1.

NOUNS
A noun is a word to name a person, place, thing, quality, or idea.
e.g. Tom, Mars, automobile, beauty, justice…

Types of nouns
• Proper nouns name a particular person, place…
• Common nouns name one or all members of a
class
• Concrete nouns name things that readers can
perceive with their senses as desk, table, smoke,
student…
• Abstract nouns name intangible qualities and ideas
as liberty, sweetness, love, bravery…
• Countable nouns are used for individual things that
can be counted as a chair, a table…
• Uncountable nouns are used for things that cannot
be counted as bravery, furniture…
NB: Many nouns can be used as either count or
uncountable nouns with usually a change in meaning.
e.g. A coffee (a cup of coffee); Fishes (kinds of fish)
• Collective nouns refer to a group of members and
can take a singular or plural verb.
+ Singular: used as a unit.
e.g. Family is the basic element of society.
(In this case we use it, its, which / that.)
e.g. The government wants to improve its image.
The crowd which has gathered here is in a cheerful
mood.
+ Plural: used to mean all the members of the group
e.g. My family are going to Vung Tau this weekend.
(In this case, we use they, their, who.)
e.g. The teacher staff want to improve their images.
My family, who have just come back from DL,
are going to VT this weekend.
2. ADJECTIVES 3. ADVERBS
Adjectives Adverbs
• describes the quality, feeling, state of a noun. • shows or clarifies time, place, manner, and degree.
• by position & function: They also affirm or deny. Usually they answer the
+ modifier when it goes right after or before question when, why, where, how, what for…
a noun • An adverb modifies verbs, adjectives, adverbs,
+ complement when it goes with a linking verb. phrases, clauses, and sentences.
e.g. She is a beautiful girl; e.g. He sings beautifully.
I have never seen a dragon alive.
(modifier) (beautifully modifies sings)
The girl is beautiful Severely punished by his father, the boy
and she appears very happy. ran away from home
(complement)
The boy sitting alone in the corner of the
class is a new student.
She is extremely nice.
He drove very quickly.
Coming home, he went straight to bed.
Luckily, he did not die.
4. VERBS
A verb shows either action (process, feeling, movement) or a state of being.

A. Forms
1. Finite verbs agree with the subject.
e.g. The boy goes to school by bus; you are a student.
A clause must contain a finite verb.

2. Non-finite verbs do not agree with the subject.

They do not form a clause (only a phrase): infinitive, gerund, participle
e.g. The boy sitting near the window is a new student.
Present participle
B. Types of verb
1. Auxiliary
• Primary or semi-auxiliaries: the ones that can act as auxiliary or main verb e.g. be, have, do
e.g. I am a teacher. (main verb)
I am teaching English. (auxiliary)
My friend has a beautiful car. (main verb)
He has just bought it from a friend (auxiliary)
• Modal auxiliaries: modal verbs; they are always auxiliaries e.g. can, could, may, might, shall, should…
• Semi-modal auxiliaries: they may be a modal or main verb: need, dare.
• Some compound auxiliaries: have to; have got to; had better; be to; be able to; be about to;
be expected to; be due to…
 2. Main verbs

Linking verbs express the quality, feeling, Action verbs express an action.
or state of being.
a. Transitive verbs cannot stand alone, require a direct
e.g. be; seem; appear; taste; smell; feel... object or a complement to be complete.
A linking verb e.g. I want a beer (want what?);
+ describes the subject (How?) I have a car (have what?)
e.g. The soup tastes good; the river is running dry. • Possessive V: V – CoV. (NB. CoV: no passive)
e.g. I have a car
+ identify the subject (What?)
• Mono-transitive: V – DO. e.g. I met a beautiful girl
e.g. She is a singer
(She = singer; both refer to the same person) • Di-transitive: V – DO – IO / V – IO – DO.
e.g. I bought her a car
A fruit cake makes a nice gift.
(A fruit cake = a nice gift) • Complex V: V – DO – OC.
e.g. We chose John leader
+ can be replaced by ‘be’, ‘become’, remain…
• Prepositional V: V – PO. e.g. I am waiting for her
e.g. The screw worked loose
=> The screw became/ was loose. • Phrasal V: V – O. e.g. I am looking for her
Note: After a linking verb, we usually have b. Intransitive verbs: self-sufficient verbs, do not need
a subject complement (if there is a subject). an object or complement.
e.g. He is laughing; He died years ago.