examples: 

to be, to see, to be seen, to be eaten

Instructions: Find the gerunds, gerund phrases, participles, participial phrases, infinitives, or infinitive phrases in these sentences, tell what kind of verbal they are, and how they are used.

1. You are difficult to understand.

2. Jack hopes to join the Army next month.

3. The Senate favors increasing taxes.

4. The broken lamp lay on the floor.

5. I saw him trying to open the trunk.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. You are difficult to understand.

- to understand (adverb infinitive) modifying the predicate adjective difficult

2. Jack hopes to join the Army next month.

- to join the Army next month (noun infinitive phrase) used as the direct object

3. The Senate favors increasing taxes.

- increasing taxes (gerund phrase) used as the direct object

4. The broken lamp lay on the floor.

- broken (participle) modifying the subject lamp

5. I saw him trying to open the trunk.

- trying to open the trunk (participial phrase) modifying the direct object him

- to open the trunk (noun infinitive phrase) used as the direct object to the verbal trying

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Lesson 39 - Parts of Speech - Adjectives

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There are a few adjectives that are irregular in their comparisons.

     Examples:
     good, better, best

Instructions: Give the comparative and superlative forms of the following words.

1. many

2. ill

3. much

4. perfect

5. bad

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. many, more, most

2. ill, worse, worst

3. much, more, most

4. perfect - cannot be compared since there is no more perfect or most perfect.

5. bad, worse, worst

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Lesson 239 - Parts of the Sentence - Verbals

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A verbal is a verb form used as some other part of speech. There are three kinds of verbals: gerunds, participles, and infinitives.

A gerund always ends in ing and is used as a noun. 

 

Example: 

Eating is fun.

A participle is used as an adjective and ends various ways. A present participle always ends with ing as does the gerund, but remember that it is an adjective. A past participle ends with ed, n, or irregularly.  

 

Examples: 

played, broken, brought, sung, seeing, having seen, being seen, seen, having been seen

An infinitive is to plus a verb form. It can be a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. 

 

Examples: 

to be, to see, to be seen, to be eaten

Instructions: Find the gerunds, gerund phrases, participles, participial phrases, infinitives, or infinitive phrases in these sentences, tell what kind of verbal they are, and how they are used.

1. The glancing blow did little damage.

2. Go to the dictionary to look for the answer.

3. This computer game is easy to play and to understand.

4. Have you tried writing it down daily?

5. His chief interests are skiing and racing.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. The glancing blow did little damage.

- glancing (participle) modifying the subject blow

2. Go to the dictionary to look for the answer.

- to look for the answer (adverb infinitive phrase) modifying the verb go

3. This computer game is easy to play and to understand.

- to play/to understand (adverb infinitives) modifying the predicate adjective easy

4. Have you tried writing it down daily?

- writing it down daily (gerund phrase) used as the direct object

5. His chief interests are skiing and racing.

- skiing/racing (gerunds) used as predicate nominatives

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Lesson 38 - Parts of Speech - Adjectives

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Many two-syllable adjectives and almost all adjectives with three or more syllables use more or most to form the comparative and superlative forms.

     Examples:
     honest, more honest, most honest
     careful, more careful, most careful

Instructions: Write the comparative and superlative forms for these words.

1. interesting

2. critical

3. splendid

4. delicious

5. outstanding

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. interesting, more interesting, most interesting

2. critical, more critical, most critical

3. splendid, more splendid, most splendid

4. delicious, more delicious, most delicious

5. outstanding, more outstanding, most outstanding

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Lesson 238 - Parts of the Sentence - Verbals

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A verbal is a verb form used as some other part of speech. There are three kinds of verbals: gerunds, participles, and infinitives.

A gerund always ends in ing and is used as a noun. 

 

Example: 

Eating is fun.

A participle is used as an adjective and ends various ways. A present participle always ends with ing as does the gerund, but remember that it is an adjective. A past participle ends with ed, n, or irregularly.  

 

Examples: 

played, broken, brought, sung, seeing, having seen, being seen, seen, having been seen

An infinitive is to plus a verb form. It can be a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. 

 

Examples: 

to be, to see, to be seen, to be eaten

Instructions: Find the gerunds, gerund phrases, participles, participial phrases, infinitives, or infinitive phrases in these sentences, tell what kind of verbal they are, and how they are used.

1. Blaming others is not being honest with oneself.

2. We do not plan to change the rules.

3. Forgetting his promise, Jeff returned home late.

4. My dog is too old to learn new tricks.

5. One way to improve is regular practice.

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Blaming others is not being honest with oneself.

- Blaming others (gerund phrase) used as the subject

2. We do not plan to change the rules.

- to change the rules (noun infinitive phrase) used as the direct object

3. Forgetting his promise, Jeff returned home late.

- Forgetting his promise (participial phrase) modifying the subject Jeff

4. My dog is too old to learn new tricks.

- to learn new tricks (adverb infinitive phrase) modifying the predicate adjective old

5. One way to improve is regular practice.

- to improve (adjective infinitive) modifying the subject way

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Lesson 37 - Parts of Speech - Adjectives

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In comparison of adjectives, one-syllable adjectives and some two-syllable adjectives (especially those ending in y or le) form the comparative with er and the superlative with est.

     Examples:
     new, newer, newest
     jolly, jollier, jolliest

Instructions: Write the correct comparative and superlative forms for the following adjectives.

1. glad

2. prompt

3. small

4 noble

5. funny

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. glad, gladder, gladdest

2. prompt, prompter, promptest

3. small, smaller, smallest

4. noble, nobler, noblest

5. funny, funnier, funniest

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Lesson 237 - Parts of the Sentence - Verbals

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A verbal is a verb form used as some other part of speech. There are three kinds of verbals: gerunds, participles, and infinitives.

A gerund always ends in ing and is used as a noun. 

 

Example: 

Eating is fun.

A participle is used as an adjective and ends various ways. A present participle always ends with ing as does the gerund, but remember that it is an adjective. A past participle ends with ed, n, or irregularly.  

 

Examples: 

played, broken, brought, sung, seeing, having seen, being seen, seen, having been seen

An infinitive is to plus a verb form. It can be a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. 

 

Examples: 

to be, to see, to be seen, to be eaten

Instructions: Find the gerunds, gerund phrases, participles, participial phrases, infinitives, or infinitive phrases in these sentences, tell what kind of verbal they are, and how they are used.

1. Signs hung too high can't be read.

2. You know my weakness, eating late at night.

3. Your weeping and wailing will not change a thing.

4. To decorate for the dance will cost too much.

5. Do you have a book to read?

--For answers scroll down.

Answers:

1. Signs hung too high can't be read.

- hung too high (participial phrase) modifying the subject Signs

2. You know my weakness, eating late at night.

- eating late at night (gerund phrase) used as an appositive

3. Your weeping and wailing will not change a thing.

- weeping/wailing (gerunds) used as subjects

4. To decorate for the dance will cost too much.

- to decorate for the dance (noun infinitive phrase) used as the subject

5. Do you have a book to read?

- to read (adverb infinitive) modifying the verb Do have

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