The document discusses the basics of sentences including nouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs. Nouns name people or things, adjectives provide more description about nouns, verbs name actions, and adverbs provide more details about verbs such as how, when, or where. Writers should choose words carefully to create vivid pictures and avoid using multiple words that mean the same thing.

1. The basics of sentences

2. Nouns
• Names a person or thing, e.g.
The bird looked at the fruit.
The man stroked his dog.
• Test for a noun – you can put the, a or an in front of it.
• Nouns can usually be singular or plural – bird / birds

3. Nouns
• ‘Name it’ to create an effect and build the picture for the reader.
The bird looked at the fruit.
The vulture looked at the pineapple.
The man stroked his dog.
The politician stroked his rottweiler.
The teacher stroked his sausage dog.

4. Adjectives
• The job of the adjectives is to tell us more about the noun.
The yellow bird looked at the juicy fruit.
• They usually come before the noun but they can come after the noun.
The yellow bird looked at the fruit which was juicy.
The bird was yellow.

5. Adjectives
• Each adjective must earn its place – choose carefully:
The thin, slim, slender bird stood on a leg.
The shiny, sleek, scarlet, new car purred through the streets.
The savage dog growled and leapt onto the guard.
The enormous giant loomed over the villagers.
The shy giant loomed over the villagers.
• Do not use adjectives that mean the same thing.
• Avoid using too many as they clash.
• Each adjective needs to tell the reader something new worth knowing.

6. Verbs
• Verbs usually name an action - something that happens.
• They are the engine of sentences.
The man went down the road.
• Choose verbs with care to create an effect and make the reader
wonder:
The man dashed down the road.
The man skipped down the road.
The man limped down the road.

7. Adverbs
• The main job of an adverb is to tell us more about verbs - about what
is happening.
The man walked slowly.
Adverbs can tell us how, when and where.
The man walked slowly.
That afternoon, the man walked.
Down the road, the man walked.

8. Adverbs
• Adverbs can move around in sentences to create different effects:
The man moved slowly.
Slowly, the man moved.
The man slowly moved.
• Choose with care:
• She whispered quietly….