Nouns & Verbs

'Twas brillig, and the slithy tovesDid gyre and gimble in the wabe;All mimsy were the borogoves,And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!Beware the Jubjub bird, and shunThe frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:Long time the manxome foe he sought--So rested he by the Tumtum tree,And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,And burbled as it came!

One two! One two! And through and throughThe vorpal blade went snicker-snack!He left it dead, and with its headHe went galumphing back.

"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?Come to my arms, my beamish boy!O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy tovesDid gyre and gimble in the wabe:All mimsy were the borogoves,And the mome raths outgrabe.

The Jabberwocky

A Curious Fact About Grammar It is not always necessary to understand the

words involved. Sometimes a word gains its grammatical

value through its meaning. Sometimes a word gains its grammatical

value through its placement.

Noun Characteristics

Performs a "thing" function in a sentence. Some nouns can be identified by their endings. There are “countable” nouns and “uncountable”

nouns. They can be singular or plural. A singular noun

must be accompanied by a singular verb, and a plural noun by a plural verb. This is called This is called noun/verb agreement.noun/verb agreement.

There are “common nouns," “proper nouns," and “pronouns."

Noun Characteristic #1

Nouns perform a "thing" function in a sentence.

Pick out the nouns.

Put the tablecloth on the table. Put the tablecloth on the table. Both “tablecloth” and “table” are the

“things” that something is happening to.

Find the nouns in the following sentence. Landril, a crazy-eyed, intellectual rebel, sat

quietly in the club’s dining room while The Cowboy Philosopher, a professor from Yale who long ago had traded a career in academia for a life in radical political philosophy, spoke to the diners in that distinguished smoke-filled room about the need for more toilet paper in the men’s room.

14 Nouns – 1 Sentence

1. Landril2. rebel3. (club’s dining) room4. (The Cowboy) Philosopher5. professor6. Yale7. who8. career9. academia10. life11. philosophy12. diners13. toilet paper14. (men's) room.

The nouns in context. Landril, a crazy-eyed, intellectual rebel,

sat quietly in the club’s dining room while The Cowboy Philosopher, a professor from Yale who long ago had traded a career in academia for a life in radical political philosophy, spoke to the diners in that distinguished smoke-filled room about the need for more toilet paper in the men’s room.

Comments

Notice that a noun in the possessive case frequently functions as an adjective modifying another noun, like “club’s dining room” or “men’s room.”

Some grammarians consider them to be possessive nouns, while others regard them as a form of possessive adjective.

Likewise, “The Cowboy Philosopher” can be considered as a noun phrase, or we can consider the “Cowboy” to be an adjective. In this case, we will go with it as a noun phrase.

Note too, that because “The Cowboy Philosopher” is capitalized we also know that it is a name – that is, it’s a “proper” noun. (See “Noun Characteristic #5.)

Noun Characteristic #2 Nouns can sometimes be identified by

certain “markers.”

While smithilating in a flaxinator near the javet, Ralph possilated with a decktion.

Find the nouns in the above sentence. While smithilating in a flaxinator near the javet,

Ralph possilated with a decktion.

While smithilating in a flaxinator near the javet, Ralph possilated with a decktion. What is it about these words that tell us they

are nouns, regardless of whether or not we know what they mean? Articles: a flexinator, the javet – what other? Endings: words ending in “er” or “or” are generally

nouns – flexinator. Immediately preceding a verb: Ralph possilated.

These are just a few general markers.

Noun Endings

er/or - actor, painter ism - criticism ist - artist, capitalist ment- arrangement tion - foundation

Which words are wrong?

'Twas brillig, and the slitherism tovesDid gyrement and gimbleration in the wabe;All mimism were the borogoves,And the mome raths outgrabement.

Which words are wrong?

'Twas brillig, and the slitherism tovesDid gyrement and gimbleration in the wabe;All mimism were the borogoves,And the mome raths outgrabement.

Noun Endings

Despite their lack of meaning, several of these words are now identifiably of the wrong grammatical function for their place in the sentence.

They are identifiable as nouns, yet they appear to be trying to function as adjectives and verbs.

The reason we know they are nouns is because of their Noun Endings.

'Twas brillig, and the slitherism tovesDid gyrement and gimbleration in the wabe;All mimism were the borogoves,And the mome raths outgrabement.

Compare this to the list of noun endings. er/or - actor, painter ism - criticism ist - artist, capitalist ment - Arrangement tion - foundation

Noun Characteristic #3

There are “countable” nouns and “uncountable” nouns.

Countable nouns are nouns which can be counted.

Uncountable nouns are nouns which cannot be counted.

Examples of countable nouns

Car Bus Cat Communist Food group Idea Unicorn

Examples of uncountable nouns

Faith Hope Synergy Software Money Freedom Cynicism

Countable nouns and the adjectives who hate them. Often an uncountable noun is paired with a

descriptive word, or “adjective,” that is just plain wrong.

These are fine: “I have fewer hens than you do.” “I have fewer cars than you do.”

This, however, is just plain wrong: “I have fewer money than you do.” It should be, “I have less money than you do.”

Countability and Role

Often the countability of a noun is determined by its role in the sentence.

When I say, “I baked a cake,” the noun “cake” is countable. I may have baked four cakes.

When I say, “I like cake,” the noun “cake” is no longer countable.

Uncountability and Articles

The indefinite articles, like “a” and “an,” never precede an uncountable noun.

You never say, for instance, “I put a software on the table.”

Sometimes, however, the definite article, like “the,” comes before an uncountable noun when we want to stress it.

Although “patience” isn’t a countable noun, you might say, “He has the patience of a saint.”

Noun Characteristic #4

They can be singular or plural. A singular noun must be accompanied by a singular verb, and a plural noun by a plural verb. This is called noun/verb agreement.

Counting on Agreement:Noun/Verb Agreement

Because some nouns can be counted, there will be occasions in which we find ourselves dealing with plural nouns.

When a noun can be counted, the appropriate verb form must be used.

If the noun is plural, then the plural verb form is required.

If the noun is singular, then the singular verb form is required.

Counting on Agreement:Noun/Verb Agreement

“This car is going to the country.” But “These cars are going to the country.” Even if the individual nouns are singular,

when grouped together, they should be treated as plural.

“Bob is going to the country.” “Indrani is going to the country.” But “Bob and Indrani are going to the country.

Countability Changes with Meaning Vocabulary: general (“his vocabulary has

increased”) specific (“the many vocabularies in the world”)

Honesty: general (“there is much honesty in the city”); specific (“his many honesties touched me.)

Noun Characteristic #5

There are “common nouns," “proper nouns," and “pronouns."

Proper Nouns Names: John, National Aeronautics and Space

Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, The OC, Serenity.

Common Nouns Virtually everything else except…

Pronouns Limited number. He, she, it, they, them. A noun

that refers to another noun.

Summary of Noun Characteristics Perform a "thing" function in a sentence. Some nouns can be identified by their endings. There are “countable” nouns and “uncountable”

nouns. They can be singular or plural. A singular noun

must be accompanied by a singular verb, and a plural noun by a plural verb. This is called noun/verb agreement.

There are “common nouns," “proper nouns," and “pronouns."

Verbs

Summary of Verb Characteristics

Performs a “doing” function in a sentence. Can be singular or plural. Singular verbs must

accompany singular nouns and plural verbs must accompany plural nouns.

This is called “noun/verb” agreement. Verbs have “inflections,” which are changes

made according to tense. Verbs can have “moods.” Some verbs can be recognized by their endings.

Verb Characteristic #1

Performs a “doing” function in a sentence.

Find the verbs

“While smithilating in a flaxinator near the javet, Ralph possilated with a deckelm.”

“While smithilating in a flaxinator near the javet, Ralph possilated with a deckelm.”

Verb Characteristic #2

Can be singular or plural. Singular verbs must accompany singular nouns and plural verbs must accompany plural nouns. This is called “noun/verb” agreement.

Singular and Plural Verbs

While a “plural noun” is a group of that particular noun (“cars” for instance), a “plural verb” is not really a group of that specific verb.

We can have numerous “turkeys,” but we don’t really have numerous “eatings.”

A “plural verb” is a verb form used in connection with “plural nouns.” So the noun determines the verb form.

The car is going. The cars are going. The frost is creeping across the windows. The Frosts are moving to Seattle.

A Strange Exception:The Gerund

However! Many verbs with the “ing” ending are used for nouns. “The skiing in Vermont was terrible.” In this case “skiing,” which is usually a verb (“I went skiing yesterday,” “I am skiing now”), is being used as a noun.

Any time you see an “ing” word with an article in front of it (like “the shining,” or “the howling”) it is a gerund.

If a verb really seems to be acting like a noun, check to see if it is a gerund.

Verb Characteristic #3

Verbs have “inflections” – changes made according to tense, person, or number.

Tense: I went, I am going, I will go

Person: I am going, you are going, he is going

Number: He goes, they go.

Inflections

Some inflections are added to the verb, generally at the end.

For instance: I run; he runs. I swim; I am swimming. I think; I thought

Inflections

Some inflections change the word entirely.

For instance: He is, we are, they were. I go; he went.

Inflections Used for Tense and Number

Present and past tense I sit. I sat.

Singular and plural I am sitting. They are sitting.

Verb Characteristic #4

Verbs can have “moods.”

Moody Verbs

There are three moods: Indicative Imperative Subjunctive

Indicative Mood

Makes a statement or asks a question. “His hat is on the hat-rack.” “I have never

shopped at Macy’s.” “Where is my coat?”

Imperative Mood

Bossy. “Get your work done!” “Please include cash

with your order form.” “Don’t put that there.” In the imperative mood, there is often no

subject. (See lecture on subjects and objects.)

Subjunctive Mood

The one most likely to trip you up is the “subjunctive mood.”

This just means “the hypothetical mood.”

“If I were a rich man,” not “If I was a rich man.”

Verb Characteristic #5

Some verbs can be identified by their endings.

Typical Verb Endings

ate – concentrate, demonstrate, illustrate ify – Clarify, dignify, magnify ise/ize – baptise, conceptualise, realise.

We often create new verbs simply by adding a verb ending to a noun. “Priority” gave birth to “prioritize.” “Real” gave birth to “realize.”

Summary of Verb Characteristics

Performs a “doing” function in a sentence. Can be singular or plural. Singular verbs must

accompany singular nouns and plural verbs must accompany plural nouns.

This is called “noun/verb” agreement. Verbs have “inflections,” which are changes

made according to tense. Verbs can have “moods.” Some verbs can be recognized by their endings.

The End