Adjective: a word that describes or modifies another person or thing in the sentence. If a group of words containing a subject and verb acts as an adjective, it is called an adjective clause. My sister, who is much older than I am, is an engineer. Coordinated adjectives are linked with commas: She is taking a long, well earned break from her exhausting personal schedule. ("Long" and "well earned" are coordinated adjectives; "exhausting" and "personal" are not.)

Adverb: a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Adverbs often tell when, why, or under what conditions. Adverbs frequently end in -ly. If a group of words containing a subject and verb acts as an adverb, it is called an adverb clause. When this class is over, we're going to the movies.

Articles: The three articles -- a, an, the -- are adjectives. The is called the definite article because it names, specifically, a noun; a and an are indefinite because they don't. These words are also called noun markers and determiners because they are always followed by a noun. We use a before words that begin with consonants; we use an before words that begin with vowels or vowel-like sounds. For instance, words that begin with an h sound, require an a (as in a horse, a history book), but if an h-word begins with an actual vowel sound, use an an (as in an hour, an honor). We would say a usual regimen because the u of usual actually sounds like yoo (as opposed, say, to an ugly incident). The larger question of when to use articles and when not to use articles (Why do we say I'm going to college but not I'm going to university?) is too large a question to treat here.

Coordinated Adjectives:.

Conjunction: a word that connects various parts of the sentence. There are the simple, little conjunctions: and, but, yet, for, nor, and so. There are also the more complex conjunctive adverbs such as however, moreover, nevertheless, consequently, as a result.

Modifier: tells you something about something else. Modifers are either adjectives or adverbs (see above).

Noun: the name of a person, place, thing, or idea. A proper noun is usually capitalized. Nouns can be in the subjective, possessive, and objective forms, but only the possessive form is different. Nouns also change form when they become plural.

Phrase: a group of related words which does not contain a subject and verb relationship.

Predicate: the completers of a sentence.

Preposition: Most prepositions locate things in time or space. Prepositions are often accompanied by objects of prepositions in what are called Prepositional Phrases. Under the desk, behind the desk, before the desk, beside the desk. Before the class, after the class, during class. Some prepositions do other things (My brother is like my father. Everyone in the class except me got the answer.), but they all modify in one way or another.

Pronoun: stands for a noun. There are several kinds of pronouns: Personal Pronouns stand for people or things (I/you/he-she-it; we/you/they); Relative and interrogative pronouns (who/whose/whom/which/that/what); and Indefinite pronouns (everybody/anybody/somebody). These lists are by no means complete.

Subject: the person, place, thing, or idea of a sentence that is doing or being something. You can find the subject of a sentence if you can find the verb. Ask the question, "Who or what 'verbs' or "verbed'?

Verbal: a word that seems to carry the idea of action or being but does not function as a verb. These words are frequently accompanied by others in what is called a verbal phrase.

1. Infinitive: the root of a verb plus the word to. To sleep, perchance to dream.
2. Participle: a verb form acting as an adjective. The running dog chased the fluttering moth.
3. Gerund: a verb form, ending in -ing, which acts as a noun. Running in the park after dark can be dangerous.

Verbs: carry the idea of action or being in the sentence. I am a student. The students passed all their courses. Verbs are said to be either active (The teacher pounded on the desk.) or passive (The desk was pounded on by the teacher.) in voice. There is nothing inherently wrong with the passive voice, but if you can say the same thing in the active mode, do so. Your text will have more pizzazz as a result, since passive structures tend to lie about and avoid actual work. Take the quiz (below) as an exercise in recognizing and changing passive verbs. Helping verbs or auxiliary verbs such as will, shall, may, might, can, could, must, ought to, should, would, used to, need are used in conjunction with main verbs to express shades of time and mood.