Grammatical Categories

I. Objectives

A. Learn different lexical categories

B. Evaluate and integrate different grammatical categories
C. Apply correct usage of tense of verbs in a sentence
D. Create paragraphs with these lexical and grammatical categories

II. Discussion

Lexical Categories

A linguistic category of words (or more precisely lexical items), generally defined
by the syntactic or morphological behaviour of the lexical item in question. We group
words into classes and categories according to the ways that they are used in
sentences.

There are eight major word classes in English:

The following key terms are closely associated with the category “noun”: proper
noun, common noun (concrete noun, abstract noun, collective noun), number and
possession.

The following key terms are closely associated with the category “verb”: infinitive,
main or full lexical verb, copula verb or copulative verb or linking verb, auxiliary verb,
modal auxiliary, phrasal verb, prepositional verb tense (present tense, past tense) active
voice, passive voice, intransitive or monotransitive, ditransitive, agreement or concord.

The following key terms are closely associated with the category “adjective”:
comparative, superlative.

The following key terms are closely associated with the category “adverb”: adverbs
modifying verbs, adjectives, adverbs and sentences.

The following key terms are closely associated with the category “pronoun”:
Personal pronoun, possessive pronoun, reflexive pronoun, demonstrative pronoun,
indefinite pronoun, relative pronoun, interrogative pronoun.

The following key terms are closely associated with the category “conjunction”:
coorrdinating conjunction, subordinating conjunction.

The following key terms are closely associated with the category “preposition”:
locative or spatial preposition, temporal preposition, stranded preposition, complex
preposition, prepositional adverb adverbial particle.

The following key terms are closely associated with the category “determiner”:
definite article, indefinite article, demonstrative, possessive, interrogative.
 Grammatical categories refers to the term "grammatical category" refers to
specific properties of a word that can cause that word and/or a related word to change in
form for grammatical reasons (ensuring agreement between words).

These categories include:

Number is a property of nouns and pronouns, and indicates quantity. Number has two
values:

• singular

• plural

Gender is a property of pronouns, and differentiates the sexes. Natural gender has
three values:

• masculine

• feminine

• neuter

Case is a property of pronouns and nouns, and expresses their relationship to the rest
of the sentence. Case has three values (two of which do not apply to nouns):

• subjective (pronouns only)

• objective (pronouns only)

• possessive (pronouns and nouns)

Person is a property of pronouns, and differentiates participants in a conversation.

Person has three values:
 • first person

• second person

• third person

Degree is a property of gradable adjectives and adverbs, and indicates quality.

Degree has three values:

• positive: indicates a basic quality

• comparative: indicates a greater quality

• superlative: indicates the maximum quality

Mood is a property of verbs, and relates to the speaker's feelings about the reality of
what he is saying. Mood has three values:

• indicative - is used to express a fact.

• imperative - is used to express direct commands (e.g. Be quiet! , Go!)

• subjunctive - is used to express a condition that is non-factual or imaginary.

(The subjunctive mood of the verb “to be” is “be” in the present tense and “were” in the
past tense, regardless of what the subject is.

Incorrect: If I was you, I would run.

Correct: If I were you, I would run.

(The verb follows if and expresses a non-factual condition.)

Incorrect: I wish he was able to type faster.

Correct: I wish he were able to type faster.
(The second verb is in a clause following a verb expressing a wish. It also suggests a
non-factual or doubtful condition.)

Incorrect: His requirement is that everyone is computer literate.

Correct: His requirement is that everyone be computer literate.

(Subordinate clause follows main clause with a demand.)

Incorrect: He recommended that each driver reports his tips.

Correct: He recommended that each driver report his tips.

Sometimes we may use the conditional auxiliary verbs of could, should, or would to
express the same sense.

Subjunctive: I wish he were kinder to me.

Conditional: I wish he would be kinder to me)

Voice is a property of transitive verbs, and expresses the relationship of the subject to
the action. It indicates whether the subject is performing the action or if he is the one
affected by the action done. Voice has two values:

• active
• passive

Tense is a property of verbs, and most closely corresponds with location in time. Tense
has two values:

• past
• present
Aspect is a property of verbs, and expresses our view of the time structure of an
activity or state. Aspect has three values:

• simple: the time has no structure

• continuous: expresses ongoing action

• perfect: expresses completed action

Types of Word Meanings

Grammatical Meaning – the meaning of a word by its function in a sentence rather

than the word itself.

Lexical Meaning – the meaning of an isolated word in a dictionary. This component of

meaning is identical in all forms of the word.

(e.g. “go, goes, went, gone, going” have different grammatical meanings but they have
the same lexical meaning expressing movement.)

Lexical meaning has two components: conceptual meaning and associative meaning

Conceptual meaning (also known as denotation) is the meaning given in the

dicttionary and forms the core of word meaning.

ex.

mother – a female parent

sun – a heavenly body giving heat, light, and energy.
 Associative meaning (also known as connotation) is the secondary meaning
supplemented to the conceptual meaning. The meaning given is liable to the influence
of factors such as culture, experience, religion, geographical region, etc.

ex.

He is a lion.
(The sentence does not imply that the person that is literally a lion, it uses the noun
lion to describe the likeness of the person being referred to.)

III. Activities

Directions: Answer the following, write the correct answer on your paper

1. Grammatical category is related to ____________

a. word indexation
b. word agreement
c. calligraphic form

2. Only ____ can be affected by the grammatical category known “number”

a. nouns
b. adverbs
c. adjectives

3. Possessive is a value of the grammatical category called _________

a. number
b. case
c. gender
4. Modern English uses ________ gender.
a. grammatical
b. political
c. natural

5. The grammatical category “person” is a proper is a property of pronouns and has

____ values
a. one
b. two
c. three

6. “Tense” is a grammatical category applied to _______

a. verbs
b. adverbs
c. adjectives

7. Continuous and perfect are examples of the grammatical category known as

a. tense
b. mood
c. aspect

8. The subjunctive “mood” expresses ________

a. a statement of fact
b. unreality
c. something desired

9. “Voice” is a grammatical category affective

a. transitive verbs
b. intransitive verbs
c. all verbs
 10. _______ can be affected by the grammatical category known as “degree”
a. adjectives and adverbs
b. gradable adjectives and adverbs
c. non-gradable adjectives and adverbs

Activity number 2:

Create a paragraph using these lexical and grammatical categories, make use of
the correct subject and verb agreement and also, the correct tense of the verb.

References:

http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000031.htm
http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000347.htm
http://www.ello.uos.de/field.php/Syntax/Lexicalcategories
https://www.englishclub.com/grammar/sentence/category.htm
http://www.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOflinguisticTerms/WhatIsAGram
maticalCategory.htm
Requirement in Structures of English

Grammatical Categories

Abogadie, Niryzza Anne

Adlawan, Nikko
Bacarisas, Mark Andrew