HBEL1203

FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND LANGUAGES

SEMESTER SEPTEMBER 2014

HBEL1203

LANGUAGE DESCRIPTION

MATRICULATION NO:

810103135392001

IDENTITY CARD NO.

810103135392

TELEPHONE NO.

0198050793

E-MAIL

trezz01nofear@yahoo.com

LEARNING CENTRE

Sarawak Learning Centre

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CONTENTS

1.0

2.0

The School Canteen Day poster

1.1

Introduction

1.2

Explanation of the function of word classes

A fable
2.1.1
2.1.2
2.1.3

3.0

Analysis of two simple sentences

Analysis of two compound
Analysis of two complex sentences

Closure
References

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1.0

The School Canteen Day poster

SK Bau School Canteen Day will be held on 4th November

2014 at the Mutiara Canteen. It will start at eight oclock.
All parents are welcome to the food charity sale.
The District Officer will be coming to launch the sale next
month.
The sale is to raise fund for the school.
There will be many types of traditional food, local fruits and
drinks available. All foods and drinks are healthy.
The pupils can make an early order to get a colourful smiley
sticker.

1.1

Introduction

Language is means of communication. It is a tool to interact or communicate. There are

many different level of language. They are sounds, words, phrases, clauses, sentences and
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paragraphs. According to Cambridge Dictionaries Online, English has four major word
classes. They are nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Nouns are the most common type
of word, followed by verbs. Adjectives are less common and adverbs are even less
common. Many words belong to more than one word classes.
Meanwhile, according to Oxford Dictionaries.com, word classes are the
categories to which words belong according to the part they play in the sentence. Also
called part of the speech. Many word classes share characteristics with others, and there
is considerable overlap between some of the classes. We use a combination of three
criteria for determining the word class of a word. The meaning of the word, the form or
`shape' of the word and he position or `environment' of the word in a sentence.
Some words classes are open. New words can be added to the class as the needs
arises. The class of nouns for example, is potentially infinite, since it is continually being
expanded as new scientific discoveries are made, new ideas are explore and new product
are developed. Developments in computer technology have given rise to many new nouns
in the late twentieth century such as internet, website, email, newsgroup, bitmap, modem
and multimedia.
In addition, according to K Often (2001), words can be classified by various
criteria, such as phonological properties (e.g., monosyllabic vs. Polysyllabic words),
social factors (e.g., general vs. technical vocabulary), and language history (e.g.,
loanwords vs. native words). All of these are classes of words, but as a technical term,
word class refers to the ten traditional categories below (plus perhaps a few others), most
of which go back to the Greek and Roman grammarians.
In this coursework, the focus is to show or demonstrate on analyzing grammar
and describing relevant grammar rules accurately and effectively in different contexts.
1.2

Explanation of the function of word classes

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Word classes
Nouns

The function based on the poster.

Nouns are the major word classes of English grammar. There are
two types of common nouns that is proper and common. We use
noun to refer to someone or something by naming them. It can be
used to refer to a place, person, quality, group, an activity and
object or whatever we can think of. Below is the example of a
proper noun. It is a specific name of a place.
Example : 1) SK Bau School Canteen Day will be held on 4th
November 2014 at the Mutiara Canteen.

Pronouns

Pronouns are words which replace a noun. The personal pronouns

below refer to the things you are talking about. The word in bold
below is refer to the School Canteen Day.
Example : It will start at 8.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.

Adjectives

Adjectives give the qualities of nouns. Qualitative adjectives and

classifying adjectives are two large groups of adjectives. Here is
the example of qualitative adjectives.
Example : There will be many types of traditional food, local
fruits and drinks available.

Determiners

A group of words to identify nouns and give the range of reference

of the nouns. It must always stand before a head noun for a
determiner. There are two types of determiner based on the
functions that they perform - specific determiners and general
determiners. We put them at the beginning of a noun group. Here
is the example of general determiners include quantifiers.

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Example : All parents are welcome to the food charity sale.

Verbs

There are five basic forms of English verbs - base form, -s form,
past form, -ing participle form (present participle form) and -ed
participle form (past participle form). The verb forms may be
regular or irregular.
Example : The District Officer will be coming to launch the sale
next month.

Adverbs

Words that modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs. They tell

where, when, why and what conditions something happens. The
example below shows that it modifiers another adverb. It exactly
the same form as adjective.
Example : The pupils can make an early order to get a colourful
smiley sticker.

Prepositions

They can be classified according to form as simple prepositions or

complex prepositions. There are three main types of prepositions polysyllabic,

monosyllabic

and

prepositions

derived

from

participles. Meanwhile, complex prepositions are made up of two,

three or four separate words but they must considered as one. They
meaning cannot be derived from the meaning of the parts. It
consist of a simple preposition and preceded by a word from
another category. Here is the example of prepositions of time
which used to designate specific times.
Example : It will start at eight oclock.
Conjunctions

They are grammatical connectors that link words, phrases or

clauses. The two types of conjunctions are coordinating
conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions. They indicate the
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relationship between the elements that it connects in the sentences.

The sentence below shows the coordinating conjunction. It used to
join two similar ideas of equal importance. Coordinating
conjunction come between the words that they join.
Example : All foods and drinks are healthy.
Interjections

An interjection is a word that expresses some kind of emotion. It

can be used as filler. Interjections do not have a grammatical
function in the sentence and are not related to the other parts of the
sentence. If an interjection is omitted, the sentence still makes
sense. It can stand alone. Interjections express a wide range of
emotions including surprise, exasperation and disgust. Formulaic
expressions, including interjections, are unvarying in their form,
that is they do not take any inflections.
Example : Wow! I love it..
Table 1.2.1 : Explanation of function of word classes

2.0

A fable

Tittle : The rabbit

and the turtle.

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One day a rabbit was boasting about how fast he could run. He was laughing at the turtle
for being so slow. Much to the rabbits surprise, the turtle challenged him to a race.
The rabbit thought this was a good joke, and accepted the challenge. The fox was to
be the umpire of the race.
As the race began, the rabbit raced way ahead of the turtle, just like everyone
thought. The rabbit got to the halfway point and could not see the turtle anywhere.
He was hot and tired and decided to stop and take a short nap. Even if the turtle passed
him, he would be able to race to the finish line ahead of him. All this time the turtle
kept walking step by step by step. He never quit no matter how hot or tired he got. He
just kept going. However, the rabbit slept longer than he had thought and woke up. He
could not see the turtle anywhere! He went at full-speed to the finish line but found the
turtle there waiting for him.
Adapted from : http://www.moralstories.org/fables/

2.1

Analysing the simple, compound and complex sentences from the fairy tale.
2.1.1

Two simple sentences

A simple sentence presents a single idea and very useful for creating
emphasis. It has two main parts - subject and predicate. The subject
usually stands first. It answers the questions who or what and it is the
topic of a sentence. Meanwhile, the predicate usually comes after the
subject. The predicate answers the question : What does the sentence tell
us about the subject?. The subject has a noun phrase (NP) as it form. The
predicate has a verb phrase (VP) as its form. The subject and the predicate
are the two major constituents in the terms of function. The noun phrase
and the verb phrase are the two constituents in terms of form.

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Function

Subject
1) He

Predicate
just kept going.

2) The fox

was to be the umpire of the

race.

Form

Noun Phrase

Verb Phrase

The predicates in the form of verb phrase are made up of only a verb group (Vgp). All the
verbs are intransitive. They can stand on their own. This sentence pattern is made up of a
subject (S) and a verb (V) in terms of function. It can be written as S V. However, in
terms of form, it is made up of a noun phrase (NP) and a verb group (Vgp). They can be
written as NP Vgp. Below is the constituents analysis of the sentence patterns.
S

He

just kept going.

NP

Vgp

The fox

was to be

NP

Vgp

2.1.2

Two compound sentences

Od

Co

the umpire

of the race.

NP

NP

A compound sentences is made up of two or more independent clauses. It

connected to one another by a coordinating conjunction. Each independent clause
is complete by itself. It can stand alone. It is most effective when we use it to
create a sense of balance or contrast between two or more equally important
pieces information. The relationship between the two ideas is shown by the
coordinating conjunction. The two parts of the compound sentence need to be
linked correctly. A comma and a coordinating conjunction at the place where one
sentence ends and the other begins.
Independent Clause
1) The rabbit thought this

Coordinating Conjunction
and

Independent Clause
accepted the challenge.
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was a good joke

2) The rabbit go to the

and

halfway point

could not see the turtle

anywhere.

Independent Clause may be joined by a coordinating conjunction. It indicates the

relationship between the sentences. The compound sentences are formed by
linking simple sentences. It contains two independent clauses connected to one
another with a coordinating conjunction. These independent clauses refer to two
separate actions which are equally important.

2.3

Two complex sentences

A complex sentence has an independent clause joined by one or more dependent

clauses. Dependent clauses cannot stand alone. They do not express a complete
thought. The dependent clause gives more information about the independent
clause. It is introduced by a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun or
which or a relative adverb.
Dependent
introduced

Clause
by

Subordinating conjunction
1) Even if the turtle passed

comma

Independent Clause

he would be able to race to

him
2) Much to the rabbits
surprise

finish line ahead.

,

the turtle challenged him to

a race.
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A complex sentence beginning with a dependent clause and ending with an

independent clause is in the term of periodic sentence. It can be effective
because the completed thought occurs at the end of the sentence. The first part of
the sentence can build up to the meaning that comes at the end.
A comma should be used to separate the two clauses when the independent clause
comes first. Meanwhile, a comma should be used to separate the two clauses if the
dependent clause comes first.

3.0

Closure
In English language, we have to use the systematic way of the grammar system.

We must use the rules of grammar accurately and effectively in appropriate contexts and
analyse sentence patterns in terms of form and functions. Word classes help us to discuss
and explain more precisely the effects of our own and others' writing. The vocabulary of
English consists of several hundred thousand words. Communication in English just
cannot occur in a meaningful way without an extensive vocabulary. A good
understanding of English is essential for the teaching and learning of English as a foreign
language. In fact, the status of vocabulary in a curriculum has been considerably
enhanced the development of the communicative approaches to language teaching and
and through the stimulus of comprehension-based methods.

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REFERENCES
Often, K. (2001). Word Classes and Parts of Speech.[Online]. Available :
http://pages.uoregon.edu/tpayne/engram/Engramsection03. [2014, October 10].
Short Moral Stories. (2002). [Online]. Available : http://www.moralstories.org/fables/.
[2014, October 24].
Sinclair, J. (ed.) (2006). Advanced Learners English Dictionary. London: HarperCollins.
Word Classes. (2002). [Online]. Available :
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/grammar-a-z#word_class. [2014, October 12].
Word Classes and Phrase Classes. (2000). [Online]. Available :
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/word-classes-and-phraseclasses. [2014, October 13].
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Word Classes and Phrases. (2003). [Online]. Available :

https://www.academia.edu/5304310/English_Word_Classes_and_Phrases. [2014, October
20].

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