Noun and Apostrophe

Grammar/Mechanics Review

Parts of Speech (1.0I l 1.t Funtticns, English has eight parts of speeoh. Knowing the functions of the parts of speech helps wliters better understand how words are used and l-row sentences are fbrmed.

a. Nouns: name persons, places, things, qualities, concepts, and activities (for example, Kevin, Phoenix, computer, joy, work, banking)

b. Pronouns: substitute for nouns (for example, he, :she, it, they). c. Verbsr show the action of a subject or join the subject to words that describe

it (lbr example, w,qlk, heurd, is, tucts juntping).

d. Adjectives; describe or limit nouns and pronouns and often answer the ques- tions rr,/ral kind? hov' nruny? and yyhich one? (for example, red car, ten items, good manager).

e. Adverbs: describe or limit verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs and frequently Answer the questions wlten? how? wlterc? or to whcrt extent? (for example, tomor- row, rapidly, here, very).

t-. Prepositions: join nouns or pronouns to other words in sentences (for exam- ple, desk ir the olllce, ticl<et.for me, letter ro you).

g. Conjunctions: connect words or groups ol words (for example, you and I, Mark or Jill).

Ir. lnterjections: eipress strong feelings (for examplt-, Wow! Oh!).

Nouns (I.02-1.06) Nouns name persons, places, things, qualities, concepts, and activities. Nouns may be classified into a number of categories.

1.02 (oncreta and Abstrart. Concrete nouns name specific objects that can be seen, lreard, felt, tasted, or smelled. Examples of concrete nouns are telcphone, dollar, IBM, and tungerine. Abstract nouns name generalized ideas suclr as quali- ties or concepts that are not easily pictured. Emotion, power, atd tension are typi- cal examples of abstract nouns.

Business writing is most effective when <;oncrete words predominate. It is clearer to write We need l6-pound cop), poper than to write We neecl office .rup- plies. Chapter 4 provides practioe in developing skill in the use of ooncrete words.

1"03 Prup*r arud (wm*xr*m. Proper nouns name specific persons, places, or things and are always capitatized (General Electric, Baltimore, Jennfer). All other rlouns are common nouns and begin with lowercase lelters (contpony, city, stu- derrr). Rules for capitalization are presented in Seotions 3.01-3.16.

t -04 $ing*l*ar axd Fluratr. Singular nouns nan'le one item; plural nouns name n'lore than one. Frorn a practical view, writers seldom have diffioulty with singular nouns. They may need help, however, with the formation and spelling of plural nouns.

'l "t)$ 6uideliner for Fnrming l\loun Plurnls

a. Add J to most nouns (chair, ch(tirs; ftnrtgage, nortgages; Monday, Mondays). b. Add e.r' to nouns ending in s, x, z, ch, or :th (bench, benches; boss, bosses; box,

boxes; Lopez, Lopezes).

c. Clrange the spelling in irregular noun piurals (nwn, men; Jbot, .feet; m()use, ntie: cltild, <'hihlren).

Grammar/Mechanics Handbook

d. Add J to nouns that end in y when y is preceded by a vowel (uttornelt, attorne-ys; vo lley, va I le;t s ; .j our ne y, j our n ey s).

e. Drop the.y and add le.r to nouns ending in y when r is preceded by a consonant ( contpany, contpanies; city, cities; secrelaty, secretaries).

f. Add .y to the principal word in most compound expressions (editors in clief, J a t h e r l; - in - I atr, b i I I s of I o ding, r unn e r s -up).

g. Add J to most nnmerals, letters of the alphabet, words referred to as words, degrees, and abbreviations (5s, 2000s, Bs, oruls, CPAs, qts.).

h. Add 's only to clarify letters of the alphabet that rnight be misread, such as A's, I's, M's, and U'.r and i's, p's, and 17 s An expression like c.o.d.s requires no apostrophe because it would not easily be misread.

1.06 (nllactive Nmuns, Nouns such as staff, faculty, committec, group, and herd refer to a collection of people, animals, or objects. Collective nouns may be considered singular or plural depending on their action. See Section l.l0i for a discussion of collective nouns and their agreement with verbs.

Review Exercise A-Nouns In the space providecl for each item, write a or b to complete the lollowing state- ments accurately. W:en you finish, compare your responses with those provided. Answers are provided for odd-numbered items. Your instructor l.ras the remaining answers. For each item on which you need review, consult the numbered principle sl.rown in parentheses.

1. Two of tlre contest (a) rctnner-ups, (b) runners-ap protested thejudges'choice. 2. Several (a) attorneys, (b) attornies worked on the case together.

3. Please write to the (a) Duvis's, (b) Daises about the missing oontract.

4. The industrial complex has space for nine additional (a) contpcrnlts, (b) com- panies.

5. That accounting firm employs two (a) secretqries, lb) secretorys for five CPAs. 6. Four of the wooden (a) ben<'hes, lb) benchs must be repaired. 7. The lrome was constructed with numerous (a) chinme.vs, (b) chintnies.

8. Tours of the production facility are made only on (a) Tuesdays, (b) Tuesday's.

9. We asked the (a) Lopez'.r, (b) Lopezes to contribute to the fund-raising drive. 10. Both my (a) si.ster-in-lqws, (b) sisters-in-law agreed to the settlement.

ll. The stock market is experiencing abnormal (a) ups ancl dottns, (b) up's und down's.

12. Three (a) ntouses, (b) mice were seen near the trash cans.

13. This office is unusually quiet on (a) Sundays, (b) Sunday's.

14. Several news (a) di,rputch,r, (b) di,rputches were released during the strike.

15. Two major (a) countries, (b) countrlts will palticipate in arms ne-eotiations. 16. Some young children have difficulty writing their (a) bs and d.r, (b) b r and d's. 17. The (a) board of directors, (b) hoards oJ'directors of all the major companies

participated in the surveys. 18. In their letter the (a) Metzes, (b) Metzs said they intended to purchase tl're

property.

19. In shipping we are careful to include all (a) bill o.f sules, (b) bills of sale. 20. Over the holidays many (a) tro'kies, (b) turkeys were consumed.

l.b(1.050 3.b(1.05b) 5.a(1.05e) 7.a(1.05d) 9.b(1.05b) ll.a(1.059) 13.a(1.05a) 15. a (1.05e) 17. b (1.050 19. b (1.050 (Only odd-numbercd answers are provided. Consult your instruotor tbr the others.)

Grammar/Mechanics Handbook GM-7