English language

1. Parts of Speech
Auxiliary Verbs
Concord (pronoun concord)
English Language

2. Parts of Speech
Grammar
Is the art of putting the right words in the right places.
Parts of Speech
 Nouns
 Pronouns
 Verbs
 Adverbs
 Adjectives
 Conjunction
 Prepositions
 interjections

3. Parts of Speech
 Nouns Possessive Case
1. if the plural ends in s we just add an apostrophe
Example: The house of the boys- the boys’ house
The eyes of the girls- the girls’ eyes
2. If the plural does not end in s we add ‘s.’
Example: man, woman, child (the possessive
plurals of these are:
men’s, women’s children’s.

4. Parts of Speech
 Adjectives
There are several other kinds of adjectives besides
adjectives of quality.
Adjectives that tell you ‘how many’
Example: I have two eyes.
There are twenty books on the desk.

5. Parts of Speech
These are called adjectives of quantity. Much and
many are also adjectives of quantity but do not
give definite quantity.
Example: We had plenty of rain last year, but there
hasn’t been much rain this year.

6. Demonstrative and interrogative
adjectives
Demonstrative adjectives
This, that, these, those
As in:
This car is old
That car is old
These cars are new
Those cars are new
Interrogative adjectives.
What, which, whose
As in:
what book are you reading now?
Which boy can answer thisquestion?

7. Verbs
 Verbs
 Verbs are used to say what people do; they
express an action
Example: the woodcutter sat on the bank

8. Sentences
A group of words that makes complete sense is a
sentence
Example: Tommy has a dog. - Statement
Where are you going?– Question
Open the door. – Command
Phrases: group of words that makes sense but not
complete sense,
Example: into the house;
at nine o’clock;
for eighty Cedis.

9. Exercise
 Which of the following are sentences and which
are phrases?
1. she saw the boy
2. at the chemist’s
3. in the garden
4. sit down
5. by Friday night

10. Parts of a Sentence
 Subject
The word or group of words that we speak about in
a sentence.
 Predicate: is the word or group of words that tells
us something about the subject.
The little boy(subject) ran down the
street.(predicate)

11. The object of a sentence
 The object of a sentence is a noun (or pronoun)
which tells us the person or thing to whom the
action of the verb happened.
Example: The shop sells bicycles.
The cat bit the dog.

12. The Complement
 Words or phrases that are needed to complete
the meaning of intransitive verbs such as ‘be’,
‘seem’. ‘become’ are called complement
Example : kofi seems good.
He was elected as the president.
He bought oranges
Ama is intelligent

13. Adverbs
 Adverbs
The words that go with verbs
Example: The old man walked (verb) slowly
(adverb) along a street
An adverb goes with a verb to tell how, when or
where an action takes place
Example: sweetly, slowly, happily, badly, sadly,
bravely, quickly, carefully etc.

14. Preposition-al/Phrases
 Prepositions
example: in, between, on, across, at, by, below
The preposition governs the noun or pronoun that it
goes with
Example: with him, between them
Read on Prepositional phrase, Adjective phrase
and Adverb phrase

15. Preposition-al/Phrases
Prepositional phrase: inside the room.
Adjective phrase : The boy in the room is my friend
Adverb phrase: He went into the room.
An adverbial phrase
An adjectival phrase

16. Conjunctions
 Conjunctions
Conjunctions are words that join together words,
phrases or sentences. They serve like the link
that join together railway wagons.
Coordination Conjunctions: FANBOYS( for, and,
nor, but, or, yet, so)

17. Interjections
 Interjections
Words use to express a sudden feeling, for
example, surprise, pleasure, pain etc
Example: hello! Ah! Oh! Hurrah! Alas! Ow!

18. Major Classes of Auxiliary Verbs
 Primary Auxiliaries: these are used for both as
lexical verbs and as auxiliaries: ‘be’ have, do
Example 1: Kofi is a student.
They have a big dog.
We did the work yesterday.
Example 2: The boys were dancing at the time.
We have watched this film before.
He does not like my work.

19. Functions of Auxiliary verbs in
grammar
 Be
a. It may be used with –ing form of a verb to show
a continuous activity:
Example: Abigail was dancing in the morning.
Bright and his friends were jumping at
the time.
b. Used with the perfective form of a verb to
indicate the passive voice:

20. Functions of Auxiliary verbs in
grammar
 Be
b. It may be used with the perfective form of a verb
to indicate the passive voice:
Example: Kezia was beaten by her husband.
Joyce and her friends were deceived by
the driver.

21. Functions of Auxiliary verbs in
grammar
 Be
c. It may be used with the infinitive form of a verb
to convey the idea of command or obligation.
Example: The new arrivals are to line up here.
The audience is to be seated by noon.

22. Functions of Auxiliary verbs in
grammar
 Have
a. used with the perfective form of a verb:
Example: we have eaten the food
he has passed the test.
b. Used with the infinitive verb form to express an
obligation or necessity:
Example: You have to work hard.
They have to pass this way each day.

23. Functions of Auxiliary verbs in
grammar
 Do
a. It may be used to lay exphasis on the verb:
Example: Vera did steal the toy.
I do love you.

24. Modal Auxiliaries
These include can, may, must, shall, will, ought,
used, need
Example: Stephen could climb the tree.
I may not visit my friend.

25. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
Can
a. It may be used to express ability to perform
some action:
Example: Ama can win this game.
Past tense: Ama could win that game.
Note: do not use ‘can be able’

26. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
Can
b. The negative forms cannot or could not are used
to express inability to do something:
Example: Francis cannot win this game
Francis could not win that game
c. Used to express polite requests by using can or
could. Usually, this is expressed in questions,
often accompanied by please:

27. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
Can
c. Used to express polite requests by using can or
could. Usually, this is expressed in questions,
often accompanied by please:
Example:
Can you visit the hospital tomorrow, please?
Could you please lend me your book?

28. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
Can
d. It is possible to use can to give permission:
Example: You can go out with my son.
e. The negative form cannot is used to express
prohibition or refusal to give permission:
Example: You cannot go out with my son.

29. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
Can
f. The form could have is used to express a past
ability which was not fulfilled.
Example: we could have organized the meeting last
year.

30. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
May
a. It may be used to give or ask for permission
Example: You may enter this office
May we wait for the Doctor.
b. It may be used to express the likelihood of
something happening:
Example: The students may vote for this candidate.

31. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
May
c. The form may have is used to express past
likelihood.
Example:
A: I wonder why kofi and Ama are not here.
B: They may have lost their way.

32. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
Must
a. It is used to express obligation
Example: they must study hard.
b. Past obligation is expressed by had to:
Example: in 1972, many people had to line up
for days to by a bar of soap because it was
not available in the market.

33. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
Must
c. The form must not is used to express a
prohibition. Thus, when used, there is an
order not to perform an action:
Example: Students must not go out at night.
Means what?

34. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
Shall
a. The past form should is used to express
some advice or strong recommendation:
Example: You should kneel down when praying.
Means what?
b. The negative form should not is used to
express the same idea of advice or strong
recommendation

35. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
Shall
b. The negative form should not is used to
express the same idea of advice or strong
recommendation:
Example: You should not shout when talking.
c. The form should have is used to refer to a
past obligation which was not fulfilled:
Example: You should have visited the doctor
yesterday.

36. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
Will
a. Used to express future time:
Example: the match will take place next week.
b. Used to express future plans, an intention to
do something, or a determination to perform
an action:
Example: I will stand for election next June.
(you, he, they can be used with ‘will’).

37. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
Will
c. The form would have is used when we make
a reference to a past activity which was not
performed:
Example: They would have gone to school, if it
hadn’t rained.

38. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
Ought
a. Used to show a moral obligation:
Example: Citizens ought to pay their taxes
regularly.
b. The form ought not imposes an obligation
not to act (prohibition).
Example: Citizens ought not to destroy public
property.

39. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
Ought
c. The for ought to have refers to a past
obligation whcih was not fulfilled:
Example: We ought to have registered our
names.
d. The negative form ought not to have
expresses disapproval for an action which
was done in the past:

40. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
Ought
d. The negative form ought not to have
expresses disapproval for an action which
was done in the past:
Example: We ought not to have registered our
names.

41. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
Used
It occurs only in the past tense.
Example: Kwame used to sleep in town.
Note:
Incorrect to say: Kwame use to sleep in town.

42. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
Need
a. Used to express a necessity:
Example: She needs to see her doctor soon.
Means?
b. The negative forms need not or do not need
are used to indicate the absence of
obligation.
When used it implies that there is no obligation
to perform an action:
Example: We need not go to school today.
We do not need to go to school
today.

43. Functions of Modal Auxiliaries
Need
c. The form needed is used to express a past
necessity:
Example: Charles needn’t have drunk the
medicine.
Or use the form didn’t need to:
Charles didn’t need to drink the medicine.

44. Exercise
Use any four of the auxiliaries below in
examples that will clearly bring out their
meanings:
Couldn’t have , didn’t have, didn’t need to ,
shouldn’t have, wouldn’t have, might not
have, ought not to have , needn’t have , must
have, may have,

45. Exercise
Use each of the pair of the auxiliaries below in
examples that will clearly bring out their
meanings:
1. a. can
b. be able to
2. a. cannot
b. must not
3. a. need not
b. dare not
4. a. must
b. may

46. Concord
 Grammatical concord
Singular subject requires a singular verb: Kofi reads
novels.
 A plural subject will require a plural verb:
Ama’s sons read novels.
 Clauses which serve as subjects are regarded as
singular and, therefore, select singular main
verbs”
Singing hymns at weddings gives me much
pleasure.
 Prepositional groups which serve as subjects are
regarded as singular:
Under the table is where you should hide.

47. Concord
 Notional concord
The family was famous
The family were famous.
Company, crew, club, group, staff, team.

48. Concord
 Proximity concord
the Nominal group/ noun group which is
immediately close to the verb is considered.
More than one soldier was captured
One or more soldiers were captured
Coordinating conjunction ‘and’
Kwame and Kunle are friends
 Titles, a name, a quotation (singular verb)
 Every, each (singular verb)

49. Concord
 Pronoun concord
This refers to the agreement which exists between
a pronoun and the noun it refers to.
These are number: whether is a singular or plural
person: whether it is 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, person
Gender: masculine, feminine, or non-human

50. Concord
 Pronoun concord
Personal distinctions may be shown as
a. 1st, person: I, me, we, us
b. 2nd person: you
c. 3rd person: he, she, him, her, it, they, them.

51. Concord
 Pronoun concord
3rd person:
he, him (male person)
she, her (female person)
It (nouns like town, dog, and table which are
neutral)
they,
them.

52. Rules Regarding Pronoun
Concord
a. the reflexive pronoun in a clause must agree with
the subject in terms of number, person, and
gender:
Example: We looked at our selves in the clear
pond.
Ama herself gave Peter this book.

53. Rules Regarding Pronoun
Concord
b. The pronouns, everybody, nobody, anybody,
anyone, everyone, no one usually select the
plural 3rd person pronoun:
Example: 1. Everyone accepted that they were at
fault.
2. No one has handed in their
assignment.

54. Rules Regarding Pronoun
Concord
c. Where a relative pronoun is the subject, whether
to select a singular or plural verb form will depend
on whether the noun the pronoun refers to is
singular or plural.
Example: I am the man who pays your school fees.
Ruth is one of the girls who hate this
school.

55. Exercise
Select the correct verb forms to fill the blank spaces
in the sentences below:
1. What were supposed to be new proposals--------
--turned out to be mere modifications.
(has/have)
2. Whatever idea the newspapers support,---------
the public. (influences/influence)
3. Nobody except his children-----------him.
(praises/praise)
4. You and he--------- a big problem to solve.
(has/have))

56. Exercise
Select the correct verb forms to fill the blank spaces
in the sentences below:
5. What she proposes and does------------ her own
affair. (is/are)
6. Rice from Thailand and Denmark ----------
imported last year (was/were)
7. Either the strikers or their leader--------- our
suggestion. (misunderstands/misunderstand)
8. Neither the teacher nor his students -----------
reported yet. (has/have)
9. What I do or refuse to do -------------- not concern
you. (does/do)

57. THANK YOU
THE END