Nouns and Pronouns

1. Nouns and Pronouns Ze RULES, ja? Ja!

2. Definition – part of speech • A NOUN names a person, place, thing or idea.

3. Definition • Idea – a concept; an idea is a thing, but it’s a thing you can’t touch: it’s abstract.

4. Definition • Abstract- An intangible idea: you cannot touch it.

5. Definition • Concrete- a tangible thing: you can touch it.

6. Function - definition • A noun can serve ONLY ONE FUNCTION in a sentence at a time • A function is a job or task

7. Subject Predicate nominative (predicate noun) Direct object Indirect object Object of a preposition Possessive In a sentence, a noun can serve one of 6 functions or jobs:

8. Definition - function • Subject - what the sentence is about; usually found at the beginning of the sentence before the verb

9. Definition - function • Predicate nominative(also predicate noun) – noun that renames or refers back to the subject • In the predicate, it must follow a linking verb

10. Definition - function • Direct object – receives the direct action of the verb by the subject. • The subject does something to it (the direct object). • Is acted upon by the subject

11. Placement • Direct object – in the predicate, it must follow an action verb and tell what or whomthe subject is acting upon

12. Definition - function • Indirect object – receives the action of the subject indirectly • answers the questions: • to what? or to whom? • for what? or for whom?

13. Placement • Indirect object - in the predicate between the action verb and the direct object • Will never have an indirect object without a direct object

14. Definition – function • Object of preposition – noun/pronoun that completes a prepositional phrase • Prepositional phrase never contains a verb • Prepositions should always be accompanied by their complete phrases • Never end a sentence with a lone preposition • Mark them off on worksheets and exercises with parentheses ( )

15. Placement • Prepositional phrases may appear in either the subject or the predicate of a sentence • Prepositional phrase begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun

16. Definition - function • Possessives show ownership • The ‘red flag’ is the ’s or the s’ at the end of the noun

17. Placement • Possessives may appear anywhere in the sentence, either subject or predicate • Possessives may be part of other phrases or clauses

18. REMINDER: • A noun can serve ONLY ONE FUNCTION in a sentence at a time • Look for the ‘red flags’: placement, apostrophes, prepositions, types of verbs

19. Cases • Functions of nouns are classified into 3 cases: • Nominative: for naming, like a subject • Objective: directed or acted upon by some other part of the sentence • Possessive: for showing ownership

20. Cases – put your toys away • Think of cases like boxes or actual suitcases that contain sorted items. Each case can hold only what it’s meant to hold, nothing more, nothing less. Each function can fit into one and only one case.

21. Cases • It’s easy to tell which functions go with or fit into each case: The functionnames echo the casenames for all but one function!

22. Nominative case • Subject • Predicate nominative (predicate noun)

23. Objective case • Direct object • Indirect object • Object of preposition

24. Possessive case • Possessives