Wednesday, December 15, 2010

ADJECTIVES ~ Specify details of nouns


ADJECTIVES ~ specify/describe details about nouns and usually appear directly before the noun. Most are called "descriptive adjectives".


1. Adjectives may specify:
colour
size
number (numerical adjectives e.g. "40" in the poster while the adverb "nearly" modifies it)
general identity (demonstrative adjectives e.g. this, that, these, those)
specific national/racial/city identity (proper adjectives from proper nouns e.g. Australian, Chinese, American, Melbournian)
feature
perspective

2. Adjectives may use:
nouns as adjectives
e.g. In the above poster, the compound adjective gap year describes organisation. Both gap and year are usually used as nouns.

3. Adjectives follow the noun when any part of the verb "to be" is used:
e.g. Hobart is/was/will be cold and windy.
The words cold and windy are adjectives describing a perspective of Hobart.

4. Some adjectives are used in a comparison.
e.g. Brisbane is hot. Cape York is hotter.
When used in this way, they are known as comparative adjectives.

Comparative adjectives involve degree.
(a) The base is known as the positive form
e.g, strong, funny, red, good, bad
(b) The next stage, comparing two items, is known as the comparative form
e.g. stronger, funnier OR more funny, redder, better, worse
(c) The last stage, comparing three or more items, is known as the superlative form.
e.g. strongest, funniest OR most funny, reddest, best, worst

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

VERBS ~ The action in the sentence


Pic by G.W. aka P.A. ~ A wintry view of the wild surf at Gunnamatta, Mornington Peninsula
~

ALL SENTENCES NEED/MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE VERB TO EXIST AND TO MAKE SENSE!

Using the photo above, there are:
simple verbs = one word = tumble
compound verbs = two or more words = is fascinated
*infinitives = base form of verbs that begin with "to" (may act as the subject or object of a sentence) = to surf



Using the photo above, the action may be
physical = tumble
mental = longs


Verbs are created in the present, past or future tense.
This is the time of the action.
All the verbs in the picture are in the present tense.
The action is happening NOW.
The past tense of these sentences would be:
1. The mother longed to surf.

(NOTICE THAT THE INFINITIVE IS THE OBJECT IN THE SENTENCE, SO IT DOES NOT CHANGE!
To surf was a dream for the mother.
Now the infinitive is the subject of the sentence.
)
2. The waves tumbled in to shore.
3. The child was fascinated by the waves.
4. Footprints etched the sand.
5. The sand was damp.
~

Monday, December 13, 2010

NOUNS ~ Common + Proper + Abstract + Collective


Pic by G.W. aka P.A. ~ A view of Safety Beach on Port Phillip Bay
~

NOUNS ARE NAMES/TITLES OF OBJECTS, BOOKS, BUSINESSES, SCHOOLS, PEOPLE, PLACES, SHIPS, FEELINGS OR IDEAS

Common nouns (able to be seen) are names of objects which are identified by a lower case letter.
e.g. water, sand, sky, table, computer
+
Compound nouns are two or more words that together name a single object.
e.g. power lines, boat shed, book shelf

Abstract nouns (unseen) are names of feelings or ideas which are identified by a lower case letter.
e.g. communication, security, love (may be a verb too), idea, feeling, shame

Collective nouns are special names for a group of living or non-living things.
e.g. herd of cattle, flock of birds, pride of lions, gaggle of geese, nest of tables

Proper nouns are names/titles of books, movies, TV shows, hurricanes, businesses, schools, people, nationalities, religions, art styles, eras, places or ships which are identified by a capital letter.