Writing Tips and Techniques

4 || Word classes

Definition of a word class:
a category of words of similar form or function; a part of speech.
There are 14 word classes here. You may not use all or need to know all but it might be handy for some of you. The main Ones or good ones to know will have a star ⭐️

⭐️ Noun:
A noun refers to a person, animal or thing. Some examples are:
Table, England, Mother, President, Dog.
If you are trying to identify one just see if it's a name, if it has a capital letter, and if it's a thing.

Noun phrase:
​a group of words in a sentence that together behave as a noun: In the sentences "We took the night train" and "Do you know the man sitting in the corner?" "the night train" and "the man sitting in the corner" are noun phrases, because they are each things but not a single word.

⭐️ Pronouns:
A word that is used instead of a noun or a noun phrase: Pronouns are often used to refer to a noun that has already been mentioned. "She", "it", and "who" are all examples of pronouns.

Relative pronouns:
​A pronoun such: as which, who, or that, used to begin a relative clause.
In the sentence "The woman who stole my phone was wearing a brown jacket", "who" is a relative pronoun.

⭐️ Abstract noun:
a noun that refers to a thing that does not exist as a material object, like:
Love, Hope, Justice, Freedom.
If you're looking for one of these makes sure it's a thing that you cannot physically see or hear or touch or taste or smell.

Collective nouns:
a noun that describes a group of things or people as a unit, such as: Family, flock. These are more uncommon to find.

Definite article:
The grammatical name for the word "the" in English, or the words in other languages that have a similar use. Repetitive use and lack of use can have an effect on the reader, so it is good to analyse in exams.

Indefinite article:
The grammatical name for the words "a" and "an" in English or words in other languages that have a similar use.

Preposition:
​In grammar, a word that is used before a noun, a noun phrase, or a pronoun, connecting it to another word: In the sentences "We jumped in the lake", and "She drove slowly down the track", "in" and "down" are prepositions.

Adjunct:
​something added or connected to a larger or more important thing:
I hoped I would find the computer course a useful adjunct to my other studies.

⭐️ Conjunction:
A word such as 'and', 'but', 'while', or 'although' that connects words, phrases, and clauses in a sentence. Basically it's a fancy name for 'connectives' if you learnt that at school.

⭐️ Adjective:
​A word that describes a noun or pronoun: "Big", "boring", "purple", and "obvious" are all adjectives. Different adjectives can create different moods to writing and can effect the reader. So it's good to use fitting adjectives to your story. And to analyse them.

⭐️ Verb:
​A word or phrase that describes an action, condition, or experience:
The words "run", "keep", and "feel" are all verbs. It's an action or a doing word. Usually to can put a 'to' before it. So, to run or to keep.

⭐️ Adverb:
​A word that describes or gives more information about a verb, adjective, adverb, or phrase: "she smiled cheerfully", the word "cheerfully" is an adverb. In the phrase "the house was spotlessly clean", the word "spotlessly" is an adverb.
Typically they are the 'ly' words.