Parts of Speech

Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions link words, phrases or clauses of equal importance. This means that they always connect the same "kinds" of word groups: nouns with nouns, verbs with verbs, etc. Common coordinating conjunctions are:

• and
• but
• nor
• or
• for
• so
• yet

Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions introduce dependent or nonessential clauses and connect them to the main clause. Common subordinating conjunctions are:

after although as as if as long as as though because before even if even though

if if only in order that now that once rather than since so that than that

though till unless until when whenever where whereas wherever while

Correlative Conjunctions

A correlative conjunction is a coordinating conjunction that pairs up with other words to connect elements in a sentence. They help indicate the relationship between elements they connect in a sentence.

A List of Common Correlative Conjunctions

• both . . . and
• not only . . . but also
• not . . . but
• either . . . or
• neither . . . nor
• whether . . . or
• as . . . as

Uses of Correlative Conjunctions

• To connect nouns:
  • Summer school is not easy but difficult.
  • Both trees and flowers grow colorfully during summer.
• To connect adjectives:
  • Summer camp offers not only swimming but also camping instruction.
  • Kids enjoy both wet and dry sports.
• To connect prepositional phrases:
  • I'll take my vacation either in July or in August.
  • Most students are neither below nor above national academic standards.
• To connect independent clauses:
  • Not only do students enjoy summer vacation, but they also enjoy Christmas break.
  • Whether teachers are happy or they are sad, all are dedicated to student's success.

Conjunctive Adverbs

Conjunctive adverbs join only independent clauses, not words, phrases or dependent clauses. These adverbs relate the ideas of the clauses to each other. When conjunctive adverbs join clauses, they are used with a semicolon, and are almost always also set off with a comma. Common conjunctive adverbs are:

accordingly also anyway besides certainly consequently finally further furthermore hence

however incidentally indeed instead likewise meanwhile moreover namely nevertheless next

nonetheless now otherwise similarly still then thereafter therefore thus undoubtedly

Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns usually act as subjects or objects in their own clauses. When writing a sentence with a relative pronoun, consider the following list of pronouns borrowed from The Little, Brown Handbook, Sixth Edition .

Commonly Used Relative Pronouns:

• which
• what
• that
• whatever
• who (whose, whom)
• whoever (whomever)

Here are a few sample sentences to get you started using relative pronouns.

• Students who take notes during class lectures do better on exams.
• Bathing in the school fountain, which is forbidden at most universities , has become a popular fraternity initiation practice.
• Old Dominion University is a school where students' success is a priority.

*Note: In the sentences above, commas are only used to offset non-essential clauses (clauses that can be removed from the sentence without changing meaning). Essential relative clauses are not set off with commas.

Determiners

Determiners are a particular type of adjective. They precede a noun and add information about that noun. Some common determiners are articles , like a, an , and the ; possessive adjectives , like my, your, his, her, its, our, and their ; and demonstrative adjectives , like this, that, these, and those . There are other determiners as well.

What are Determiners used with?

The use of determiners is dependent on context. You must ask yourself what kinds of nouns each determiner is preceding. Determiners appear before three major types of nouns: proper nouns, count nouns, and noncount nouns.

Proper Nouns:
A proper noun names a particular person, place or thing and begins with a capital letter: July, Benedict Arnold, Tallahachee Bridge.

Count Nouns:
A count noun names something that can be made into a plural; it's countable in the literal sense: baboon/baboons, kiss/kisses, zombie/zombies.

Noncount Nouns:
A noncount noun names something that is not considered countable. These nouns do not have a plural form: hair, oil, weather. There are two main categories of noncount nouns. Note: Many noncount nouns do not fall into these categories

mass nouns liquids : milk, beer, hairspray natural phenomena : hail, thunder, snow resources : petroleum, gold abstract nouns concepts : truth, evidence emotions : surprise, anger qualities : confidence, courage traits : cleanliness, wealth

Note: Many nouns can be both count and noncount nouns.

• The lonely boy ate his lunch in the janitor's room .
• The lonely boy ate his lunch and left room for dessert.

What kinds of Determiners do I use?

Articles

With Proper Nouns

• A or an never precedes a proper noun.
• The rarely precedes a proper noun, but there are some exceptions.

  Examples : We generally use the before the names of ships ( the USS Normandy ), oceans ( the Atlantic ) , mountain ranges ( the Swiss Alps ), regions ( the Midwest ), rivers ( the Nile ), bridges ( the Golden Gate Bridge ), monuments ( the Lincoln Memorial ), some buildings ( the World Trade Center ), and some countries ( the United States, the Bahamas ). There are other exceptions, so be careful!

With Singular Count Nouns

• A or an precedes a singular count noun when the reader cannot identify the noun, usually because the noun hasn't been mentioned previously.
  • Example : A girl in my preschool class bit a mean boy who kicked her.
    A is used before girl and mean boy because the reader has no idea which girl or which boy.
• The does not precede a noncount noun that names a general category.
  • Example : The biting girl should learn about peace and love.
    There is not a the in front of peace or love because they are used in a general sense.
• The precedes a singular count noun when the reader can identify the noun, usually because:
  (1) you have mentioned it before.
  • Example : A girl in my preschool class bit a mean boy who kicked her. The girl has a penchant for this and is often chided and punished.
    The is used before girl because she was mentioned in the previous sentence.
  (2) you identify it immediately after you mention it
  • Example : The girl who likes to bite is a peppermint fanatic.
    The is used before girl because she is defined by the phrase who likes to bite, as well as by being a peppermint fanatic.
  (3) it is the only one in existence (like the sun)
  • Example : The fourteen-fingered boy is a piano whiz.
    The is used before fourteen-fingered boy because he is unique.
  (4) it refers to an institution or facility shared by a community
  • Example : The port-o-john in the town park needed a good scrubbing.
    The is used with port-o-john and town park because they are both used by the community.

With Plural Count Nouns

• A or an never precedes a plural noun. Here is a helpful hint for remembering this: Historically, a and an used to mean "one"; you don't put "one" in front of a noun that is "more than one."
• The does not precede a plural noun that names a general categor.
  • Example : Parties are a popular activity among college freshme.
    Parties and freshmen name general categories.
• The precedes a plural noun that names specific members of a categor.
  • Example : The freshmen from ODU went to the toga party.
    Freshmen refers to specific freshmen and party refers to a specific party.

With Noncount Nouns

• A or an never precedes a proper noun.
• The precedes a noncount noun that names specific members of a category .
  • Example : Green shiny apples are delicious.
    Apples names a general category of fruit.
  • Example : The green shiny apples from my Grandma Dorothy's tree are delicious.
    Here, apples refers to specific apples.

Possessive Adjectives

Possessive adjectives ( my, your, his, her, its, our, and their ) tell to whom or what a noun belongs . They can be used with singular count nouns, plural count nouns, and noncount nouns . Keep these hints in mind:

Be careful not to confuse possessive adjectives with possessive pronouns : mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, and theirs . Possessive pronouns are used like other pronouns: they take the place of a noun.

Apostrophes are not used with possessive adjectives or possessive pronouns. The possessive meaning conveyed with "'s" is already included. Notice that most of the possessive pronouns end with an "s" while most of the possessive adjectives do not.

Don't confuse the possessive adjective or possessive pronoun " its" with "it's." "It's" means "it is." One way to remember this is to think of the apostrophe in "it's" as an "i."

Demonstrative Adjectives

The demonstrative adjectives ( this, that, these and those ), as their name suggests, show or point out a noun.

This and that are used with singular count nouns and noncount nouns.

These and those are used with plural count nouns.

Other Determiners

There are several other determiners that you can use to tell more about a noun. With singular count nouns you can use determiners like one, any, some, every, each, either, neither, another,the other , etc. With plural count nouns you can use some, any, both, many, enough, more, most, other, the other, such, few, a few, fewer, fewest, several, all, all of the, a lot of, no, etc.. With noncount nouns you can use some, any, much, more, most, enough, other, the other, such, little, a little, less, least, all, all of the, a lot of, a large amount of, no, etc.

Determiners are a consistent stumbling block for most non-native speakers of English. But don't get discouraged! These explanations and tips, along with continued practice, can help you improve.

Source: Old Dominion University's Writing Tutorial Center