I need a really simple explaination of Nouns, verbs, adjectives and all that fancy grammar stuff

[DoNotAnnoy]

I DID NOT do it at school. It just was not covered.

I am trying to help DTDs with their homework and I am embarassed that they know more than me.

Also we are disagreeing on a couple. Can you settle this for me?

Sparkling....I think verb, they think adjective (I think sparkly is the adjective?)
Write...I am unsure of this one. I know writing is a verb...but what about write?

Ta

[fryalot]

a noun is a naming word, so anything that you would call something is a noun, so "computer" is a noun, as is "glass"

A verb is a doing word, so if you are "reading" that is a verb likewise if you are "drinking" then that is a verb as well.

An adjective is a describing word, so anything that describes something would be an adjective, so "sparkly" would be an adjective.

If the thing you are describing is sparkling, then that is what it is doing so "sparkling" is a verb.

You are right.

[policywonk]

Sparkling, writing etc are participles - a form of a verb.

Dr Grammar is a useful site, although it doesn't address this particular question!

You could try getting a grammar book - I use The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar.

Don't feel bad - grammar can be quite tricky, and if you weren't taught it at school, it's not the sort of thing you're likely to pick up in day-to-day life. I like to think that I know a bit about grammar, but I'm regularly shamed by some posters on here who really know their grammatical onions (Senorapostrophe is one - where is she these days?)

[Soapbox]

A noun is a thing e.g. a boy

A very is an action - doing something e.g. running

An adjective is word that describes a noun a handsome boy

I agree with you that sparking is a verb, as in 'the star is sparkling', and sparkly is the adjective - it was a sparkly star.

To write is the verb, and I can't think of a context in which it wouldn't be a verb. Can you give the context in which it is given?

[DoNotAnnoy]

So what is "write"?

Is that a verb too?

And are verbs, adjectives and nouns all I have to worry about? Are there any other fancy things I have to know (paricularly for KS2)

[pinkmunkee]

Hi!

Noun: Name of something
Verb: Something that can be done/ is being done/ was done
Adjective: Describes something

Sparkling is indeed a verb, and sparkly the adjective. But it is easily confused because in common language we say 'sparkling diamond etc' as if we're describing it. In fact, we're describing what it's doing in that sentence- a bit like 'the running man' etc.

Write is still a verb- I can write is the same sentence in essence as I can run (both verbs).

Sounds like you know more than your DTDs after all!

HTH

PS I'm a teacher so I know this stuff- tell them that if they argue

[roisin]

Yes, write is a verb. So are:
to write
have written
writes
will write
were to write
may write
wrote
etc.

[policywonk]

'Write' is a verb, yes.

[pinkmunkee]

Sorry, cross posting! adverbs may also be helpful- they are adjectives that describe verbs. eg running quickly

[DoNotAnnoy]

They just have to pick a book and look at the words in teh book and say which type they are. So essentially they are writing 3 lists.

TBH write wasn't actually in the book but when she looked at the author's name she correctly identified "writing" as a verb, but has then written "write" on her homework, and even then she has writen it in the adjective column. I am just not 100% sure where it goes.

[DoNotAnnoy]

quickly is not an adjective then?

TY BTH I have xposted with lots of you who have clarified the position wrt 'write'.

[Soapbox]

quickly is an adverb - it describes a very, or an action.

So he walks (verb) quickly (adverb)

[policywonk]

'quickly' is an adverb - describes the way in which the verb is being done('he was running quickly')

An easy way to find out is to look in a good dictionary - they will usually tell you which part of speech a word is.

[Soapbox]

oops - it describes a verb not a very

[DoNotAnnoy]

TY guys....I am sure I will be back with next weeks homework .

maybe I shoudl tell DTDs to ask you lot for help instead of me .

Seriously - 2yrs ago I thought there was 1 reason to use an apostrophe. Now (I think) I can use them properly...sometimes I forget for ownership - but old habits die hard I guess.

oh and I have just had a look at Dr grammar and now I am scared about things like Gerunds. WTF

[policywonk]

Oh, ignore gerunds. I doubt that comes up in KS2.

[DoNotAnnoy]

[combustiblelemon]

This site is good for more basic stuff.

[DoNotAnnoy]

Oh and I know I can find these things in a dictionary...but a dictionary just says "noun". You lot explain to me why. And If I still don't understand I can interact with you and ask you to explain

I gues what I am trying to say is that you lot are much nicer than a dictionary and much more functional