Word Classes[ORG 4.1]


How much do you know about word classes (parts of speech)? Choose the best options. The first answer is I a.

SUBlECT

1 We divide words into (a) two (b) three (c) four broad categories, depending on whether these classes are relatively fixed or constantly changing.


2 Closed word classes (a) have important grammatical functions (b) often get new words added (c) consist largely of 'lexical' words.


3 The closed classes include (a) full verbs and modal verbs (b) primary and full verbs (c) primary and modal verbs.


4 The open classes (a) are constantly gaining new words (b) include mainly 'grammatical' words (c) include all verbs.


5 The terms 'generic' and 'specific' are applied to the meaning of (a) adverbial phrases (b) noun phrases (c) prepositional phrases.


6 The terms 'marked' and 'unmarked' relate to (a) inflection only (b) meaning only (c) both inflection and meaning.


7 Stative verbs (a) are mainly used in the passive (eg: to be horn) (b) are rarely used in progressive tenses (eg: belong, know, own) (c) show a lack of motion (eg: lie, rest, sit).


8 A pro-form is (a) a special kind of pronoun (b) any word or phrase that refers to another expression without repeating it (c) a cover term for both pronouns and determiners.


9 Operator means (a) a finite verb phrase (eg: could have forgotten) (b) the auxiliaries in a verb phrase (. ..could have forgotten) (c) the first or only auxiliary (....could have forgotten).


10 Non-assertive applies to certain words that are restricted in use to (a) negative questions (b) negative statements and questions (c) negative statements.



Word classes: definitions [ORG 5.9

Complete the sentences with these words:

adjectives - adverbs - conjunctions - determiners - nouns - prepositions - pronouns - verbs
1 Dynamic,finite,full, transitive all describe VERBS.......
2 Callective, count, genitive, proper are used in describing ...............
3 Attributive, predicative. comparative, superlative relate to ...............
4 Demonstrative, interrogative, personal, relative describe different kinds of ..........
5 .............. often tell us how, when, where or why something happened.

6 Many ........................ have meanings connected with place or time. They connect two units of a sentence together and show a relationship.
7 The articles a/an and the are special kinds of ...............

8 ........................... join words, phrases and clauses together. Some are coordinating and some are subordinating.

Exercise 7: More about word classes

Choose the odd word out in each set - the word that does not belong to that particular word class.

Example: built, door, garden, room, window Answer: built [The other words are nouns.]

I could may should will want
2 are can did has was
3 me every ours someone they
4 after at during into upwards
5 and because or too when
6 college class grammar learn teacher
7 angry hungry lonely obviously silly
8 cause insist must persuade suggest
9 an how my no whose
10 afterwards badly friendly now soon