Parts of Speech

 Nouns

 Common Nouns
 Proper Nouns
 Singular Nouns
 Plural Nouns
 Possessive Nouns
 Abstract Nouns
 Collective Nouns
 Compound Nouns
 Pronouns
 Relative Pronouns
 Reflexive Pronouns
 Demonstrative Pronouns
 Possessive Pronouns
 Indefinite Pronouns
 Personal Pronouns
 Subject Pronouns
 Object Pronouns
 Interrogative Pronouns
 Reciprocal Pronouns
 Intensive Pronouns
 Verbs
 Verb Forms
 Main Verbs
 Helping Verbs
 Auxiliary Verbs
 Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
 Regular Verbs
 Irregular Verbs
 Modal Verbs
 Phrasal Verbs
 Finite Verbs
 Non Finite Verbs
 Linking Verbs
 Stative Verbs
 Action Verbs
 Adverbs
 Conjunctive Adverbs
 Adverb Clauses
 Adjectives
 Possessive Adjectives
 Interrogative Adjectives
 Compound Adjectives
 Demonstrative Adjectives
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  Adjectives List
 Conjunctions
 Subordinating Conjunctions
 Coordinating Conjunctions
 Correlative Conjunctions
 Prepositions
 Prepositional Phrases
 Interjections
Sentence Structure
Types of Sentences
Tenses
 Simple Present Tense
 Present Continuous Tense
 Present Perfect Tense
 Present Perfect Continuous Tense
 Simple Past Tense
 Past Continuous Tense
 Past Perfect Tense
 Past Perfect Continuous Tense
 Simple Future Tense
 Future Continuous Tense
 Future Perfect Tense
 Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Active Voice and Passive Voice
PART OF SPEECH

In the English language, every word is called a part of speech. The role a word plays in a sentence denotes
what part of speech it belongs to. Explore the definition of parts of speech, the different parts of speech and
examples in this article.

Table of Contents

 What Is a Part of Speech?

 Parts of Speech Definition

Different Parts of Speech with Examples
Sentences Examples for the 8 Parts of Speech
A Small Exercise to Check Your Understanding of Parts of Speech
Frequently Asked Questions on Parts of Speech

What Is a Part of Speech?

Parts of speech are among the first grammar topics we learn when we are in school or when we start our
English language learning process. Parts of speech can be defined as words that perform different roles in a
sentence. Some parts of speech can perform the functions of other parts of speech too.

Parts of Speech Definition

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  The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines parts of speech as “one of the classes into which words are
divided according to their grammar, such as noun, verb, adjective, etc.”
 The Cambridge Dictionary also gives a similar definition – “One of the grammatical groups into which
words are divided, such as noun, verb, and adjective”.

Different Parts of Speech with Examples

Parts of speech include nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions and
interjections.

8 Parts of Speech Definitions and Examples:

1. Nouns are words that are used to name people, places, animals, ideas and things. Nouns can be
classified into two main categories: Common nouns and Proper nouns. Common nouns are generic like ball,
car, stick, etc., and proper nouns are more specific like Charles, The White House, The Sun, etc.

Examples of nouns used in sentences:


o

 She bought a pair of shoes. (thing)

 I have a pet. (animal)
 Is this your book? (object)
 Many people have a fear of darkness. (ideas/abstract nouns)
 He is my brother. (person)
 This is my school. (place)
Also, explore Singular Nouns and Plural Nouns.

2. Pronouns are words that are used to substitute a noun in a sentence. There are different types of
pronouns. Some of them are reflexive pronouns, possessive pronouns, relative pronouns and indefinite
pronouns. I, he, she, it, them, his, yours, anyone, nobody, who, etc., are some of the pronouns.

Examples of pronouns used in sentences:

1.
1.

 I reached home at six in the evening. (1st person singular pronoun)

 Did someone see a red bag on the counter? (Indefinite pronoun)
 Is this the boy who won the first prize? (Relative pronoun)
 That is my mom. (Possessive pronoun)
 I hurt myself yesterday when we were playing cricket. (Reflexive pronoun)
3. Verbs are words that denote an action that is being performed by the noun or the subject in a sentence.
They are also called action words. Some examples of verbs are read, sit, run, pick, garnish, come, pitch, etc.

Examples of verbs used in sentences:

 She plays cricket every day.

 Darshana and Arul are going to the movies.

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  My friends visited me last week.
 Did you have your breakfast?
 My name is Meenakshi Kishore.
4. Adverbs are words that are used to provide more information about verbs, adjectives and other adverbs
used in a sentence. There are five main types of adverbs namely, adverbs of manner, adverbs of
degree, adverbs of frequency, adverbs of time and adverbs of place. Some examples of adverbs are today,
quickly, randomly, early, 10 a.m. etc.

Examples of adverbs used in sentences:

 Did you come here to buy an umbrella? (Adverb of place)

 I did not go to school yesterday as I was sick. (Adverb of time)
 Savio reads the newspaper everyday. (Adverb of frequency)
 Can you please come quickly? (Adverb of manner)
 Tony was so sleepy that he could hardly keep his eyes open during the meeting.
(Adverb of degree)
5. Adjectives are words that are used to describe or provide more information about the noun or the subject
in a sentence. Some examples of adjectives include good, ugly, quick, beautiful, late, etc.

Examples of adjectives used in sentences:

 The place we visited yesterday was serene.

 Did you see how big that dog was?
 The weather is pleasant today.
 The red dress you wore on your birthday was lovely.
 My brother had only one chapati for breakfast.
6. Prepositions are words that are used to link one part of the sentence to another. Prepositions show the
position of the object or subject in a sentence. Some examples of prepositions are in, out, besides, in front
of, below, opposite, etc.

Examples of prepositions used in sentences:

 The teacher asked the students to draw lines on the paper so that they could
write in straight lines.
 The child hid his birthday presents under his bed.
 Mom asked me to go to the store near my school.
 The thieves jumped over the wall and escaped before we could reach home.
7. Conjunctions are a part of speech that is used to connect two different parts of a sentence, phrases and
clauses. Some examples of conjunctions are and, or, for, yet, although, because, not only, etc.

Examples of conjunctions used in sentences:

 Meera and Jasmine had come to my birthday party.

 Jane did not go to work as she was sick.
 Unless you work hard, you cannot score good marks.
 I have not finished my project, yet I went out with my friends.
8. Interjections are words that are used to convey strong emotions or feelings. Some examples of
interjections are oh, wow, alas, yippee, etc. It is always followed by an exclamation mark.
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Examples of interjections used in sentences:

 Wow! What a wonderful work of art.

 Alas! That is really sad.
 Yippee! We won the match.

Sentence Examples for the 8 Parts of Speech

1. Noun – Tom lives in New York.

2. Pronoun – Did she find the book she was looking for?
3. Verb – I reached home.
4. Adverb – The tea is too hot.
5. Adjective – The movie was amazing.
6. Preposition – The candle was kept under the table.
7. Conjunction – I was at home all day, but I am feeling very tired.
8. Interjection – Oh! I forgot to turn off the stove.

A Small Exercise to Check Your Understanding of Parts of Speech

Let us find out if you have understood the different parts of speech and their functions. Try identifying which
part of speech the highlighted words belong to.

1. My brother came home late.

2. I am a good girl.
3. This is the book I was looking for.
4. Whoa! This is amazing.
5. The climate in Kodaikanal is very pleasant.
6. Can you please pick up Dan and me on your way home?
Now, let us see if you got it right. Check your answers.

1. My – Pronoun, Home – Noun, Late – Adverb

2. Am – Verb, Good – Adjective
3. I – Pronoun, Was looking – Verb
4. Whoa – Interjection, Amazing – Adjective
5. Climate – Noun, In – Preposition, Kodaikanal – Noun, Very – Adverb
6. And – Conjunction, On – Preposition, Your – Pronoun

Frequently Asked Questions on Parts of Speech

Q1

What are parts of speech?

The term ‘parts of speech’ refers to words that perform different functions in a sentence in order to give the
sentence a proper meaning and structure.
Q2
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How many parts of speech are there?

There are 8 parts of speech in total.

Q3

What are the 8 parts of speech?

Nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions and interjections are the 8 parts of
speech.

NOUN

 What Is a Noun?
 Examples of Nouns
 Types of Nouns
 Nouns Used as Different Components of a Sentence

 Nouns Used as a Subject

 Nouns Used as an Object
 Nouns Used as a Complement
Multifunctional Nouns
 Nouns Used as Verbs
 Nouns Used as Adjectives
Frequently Asked Questions on Nouns

What Is a Noun?
Nouns are a part of speech that comprise words that are used to name people, places, animals, objects and
ideas. Almost every sentence will definitely have a noun, and they perform different roles in a sentence.
Nouns can act as the subject, an indirect object, a direct object, a subject complement and an object
complement. Nouns can also function as adjectives and verbs.

Examples of Nouns:

 People – Rahul, Sheela, Man, Person, Tommy, Women, Girl, The Prime Minister
 Places – Bangalore, India, Mexico, North Pole, South Africa, The Nile River, Classroom, Bedroom,
Basketball Court, Cricket Ground, Swimming Pool
 Animals/Birds/Aquatic Animals/Reptiles – Lion, Zebra, Snake, Ostrich, Flamingo, Bear, Cat, Fish,
Shark
 Ideas – Evolution, Invention, Extinction, Argument, Destruction
 Objects/Things – Bat, Cycle, Curtains, Paper, Bag, Blackboard, Cupboard

Types of Nouns
Nouns can be broadly classified into:

1. Proper Nouns: Nouns that are used to name a person, place or thing specifically are called a proper
noun. Proper nouns always begin with a capital letter.

Examples:

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  My name is Rose. (Name of a particular person)
 This is my dog, Bruno. (Name of a specific pet animal owned by someone)
 David came back from Minsk. (Name of a specific place)
 Louis Philippe is a famous brand of men’s clothing. (Name of a particular clothing
brand)
2. Common nouns: Common nouns are those nouns that refer to a generic item, group or place. This
means that, unlike proper nouns, they are not used to identify specific people, places or objects. Common
nouns are not capitalised unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence.

Examples:

I bought a pen yesterday. (Common object)

 I am going to school. (Common place)
 Only ten employees showed up to work today. (Common group)
 The car is out of fuel. (Common items)
3. Singular nouns: These are words that are used to name a single person, place, animal, bird or object.

Examples:

 There is a little boy in front of our house. (Single person)

 That is my daughter. (Single person)
 I found a wounded sparrow in the bush. (Single bird)
 A red van has been following us for a long time. (Single object)
4. Plural nouns: Plural nouns refer to a number of people, places, animals or things. Nouns are made plural
by adding an ‘s’ or ‘es’ or ‘ies’ or ‘ves’ to the existing root word. Nouns that end with an ‘s’ remain the same.
Some nouns remain the same in both their singular and plural forms, and some others have totally different
spelling.

Examples:


I need some apples.
 Did you find the boxes you were looking for?
 I bought mangoes from the market.
 We took photos of some deer on our way.
5. Countable nouns are those nouns that can be counted or measured.

Examples:

 Tom brought ten packets of lays for the trip. (specific number – ten)
 Mom asked me to buy a dozen eggs. (specific – dozen means twelve)
 I saw an aeroplane around seven in the morning. (specific – an means one)
6. Uncountable nouns are those nouns that cannot be counted. This category of nouns includes both
concrete and abstract nouns.

Examples:

 I have a lot of homework to do. (Not specific)

 I have a cup of tea. (Cannot count)
 We are facing terrible weather today. (Cannot count)
7. Collective Nouns: A collective noun is a naming word that is used to denote a group of objects, animals
or people.

Examples:
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  Collective nouns for groups of animals


A pride of lions
 A flock of sheep
 A swarm of bees
 A herd of elephants
 Collective nouns for groups of people
 A band of musicians
 A board of directors
 A crew of sailors
 A company of actors
 Collective nouns for a number of things/objects
 A pair of shoes
 A chain of mountains
 A fleet of ships
 A bunch of grapes
8. Concrete Nouns: A concrete noun refers to objects that are material and can be perceived by the human
senses.

Examples:

 The book is on the table.

 I had a cup of coffee.
 Sharon opened the windows.
 Hardy goes to school by bus.
9. Abstract Nouns: Any entity that cannot be perceived by the five senses of the human body are called an
abstract noun.

Examples:

 Love is a strong emotion.

 Honesty is the best policy.
 It takes a lot of courage to raise your voice and stand up against injustice.
 You should not misuse the freedom you are given.
Also Explore: Compound Nouns | Possessive Nouns | Noun Phrases | Noun Exercises

Nouns Used as Different Components of a Sentence

Nouns Used as a Subject

When used as a subject, a noun mostly appears at the beginning of a sentence. It can be identified by asking
the question ‘who’.

Examples:

 Bruno went to the playground.

 The teacher asked the students to submit their assignments.
 The elephant was rescued safely after ten long hours.

Nouns Used as an Object

When nouns are used as objects, they appear in the latter part of a sentence. It can be identified by asking
the question ‘what’.
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Examples:

 I bought a pen.
 Where is your book?
 I cannot find today’s newspaper.
Nouns can be used as a direct object and an indirect object.

Nouns Used as a Direct Object

You can identify a noun used as a direct object by asking the question ‘what’.

Examples:

 Do you want a lollipop? (What do you want? – a lollipop)

 I loved my dress. (What did you love? – my dress)
Nouns Used as an Indirect Object
You can ask the question ‘for whom’ to identify a noun used as an indirect object.

Examples:

 Dan bought his sister a Mini Cooper. (For whom did Dan buy a Mini Cooper? – his sister)
 Megha baked Julie a cake. (For whom did Megha bake a cake? – Julie)

Nouns Used as a Complement

When a noun is used to modify or describe another noun, it acts as a complement.

Nouns Used as a Subject Complement

Professions and positions can perform the role of a subject complement.

Examples:

 My brother is an engineer.
 Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of India.
Nouns Used as an Object Complement
Object complements are nouns that follow the noun they modify. Names, professions and positions can
perform the role of an object complement.

Examples:

 We named our dog, Shadow.

 The teacher made Tabitha, the class leader.

Multifunctional Nouns

Nouns Used as Verbs

There are some nouns which can also be used as a verb. Some nouns can be used as verbs with a slight
change in the spelling of the original word.

Examples:

 His divorce is final. (Used as a noun)

I am divorced. (Used as a verb)

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  Do you like my new dress? (Used as a noun)
I am dressed and ready to go. (Used as a verb)

 Derrick had come to collect some ice. (Used as a noun)

My mother iced the fish so that it did not stink. (Used as a verb)

 I have dance practice today. (Used as a noun)

Did you practise the song? (Used as an adjective)

Nouns Used as Adjectives

With a slight change in the spelling or adding a suffix to the root word, nouns can sometimes be used
as adjectives.

Examples:

 I have no money. (Used as a noun)

There has been a change in the monetary policy of the country. (Used as an adjective)

 Javed sensed some danger. (Used as a noun)

What you are trying to do is dangerous. (Used as an adjective)

 She is excited about magic. (Used as a noun)

The experience was completely magical. (Used as an adjective)

 Speaking against another religion is a legal offence. (Used as a noun)

What you did was offensive. (Used as an adjective)

Frequently Asked Questions on Nouns

Q1What is a noun?
A noun is a part of speech that is used to name or identify a person, place, thing or idea. There are different
types of nouns like common nouns, proper nouns, abstract nouns, collective nouns, concrete nouns and so
on.
Q2What are the different functions of nouns?
Nouns can also function as verbs and adjectives with a slight change of spelling or by adding a suffix. For
example, divorce can be used as a noun and a verb; money is a noun, while monetary is the adjective form
of the verb. Nouns can also function as different components of the sentence as well.

PROPER NOUN

Nouns are of two main types: Proper nouns and common nouns. While common nouns are generic in nature,
proper nouns refer to naming words that are used to denote or classify a specific person, place or thing. See
that you always use a capital letter to start a proper noun.

To learn more about proper nouns and their usage in sentences in detail, read through the following topics.

Table of Contents
 What Is a Proper Noun?
 Definition of a Proper Noun
Examples of Proper Nouns
How to Differentiate Proper Nouns from Common Nouns?
 Common Noun vs Proper Noun
Capitalisation Rules for the Usage of Proper Nouns in Sentences
Test Your Knowledge on Proper Nouns
Frequently Asked Questions on Proper Nouns
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What Is a Proper Noun?
A proper noun is a noun that is used to name a particular person, place, days, months, languages,
nationalities, events of historical importance, significant eras and periods, and specific brands.

Definition of a Proper Noun

The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines proper nouns as ‘a word that is the name of a person, a place, an
institution, etc’. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a proper noun is ‘a word or group of words
(such as “Noah Webster,” “Kentucky,” or “U.S. Congress”) that is the name of a particular person, place, or
thing and that usually begins with a capital letter’. It is also called a ‘proper name’ as it is used to name
particular people, places and things.

Examples of Proper Nouns

Some examples of proper nouns are:

Places: Costa Rica

Lakshadweep Islands

Nehru Vidyalaya Matriculation Higher Secondary School

People: Ravi Shankar

Seetha Suresh

Dr. Padmanaban

Things: The Sun

The Solar System

The Earth

How to Differentiate Proper Nouns from Common Nouns?

You may be wondering about a way to differentiate between proper nouns and common nouns. It is quite
simple and easy. The only thing that you have to keep in mind is that common nouns are very generic in
nature and that there are multiple products of the same type. For example, a pen, a book, a bike, a key, etc.
Whereas proper nouns refer to anything that you can find to be specific, and there is no way you could have
another one of the same types. For example, there is only one William Shakespeare, only one Abraham
Lincoln, only one New York, only one Chennai, etc.

Common Noun vs Proper Noun

Common Nouns Proper Nouns

 Home  The White House

 Planet  The Jupiter
 Door  Queen Elizabeth
 Bear  The Global Public School
 State  Denmark
 Table  The Taj Hotel
 School  The Sun
 Curtain  The India Gate

Capitalisation Rules for the Use of Proper Nouns in Sentences

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When you are speaking, what matters is your tone of speech, your voice modulation, the pauses and the
way you pronounce words. The rule of capitalisation for proper nouns matters only in written communication.
Sometimes, people use capital letters just to emphasise on whatever they are talking about. The modern day
messaging system has not made it any easier. There is this habit of capitalising the whole word or sentence
and using too many exclamation marks or question marks to denote stress and importance when people,
especially youngsters, send messages to each other.

For instance,

I want you to come home RIGHT NOW!!!

WHERE ARE YOU????

This kind of practice has affected the way people write, even for academic and professional purposes. There
are some capitalisation rules that you should adhere to when writing for academic and professional
purposes, especially. The following rules are important to improve the readability of your writing.

 Capitalise directions such east, west, north and south only if it is being used as a part of the name of
a place.
For example: The Western Ghat section is extremely serene.

You will find what you are looking for if you go north.

 Capitalise relationships only if it is used as a name to specify that particular person.

For example: Did you know that Dad won the lottery?

Is your brother accompanying us for the trip?

 Days and months should be capitalised always.

For example: Are you coming home on Wednesday?

Schools will reopen in the month of June for sure.

 Seasons, on the other hand, need not be capitalised. Like relationships, seasons can be capitalised
only when it is used as part of a proper name.
For example: I would love to visit Canada in the spring season.

‘The Autumn Leaf’ is a short collection of poems by different authors.

 Professions and job titles follow the same rule. You can use capital letters to start a profession or
job title only when it is used in the act of naming or addressing someone.
For example: Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated the Republic Day events by hoisting the flag.

I thank our principal, Mr. Santhosh Subramanian, for the continuous encouragement and support he has
been giving us.

 Nationalities and countries should always be capitalised as they are proper nouns and are always
used to name a specific place, race or category of people.
For example: My brother will be going on a business trip to Singapore and Malaysia next

month.

The British ruled over India for almost two centuries.

 You should always capitalise brand names as they refer to specific brands.
For example: He asked his mom to buy him Puma sneakers.

Did you see my sneakers? (common noun)

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  Languages should always be capitalised as they are proper nouns. There might be many dialects in
a language, but the basic language remains the same. For instance, The English language has
multiple dialects like British English, American English, Indian English, Canadian English, Australian
English and so on.
For example: I know four languages: English, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam.

Do they speak only Arabic in Dubai?

 Events of historical importance, eras and periods are to be capitalised, but centuries are not to be
capitalised.
For example: British India was also an age of development in the field of science and education.

The Great Indian Revolt of 1857 was the most successful and significant movement of the freedom struggle.

The Elizabethan Era was the greatest period for all types of art, music, architecture and literature.

Do you belong to the twentieth century?

Test Your Knowledge on Proper Nouns

Capitalise the proper nouns in the following sentences:

1. Did you meet sanju yesterday?

2. The manager took us all to kfc for lunch today.
3. Have you read about the mughal empire?
4. I wish I had a holiday on monday.
5. Darshana picked up the regional language, kannada, sooner than we all thought she would.
6. When did susan reach home last night?
7. It is too sultry in the month of may.
8. I told mom about your test results.
9. I think the new girl is from south america.
10. My dad bought me a gucci bag for my birthday.
Now, let us see if you got it all right.

1. Did you meet Sanju yesterday?

2. The manager took us all to KFC for lunch today.
3. Have you read about the Mughal Empire?
4. I wish I had a holiday on Monday.
5. Darshana picked up the regional language, Kannada, sooner than we all thought she would.
6. When did Susan reach home last night?
7. It is too sultry in the month of May.
8. I told Mom about your test results.
9. I think the new girl is from South America.
10. My dad bought me a Gucci bag for my birthday.

Frequently Asked Questions on Proper, Nouns

Q1What is the definition of a proper noun?
The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines proper nouns as ‘a word that is the name of a person, a place, an
institution, etc’. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a proper noun is ‘a word or group of words
(such as “Noah Webster,” “Kentucky,” or “U.S. Congress”) that is the name of a particular person, place, or
thing and that usually begins with a capital letter’. It is also called a ‘proper name’ as it is used to name
particular people, places and things.

Q2Give some examples of proper nouns.

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Mr. Dean, Sarah, North America, Australia, New Orleans, World War I, September, Friday, Oppo, Samsung,
Baduga, Dutch, Portuguese, Urdu, etc. are some examples of proper nouns.

Q3Should we capitalise all nouns?

Not all nouns should be capitalised. Proper nouns like names of particular people, places, days, months,
languages, nationalities, events of historical importance, significant eras and periods, and brand names are
to be capitalised irrespective of where they are used in a sentence.

Common Noun

Often heard about proper nouns and common nouns? Want to learn more about it? This article on common
nouns will help you in understanding the definition of a common noun, the difference between proper nouns
and common nouns and the usage of common nouns in sentences. Check out the following topics for a good
understanding of common nouns.

Table of Contents

 What Is a Common Noun?

 Common Noun Definition
Examples of Common Nouns
 Common Nouns Referring to Human Beings
 Common Nouns Referring to Animals
 Common Nouns Referring to Birds
 Common Nouns Referring to Insects
 Common Nouns Referring to Reptiles
 Common Nouns Referring to Places
 Common Nouns Referring to Things/Objects
 Common Nouns Referring to Ideas
Examples of Common Nouns Used in Sentences
Frequently Asked Questions on Common Nouns

What Is a Common Noun?

Nouns are classified into two main categories – common nouns and proper nouns. While proper nouns are
naming words that refer to specific people, places, brands, months, days, important historical events, eras
and periods, nationalities, countries and languages; common nouns refer to common terms that are used to
name common people, places, animals, birds, insects, reptiles, ideas, objects and so on.

Common Noun Definition

The definition of a common noun, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is ‘a noun that may occur
with limiting modifiers (such as a or an, some, every, and my) and that designates any one of a class of
beings or things’. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a common noun is defined as ‘a noun that is the
name of a group of similar things, such as “table” or “book”, and not of a single person, place, or thing’.

Examples of Common Nouns

Common Nouns Referring to Human Beings

 Lad

14
  Girl
 Boy
 Individual
 Child
 Chap
 Woman
 Female
 Man
 Male
 Citizen
 Lass
Common Nouns Referring to Animals
 Elephant
 Dog
 Pet
 Goat
 Horse
 Pig
 Donkey
 Chimpanzee
 Animal
 Cow
 Calf
 Pup
 Kitten
Common Nouns Referring to Birds
 Dove
 Crow
 Pelican
 Flamingo
 Bird
 Duck
 Goose
 Swan
 Cuckoo
 Sparrow
 Hummingbird
 Eagle
 Vulture
Common Nouns Referring to Insects
 Housefly
 Mosquito
 Grasshopper
 Honeybee

15
  Stick insect
 Insect
 Wasp
 Ant
 Beetle
 Butterfly
Common Nouns Referring to Reptiles
 Snake
 Crocodile
 Alligator
 Monitor lizard
 Chameleon
Common Nouns Referring to Places
 College
 Airport
 School
 Railway station
 Court
 Terminus
 Street
 State
 District
 Junction
 Bus stand
 Clinic
 Store
 Playground
Common Nouns Referring to Things/Objects
 Stationery
 Water bottle
 Car
 Spray
 Plant
 Necklace
 Tie
 Shoes
 Orange
 Cucumber
 Thread
 Pant
Common Nouns Referring to Ideas
 Truth
 Grace
 Discovery
16
  Cleanliness
 Poverty
 Movement
 Idea
 Though
 Feeling
 Expression

Examples of Common Nouns Used in Sentences

Here are some examples of common nouns used in sentences.

 I did not go to school yesterday as I was sick.

 Where can I find a restaurant?
 The computer is not working properly.
 Your hair looks really good.
 The girls took a trip to Goa.
 Do you want to go watch a movie?
 Marian likes her new cycle.
 The man was arrested for stealing his neighbour’s car tyres.
 Mom asked me to open the door.
 My roommate just moved out.

Frequently Asked Questions on Common Nouns

Q1
What is a common noun?

Common nouns refer to common terms that are used to name common people, places, animals, birds,
insects, reptiles, ideas, objects and so on.
Q2
Give 10 examples of common nouns.

Fork, dish, goat, dove, man, child, boat, ship, ambulance, water bottle are 10 examples of common nouns.

PROPER NOUN
Nouns are of two main types: Proper nouns and common nouns. While common nouns are generic in nature,
proper nouns refer to naming words that are used to denote or classify a specific person, place or thing. See
that you always use a capital letter to start a proper noun.

What Is a Proper Noun?

A proper noun is a noun that is used to name a particular person, place, days, months, languages,
nationalities, events of historical importance, significant eras and periods, and specific brands.
Definition of a Proper Noun
The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines proper nouns as ‘a word that is the name of a person, a place, an
institution, etc’. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a proper noun is ‘a word or group of words
(such as “Noah Webster,” “Kentucky,” or “U.S. Congress”) that is the name of a particular person, place, or
thing and that usually begins with a capital letter’. It is also called a ‘proper name’ as it is used to name
particular people, places and things.

17
Examples of Proper Nouns
Some examples of proper nouns are:
Places: Costa Rica
Lakshadweep Islands
Nehru Vidyalaya Matriculation Higher Secondary School
People: Ravi Shankar
Seetha Suresh
Dr. Padmanaban
Things: The Sun
The Solar System
The Earth

How to Differentiate Proper Nouns from Common Nouns?

You may be wondering about a way to differentiate between proper nouns and common nouns. It is quite
simple and easy. The only thing that you have to keep in mind is that common nouns are very generic in
nature and that there are multiple products of the same type. For example, a pen, a book, a bike, a key, etc.
Whereas proper nouns refer to anything that you can find to be specific, and there is no way you could have
another one of the same types. For example, there is only one William Shakespeare, only one Abraham
Lincoln, only one New York, only one Chennai, etc.
Common Noun vs Proper Noun
Common Nouns Proper Nouns
 Home  The White House
 Planet  The Jupiter
 Door  Queen Elizabeth
 Bear  The Global Public School
 State  Denmark
 Table  The Taj Hotel
 School  The Sun
 Curtain  The India Gate

Capitalisation Rules for the Use of Proper Nouns in Sentences

When you are speaking, what matters is your tone of speech, your voice modulation, the pauses and the
way you pronounce words. The rule of capitalisation for proper nouns matters only in written communication.
Sometimes, people use capital letters just to emphasise on whatever they are talking about. The modern day
messaging system has not made it any easier. There is this habit of capitalising the whole word or sentence
and using too many exclamation marks or question marks to denote stress and importance when people,
especially youngsters, send messages to each other.
For instance,
I want you to come home RIGHT NOW!!!
WHERE ARE YOU????
This kind of practice has affected the way people write, even for academic and professional purposes. There
are some capitalisation rules that you should adhere to when writing for academic and professional
purposes, especially. The following rules are important to improve the readability of your writing.
 Capitalise directions such east, west, north and south only if it is being used as a part of the name of
a place.
For example: The Western Ghat section is extremely serene.

18
You will find what you are looking for if you go north.
 Capitalise relationships only if it is used as a name to specify that particular person.
For example: Did you know that Dad won the lottery?
Is your brother accompanying us for the trip?
 Days and months should be capitalised always.
For example: Are you coming home on Wednesday?
Schools will reopen in the month of June for sure.
 Seasons, on the other hand, need not be capitalised. Like relationships, seasons can be capitalised
only when it is used as part of a proper name.
For example: I would love to visit Canada in the spring season.
‘The Autumn Leaf’ is a short collection of poems by different authors.
 Professions and job titles follow the same rule. You can use capital letters to start a profession or
job title only when it is used in the act of naming or addressing someone.
For example: Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated the Republic Day events by hoisting the flag.
I thank our principal, Mr. Santhosh Subramanian, for the continuous encouragement and support he has
been giving us.
 Nationalities and countries should always be capitalised as they are proper nouns and are always
used to name a specific place, race or category of people.
For example: My brother will be going on a business trip to Singapore and Malaysia next
month.
The British ruled over India for almost two centuries.
 You should always capitalise brand names as they refer to specific brands.
For example: He asked his mom to buy him Puma sneakers.
Did you see my sneakers? (common noun)
 Languages should always be capitalised as they are proper nouns. There might be many dialects in
a language, but the basic language remains the same. For instance, The English language has
multiple dialects like British English, American English, Indian English, Canadian English, Australian
English and so on.
For example: I know four languages: English, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam.
Do they speak only Arabic in Dubai?
 Events of historical importance, eras and periods are to be capitalised, but centuries are not to be
capitalised.
For example: British India was also an age of development in the field of science and education.
The Great Indian Revolt of 1857 was the most successful and significant movement of the freedom struggle.
The Elizabethan Era was the greatest period for all types of art, music, architecture and literature.
Do you belong to the twentieth century?

Test Your Knowledge on Proper Nouns

Capitalise the proper nouns in the following sentences:
1. Did you meet sanju yesterday?
2. The manager took us all to kfc for lunch today.
3. Have you read about the mughal empire?
4. I wish I had a holiday on monday.
5. Darshana picked up the regional language, kannada, sooner than we all thought she would.
6. When did susan reach home last night?
7. It is too sultry in the month of may.
8. I told mom about your test results.
9. I think the new girl is from south america.
10. My dad bought me a gucci bag for my birthday.
19
Now, let us see if you got it all right.
1. Did you meet Sanju yesterday?
2. The manager took us all to KFC for lunch today.
3. Have you read about the Mughal Empire?
4. I wish I had a holiday on Monday.
5. Darshana picked up the regional language, Kannada, sooner than we all thought she would.
6. When did Susan reach home last night?
7. It is too sultry in the month of May.
8. I told Mom about your test results.
9. I think the new girl is from South America.
10. My dad bought me a Gucci bag for my birthday.

Frequently Asked Questions on Proper, Nouns

Q1
What is the definition of a proper noun?
The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines proper nouns as ‘a word that is the name of a person, a place, an
institution, etc’. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a proper noun is ‘a word or group of words
(such as “Noah Webster,” “Kentucky,” or “U.S. Congress”) that is the name of a particular person, place, or
thing and that usually begins with a capital letter’. It is also called a ‘proper name’ as it is used to name
particular people, places and things.
Q2
Give some examples of proper nouns.
Mr. Dean, Sarah, North America, Australia, New Orleans, World War I, September, Friday, Oppo, Samsung,
Baduga, Dutch, Portuguese, Urdu, etc. are some examples of proper nouns.
Q3
Should we capitalise all nouns?
Not all nouns should be capitalised. Proper nouns like names of particular people, places, days, months,
languages, nationalities, events of historical importance, significant eras and periods, and brand names are
to be capitalised irrespective of where they are used in a sentence.

rule of capitalisation
When and Where to Use Capital Letters? – Rules of Capitalisation with Examples
Not many languages have the concept of using capital letters. The English language, however, has capital
letters and small letters, and there are specific rules to direct the users of the language on how and where to
use them. To make learning easier, here are the rules of capitalisation along with examples to show you how
each rule is applied.
Rule 1: Capital Letters in the Beginning of a Sentence
The first and foremost rule of capitalisation is the mandatory use of capital letters to start a sentence. All you
need to remember is that every time you start a new sentence, irrespective of what part of speech the first
word is and which punctuation mark (full stop/question mark/exclamation mark) is used at the end of the
sentence, make sure you start with a capital letter.
For example:
This is Nithya Sree. She is twenty-five years old. She is a teacher.
Rule 2: Capitalising the Pronoun ‘I’

20
As far as the pronoun ‘I’ is concerned, remember that it is always capitalised, irrespective of where it is used
in a sentence.
For example:
 I am a seventh-grade student.
 Mia, Nalini and I are planning to go on a trip.

Rule 3: Capitalising Proper Nouns and Names

Proper nouns are those nouns that name a person, place, things, days, months, languages, nationalities,
ideas, days and events of historical importance, etc. All proper nouns, no matter where it is placed in a
sentence, have to be capitalised.
Capitalise names of people and places.
For example:
 The Eiffel Tower is situated in Paris.
 Veena and Nandana were in-charge of the Teacher’s Day celebrations.
 The Nile river is the longest river in Africa.
Capitalise names of scientific theories, inventions, historical events and geographical discoveries.
 Newton’s Third Law of Motion is highly relatable.
 The Jallianwala Bagh massacre is one of the saddest and most cruel events that happened in the
pre-Independence era.
 The first satellite launched by India was named ‘Aryabhatta’ after the famous mathematician and
astronomer.
Capitalise words like mom, dad, grandma, grandfather, etc. only when they are used as a form of direct
address or in place of the person’s name and not when they are used as common nouns.
For example:
 Do you think Dad will approve this?
 I feel Grandpa will be happy to see you.
 My mom made my favourite dish for dinner.
 The president represents a nation.
 Do you think the Prime Minister will bring changes to the tax system?
Capitalise honorifics such as Mr, Mrs, Ms, etc. used as titles with surnames and abbreviations such as Dr,
St, Sr, Fr, etc.
For example:
 Mr. Ramakrishnan was elected as the vice president of the drama club.
 Dr. Aaron Glassman is a well-experienced neuro-surgeon.
 The feast of St. Thomas falls on the 3rd of July.
 Do you know where we can find Mrs. Stevenson?

Rule 4: Capitalising Days, Months, Holidays

Capitalise names of days, months and holidays but not seasons.
 All of us have been asked to come dressed up in ethnic wear on Wednesday.
 There are many public holidays in the month of September.
 We will have a holiday for Christmas.
 It is summer in London now.

Rule 5: Capitalising Names of Languages

Most people feel the need to capitalise the names of subjects such as science, maths, history, etc. as well
because of this rule, but remember that only names of languages have to be capitalised. Names of subjects
are to be capitalised only when they are used in the beginning of a sentence.
For example:
 I speak English, Spanish, French and German.
 Mathematics is an interesting subject.
21
  Carol chose computer science, physics, chemistry and maths as his higher secondary major.
Rule 6: Capitalising Names of Cities, Countries, Nationalities and Geographical Locations
Always capitalise the names of cities, countries, nationalities and other geographical locations (including
names of seas, oceans, valleys, hills, mountains, etc.)
For example:
 We visited New Delhi on the way back from Leh.
 The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was one of the superpowers during World Wars I & II.
 There would not be a person who has never wished to see the Niagara waterfalls.
 I wish to climb Mount Everest at least once in my life.
 Silent Valley is one of the main tourist attractions in Kerala.

Rule 7: Capitalising Time Periods and Significant Eras in History

Remember that you also have to capitalise important eras in history and time periods in sentences. In
addition to this, see to it that you do not capitalise centuries. Take a look at the following examples.
 The Prehistoric Age consists of five time periods – Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Chalcolithic
and Iron Age.
 The Elizabethan era was known for the advancements in art, theatre and literature.
 There were a lot of scientific discoveries in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
Rule 8: Capitalising Titles
Capitalising titles is one of the most confusing areas for many English language users. Not every word in a
title has to be capitalised. The first word of the title has to be capitalised. Other than that, all nouns,
pronouns, verbs, adverbs and adjectives have to start with a capital letter. Also make sure you do not
capitalise articles, prepositions or conjunctions unless they happen to be the first word or the last word in the
title, according to most style guides.
For example:
 Have you read ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’?
 I wrote a paragraph on ‘Time Is Money’.
 The teacher asked us to speak a few words about ‘Keeping the City Clean and Tidy’.

Check Your Understanding of Capitalisation Rules in English

Go through the following sentences and use capital letters wherever necessary.
1. jawaharlal nehru was the first ever prime minister of india.
2. we met fr. benedict on our way to arunachal pradesh.
3. my brother, danny and i enjoy going on road trips.
4. the smallest planet in the solar system is mercury.
5. have you seen the sun today?
6. teena said that she has read ‘the tale of two cities’ more than five times.
7. i loved learning about greek mythology.
8. my friends gina, sherin and trinita stayed over at my house yesterday.
9. have you visited the taj mahal?
10. we have a holiday on thursday.
Check the answers for the above exercise to find out if you have used capital letters in all the right places.
1. Jawaharlal Nehru was the first ever prime minister of India.
2. We met Fr. Benedict on our way to Arunachal Pradesh.
3. My brother, Danny and I enjoy going on road trips.
4. The smallest planet in the solar system is Mercury.
5. Have you seen the Sun today?
22
6. Teena said that she has read ‘The Tale of Two Cities’ more than five times.
7. I loved learning about Greek mythology.
8. My friends Gina, Sherin and Trinita stayed over at my house yesterday.
9. Have you visited the Taj Mahal?
10. We have a holiday on Thursday.

Frequently Asked Questions on Capitalisation Rules in English

Q1
What do you mean by capitalisation?
The term ‘capitalisation’ refers to the use of capital letters in a sentence.
Q2
When and where do we use capital letters in English?
In the English language, capital letters are used for the following,
 To start a sentence
 For the pronoun ‘I’
 To represent proper nouns such as names of people, places, historical monuments, seas, rivers,
oceans, mountains, hills, valleys, days, month, ideas, cities, countries, nationalities, languages, etc.
 In honorifics, titles, etc.
Q3
Give five examples of sentences using capital letters.
Here are five examples of sentences using capital letters for your reference.
 Theo is my neighbour.
 I read the Times of India everyday.
 Dharani has visited the Andaman and Nicobar Islands thrice.
 My birthday falls in the month of July and my sister’s birthday in the month of December.
 Dr. Yashodha Sukumaran will be conducting a workshop on women’s health.

Singular Nouns
Singular Noun Definition
The definition of a singular noun is similar to that of a noun in general. According to the Cambridge
Dictionary, a singular noun is ‘a word that refers to a person, place, thing, event, substance, or quality.’ ‘A
noun is a word such as ‘ car’, ‘ love’, or ‘ Anne’ which is used to refer to a person or thing,’ according to the
Collins Dictionary.

Singular Noun Examples

Have a look at the examples of singular nouns given below.

23
 Singular Nouns Singular Nouns Singular Nouns Singular Nouns Singular Nouns
Referring to Referring to Referring to Places Referring to Referring to
Human Beings Animals  Cairo Things/Objects Ideas
 Boy  Cheetah  School  Table  Invention
 Girl  Deer  Hospital  Chair  Descripti
 Child  Fish  College  Blackboar on
 Man  Pelican  Paris d  Convictio
 Woman  Ostrich  Coimbatore  Bike n
 Lad  Dinosaur  Bangalore  Aeroplane  Honesty
 Individual  Monkey  St. John’s  Pencil  Grace
 Chap  Grasshopp Medical College  Elastic  Pride
er  Hill Crest Hospital  Chalk  Destructi
 Lass
 Rhinoceros  Twin Towers  Dress on
 Male
 Zebra  Bus stand  Pin  Competit
 Female
 Owl  Railway station  Needle ion
 Citizen
 Tom  Tomato  Idea
 Anna  Apple  Ideology
 Harry  Biology
 Evolution

Singular Noun Examples in Sentences

Here are some examples of singular nouns used in sentences.
 Sita bought a pencil yesterday.
 Dan and Sid gave me chocolate.
 Did he get the dress for his sister?
 I saw a baby monkey on the way to school today.
 When will you reach home?
 Jared killed a spider.
 I won the game.
 The Sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
 His honesty was appreciated by everyone in the area.
 The judge accepted his plea.

Singular Countable Noun

Here are a few examples of singular countable nouns:
 Book
 Pencil
 Table
 Phone
 Boy
 Child
 Bird
 Snake
 Door
 Cycle

Singular Possessive Noun

Check out the singular possessive nouns given below.
 Tom’s bike
 Bird’s toy
 Dog’s tail
24
  Sandra’s mom
 Peter’s cat
 Bike’s handle
 Mr. Shaw’s house
 Deborah’s flower shop
 Pigeon’s Wings
 My sister’s paintbrush

Difference between Singular Noun and Plural Noun

A singular noun refers to only one person, place, animal, thing etc., and a plural noun refers to more than
one person, place, animal, thing etc. Singular nouns are nouns in the original form, without any inflexion.
Plural nouns are formed with the addition of ‘s’, ‘es’, ‘ies’, ‘oes’, ‘ves’ or by adding a suffix. The verbs change
according to the singular or plural form of the noun used.
Singular Plural
 I found a dog on the street.  I found dogs on the street.
 The child was playing.  The children were playing.
 Their son is coming home this month.  Their sons are coming home this
month.
 The boy has an orange for breakfast  The boys have oranges for breakfast
every day. every day.
 Noah used his sister’s paintbrush to  Noah used his sister’s
finish his painting. paintbrushes to finish his painting.
 I am going to buy a dress.  I am going to buy some dresses.
 They rescued the wounded elephant.  They rescued the wounded elephants.
 The game went on as planned.  The games went on as planned.
 Denny gave his mom a bangle.  Denny gave his mom some bangles.
 Did you choose the outfit for your  Did you choose the outfits for your
cousin’s wedding? cousin’s wedding?

Frequently Asked Questions on Singular Nouns

Q1
What is a singular noun?
A singular noun refers to a part of speech that is used to name a person, place, animal, thing or idea. For
example, fish, school, Leena, Ravi, courage, etc.
Q2
What are examples of singular nouns?
Some examples of singular nouns are pen, slate, chalk, bottle, tub, soap, window, phone, cycle, pigeon,
chair, game, meal and so on.

Plural Noun

Definition of a Plural Noun

The word plural is defined as ‘relating to or constituting a class of grammatical forms usually used to denote
more than one or in some languages more than two’ and ‘relating to, consisting of, or containing more than
one or more than one kind or class’, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. So a noun that consists or
relates to more than one person, place or thing can be defined as a plural noun.

Changing a Singular Noun to a Plural Noun

25
A common noun can be made plural by adding an ‘s’, ‘es’, ‘ies’, ‘ves’; by changing ‘us’ to ‘i’, ‘is’ to ‘es’, ‘on’ to
‘a’ and so on. There are some common nouns that remain the same in the singular and plural forms. A few
others do not fall under any other category of plural nouns. They are termed irregular nouns. These common
nouns can be made plural by a change in the spelling or by the addition of a suffix to the root word.
Check out the following examples of plural nouns for a better understanding.
Examples:
Adding ‘s’ Adding ‘es’ Changing ‘us’ to ‘i’
Dog – dogs Box – boxes Alumnus – alumni
Pen – pens Tax – taxes Syllabus – syllabi
Chair – chairs Bus – buses Cactus – cacti
Fungus – fungi
Nucleus – nuclei

Adding ‘es’ to nouns Adding ‘ves’ for nouns Changing ‘is’ to ‘es’
ending with an ‘o’ ending with an ‘f’ or ‘fe’ Crisis – crises
Mango – mangoes Wolf – wolves Analysis – analyses
Potato – potatoes Calf – calves Diagnosis – diagnoses
Tomato – tomatoes Knife – knives Thesis – theses
Mosquito – mosquitoes Wife – wives
Volcano – volcanoes

Adding ‘s’ to words Adding ‘ies’ to words Changing ‘on’ to ‘a’

ending with a ‘y’ ending with a ‘y’ preceded by a Criterion – criteria
preceded by a vowel consonant Phenomenon – phenomena
Ray – rays City – cities
Toy – toys Strawberry – strawberries
Boy – boys Puppy – puppies

Nouns with a common Irregular nouns Plural form for hyphenated

singular and plural form Man – men nouns and relationships
News – news Woman – women Mother-in-law – Mothers-in-
Scissors – scissors Ox – oxen law
Furniture – furniture Goose – geese Father-in-law – Fathers-in-
Deer – deer Child – children law
Fish – fish Tooth – teeth Brother-in-law – Brothers-in-
Police – police Foot – feet law
Sheep – sheep Mouse – mice Daughter-in-law – Daughters-
in-law
Son-in-law – Sons-in-law
Grandmother – grandmothers
Grandfather – grandfathers
Grandson – grandsons
Granddaughter –
granddaughters
Cousin – cousins
Brother – brothers
Sister – sisters
Uncle – uncles
Aunty – Aunties
Aunt – Aunts

26
Plural Noun Examples
 Plural noun of child – children
 Plural noun of fox – foxes
 Plural noun of loaf – loaves
 Plural noun of ship – ships
 Plural noun of school – schools
 Plural noun of door – doors
 Plural noun of sister-in-law – sisters-in-law
 Plural form of baby – babies

The Golden Rule of Using Plural Nouns in Sentences – Subject-Verb Agreement

When using plural nouns, take care to change the verb accordingly so that the sentences do not look
grammatically incorrect. The verbs forms used along with a plural noun include, are (simple present tense),
were (simple past tense), are+verb+ing, were+verb+ing, have+past participle, have+been+past participle,
will+have+verb+ing and will+have+past participle.
Examples:
 None of the students has completed their homework. (Group of people)
 All the rescued animals have been returned to their natural habitats safely. (Group of different
animals)
 The textbooks and notebooks are kept on the shelves. (Objects)
 All schools in the city are shut down due to the political protests carried out in and around the city.

Plural Nouns and Tense Forms

Here are some examples to show you how everyday nouns can be used in different tense forms.
Please note that the words in bold are the plural nouns and the words in italics are the appropriate tense
forms.
S. Tense Plural Form
No.
1 Simple Present Tense  These cars are wonderful.
 All the broken doors are fixed.
2 Present Continuous Tense  The children are playing cricket in front of our
house.
 The teachers are attending a meeting now.
3 Present Perfect Tense  The students have been asked to submit their
assignments before 9 a.m. on Tuesday.
 The dogs from the street have been
rescued and put in adoption centres.
4 Present Perfect Continuous  The college students have been waiting for an
Tense industrial visit for so many months now.
 All the employees have been doing the job
really well.
5 Simple Past Tense  The teachers were late for class.
 The meetings for the day were cancelled due to
the commotion in the building.
6 Past Continuous Tense  All the residents were being evacuated.
 The rivers in the area were overflowing due to
the heavy rainfall yesterday.
7 Past Perfect Tense (remains  The police had been on the hunt for these
the same for singular and plural robbers for a month now.
nouns)  The shops had been closed because of the
protest.
8 Past Perfect Continuous Tense  The people had been waiting for this for so
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 (remains the same for singular many years.
and plural nouns)  The scientists had been working day and night
to find a cure for COVID – 19.
9 Simple Future Tense (remains  The meteors will hit the Earth’s surface.
the same for singular and plural  These birds will migrate to the North during the
nouns) Summer.
10 Future Continuous Tense  The singers will be performing at a live concert
(remains the same for singular next week.
 The accessories for the event will be
and plural nouns) arriving on Tuesday.
11 Future Perfect Tense  The politicians will have taken their oaths by
(remains the same for singular this time tomorrow.
 The newspapers will have circulated by the
and plural nouns) time you decide what to do with this article.
12 Future Perfect Continuous  This Thursday, we will have been living in New
Tense York for a year.
(remains the same for singular  On this annual day, the children will have been
performing this piece for the tenth time.
and plural nouns)

Test Your Knowledge

Change the highlighted nouns in the following sentences into the plural form and use the appropriate form of
the verb:
1. That girl plays the piano.
2. I bought a mango.
3. The teacher will be here in a few minutes.
4. The scholar has been working on the thesis for five months now.
5. Teena brought home a puppy.
6. The boy was playing cricket.
7. The cat was adopted.
8. Sadie had an orange for breakfast.
9. Dave picked up a flower for his mom.
10. Tom likes having fruit for dinner.
Check your answers here:
1. Those girls play the piano.
2. I bought some mangoes.
3. The teachers will be here in a few minutes.
4. The scholars have been working on the thesis for five minutes now.
5. Teena brought home puppies.
6. The boys were playing cricket.
7. The cats were adopted.
8. Sadie had oranges for breakfast.
9. Dave picked up flowers for his mom.
10. Tom likes having fruits for dinner.

Frequently Asked Questions on Plural Nouns

Q1
What is a plural noun?
A noun that consists or relates to more than one person, place or thing can be defined as a plural noun.
Q2
How can I change a singular noun into a plural noun?

28
You can change a singular noun into plural nouns by adding an ‘s’, ‘es’, ‘ies’, ‘ves’, by changing the spelling
or by adding a suffix.

Possessive Noun
A possessive noun is a noun that is used to show possession or ownership of something or someone. This
article on possessive nouns will help you understand possessive nouns and their usage. You can have a
look at the examples given for a deeper understanding
Table of Contents
 What Is a Possessive Noun?
 Usage of Possessive Nouns
 Examples of Possessive Nouns
 Frequently Asked Questions on Possessive Nouns

What Is a Possessive Noun?

A possessive noun is a noun that is used to indicate that something belongs to someone. For instance, to the
question, To whom does this bag belong?, you can say that it is Jessica’s bag. The word ‘Jessica’s’ is the
possessive noun here. The general rule to show possession of an object is by adding an apostrophe and an
‘s’ to the end of the noun it belongs to.

Usage of Possessive Nouns

There are some basic rules that you should bear in mind when you are using possessive nouns, especially in
writing.
Singular Possessive Nouns
You can make a singular noun into a possessive noun by just adding an apostrophe and an ‘s’ in most
cases. However, there are a few exceptions. For singular nouns ending in ‘s’, you can just add
the apostrophe to make it a possessive noun.
For example:
 I borrowed Angel’s white shoes for the event.
 The new Malayalam movie’s rating is pretty high.
 Can you fetch me Harris’ bag?

Plural Possessive Nouns

For plural nouns, you can just add an apostrophe to show possession or ownership.
For example:
 The students’ assignments were arranged according to their roll numbers.
 The boys’ clubs are very competitive.
 All the clocks’ hands have to be changed.

Indicating Possession for Multiple Nouns

If you have more than one noun sharing ownership of a particular object, make sure you add an apostrophe
and an ‘s’ only to the last noun in the group.
For example:
 Hansel and Gretel’s parents kept looking for them for three days and still did not find them.
 Edmund Spenser, Ben Jonson, Philip Sydney and William Shakespeare’s age was an era of
great art and literature.
 Babur, Akbar, Jahangir and Shahjahan’s reigns were the most successful and beneficial times in
the history of Mughal Empire
Hyphenated and Compound Possessive Nouns

29
When changing a hyphenated or compound noun as a possessive noun, see to that you add the apostrophe
and the ‘s’ to the end of the compound word or the latter word in the hyphenated word.
For example:
 My sister-in-law’s uncle moved to the United States along with his family.
 Nobody is in support of the Union Bank’s new policies.
 The United Nations Environment Programme’s protocol for the Environment Day was successfully
carried out.

Examples of Possessive Nouns

Here are some examples of possessive nouns to give you a better idea.
 The chef’s new dish was a hit.
 The judges’ verdict was not acceptable to all classes of society.
 Nobody could find the child’s toy.
 The Earth’s climate has changed since global warming started.
 The company was not satisfied with this year’s profit margins.
 Nihas’ old house looked like a royal palace.
 My brother-in-law’s cousin got married to my cousin.
 Nick and Tess’ grandparents visit them every summer.
 Are you going to Marianne’s bachelorette party?
 Isn’t she Sandhya’s roommate?

Frequently Asked Questions on Possessive Nouns

Q1
What is a possessive noun?
A possessive noun is a noun that is used to indicate that something belongs to someone. For instance, to the
question, To whom does this bag belong?, you can say that it is Jessica’s bag. The word ‘Jessica’s’ is the
possessive noun here. The general rule to show possession of an object is by adding an apostrophe and an
‘s’ to the end of the noun it belongs to.
Q2
Give some examples of possessive nouns.
Some examples of possessive nouns are:
 Nicholas’ brother is a lawyer.
 Napoleon’s horse has gone missing for a week now.
 My brother’s friends are coming home this weekend.
 Brady, Pete and Mark’s room is quite small for all of them.
 My mother-in-law’s recipe for mango curry has always been my favourite.

Abstract Nouns

What is an Abstract Noun?

An abstract noun is used to refer to concepts, ideas, experiences, traits, feelings or entities that cannot be
seen, heard, tasted, smelt or touched. Abstract nouns are not concrete or tangible. There are a lot of abstract
nouns (virtues) used in proverbs.
Definition of an Abstract Noun
An abstract noun is defined as ‘a noun, for example, beauty or freedom, that refers to an idea or a general
quality, not to a physical object’, according to the Oxford Learners Dictionary. According to Collins Dictionary,
‘an abstract noun refers to a quality or idea rather than to a physical object.’

30
Examples of Abstract Nouns
Check out the following examples of abstract nouns.
 Glory
 Honour
 Courage
 Love
 Truth
 Honesty
 Symbolism
 Puritanism
 Reflection

Converting Verbs and Adjectives into Abstract Nouns

A verb or an adjective can be converted into an abstract noun by the addition of a suffix and vice versa. Have
a look at the examples given below.
Converting Verbs to Abstract Nouns
 Move – movement
 Reflect – reflection
 Perceive – perception
 Conscious – Consciousness
 Appear – Appearance
 Resist – Resistance
 Appoint – appointment
 Enjoy – enjoyment
 Assign – assignment
 Inform – information
 Decide – decision
 Describe – description
 Determine – determination
 Block – blockade
Converting Adjectives to Abstract Nouns
 Brave – bravery
 Truth – truthful
 Honest – honesty
 Weak – weakness
 Happy – happiness
 Sad – sadness
 Mad – madness
 Responsible – responsibility
 Possible – possibility
 Probable – probability
 Able – ability
 Independent – independence
 Free – freedom
 Silent – silence
Some words can function both as a noun and a verb without any change in spelling. Here are some
examples for you.

 Love as a verb – I love the way she works with it.
Love as a noun – Love is one of the qualities everyone should possess

 Divorce as a verb – Harry cannot divorce his wife.
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Divorce as a noun – Are you getting a divorce?

 Aim as a verb – You have to aim for the highest grades.
Aim as a noun – What is your aim?

 Battle as a verb – Teena had to battle hard to stay in shape.
Battle as a noun – Do you know who won the battle?
 Play as a verb – The children are playing outdoor games.
Play as a noun – The Shakespearean play was performed by young artists.

Test Your Knowledge on Abstract Nouns

Let us now check how much you have learned about abstract nouns. Identify the abstract nouns in the
following sentences.
1. Honesty is the best policy.
2. There is no possibility for you to reach home by six in the evening.
3. This place has a really pleasant ambience.
4. Pride goes before a fall.
5. Brevity is the soul of wit.
6. That man is testing my patience.
7. Have you read about the theory of evolution?
8. Truthfulness is always appreciated.
9. Friendship is priceless.
10. What do you think about his idea?
Let us find out if you have understood correctly. Check your answers here.
1. Honesty is the best policy.
2. There is no possibility for you to reach home by six in the evening.
3. This place has a really pleasant ambience.
4. Pride goes before a fall.
5. Brevity is the soul of wit.
6. That man is testing my patience.
7. Have you read about the theory of evolution?
8. Truthfulness is always appreciated.
9. Friendship is priceless.
10. What do you think about his idea?

Frequently Asked Questions on Abstract Nouns

Q1
What is an abstract noun?
An abstract noun is used to refer to concepts, ideas, experiences, traits, feelings or entities that cannot be
seen, heard, tasted, smelt or touched. Abstract nouns are not concrete or tangible.
Q2
Give some examples of abstract nouns.
Love, concept, experience, courage, judgement, probability, freedom and soul are some examples of
abstract nouns.

Collective Nouns
What Is a Collective Noun?
A collective noun is a naming word used to refer to a group or number of animals, people or things. One
thing you should remember when you use collective nouns in sentences is to use the right form of the verb.

32
Collective Noun Definition
The Collins Dictionary defines collective nouns as “a noun such as ‘family’ or ‘team’ that refers to a group of
people or things”. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a collective noun is defined as “a noun such
as ‘team’ or ‘flock’ that refers to a group of people or things”.

Examples of Collective Nouns

Here are some examples of collective nouns.
Collective Nouns for Animals
 Collective noun for bees – Swarm
 Collective noun for fish – Shoal or School
 Collective noun for sheep – Herd
 Collective noun for ships – Fleet
 Collective noun for birds – Flock
 Collective noun for lions – Pride
 Collective noun for wolves – Pack
 Collective noun for ants – Colony
Collective Nouns for People
 Collective noun for actors – Troupe, Company or Cast
 Collective noun for soldiers – Army
 Collective noun for musicians – Band
 Collective noun for warriors – Troop
 Collective noun for directors – Board
 Collective noun for sailors – Crew
 Collective noun for singers – Choir
 Collective noun for dancers – Group
 Collective noun for thieves – Pack
 Collective noun for players – Team
 Collective noun for delegates – Delegation
 Collective noun for judges – Panel or Bench
Collective Nouns for Objects/Things
 Collective noun for cards – Deck/Pack
 Collective noun for cigarettes – Packet
 Collective noun for mountains – Range
 Collective noun for apples – Bushel
 Collective noun for bananas – Comb
 Collective noun for grapes – Bunch
 Collective noun for flowers – Bunch or Bouquet
 Collective noun for trees – Grove or Forest
Also check out:
 Collective noun for baboons
 Collective noun for cars
 Collective noun for crows
 Collective noun for dogs
 Collective noun for hay
 Collective noun for lions
 Collective noun for pearls
 Collective noun for penguins

Collective Noun Examples Used in Sentences

Have a look at the following sentences.
 Tommy was excited to see a herd of elephants on the way to his native place.
 The bench of judges gave the verdict on the case.
33
  The kid enjoyed seeing the flock of pigeons take off all at once.
 The football team was congratulated by the principal.
 The mob was getting crazier with time.
 The event started with the band playing the school anthem.
 The children learnt how to perform a magic trick with a pack of cards pretty soon.
 The British army was defeated in World War II.

Test Your Knowledge on Collective Nouns

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate collective nouns:
1. A ____________ of cows
2. A ____________ of robbers
3. A ____________ of musicians
4. A ____________ of kittens
5. A ____________ of puppies
6. A ____________ of cattle
7. A ____________ of rumours
8. A ____________ of clams
9. A ____________ of sharks
10. A ____________ of hamsters
Why don’t you check if you got it all right?
1. A herd of cows
2. A gang of robbers
3. A band of musicians
4. A kindle of kittens
5. A litter of puppies
6. A herd of cattle
7. A nest of rumours
8. A bed of clams
9. A shiver of sharks
10. A horde of hamsters
Try out the exercise on collective nouns for more practice.

Frequently Asked Questions on Collective Nouns

Q1
What is a collective noun?
A collective noun is a naming word used to refer to a group or number of animals, people or things.
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a collective noun is defined as “a noun such as ‘team’ or ‘flock’
that refers to a group of people or things”.
Q2
Give some examples of collective nouns.
A swarm of bees, a fleet of ships, a flock of birds, a company of actors, a bunch of grapes and a litter of
puppies are some examples of collective nouns.

Compound Nouns
What Is a Compound Noun?
A compound noun is a noun that is formed by a combination of more than one part of speech. Compound
nouns are of three main types: Open or spaced compound nouns, hyphenated compound nouns and closed
or solid compound nouns.
Definition of a Compound Noun

34
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a compound noun is defined as ‘a noun that is made up of two or
more different words, for example, “cake shop”, “French fries”, “high-flyer”, or “schoolteacher”.’ The Oxford
Learners’ Dictionary provides a similar definition. It defines a compound noun as ‘a noun, an adjective or
a verb made of two or more words or parts of words, written as one or more words, or joined by
a hyphen. Travel agent, dark-haired and bathroom are all compound nouns.’

Types of Compound Nouns with Examples

As mentioned above, there are three main types of compound nouns.
Spaced or Open Compound Noun
A spaced or open compound noun is one in which there is a space between the two words which form the
compound noun.
For example:
 Cricket bat
 Fast food
 Flower shop
Hyphenated Compound Nouns
A hyphenated compound noun is one in which the two words are separated with the use of a hyphen.
For example:
 By-product
 Mother-in-law
 Passer-by
Closed or Solid Compound Nouns
A closed or solid compound noun is one in which the two words do not have any spaces or hyphens
separating them. They are usually considered as a single word.
For example:
 Sunflower
 Classroom
 Rainfall

Forming Compound Nouns

You can form compound nouns by combining different parts of speech. All compound nouns, though
belonging to different parts of speech, perform the same function as a noun. Let us see how different
compound nouns are formed.
Noun + Noun
Check out the following examples of compound nouns formed using two separate nouns.
Compound Noun Noun Noun
Bus stop Bus Stop
Firefly Fire Fly
Basketball Basket Ball
Railway Station Railway Station
Football Foot Ball
Railway Junction Railway Junction
Airport Air Port
Headmistress Head Mistress
Ship deck Ship Deck
35
 Sweatshirt Sweat Shirt
Noun + Verb
Have a look at the following compound nouns formed using a noun and a verb.
Compound Noun Noun Verb
Haircut Hair Cut
Sunrise Sun Rise
Sunset Sun Set
Rainfall Rain Fall
Snowfall Snow Fall
Footprint Foot Print
Roleplay Role Play
Healthcare Health Care
Gunfight Gun Fight
Noun + Gerund
Take a look at the following compound nouns formed using a combination of a noun and a gerund
(verb+ing).
Compound Noun Noun Gerund
Sightseeing Sight Seeing
Birdwatching Bird Watching
Handwriting Hand Writing
Mountain climbing Mountain Climbing
River rafting River Rafting
Copy-editing Copy Editing
Ballet dancing Ballet Dancing
Bookkeeping Book Keeping
Cat walking Cat Walking
Time consuming Time Consuming
Gerund + Noun
Check out the following examples of compound nouns by combining a gerund and a noun.
Compound Noun Gerund Noun
Washing machine Washing Machine
Dressing table Dressing Table
Magnifying lens Magnifying Lens
Visiting card Visiting Card
Fishing net Fishing Net
Driving licence Driving Licence
Sewing machine Sewing Machine
Cooking gas Cooking Gas

36
 Waiting room Waiting Room
Helping hand Helping Hand
Noun + Preposition + Noun/Noun + Prepositional Phrase
Given below are compound nouns formed by combining a noun and a preposition phrase.
Compound Noun Noun Prepositional Phrase
Mother-in-law Mother In-law
Father-in-law Father In-law
Sister-in-law Sister In-law
Brother-in-law Brother In-law
Son-in-law Son In-law
Daughter-in-law Daughter In-law
Lady-in-waiting Lady In-waiting
Jack-of-all-trades Jack Of-all-trades
Preposition + Verb
Have a look at the compound nouns given below formed by combining a preposition and a verb.
Compound Noun Preposition Verb
Output Out Put
Input In Put
Outlet Out Let
Understand Under Stand
Overthrow Over Throw
Undercut Under Cut
Underpass Under Pass
Intake In Take
Uproar Up Roar
Outburst Out Burst
Verb + Preposition
Given below are examples of compound nouns formed by a combination of a verb and a preposition.
Compound Noun Verb Preposition
Check-in Check In
Check-out Check Out
Check-up Check Up
Lookout Look Out
Breakdown Break Down
Shutdown Shut Down
Makeup Make Up
Take-out Take Out
Buildup Build Up

37
 Sign-off Sign Off
Preposition + Noun
Here are a few examples of compound nouns formed by the combination of a preposition and a noun.
Compound Noun Preposition Noun
Underground Under Ground
Afterlife After Life
Underworld Under World
Background Back Ground
Offshore Off Shore
Outpatient Out Patient
Upstairs Up Stairs
Offspring Off Spring
Overnight Over Night
Underline Under Line
Adjective + Noun
Check out the following compound nouns formed by combining an adjective and a noun.
Compound Noun Adjective Noun
Blackboard Black Board
Greenroom Green Room
Granddaughter Grand Daughter
Hardware Hard Ware
Hot dog Hot Dog
Smartphone Smart Phone
Bluebird Blue Bird
Small talk Small Talk
Blueberry Blue Berry
Hotspot Hot Spot
Adjective + Verb
Have a look at the following compound nouns formed by combining an adjective and a verb.
Compound Noun Adjective Verb
Drycleaning Dry Cleaning
Underfed Under Fed
Long awaited Long Awaited
Public speaking Public Speaking
Long lasting Long Lasting
Everlasting Ever Lasting
Highlight High Light

38
Repetitive Words / Rhyming Words
Take a look at the following compound nouns formed by a combination of two rhyming words or repetitive
words.
Compound Noun Word 1 Word 2
Hocus-pocus Hocus Pocus
Dillydally Dilly Dally
Boo-boo Boo Boo
Walkie-talkie Walkie Talkie
No-no No No
Argle-bargle Argle Bargle
Chit-chat Chit Chat
Artsy-fartsy Artsy Fartsy
Fiddle-faddle Fiddle Faddle
Goo-goo Goo Goo
Mumbo-jumbo Mumbo Jumbo
Pitter-patter Pitter Patter
Places, Nationalities and Titles
Here are some compound nouns that refer to places, nationalities and titles.
Compound Noun Word 1 Word 2
Prime Minister Prime Minister
Chief Minister Chief Minister
Vice President Vice President
Joint Secretary Joint Secretary
Assistant Director Assistant Director
General Manager General Manager
Personal Assistant Personal Assistant
Circle Inspector Circle Inspector
Great grandmother Great Grandmother
Salesperson Sales Person
Latin American Latin American
South Korea South Korea
Native American Native American
Middle East Middle East
Anglo-Saxon Anglo Saxon
Anglo-Indian Anglo Indian

Check Your Knowledge of Compound Nouns

Identify the compound nouns in the following sentences:
1. He is such a showoff.
2. What do you know about Native Americans?
39
 3. The teacher wrote down all the sentences on the blackboard.
4. The Prime Minister will be meeting the US President tomorrow.
5. That is the silver lining I was talking to you about.
6. The security guard got into trouble as he misplaced the walkie-talkie.
7. My uncle had a heart attack.
8. Sunsets are always a pleasant sight.
9. My father asked my brother to get a haircut before the wedding.
10. I heard that Sandra has a swimming pool inside her house.

Now, let us find out if you got it right.

1. He is such a showoff.
2. What do you know about Native Americans?
3. The teacher wrote down all the sentences on the blackboard.
4. The Prime Minister will be meeting the US President tomorrow.
5. That is the silver lining I was talking to you about.
6. The security guard got into trouble as he misplaced the walkie-talkie.
7. My uncle had a heart attack.
8. Sunsets are always a pleasant sight.
9. My father asked my brother to get a haircut before the wedding.
10. I heard that Sandra has a swimming pool inside her house.

Frequently Asked Questions on Compound Nouns

Q1
What is a compound noun?
A compound noun is a noun that is formed by a combination of more than one part of speech. The Oxford
Learners’ Dictionary provides a similar definition. It defines a compound noun as ‘a noun, an adjective or a
verb made of two or more words or parts of words, written as one or more words, or joined by a hyphen.
Travel agent, dark-haired and bathroom are all compound nouns.’
Q2
What are the types of compound nouns?
Compound nouns are of three main types: Open or spaced compound nouns, hyphenated compound nouns
and closed or solid compound nouns.
Q3
Give some examples of compound nouns.
Headmaster, Smartboard, Colour pencil, Bedroom, Offshore, Railway station, Circus clown, Ringmaster,
Managing Director, Grandfather are some examples of compound nouns.

Pronouns
What Is a Pronoun?
A pronoun is used in the place of a noun. It substitutes the noun in a paragraph or piece of writing to avoid
repetition of the noun. Pronouns can be used in singular and plural forms. The verb used in the sentence
should be used in accordance with the particular form of the pronoun used.
Pronouns are generally classified into three main kinds.
Person Singular Pronoun Plural Pronoun
First Person Pronoun I, Me We, Us
Second Person Pronoun You, Your You
Third Person Pronoun He, She, It, Him, Her They, Them, Their

40
Definition of a Pronoun
A pronoun is defined as ‘a word that is used instead of a noun or a noun phrase’, according to the
Cambridge Dictionary. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines pronouns as ‘any of a small set of words
(such as I, she, he, you, it, we, or they) in a language that are used as substitutes for nouns or noun phrases
and whose referents are named or understood in the context’. According to the Collins Dictionary, ‘A pronoun
is a word that you use to refer to someone or something when you do not need to use a noun, often because
the person or thing has been mentioned earlier. Examples are ‘it’, ‘she’, ‘something’, and ‘myself’.’

Types of Pronouns with Examples

Pronouns can be classified into different types based on their functions. Given below are the various types of
pronouns. Go through the examples carefully to have a clear understanding of each type of pronoun and its
function.
 Relative Pronouns are pronouns that are used to relate one part of the sentence to another. Some
examples of relative pronouns are that, which, where, when, why, what, whom and whose.
 Possessive Pronouns are pronouns that are used to show possession. Some examples of
possessive pronouns are mine, yours, his, hers, theirs and its.
 Reflexive Pronouns are pronouns that are used to refer back to the subject in the sentence. Some
examples of reflexive pronouns are myself, yourself, herself, himself, oneself, itself, ourselves,
themselves and yourselves.
 Demonstrative Pronouns are pronouns that are used to point to specific objects. Some examples of
demonstrative pronouns are this, that, these and those.
 Interrogative Pronouns are pronouns that are used to ask questions. Some examples of
interrogative pronouns are who, what, when, why and where.
 Indefinite Pronouns are pronouns that do not refer to any particular person, place or thing. Some
examples of indefinite pronouns are someone, somebody, somewhere, something, anyone, anybody,
anywhere, anything, no one, nobody, nowhere, everyone, everybody, everywhere, everything, each,
none, few, and many.
 Personal Pronouns are simple pronouns that are used to substitute proper names. Some examples
of personal pronouns are I, you, he, she, we, they, him, her, he, she, us and them.
 Subject Pronouns are pronouns that perform the action in a sentence. Some examples of subject
pronouns are I, you, we, he, she, it, they and one.
 Object Pronouns are pronouns that receive the action in a sentence. Some examples of object
pronouns are me, us, him, her and them.
 Reciprocal Pronouns are pronouns that are used to express a mutual relationship. Some examples
of reciprocal pronouns are each other and one another.
 Intensive Pronouns are the same as reflexive pronouns, with the only difference being that you can
remove the intensive pronoun from the sentence, and the sentence would still make sense.

Test Your Understanding of Pronouns

I. Identify the pronouns and the type of pronoun in the following sentences:
1. I am going home today evening.
2. Her aunt will be vacating next week.
3. She is the girl I was talking to you about.
4. This is the place where I found my missing bag.
5. Did you do it yourself?
6. It was a time when I was so happy.
7. We always help each other out.
8. Has everyone completed the work that was assigned for today?
9. That dog down the street is his.
10. All my friends are coming home for my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary celebration.
Now, let us check how far you have got it right.
1. I am going home today evening. Personal Pronoun/Subject Pronoun
2. Her aunt will be vacating next week. Possessive Pronoun
41
 3. She is the girl I was talking to you about. Personal Pronoun
4. This is the place where I found my missing bag. Relative Pronoun
5. Did you do it yourself? Personal Pronoun, Intensive Pronoun
6. It was a time when I was so happy. Relative Pronoun
7. We always help each other out. Reciprocal Pronoun
8. Has everyone completed the work that was assigned for today? Indefinite Pronoun
9. That dog down the street is his. Possessive Pronoun
10. All my friends are coming home for my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary celebration. Possessive
Pronoun
II. Use suitable pronouns to substitute the underlined nouns in the following sentences:
1. Josh and Derrick visited Disneyland last month.
2. Sarah did not come home last evening.
3. My mom could not find her cupboard keys.
4. Yesterday was my parents’ wedding anniversary.
5. The cat drank all the milk that was left in the kitchen.
6. Sheela and Teena found it hard to move the sofa set across the hall as the sofa set was too heavy
for Sheela and Teena to carry.
7. Divya is Danny’s sister.
8. That silver Brezza belongs to Emmanuel and Usha.
9. My pet dog just lay on the floor the whole day.
10. The teacher asked the students if the students had submitted the students’ assignments.
Check your answers here.
1. They visited Disneyland last month.
2. She did not come home last evening.
3. She could not find her cupboard keys.
4. Yesterday was their wedding anniversary.
5. It drank all the milk that was left in the kitchen.
6. Sheela and Teena found it hard to move the sofa set across the hall as it was too heavy for them to
carry.
7. She is his sister.
8. That silver Brezza belongs to them.
9. It just lay on the floor the whole day.
10. The teacher asked the students if they had submitted their assignments.
Also try out exercises on personal pronouns, relative pronoun exercises and pronoun exercises.

Frequently Asked Questions on Pronouns in English Grammar

Q1
What is a pronoun?
A pronoun is used in the place of a noun. It substitutes the noun in a paragraph or piece of writing to avoid
repetition of the noun.
Q2
What is the definition of a pronoun?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines pronouns as ‘any of a small set of words (such as I, she, he, you, it,
we, or they) in a language that are used as substitutes for nouns or noun phrases and whose referents are
named or understood in the context’. According to the Collins Dictionary, ‘A pronoun is a word that you use
to refer to someone or something when you do not need to use a noun, often because the person or thing
has been mentioned earlier. Examples are ‘it’, ‘she’, ‘something’, and ‘myself’.’
Q3
What are the types of pronouns?
There are ten main types of pronouns. They are:
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  Relative pronouns
 Reflexive pronouns
 Object pronouns
 Personal pronouns / Subject pronouns
 Reciprocal Pronouns
 Possessive pronouns
 Demonstrative pronouns
 Interrogative pronouns
 Indefinite pronouns
 Intensive pronouns
Q4
Give some examples of pronouns.
Some examples of pronouns are I, he, him, you, we, him, her, yours, theirs, someone, where, when,
yourselves, themselves, oneself, is, hers, when, whom, whose, each other, one another, everyone, nobody,
none, each, anywhere, anyone, nothing, etc.

Relative Pronoun
What Is a Relative Pronoun?
A relative pronoun is a word that is used to connect an independent clause to a relative clause. Relative
pronouns are meant to provide more information about the subject (noun or pronoun) it relates to. These
relative pronouns function exactly like adjectives, and so the clauses they form can also be called adjective
clauses.
Definition of a Relative Pronoun
According to the Collins Dictionary, ‘a relative pronoun is a word such as ‘who’, ‘that’, or ‘which’ that is used
to introduce a relative clause.’ The Macmillan Dictionary gives a similar definition. According to it, a relative
pronoun is ‘a pronoun such as ‘who’, ‘that’, or ‘which’ that introduces a relative clause in a sentence.’

Examples of Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns are used to form complex sentences. Examples of relative pronouns include who, whom,
whose, which and that.
Who – Refers to a person (the noun/pronoun/subject which does the action)
Whom – Refers to the object (the noun or pronoun that receives the action)
Whose – Used to show possession of something or someone
That – Used in a defining clause that refers to a person, animal or thing
Which – Used in a non-defining clause that refers to a person, animal or thing
Here are some examples of how relative pronouns can be used in sentences.
 Sheela, who is a teacher, also works as a social worker.
 The car that was stolen last month was found in a river.
 Susan is the girl whom I was talking about.
 The boy, whose sister is a renowned orator, is an orator himself.
 The girl, who saved the little boy, was appreciated by everyone.
There is another category of relative pronouns called compound relative pronouns, formed by the addition of
‘-ever’ or ‘-soever’. Whatever, whatsoever, whoever, whosoever and whichever are some of the compound
relative pronouns. Look at the following examples to understand how they are used in sentences.
 Whoever is ready can speak first.
 You can take whichever sweet you like.

43
  Whatever he takes up, he finishes it in time.
 Whatsoever you do to others, it will be done to you.
 Whosoever runs the fastest will win the race.

Check Your Understanding of Relative Pronouns

There is just one thing that you should keep in mind when combining two sentences using relative pronouns.
Make sure you locate the subject or object both sentences refer to and then replace it with the most suitable
relative pronoun.
Just give it a try. Use suitable relative pronouns to link the following sentences:
1. The student solved the math problem. The teacher appreciated the student.
2. My aunt bought me a ukulele. I love the ukulele.
3. Shanu has played the lead role in the new movie. Shanu is a doctor by profession.
4. This is my brother. He moved to New York last year.
5. Sid won a lottery. Sid is my brother’s friend.
6. Teena borrowed the white bag. Teena did not return it.
7. We had our college reunion dinner in the seafood restaurant. The restaurant is now closed.
8. My mom asked me to clean up the box. The box was filled with old clothes we no longer use.
9. The students like their English teacher. The English teacher is from Bangalore.
10. The bottle game is liked by all. Have you played the game?

Let us find out if you have got it all right.

1. The teacher appreciated the student who solved the math problem.
2. I love the ukulele that my aunt bought me.
3. Shanu, who is a doctor by profession, has played the lead role in the new movie.
4. This is my brother who moved to New York last year.
5. Sid, who is my brother’s friend, won a lottery.
6. Teena did not return the white bag that she borrowed.
7. We had our college reunion dinner in the seafood restaurant, which is now closed.
8. My mom asked me to clean up the box, which was filled with old clothes we no longer use.
9. The students like their English teacher, who is from Bangalore.
10. Have you played the bottle game that is liked by all?

Frequently Asked Questions on Relative Pronouns

Q1
What is a relative pronoun?
A relative pronoun is a word that is used to connect an independent clause to a relative clause. Relative
pronouns are meant to provide more information about the subject it relates to. Relative pronouns include
who, whom, whose, that and which.
Q2
What is the definition of a relative pronoun?
According to the Collins Dictionary, ‘a relative pronoun is a word such as ‘who’, ‘that’, or ‘which’ that is used
to introduce a relative clause.’ The Macmillan Dictionary gives a similar definition of relative pronouns.
According to it, a relative pronoun is ‘a pronoun such as ‘who’, ‘that’, or ‘which’ that introduces a relative
clause in a sentence.’

44
 Reflexive Pronoun
What Is a Reflexive Pronoun?
The word ‘reflexive’ means something that is directed towards the self. A reflexive pronoun, therefore, is
expected to do the same thing. It reflects back on the pronoun. It takes the place of a subject pronoun and an
object pronoun in a sentence.
Definition of a Relative Pronoun
According to the Collins Dictionary, “a reflexive pronoun is a pronoun such as ‘myself’ which refers back to
the subject of a sentence or clause. For example, in the sentence ‘She made herself a cup of tea’, the
reflexive pronoun ‘herself’ refers back to ‘she’.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a reflexive pronoun
as “a pronoun referring to the subject of the sentence, clause, or verbal phrase in which it stands.”

Examples of Reflexive Pronouns

Let us have a look at the following examples of reflexive pronouns.
Personal Pronoun Reflexive Pronoun
I Myself
You Yourself/Yourselves
He Himself
She Herself
They Themselves
We Ourselves
It Itself
One Oneself

How and When to Use a Reflexive Pronoun?

A reflexive pronoun is used to denote that an action is done and received by the same subject. It reflects the
action on itself and does not involve another object. In a nutshell, a reflexive pronoun points out that the doer
and the receiver of the action are one and the same in a sentence.
Reflexive pronouns may seem to be unnecessary in some situations, but it turns out to be very helpful in
providing clarity when using the third person plural form of pronouns. It can also aid in stressing over the fact
that the task is done by that particular person and no one else.
Example 1: They looked at them.
They looked at themselves.
In the above example, there is a slight ambiguity with the usage of ‘them’ in the first sentence. We cannot be
sure if ‘them’ refers to some other people or themselves. This is where the reflexive pronoun turns out to be
extremely helpful in providing complete meaning.
Example 2: I learnt to drive a car by myself.
I learnt to drive a car.
In example 2, it is understood from the first sentence that the action of learning to drive a car is done alone
and without any help, whereas the second sentence can let the reader think that the subject could have
taken someone’s help to learn to drive.
Example 3: It is a fact that you know yourself and what is going on around you.
In the above example, it is evident that the subject knows oneself more than anyone else.
Example 4: Teena and Tyson have been preparing themselves for the entire semester.
Teena and Tyson are the subjects in example 4 who happen to prepare themselves and no one else.
Example 5: Rahul was so tired of following diets that he decided to give himself a cheat day.
45
In the above example, the reflexive pronoun ‘himself’ portrays the idea that the subject gave himself a cheat
day after having been on a diet for a long period of time.

Test Your Understanding of Reflexive Pronouns

Let us check how far you have understood the usage of reflexive pronouns.
Fill in the blanks with the suitable reflexive pronouns in the following sentences:
1. Why can’t you do it ________?
2. Dave and Cian were trying to bake a cake all by ___________ for their mom’s birthday.
3. Casper was not able to clear his table all by __________, so his cousins helped him out.
4. The teacher asked the students to work out the maths problems by ___________.
5. It is crucial that every one of you take the responsibility of taking care of ___________.

Check out your answers.

1. Why can’t you do it yourself?
2. Dave and Cian were trying to bake a cake all by themselves for their mom’s birthday.
3. Casper was not able to clear his table all by himself, so his cousins helped him out.
4. The teacher asked the students to work out the maths problems by themselves.
5. It is crucial that all of you take the responsibility of taking care of yourselves during this pandemic.

Frequently Asked Questions on Reflexive Pronouns

Q1
What is a reflexive pronoun?
A reflexive pronoun is a pronoun used as an object, and it refers back to the subject of a sentence. It takes
the place of a subject pronoun and an object pronoun in a sentence.
Q2
What is the definition of a reflexive pronoun?
According to the Collins Dictionary, “a reflexive pronoun is a pronoun such as ‘myself’ which refers back to
the subject of a sentence or clause. For example, in the sentence ‘She made herself a cup of tea’, the
reflexive pronoun ‘herself’ refers back to ‘she’.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a reflexive pronoun
as “a pronoun referring to the subject of the sentence, clause, or verbal phrase in which it stands.”
Q3
What are the examples of reflexive pronouns?
Reflexive pronouns include myself, yourself/yourselves, himself, herself, themselves, ourselves, itself and
oneself.

Demonstrative Pronoun
What Is a Demonstrative Pronoun?
Everyone might be familiar with the word ‘demo’. The word demo is most commonly used as an acronym for
demonstration. Demonstration means to indicate, identify, point out, exhibit or explain something to
someone. A demonstrative pronoun is used to do the same thing. It demonstrates or represents the nouns
that act as the subject or object in a sentence.
Definition of a Demonstrative Pronoun

46
The Cambridge Dictionary defines demonstrative words as ‘words, for example “this”, “that”, “these”, and
“those”, that show which person or thing is being referred to.’ The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as a
word that is used for ‘pointing out the one referred to and distinguishing it from others of the same class.’

How to Use Demonstrative Pronouns – Rules and Examples

A demonstrative pronoun is used to represent or identify a person, place, animal or thing. Demonstrative
pronouns are used in the singular and plural forms. The only thing that you need to take into account when
using demonstrative pronouns is to use verbs that agree with the particular singular or plural form of
demonstrative pronouns.
Demonstrative Uses Examples
Pronouns
Singular This Refers to a particular person,  This is my mom.
place, animal or thing that is  This is my pet dog.
closer in time and distance.  This is my favourite restaurant.
 This is the book I was looking for.
That Refers to a particular person,  That is my student.
place, animal or thing that is  That is the dog that chases all
further away in time and those who go on two-wheelers.
distance.  That is the place where you can
buy books at a lower cost.
 That is the box with all the money.
Plural These Refers to a number of people,  These are the children who missed
places, animals or things that their bus.
are closer in time and  These were the cats that were
distance. rescued from the nearest
neighbourhood.
 These are too expensive.
 These cost a lot less than what I
had expected.
Those Refers to a number of people,  Those are the women who have
places, animals or things that been waiting at the counter for
are further away in time and more than an hour now.
distance.  Those belong to my neighbour.
 There are so many birds here,
but those are my favourite.
 The cafes around the corner are a
lot more expensive
than those down the street.

Demonstrative Pronouns vs Demonstrative Adjectives

Second language learners often confuse demonstrative pronouns and demonstrative adjectives. The only
point that you should remember when using demonstrative pronouns and demonstrative adjectives is to
identify the function of the words in the sentence. A demonstrative pronoun is used in the place of a noun,
and a demonstrative adjective is used to describe and provide more information about the noun.

47
Demonstrative Pronoun / Used as a Demonstrative Used as a Demonstrative
Demonstrative Adjective Pronoun Adjective
This This is the book I read last This city is beautiful.
month.
That That is the car that hit the That dish is delicious.
little boy.
These These are my cousins. These bags are heavy.
Those The boxes you have are I know it was hard to
smaller than those. make those decisions.

Test Your Knowledge of Demonstrative Pronouns

Rewrite the following sentences by replacing the underlined nouns with appropriate demonstrative pronouns:
1. Bruno is my cousin.
2. I prefer soft drinks to fresh juices.
3. These flowers smell nice.
4. Be careful. That plate is hot.
5. Did you find the cats in there?
Let us find out if you have understood demonstrative pronouns. Check your answers.
1. This is my cousin.
2. I prefer soft drinks to these.
3. These smell nice.
4. Be careful. That is hot.
5. Did you find those in there?

Frequently Asked Questions on Demonstrative Pronouns

Q1
What is a demonstrative pronoun?
A demonstrative pronoun is used to point out or represent the nouns that act as the subject or object in a
sentence.
Q2
What is the definition of a demonstrative pronoun?
The Cambridge Dictionary defines demonstrative words as ‘words, for example “this”, “that”, “these”, and
“those”, that show which person or thing is being referred to.’ The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as a
word that is used for ‘pointing out the one referred to and distinguishing it from others of the same class.’
Q3
What are the examples of demonstrative pronouns?
This, that, these and those are the demonstrative pronouns in the English language.
Q4
What is the difference between a demonstrative pronoun and a demonstrative adjective?
The main difference between a demonstrative pronoun and a demonstrative adjective is that they perform
two different functions though the same words (this, that, these, those) are used as both. A demonstrative
pronoun is used to substitute the noun, and a demonstrative adjective is used to give more information and
describe about the noun.
Possessive Pronoun
What Are Possessive Pronouns?
48
Possessive pronouns are pronouns that are used to show your possession or ownership of someone or
something. They indicate that they belong to that particular person and no one else. Possessive pronouns
can be used instead of a noun phrase to avoid any repetition.
Definition of a Possessive Pronoun
The Macmillan Dictionary defines a possessive pronoun as “a pronoun such as ‘mine’, ‘theirs’ or ‘yours’ that
shows who something relates to or belongs to. In the sentence ‘He has his problems and I have mine’, ‘mine’
refers to ‘my problems’, and in the sentence ‘They want to buy the house next door to ours’, ‘ours’ refers to
‘our house’.” According to the Oxford Learners’ Dictionary, ‘a pronoun or a form of a word that expresses the
fact that something belongs to somebody/something’ is referred to as a possessive pronoun.

Understanding How to Use Possessive Pronouns in Sentences

A noun can generally be used as a possessive noun just by adding an apostrophe and an ‘s’ at the end of
the noun. Similarly, pronouns can be used to show possession too. It is not by adding an apostrophe or an
‘s’. There are pronouns that exclusively function in order to show that a particular person, animal or object
belongs to a particular someone.
 For the personal pronoun, ‘I’, the possessive pronoun would be ‘mine’.
For example, to indicate that ‘I own that blue car.’, it can be written as ‘That blue car is mine.’
 For the personal pronoun ‘we’, the possessive pronoun would be ‘ours’.
For example, to indicate that ‘the project that won the first prize belongs to us’, it can be written as ‘The
project that won the first prize was ours.’
 Similarly, for the personal pronoun, ‘he’, the possessive pronoun would be ‘his’.
For example: It is Kim’s pet cat.
It is his pet cat.
 For the personal pronoun, ‘she’, the possessive pronoun would be ‘hers’.
For example: The flowers Vanessa brought were better than the flowers Sheena brought.
The flowers Vanessa brought were better than hers.
 For the personal pronoun, ‘you’, the possessive pronoun would be ‘yours’.
For example: Do you think my handwriting is better than your handwriting?
Do you think my handwriting is better than yours?
 For the personal pronoun, ‘they’, the possessive pronoun would be ‘theirs’.
If something belongs to a group of people, it is indicated by the possessive pronoun ‘theirs’.
For example: The musical performance of the second group was more innovative than the fourth group.
The musical performance of the second group was more innovative than theirs.

Examples of Possessive Pronouns

Let us look at some possessive pronouns examples to have a better idea of how to use them in sentences.
 Bobby is one of my brothers.
Bobby is a brother of mine.
 Does the book belong to you?
Is this book yours?
 That little girl is my daughter, and this one is her daughter.
That little girl is my daughter, and this one is hers.
 The cake Diana baked last week is not as good as your cake.
The cake Diana baked last week is not as good as yours.
 It was not your fault, but it was their fault.
It was not your fault but theirs.
Its vs It’s
49
Why not find out the answer to the never-ending conundrum of using its or it’s?
This is confusing for most second language learners because the general rule for showing possession over
something or someone is by adding an apostrophe and an ‘s’. Now, the only thing that you have to keep in
mind is that it works a little differently as far as the pronoun ‘it’ is concerned.
Unlike other possessive nouns, the pronoun ‘it’ takes ‘its’ as the possessive form of pronoun and not it’s. ‘It’s’
here is a contraction and means ‘it is’. It is similar to other contractions like ‘don’t’, which means ‘do not’,
‘can’t’ which means ‘cannot’, ‘won’t’ which means ‘will not’, ‘you’re’ which means ‘you are’ and so on.

Test Your Knowledge on Possessive Pronouns

Let us now check your understanding of possessive pronouns. Substitute the underlined words with suitable
possessive pronouns:
1. Marianne liked my cookies more than your cookies.
2. Sherlock, is that your car?
3. Did you find the cat’s bell?
4. That is not their car. This black one is their car.
5. Whose bike is this? Is it his bike?

Find your answers here.

1. Marianne liked my cookies more than yours.
2. Sherlock, is that yours?
3. Did you find its bell?
4. That is not their car. This black one is theirs.
5. Whose bike is this? Is it his?

Frequently Asked Questions on Possessive Pronouns

Q1
What is a possessive pronoun?
A possessive pronoun is a pronoun that is used to show your possession or ownership of someone or
something. It indicates that it belongs to that particular person and no one else.
Q2
What is the definition of a possessive pronoun?
The Macmillan Dictionary defines possessive pronouns as “a pronoun such as ‘mine’, ‘theirs’ or ‘yours’ that
shows who something relates to or belongs to. In the sentence ‘He has his problems and I have mine’, ‘mine’
refers to ‘my problems’, and in the sentence ‘They want to buy the house next door to ours’, ‘ours’ refers to
‘our house’.” According to the Oxford Learners’ Dictionary, ‘a pronoun or a form of a word that expresses the
fact that something belongs to somebody/something’ is referred to as a possessive pronoun.
Q3
What are some examples of possessive pronouns?
Mine, yours, his, hers, its and theirs are the different possessive pronouns.

Indefinite Pronoun
Pronouns do not just refer to a particular person, animal, place or thing. It can also be used to refer to no
specific person, animal or thing and to an indefinite amount of things. Learn more about indefinite pronouns,
its definition and how to use indefinite pronouns in sentences. Also, go through the examples of indefinite
pronouns given in the article.
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You can go through the following topics for a clear understanding.
Table of Contents
 What Is an Indefinite Pronoun?
 Definition of an Indefinite Pronoun
 Points to Remember When Using Indefinite Pronouns with Examples
 List of Indefinite Pronouns for Your Reference
 Test Your Knowledge of Indefinite Pronouns
 Frequently Asked Questions on Indefinite Pronouns

What Is an Indefinite Pronoun?

An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun that is used to substitute nouns that are not specific. Indefinite pronouns
can be used in the singular and plural forms.
Definition of an Indefinite Pronoun
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines an indefinite pronoun as “a pronoun that does not refer to a specific
person or thing.” According to the Oxford Learners’ Dictionary, an indefinite pronoun is defined as “a pronoun
that does not refer to any person or thing in particular, for example, ‘anything’ and ‘everyone’.” The
Macmillan Dictionary defines an indefinite pronoun as “
a pronoun that does not refer to any particular person or thing, for example, ‘anybody’, ‘everyone’, or
‘anything’.”

Points to Remember when Using Indefinite Pronouns with Examples

Before you start using indefinite pronouns, make sure you keep this in mind. Like all other pronouns, singular
pronouns take the singular form of the verb, and plural pronouns take the plural form of the verb.
List of Indefinite Pronouns for Your Reference
Here is a list of indefinite pronouns with examples that you can refer to for a better idea.
Indefinite Pronouns Examples
Each The teacher asked each to present their projects.
Another Another one of them entered the house.
Anyone Is there anyone who likes a pretzel?
Everyone Can everyone sit down, please?
Anything Anything would be fine for me.
Everything I found everything I was looking for.
Everybody Everybody reached here on time.
Nobody Nobody was okay with what was happening around them.
None Allison had invited all of her cousins, but none had come yet.
Nothing Nothing happened yesterday.
Other They wanted to find out who the other was.
Somebody Somebody took my bag from the shelf.
Someone Could someone tell me where to find a doctor?
Something I do not like that there should always be something to do.
Both I think I love both.
Many Many have been asked to come for the audition.
Several Did you look at the options? There are several.
Any I was looking for a pencil. Is there any left?
All All have arrived on time.
Some I have a lot of chocolates. Do you want some?

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Test Your Knowledge of Indefinite Pronouns
Let us find out how far you have understood indefinite pronouns.
Fill in the blanks with appropriate indefinite pronouns:
1. Can _____________ tell me what is happening here?
2. I was looking for ______ ice cubes. I did not find _________ here.
3. Ally invited _________ to the party.
4. Is it possible for you to give me ___________?
5. ___________ liked the movie.
6. ___________ will be coming home for dinner tonight.
7. The nurse asked ____________ to settle down according to their slot numbers.
8. I think __________ took my science text book.
9. ____________ wants to know what is going on around here.
10. The doctor asked Telly not to eat _________ as the test should be taken on an empty stomach.

Check your answers here:

1. Can someone/somebody tell me what is happening here?
2. I was looking for some ice cubes. I did not find any here.
3. Ally invited everyone/everybody to the party.
4. Is it possible for you to give me something?
5. Everybody/ Everyone liked the movie.
6. No one/ Everyone/Nobody/Everybody will be coming home for dinner tonight.
7. The nurse asked everyone/everybody to settle down according to their slot numbers.
8. I think someone/somebody took my science textbook.
9. No one/everyone/nobody/everybody wants to know what is going on around here.
10. The doctor asked Telly not to eat anything as the test should be taken on an empty stomach.

Frequently Asked Questions on Indefinite Pronouns

Q1
What is an indefinite pronoun?
An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun that is used to substitute nouns that are not specific.
Q2
What is the definition of an indefinite pronoun?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines an indefinite pronoun as “a pronoun that does not refer to a specific
person or thing.” According to the Oxford Learners’ Dictionary, an indefinite pronoun is defined as “a pronoun
that does not refer to any person or thing in particular, for example, ‘anything’ and ‘everyone’.” The
Macmillan Dictionary defines an indefinite pronoun as “a pronoun that does not refer to any particular person
or thing, for example, ‘anybody’, ‘everyone’, or ‘anything’.”
Q3
Give some examples of indefinite pronouns.
Any, each, nothing, no one, nobody, everyone, everybody, nothing, everything, someone, something, many,
all, some, anyone, anything, anybody and another are some of the indefinite pronouns.

Personal Pronouns

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What Are Personal Pronouns?
Personal pronouns are monosyllabic words that are used to substitute proper nouns that repeat itself in a
particular context. A personal pronoun indicates the number and gender of the corresponding noun.
Definition of a Personal Pronoun
The Cambridge Dictionary defines a personal pronoun as ‘a word such as “I”, “you”, and “they”, that refers to
a person in speech or in writing’; and according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a personal pronoun is ‘a
pronoun (such as I, you, or they) that expresses a distinction of person’.
The Collins Dictionary provides a more elaborate definition of personal pronouns. According to them, ‘a
personal pronoun is a pronoun such as ‘I’, ‘you’, ‘she’, or ‘they’ which is used to refer to the speaker or the
person spoken to, or to a person or thing whose identity is clear, usually because they have already been
mentioned.’

Examples of Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns can be broadly classified into three main categories – the first person pronoun, the
second person pronoun and the third person pronoun. These pronouns are used in the nominative and
objective format and in the singular and plural forms.

53
First Person Pronoun Second Person Pronoun Third Person Pronoun
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
I, Me We, Us You You He/Him, They/Them
She/Her, It
Examples: Examples: Examples: Examples: Examples: Examples:
I like having We are You can take You (plural) He reached They will be
coffee in the going to whatever you want brought this up. the station spending their
morning. visit the from the shelf. Weren’t you all on time. Christmas
Did you new Did they asked to wear She was holidays in
call me around museum inform you about the uniform asked to London this
11? tomorrow. the reopening? saree on replace the year.
All Mondays? weights on Davis
of us have the stand. asked them to
been Is there any pitch in as
invited to way you bridesmaids as
the could it was time.
wedding ask him to
ceremony accompany
in Dubai. my brother?
Would it be
possible
for her to
find out if
Suraj is
coming to
the birthday
party?
She had
been
looking all
around the
place for her
blue bag,
but she did
not find it.

Rules and Usage of Personal Pronouns

Using Gender Neutral Personal Pronouns
There are some personal pronouns which are not gender sensitive.
The Singular and Plural ‘You’
The pronoun ‘you’ is the second person pronoun that can be used in both the singular and plural form.
Example 1: You are from Columbia, right?
In the above sentence, ‘you’ can be a male or a female.
Example 2: Did you do your assignments?

54
In the above example, ‘you’ can refer to a singular or plural noun and also a group of male and female
students.
‘They’ and ‘Them’
The third person pronouns ’they’ and ‘them’ can be used when the gender of a third person singular pronoun
is neutral or cannot be determined.
Example 1: Everyone has to make sure if he/she has his/her ID cards before he/she goes into the exam hall.
When you have to write for the general public, people use he/she or him/her. It can also be written in the
following manner.
Everyone has to make sure if they have their ID cards before they go into the exam hall.
Using Subject Pronouns and Object Pronouns
Using subject pronouns and object pronouns accurately is one of the things that you should practise in order
to be able to communicate with clarity.
‘Me’ vs ‘I’
Among the subject and object pronouns, the pronouns ‘me’ and ‘I’ are the ones that are not used correctly,
most of the time. This could be made easy if you understand the idea that the pronoun ‘I’ is always used as
the subject pronoun, and the pronoun ‘me’ is always used as the object pronoun.
Example 1:
Firoz, Jenny and me went to watch a movie last night. (Incorrect)
The above sentence is incorrect as ‘me’ is an object pronoun and cannot be used as a subject pronoun.
The correct usage would be as follows,
Firoz, Jenny and I went to watch a movie last night. (Correct)
Example 2:
All that I would need for the next two years were given to me on the first day.
The pronoun ‘me’ is used here because it is the object of the sentence that is receiving the action.

Check Your Understanding of Personal Pronouns

Substitute the underlined words in the following sentences with suitable personal pronouns:
Mazeeka, Raimy and Divya met for the first time in Chennai. Mazeeka and Raimy got to be roommates,
whereas Divya stayed in a separate apartment. Mazeeka and Raimy spent a lot of time together in the hostel
and had lots of stories to share with Divya every day. Mazeeka and Raimy slowly started spending a lot of
time at the college with Divya, eventually becoming best friends who supported each other and stood by
each other through thick and thin. Now, even after so many years have passed, Mazeeka, Raimy and Divya
find time to spend together. Mazeeka, Raimy and Divya cherish each other and their friendship till date.
Now, check if you got it right.
Mazeeka, Raimy and Divya met for the first time in Chennai. Mazeeka and Raimy got to be roommates,
whereas Divya stayed in a separate apartment. They spent a lot of time together in the hostel and had lots of
stories to share with Divya every day. They slowly started spending a lot of time at the college with her,
eventually becoming best friends who supported each other and stood by each other through thick and thin.
Now, even after so many years have passed, they find time to spend together. They cherish each other and
their friendship till date.

Frequently Asked Questions on Personal Pronouns

Q1
What are personal pronouns?

55
Personal pronouns are monosyllabic words that are used to substitute proper nouns that repeat itself in a
particular context. A personal pronoun indicates the number and gender of the corresponding noun.
Q2
What is the definition of a personal pronoun?
The Cambridge Dictionary defines a personal pronoun as ‘a word such as “I”, “you”, and “they”, that refers to
a person in speech or in writing’; and according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a personal pronoun is ‘a
pronoun (such as I, you, or they) that expresses a distinction of person’. The Collins Dictionary provides a
more elaborate definition of personal pronouns. According to them, ‘a personal pronoun is a pronoun such as
‘I’, ‘you’, ‘she’, or ‘they’ which is used to refer to the speaker or the person spoken to, or to a person or thing
whose identity is clear, usually because they have already been mentioned.’
Q3
What are the examples of personal pronouns?
I, me, you, we, us, he, him, she, her, they, them and it are called personal pronouns as they take the place of
a particular person or thing in a sentence or a context.

Subject Pronouns

According to the Collins Dictionary, a subject pronoun is “a pronoun which takes the place of a subject in a
sentence, such as (in English) ‘I’, ‘you’, or ‘we’.”

Examples of Subject Pronouns

Here are some examples of subject pronouns.
 I go to school every day. (The pronoun ‘I’ is doing the action of going to school every day and is the
subject in the sentence)
 We are travelling to Paris next week. (The pronoun ‘we’ refers to the subject who is currently doing
the action of travelling to Paris)
 He will be meeting Nina tomorrow. (The pronoun ‘he’ is the subject who will be performing the action
of meeting Nina the next day)
 She is writing a letter to her cousin. (The pronoun ‘she’ is the subject in the sentence that is currently
performing the action of writing a letter to her cousin)
 Did you get the book you were looking for? (The pronoun ‘you’ is the subject pronoun in the
sentence)
 They will be playing the final match in Australia. (The pronoun ‘they’ is the subject who will be playing
the final match in Australia)

Frequently Asked Questions on Subject Pronouns

Q1
What is a subject pronoun?
A subject pronoun is a word that is used in the place of a noun. It plays the role of a subject in the sentence.
Subject pronouns are usually placed in the first part of a sentence, just before the verb, to indicate the doer
of the action.
Q2
Give some examples of subject pronouns.
I, we, he, she, it, they are some of the subject pronouns.

Object Pronouns

56
Object pronouns are words that are used to substitute nouns that play the role of the object in the sentence.
Read through the article to learn more about object pronouns.
Table of Contents
 Identifying Object Pronouns
 Examples of Object Pronouns Used in Sentences
 Test Your Knowledge on Object Pronouns
 Frequently Asked Questions on Object Pronouns

Identifying Object Pronouns

In order to identify the object pronoun in a sentence, you should find out the noun that receives the action.
The receiver of the action is called the object. Object pronouns can act as indirect and direct objects. When
used as a direct object, it answers the question ‘who’; and it answers the question ‘whom’ when used as
an indirect object in a sentence. Me, him, her, us, them, you and it are object pronouns.

Examples of Object Pronouns Used in Sentences

Given below are some examples of object pronouns used in sentences.
 Barry bought a canvas sheet.
Barry bought it.
The object here is ‘a canvas sheet’, and it can be substituted by the object pronoun ‘it’.
 Jessica and Lorraine met Kelly in the evening.
Jessica and Lorraine met her in the evening.
The object here is ‘Kelly’. It can be substituted by the object pronoun ‘her’.
 Did you like the movie?
Did you like it?
‘The movie’ is the object in the sentence and can be substituted by the object pronoun ‘it’.
 When can we meet Nick and Jess?
When can we meet them?
‘Nick and Jess’ are the objects in the sentence and can be substituted by the object pronoun ‘them’.

Test Your Knowledge on Object Pronouns

Substitute the underlined nouns with suitable object pronouns.
1. Miller and Davis are going along with Daisy.
2. Where did you get this photo?
3. When will you be meeting the Board members?
4. I bought Ranvir his favourite burger.
5. The teacher asked the students to pass the books.

Check your answers here.

1. Miller and Davis are going along with her.
2. Where did you get it?
3. When will you be meeting them?
4. I bought him his favourite burger.
5. The teacher asked the students to pass it.

Frequently Asked Questions on Object Pronouns

Q1
What are object pronouns?
57
Object pronouns are those words that are used to substitute a noun that receives the action in a sentence.
Object pronouns include me, you, him, her, it and them.
Q2
How do we identify an object pronoun?
An object pronoun can be identified by asking the question ‘who’ or ‘whom’. You can also analyse the
function of the pronoun to check if it is an object pronoun or a subject pronoun.

Direct Object
What Is a Direct Object?
A direct object is a noun, pronoun or noun phrase that receives the action done by the subject in a sentence.
In a sentence structure such as SVO (subject + verb + object), the object appears at the end of the sentence.
It can generally be identified by asking the questions ‘what’ and ‘whom’.
Now, have a look at the different definitions of a direct object given by various dictionaries to have a much
clearer idea of what a direct object is.
Definition of a Direct Object
A direct object, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a noun, noun phrase, or pronoun
that refers to a person or thing that is directly affected by the action of a verb.” According to the Collins
Dictionary, “the direct object of a transitive verb is the noun group which refers to someone or something
directly affected by or involved in the action performed by the subject.”
The Cambridge Dictionary defines a direct object as “the person or thing that is affected by the action of the
verb”, and according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a direct object is defined as “a word
or phrase denoting the receiver of the action of a verb.”

Usage of a Direct Object in a Sentence

As already explained, a direct object is the word or phrase that receives the action performed by the subject
in a sentence. It is generally found to be used in sentences written in the following common sentence
patterns.
 SVO – I have an umbrella.
 SVOC – I made my mom angry.
 SVOA – He brought a box of chocolates yesterday.
 ASVO – Last week, we saw a UFO.
 SVIODO – I made my friend some cookies.
In addition to this, you should keep in mind that direct objects can be identified by asking the questions
‘whom’ or ‘what’. So, if you are not getting answers to these questions, that means you are not using a direct
object. For instance, in the above given sentences, ‘an umbrella’, ‘a box of chocolates’, ‘a UFO’ and ‘some
cookies’ answer the question ‘what’ and ‘my mom’ answers the question ‘whom’. Besides, it usually appears
immediately after the verb in most cases. Also, remember that the determiner (an article, demonstrative
adjective or possessive pronoun) is also considered a part of the direct object.

Examples of Direct Objects

Here are a few examples to show you how direct objects can be used in sentences.
 I had pancakes for breakfast.
 Mahesh is at the grocery store getting some dairy products.
 Remind me to wear my sports uniform tomorrow.
 Finn loves pasta.
 Mr. Will found the keys after looking for hours.
 Preethi bought me my favourite ice cream for dessert.

58
  Did you like the movie?
 They decided to buy a new house.
 Last week, Sam attended a concert.
 Have you sent out the invitations?

Check Your Understanding of Direct Objects

Identify the direct object in the following sentences.
1. I have not found my watch yet.
2. Nobody knew the answer.
3. Did you meet Joshua?
4. I love this song.
5. My brother told me that he did not like the climax of the movie.
6. Raimy asked me if I could bake her some cookies.
7. Turn off all the lights and fans when you leave the room.
8. My son likes to watch Disney movies.
9. Mazeeka loved the gift I gave for her wedding.
10. I was so happy with the dress I bought yesterday.

Find out if you identified the direct objects correctly from the answers given below.
1. I have not found my watch yet.
2. Nobody knew the answer.
3. Did you meet Joshua?
4. I love this song.
5. My brother told me that he did not like the climax of the movie.
6. Raimy asked me if I could bake her some cookies.
7. Turn off all the lights and fans when you leave the room.
8. My son likes to watch Disney movies.
9. Mazeeka loved the gift I gave for her wedding.
10. I was so happy with the dress I bought yesterday.

Frequently Asked Questions on Direct Objects in English Grammar

Q1
What is a direct object?
A direct object is a noun, pronoun or noun phrase that receives the action done by the subject in a sentence.
In a sentence structure such as SVO (subject + verb + object), the object appears at the end of the sentence.
It can generally be identified by asking the questions ‘what’ and ‘whom’.
Q2
What is the definition of a direct object?
A direct object, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as “a noun, noun phrase, or pronoun
that refers to a person or thing that is directly affected by the action of a verb.” According to the Collins
Dictionary, “the direct object of a transitive verb is the noun group which refers to someone or something
directly affected by or involved in the action performed by the subject.” The Cambridge Dictionary defines a
direct object as “the person or thing that is affected by the action of the verb”, and according to the Merriam-
Webster Dictionary, a direct object is defined as “a word or phrase denoting the receiver of the action of a
verb.”
59
Q3
What are the different sentence structures in which a direct object can be used?
A direct object can be used in sentences written in the following common sentence patterns.
 SVO – I have an umbrella.
 SVOC – I made my mom angry.
 SVOA – He brought a box of chocolates yesterday.
 ASVO – Last week, we saw a UFO.
 SVIODO – I made my friend some cookies.
Q4
Give some examples of a direct object.
Here are a few examples of sentences to show you how a direct object can be used.
 Mahesh is at the grocery store getting some dairy products.
 Remind me to wear my sports uniform tomorrow.
 Finn loves pasta.
 Mr. Will found the keys after looking for hours.
 Preethi bought me my favourite ice cream for dessert.

Indirect Object
What Is an Indirect Object?
An indirect object, as the name suggests, does not receive the action in the sentence directly. Instead, it is
a noun or pronoun that receives the direct object. It can be identified by asking the question ‘to whom’ or ‘for
whom’. It is most commonly used in sentence structures like SVIODO and ASVIODO.
Now that you know what an indirect object means, take a look at the definitions given by various dictionaries
for a much better idea of what it is.
Definition of an Indirect Object
An indirect object, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is defined as “a noun, pronoun, or noun
phrase that occurs in addition to a direct object after some verbs and indicates the person or thing that
receives what is being given or done: the person or thing that the action of a verb is performed for or directed
to.” The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines an indirect object as “a noun, noun phrase, or pronoun in a
sentence, used after some verbs, that refers to the person or thing that an action is done to or for.”
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, an indirect object is defined as “the person or thing that receives the
effect of the action of a verb with two objects”, and the Collins Dictionary defines an indirect object as “an
object which is used with a transitive verb to indicate who benefits from an action or gets something as a
result.”

Usage of an Indirect Object in a Sentence

An indirect object can be used only in a sentence which has a direct object as it is an object that receives the
direct object. There are some things that you have to take care of when you are using indirect objects in a
sentence.
Always place the indirect object before a direct object. Sometimes, people get confused with the use of
a prepositional phrase used after the direct object as the indirect object. Remember that a prepositional
phrase can never be considered as an indirect object.
For example:

 Geethu gave Neethu a piece of cake. (Indirect object)
 Geethu gave a piece of cake to Neethu. (Prepositional Phrase)

60
Both sentences mean the same thing but when positioned in different parts of the sentence, the function of
the word or phrase also changes. An indirect object can therefore be placed only in between the verb and
the direct object in a sentence. Also, keep in mind that only object pronouns, not subject pronouns, can be
used as indirect objects. Object pronouns include me, you, him, her, it, them and us.
Verbs That Can Be Used When Using Indirect Objects
Not all verbs can be used with indirect objects. So, here is a list of some specific verbs that can be used with
indirect objects.
 Make
 Give
 Buy
 Bake
 Bring
 Ask
 Get
 Introduce
 Hand
 Teach
 Sing
 Owe
 Promise
 Show
 Pass
 Read
 Sell
 Throw
 Tell
 Loan
 Mail

Difference between a Direct Object and an Indirect Object

Since you know what a direct object is and the ways in which it can be employed in a sentence, you will
definitely not find it difficult to distinguish between a direct object and an indirect object. However, here is a
table with the differences between the two for your reference. Take a look.
Direct Object Indirect Object
A direct object is a noun or pronoun that An indirect object is a noun or pronoun that
receives the action done by the subject. receives the direct object in the sentence.
A direct object can be used in sentence An indirect object can be used in sentence
patterns like, patterns such as,
 SVO  SVIODO
 SVOC  ASVIODO
 SVOA
 ASVOC
 ASVOA
 SVIODO
 ASVIODO
Example: Example:
 My brother bought a bike.  I bought my sister a new bracelet.
 She picked up her son on the way to  Last week, Kevin had
the airport. sent Dennis some money.
 Yesterday, we spotted a
panther outside our resort.

61
Examples of Indirect Objects
Looking at how they are used in sentences can help you understand better. So, here are a few examples for
your reference.
 Usha bought her nephew, Achu, a chain.
 You owe her an apology.
 Can you loan me some money?
 Santana passed Brittany a big box of chocolates.
 My father bought me a new phone.
 Pearle made Srini his favourite dish.
 She asked you a question.
 The little girl asked her mom to read her a story.
 Danny’s uncle promised him a remote car for his birthday.
 I have sent you the instructions for the quiz competition.

Check Your Understanding of Indirect Objects

Identify the indirect object and direct object in the following sentences.
1. The baby gave her mom a kiss.
2. Can you send me the syllabus for the quarterly exams?
3. Madhu loaned Aarathi a sum of ten lakhs.
4. Did you mail Ma’am the required documents?
5. The Science teacher asked the students questions on the recently completed lesson.
6. Divya sent Mikki her share of the money for Netflix.
7. Can you get me the maths textbook?
8. Our music master taught us a new song.
9. The bank manager handed them the documents to be filled.
10. Will you be able to bring Finn a set of clothes?

Now, check if you have identified the direct object and indirect object correctly from the answers given below.
1. The baby gave her mom a kiss.
Indirect Object – Her mom
Direct Object – A kiss
2. Can you send me the syllabus for the quarterly exams?
Indirect Object – Me
Direct Object – The syllabus for the quarterly exams
3. Madhu loaned Aarathi a sum of ten lakhs.
Indirect Object – Aarathi
Direct Object – A sum of ten lakhs
4. Did you mail Ma’am the required documents?
Indirect Object – Ma’am
Direct Object – The required documents
5. The Science teacher asked the students questions on the recently completed lesson.
Indirect Object – The students
Direct Object – Questions on the recently completed lesson
6. Divya sent Mikki her share of the money for Netflix.
Indirect Object – Mikki

62
Direct Object – Her share of the money for Netflix
7. Can you get me the maths textbook?
Indirect Object – Me
Direct Object – The maths textbook
8. Our music master taught us a new song.
Indirect Object – Us
Direct Object – A new song
9. The bank manager handed them the documents to be filled.
Indirect Object – Them
Direct Object – The documents to be filled
10. Will you be able to bring Finn a set of clothes?
Indirect Object – Finn
Direct Object – A set of clothes

Frequently Asked Questions on Indirect Objects in English Grammar

Q1
What is an indirect object?
An indirect object, as the name suggests, does not receive the action in the sentence directly. Instead, it is a
noun or pronoun that receives the direct object. It can be identified by asking the question ‘to whom’ or ‘for
whom’.
Q2
What is the definition of an indirect object?
An indirect object, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is defined as “a noun, pronoun, or noun
phrase that occurs in addition to a direct object after some verbs and indicates the person or thing that
receives what is being given or done: the person or thing that the action of a verb is performed for or directed
to.” The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines an indirect object as “a noun, noun phrase, or pronoun in a
sentence, used after some verbs, that refers to the person or thing that an action is done to or for.” According
to the Cambridge Dictionary, an indirect object is defined as “the person or thing that receives the effect of
the action of a verb with two objects”, and the Collins Dictionary defines an indirect object as “an object
which is used with a transitive verb to indicate who benefits from an action or gets something as a result.”
Q3
Give some sentence structures in which an indirect object is used.
An indirect object is most commonly used in sentence structures like SVIODO and ASVIODO.
Q4
What are the verbs that can be used along with indirect objects?
Here is a list of some specific verbs that can be used with indirect objects.
 Make
 Give
 Buy
 Bake
 Bring
 Ask
 Get
 Introduce
 Hand

63
  Teach
 Sing
 Owe
 Promise
 Show
 Pass
 Read
 Sell
 Throw
 Tell
 Loan
 Mail
Q5
Give some examples of sentences using indirect objects.
Here are a few examples to show you how to use an indirect object in a sentence.
 The little girl asked her mom to read her a story.
 Danny’s uncle promised him a remote car for his birthday.
 I have sent you the instructions for the quiz competition.
 Can you loan me some money?
 Santana passed Brittany a big box of chocolates.
Q6
What is the difference between a direct object and an indirect object?
 The main difference between a direct object and an indirect object is that a direct object receives the
action done by the subject, whereas, the indirect object receives the direct object.
 A direct object is placed immediately after the verb and an indirect object is placed in between the
verb and the direct object.
 When a direct object is used, there would be only one object in the sentence, whereas a sentence
with an indirect object should always have two objects.

Interrogative Pronoun

What Is an Interrogative Pronoun?

An interrogative pronoun, like the name suggests, is used to ask questions. It refers to something or
someone. What, which, who, whom and whose are the five interrogative pronouns in the English language.
Definition of an Interrogative Pronoun
The Cambridge Dictionary defines the term ‘interrogative’ as ‘a word or sentence used when asking a
question.’ According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word ‘interrogative’ is a ‘word (such as who,
what, which) used in asking questions. So, in a nutshell, an interrogative pronoun is a pronoun that is used to
substitute a person or an object when asking a question.

How to Use Interrogative Pronouns? – Points to Remember and Examples

Each of the interrogative pronouns is used to ask very specific questions (direct or indirect) about a particular
something or someone. The interrogative pronouns – who, whom and whose refer only to people, whereas
the interrogative pronouns – what and which can refer to things/objects or people. You would have noticed
that the same words are also used as relative pronouns, often found in complex sentences.
To find out if the interrogative pronoun refers to the subject or the object, you can always try answering the
question with the interrogative pronoun.
Example 1: Who was the keynote speaker?
Nick was the keynote speaker.
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In the above example, Nick is the subject and the interrogative pronoun ‘who’ can therefore be said to be the
subject pronoun.
Example 2: Whom did you speak to?
I spoke to Ms Claire.
In the above example, ‘Ms Claire’ is the object that the subject ‘I’ has spoken to. So it can be said that the
interrogative pronoun ‘whom’ is an object pronoun.
Example 3: Whose is this black bag?
It is mine.
In the above example, the pronoun ‘it’ refers to the black bag, and so it can be said that the interrogative
pronoun ‘whose’ is an object pronoun.
The interrogative pronouns ‘what’ and ‘which’ can be used in multiple ways to refer to both people and
things.
For example: What do you want? (Referring to an object)
What do you prefer? Tea or coffee? (Referring to an object)
What did you find on the porch? (Referring to an object)
What is your name? (Referring to a person)
Which is your favourite story? (Referring to an object)
Which is the guy you were talking to yesterday? (Referring to a person)
Which one of you did not do your homework? (Referring to a person)
Which one do you like better? The red one or the yellow one? (Referring to an
object)

Difference between an Interrogative Pronoun and an Interrogative Adjective

Like demonstrative pronouns and demonstrative adjectives, interrogative pronouns and interrogative
adjectives differ based on the roles they play in a sentence. If the word is used to describe more about
the noun in the sentence, it would be an interrogative adjective. On the other hand, if it is used to identify or
substitute the noun that acts as the subject or object in a sentence, then it is an interrogative pronoun.
Interrogative
Pronoun /
Interrogative Used as an Interrogative
Adjective Pronoun Used as an Interrogative Adjective
What are you looking for What colour do you think I should
What here? wear?
‘Who’ cannot be used as an
interrogative adjective as it always
Who is the man who stole refers to people who are nouns that
Who your purse? play the role of a subject or an object.
‘Whom’ cannot be used as an
interrogative adjective as it always
Whom did you bring along refers to people who are nouns that
Whom with you for the wedding? play the role of a subject or an object.
So many of them had lost
their phones that
Whose night. Whose did you find? Whose acting did you like the most?
Which is the book you read
Which last month? Which book did you decide to buy?

Test Your Knowledge of Interrogative Pronouns – Practice Worksheet

65
Try this interrogative pronouns worksheet to find out if you have clearly understood the usage of interrogative
pronouns.
Identify the interrogative pronouns or interrogative adjectives in the following sentences:
1. Which flower in the bunch do you like?
2. Who is the guy standing next to Winston?
3. What food would you like to have?
4. Whose keys are these?
5. What are you holding in your hands?
6. Have you decided which movie to watch?
7. Who is your boss?
8. Would you mind telling me which article I should work on next?
9. What did Susan find in the box?
10. I was asking him whose phone that was.

Ready to find out how much you have learnt. Check your answers here.
1. Which flower in the bunch do you like? – Interrogative Adjective
2. Who is the guy standing next to Winston? – Interrogative Pronoun
3. What would you like to have? – Interrogative Pronoun
4. Whose keys are these? – Interrogative Adjective
5. What are you holding in your hands? – Interrogative Pronoun
6. Have you decided which movie to watch? – Interrogative Adjective
7. Who is your boss? – Interrogative Pronoun
8. Would you mind telling me which article I should work on next? – Interrogative Adjective
9. What did Susan find in the box? – Interrogative Pronoun
10. I was asking him whose phone that was. – Interrogative Adjective

Frequently Asked Questions on Interrogative Pronouns

Q1
What is an interrogative pronoun?
An interrogative pronoun, like the name suggests, is used to ask questions. It refers to something or
someone. What, which, who, whom and whose are the five interrogative pronouns in the English language.
Q2
What is the definition of an interrogative pronoun?
The Cambridge Dictionary defines the term ‘interrogative’ as ‘a word or sentence used when asking a
question.’ According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word ‘interrogative’ is a ‘word (such as who,
what, which) used in asking questions. So, in a nutshell, an interrogative pronoun is a pronoun that is used to
substitute a person or an object when asking a question.
Q3
How do we use interrogative pronouns in sentences?
Interrogative pronouns can be used to ask questions about people or things. The best way to identify if the
interrogative pronoun is used correctly is to frame answers to the questions. If you have a noun or a pronoun
that acts as a subject or object as your answer, that means you are using it right.
Q4

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What is the difference between an interrogative pronoun and an interrogative adjective?
Like demonstrative pronouns and demonstrative adjectives, interrogative pronouns and interrogative
adjectives differ based on the roles they play in a sentence. If the word is used to describe more about the
noun in the sentence, it would be an interrogative adjective. On the other hand, if it is used to identify or
substitute the noun that acts as the subject or object in a sentence, then it is an interrogative pronoun.

Reciprocal Pronoun
Definition of a Reciprocal Pronoun
The term, ‘reciprocal’ is defined as “involving two people or groups who agree to help each other or behave
in the same way to each other”, according to the Oxford Learners’ Dictionary. According to the Merriam-
Webster Dictionary, a reciprocal pronoun is defined as “a pronoun (such as each other) used when its
referents are predicted to bear the same relationship to one another.”

Examples of Reciprocal Pronouns

Reciprocal pronouns are used to indicate that the actions in a sentence are reciprocated. Have a look at the
following examples of reciprocal pronouns and how to use them in sentences.
Reciprocal Pronouns Examples
Each other Rachel and Ross love each other.
One another My brother and my cousin were blaming one another

Test Your Knowledge of Reciprocal Pronouns

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate reciprocal pronouns:
1. They were not able to see __________.
2. Davis and Ally could not stand __________.
3. The children were fighting with ____________.
4. Fred and Jess gave ___________ gifts.
5. The criminals blamed _______________.
Check your answers here:
1. They were not able to see each other.
2. Davis and Ally could not stand each other.
3. The children were fighting with each other.
4. Fred and Jess gave one another gifts.
5. The criminals blamed one another.

Frequently Asked Questions on Reciprocal Pronouns

Q1
What is a reciprocal pronoun?
Reciprocal pronouns are words that are used to indicate a mutual relationship between two subjects or
objects. Reciprocal pronouns are used to indicate that the actions in a sentence are reciprocated.
Q2
What is the definition of a reciprocal pronoun?
The term, ‘reciprocal’ is defined as “involving two people or groups who agree to help each other or behave
in the same way to each other”, according to the Oxford Learners’ Dictionary. According to the Merriam-
Webster Dictionary, a reciprocal pronoun is defined as “a pronoun (such as each other) used when its
referents are predicted to bear the same relationship to one another.”
Q3
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What are the examples of reciprocal pronouns?
‘Each other’ and ‘one another’ are the only two reciprocal pronouns in the English language.
Intensive Pronoun
What is an Intensive Pronoun?
An intensive pronoun is so similar to a reflexive pronoun that it mostly confuses all second language
learners. It would become a lot easier if you understood how each of the pronouns functioned differently. An
intensive pronoun is a pronoun that is used to provide emphasis on the action the subject does in a
sentence.
Definition of an Intensive Pronoun
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines an intensive pronoun as “a pronoun that emphasises a
preceding noun or another pronoun (as itself in “borrowing is itself a bad habit”)” and also as “a personal
pronoun compounded with -self and used in apposition with a noun or pronoun or as
pronominal adjunct (as itself in “the cat looked innocence itself” or himself in “he made it himself”)”.
According to the Collins Dictionary, an intensive pronoun is used in “denoting or belonging to a class of
pronouns used to emphasise a noun or personal pronoun, such as himself in the sentence John himself did
it. In English, intensive pronouns are identical in form with reflexive pronouns.”

Examples of Intensive Pronouns

Here is a list of intensive pronouns with examples that you can have a look at.
Type of
Intensive Intensive
Pronouns Pronoun Examples of Intensive Pronouns
Singular
Intensive
Myself Pronoun I myself did not do it.
Singular
Intensive
Yourself Pronoun Did you yourself finish the whole lasagna?
Singular
Intensive Nobody could believe that he himself would break his
Himself Pronoun own door.
Singular
Intensive She herself found the solution to the never-ending
Herself Pronoun conundrum.
Singular
Intensive The parrot itself somehow opened the cage and flew
Itself Pronoun away.
I do not know what to do with you. You yourselves go
Plural Intensive and talk to the concerned authorities about what you
Yourselves Pronoun have done.
Plural Intensive
Ourselves Pronoun We ourselves have to find a way out of this mess.
Plural Intensive They themselves took care of it and informed the
Themselves Pronoun police about the theft in their house.

Difference between Intensive Pronouns and Reflexive Pronouns

Though the same words are used as intensive pronouns and reflexive pronouns, they have slightly different
grammatical functions. Intensive pronouns are used in order to emphasise the subject in a sentence by
repeating it.
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For example, Rency herself solved the puzzle.
Reflexive pronouns are words that are used when the subject and object in a sentence are one and the
same.
For example, Trinita introduced herself to the new neighbours.
Another difference is that the sentence would still make sense even if the intensive pronoun is removed from
the sentence, whereas the reflexive pronoun ought to be there in the sentence as it acts as the object, and
only then does it make complete sense.
For example, Rency solved the puzzle. (Still means she solved the puzzle by herself)
Trinita introduced to the new neighbours. (Incomplete sentence as the object is missing)

Test Your Knowledge of Intensive Pronouns

Let us check if you have understood the difference between how an intensive pronoun and how a reflexive
pronoun is used in a sentence.
Identify if the underlined words in the sentences given below is a reflexive pronoun or an intensive pronoun:
1. Did you do all of it yourself?
2. Will they be able to take care of the whole thing by themselves?
3. I myself had to take care of our pets as no one was free to stay home with me.
4. We ourselves found a place to stay in the woods as it got too late.
5. Do you think that he can finish cleaning the house all by himself?

Check your answers here.

1. Did you do all of it yourself? – Reflexive pronoun
2. Will they be able to take care of the whole thing by themselves? – Reflexive pronoun
3. I myself had to take care of our pets as no one was free to stay home with me. – Intensive pronoun
4. We ourselves found a place to stay in the woods as it got too late. – Intensive pronoun
5. Do you think that he can finish cleaning the house all by himself? – Reflexive pronoun

Frequently Asked Questions on Intensive Pronouns

Q1
What is an intensive pronoun?
An intensive pronoun is a pronoun that is used to provide emphasis on the action the subject does in a
sentence.
Q2
What is the definition of an intensive pronoun?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines an intensive pronoun as “a pronoun that emphasises a preceding
noun or another pronoun (as itself in “borrowing is itself a bad habit”)” and also as “a personal pronoun
compounded with -self and used in apposition with a noun or pronoun or as pronominal adjunct (as itself in
“the cat looked innocence itself” or himself in “he made it himself”)”. According to the Collins Dictionary, an
intensive pronoun is used in “denoting or belonging to a class of pronouns used to emphasise a noun or
personal pronoun, such as himself in the sentence John himself did it. In English, intensive pronouns are
identical in form with reflexive pronouns.”
Q3
What are the examples of intensive pronouns?

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Intensive pronouns are of two main types: Singular intensive pronouns and plural intensive pronouns. Myself,
herself, himself, itself and yourself are the singular intensive pronouns, and yourselves, themselves and
ourselves are the plural intensive pronouns.
Verbs
Verbs in English Grammar
In the English language or any language for that matter, verbs happen to be an essential part of speech,
without which it would be impossible to indicate what the subject is doing. It refers to all actions, including
those related to feelings and emotions. Verbs come in different types and forms so that they can perform
differently in order to provide complete meaning. Before we look into the types of verbs and the verb forms,
let us look at how various dictionaries define the term ‘verb’.
Definition of a Verb
The Oxford Learners’ Dictionary defines a ‘verb’ as “a word or group of words that express an action (such
as eat), an event (such as happen) or a state (such as exist)”. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a
‘verb’ is defined as “a word or phrase that describes an action, condition, or experience”. The Collins
Dictionary provides a much more elaborate definition of a verb. According to them, “A verb is a word such as
‘ sing’, ‘ feel’, or ‘ die’ which is used with a subject to say what someone or something does or what happens
to them, or to give information about them”.

General Classification of Verbs according to What They Signify

Before we get into a broad classification, let us first have a look at how verbs can be classified generally
according to what kind of action they signify.
Verbs Referring to Actions
Verbs referring to action (action verbs) are those that involve the movement of one’s body in one way or the
other. Some examples of verbs referring to actions are as follows:
 Walk
 Run
 Talk
 Sit
 Read
 Write
 Jog
 Cough
 Sleep
 Jump
 Sing
 Drink
 Teach
 Present
 Build
 Break
 Tow
 Toss
 Hug
 Fight

Verbs Referring to Experiences or Feelings

These are verbs that refer to something that you can feel or experience and do not necessarily involve a
movement of any kind. Some examples of verbs referring to feelings and experiences are as follows:
 Love
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  Hate
 Envy
 Believe
 Trust
 Feel
 Entrust
 Experience
 Care
 Cherish
 Sense
 Know
 Recognise
 Understand
 Comprehend
 Like
 Need
 Adore
 Loathe
 Appreciate
Verbs Referring to a State or Condition
These verbs are those that refer to situations or the state of being. All forms of ‘to be’ verbs belong to this
category. Some examples of verbs referring to a state or condition are as follows:
 Am
 Is
 Are
 Was
 Were
 Have
 Has
 Will be
 Appear
 Seem
 Become
 Been
 Being

The Various Types of Verbs with Examples

Verbs can be classified into numerous types according to their function or role in a sentence or context. Let
us look into the various types of verbs and some examples of each type of verb.
Auxiliary Verbs/Helping Verbs
Auxiliary verbs or helping verbs, as the name suggests, is a verb that is used to help another verb sound
sensible and meaningful. It is used to change the other verb’s tense, mood or voice. So, every time an
auxiliary verb is used, you always have one more verb, which acts as the main verb in a sentence.
Examples of auxiliary verbs are as follows:
 Am
 Is
 Are
 Was
 Were
 Have
 Has
 Do
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  Will
 Can
One point you have to take care of when you use auxiliary verbs is that you should conjugate the auxiliary
verb correctly according to the tense form of a sentence. Another specific fact about auxiliary verbs is that
they can also be used as a main verb. Also, there are verbs called modal verbs that can be used as a
helping verb.
Work out exercises on auxiliary verbs to practise.
Modal Verbs
Modal verbs are those verbs that are used to denote the possibility, probability, capability or necessity of
something happening. Modal verbs, unlike other auxiliary verbs, cannot be used as a main verb in a
sentence.
Examples of modal verbs are as follows:
 Can
 Could
 Will
 Would
 May
 Might
 Should
 Must
 Ought to

Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs include phrases that are formed by combining two or more parts of speech that performs the
same function as a verb in a sentence. In most cases, a phrasal verb results from a combination of a verb
and a preposition.
Some examples of phrasal verbs are as follows:
 Go by
 Lay off
 Log in
 Get off
 Run out
 Go all out
 Think through
 Fed up
 Taken aback
 Act on
 Back away
 Back up
 Look up
 Mix up
 Opt out
 Pop in
Check out the list of phrasal verbs and exercise on phrasal verbs.
Linking Verbs
A linking verb, just like the name suggests, is a type of verb that is used to link the subjects in a sentence to
the other parts of the sentence so that it is meaningful. It connects the subject to the object, an adjective and
even a prepositional phrase. All ‘to be’ forms of verbs and verbs like ‘seem’ and ‘become’ can act as linking
verbs.

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Have a look at the following examples to understand how verbs perform the role of a linking verb in
sentences.
Example 1: Connecting Nouns to Other Nouns in a Sentence
Danny is my brother.
In the above example, the verb ‘is’ is used to connect the subject ‘Danny’ as the ‘brother’ of the speaker. In
this sentence, the words ‘Danny’ and ‘brother’ are used to refer to the same person.
Example 2: Connecting a Noun to a Prepositional Phrase in a Sentence
The children were in the park.
In Example 2, the verb ‘were’ is used to connect the subject ‘the children’ to the prepositional phrase ‘in the
park’.
Example 3: Connecting a Noun/Subject to an Adjective
Your presentation of the life cycle of the silkworm was excellent.
In the above example, the verb ‘was’ is used to link the subject ‘Your presentation of the life cycle of a
silkworm’ to the adjective ‘excellent’.
Example 4: Connecting the Subject/Noun to the Predicate using Seem/Become
This book on a treasure hunt seems interesting.
In this sentence, the subject ‘This book on a treasure hunt’ is connected to the adjective ‘interesting’ with the
linking verb ‘seem’.
The students became bored after two continuous hours of classes and were not ready to take another hour
of class without a break in between.
In the above sentence, the subject ‘The students’ has been linked to the rest of the sentence with the linking
verb ‘became’.

Different Categories of Verbs

Verbs can be divided into different categories according to their behaviour when used in a context. Let us
look at the categories explained below.
Regular Verbs and Irregular Verbs
As you can see, verbs are used to denote actions, and they can be used in different forms to indicate when
the subject in a sentence is carrying out an action. A regular verb can be conjugated to show if the action
takes place in the past or if the action is taking place continuously.
In most cases, the past form of the verb is formed by adding an ‘ed’ to the root verb for regular verbs. On the
other hand, there are other verbs that do not follow this rule. They are called irregular verbs. These verbs
have their own unique forms. If you are wondering how to learn these irregular verbs, read the article on
irregular verbs to find out how.
Have a look at the examples given below.
 Dileep searched for his white shirt in his cupboard, but he did not find it. (Root verb – search)
 Did you find the book you were looking for?
In the above examples, the verb ‘searched’ is the past form of the regular verb ‘search’ by adding an ‘ed’ and
the verb form ‘looking’ indicates the continuous form of the regular verb ‘look’ by adding an ‘ing’ to the end of
the root verb.
 Selena read the book on the evolution of life on earth.
 Vineeth found the keys that went missing yesterday.
In the above examples, the verb ‘read’ stays the same in the past form and when used as a past participle.
‘Found’ is the past form of the root verb ‘find’.
Transitive Verbs and Intransitive Verbs
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Transitive and intransitive forms of verbs are used to denote how a verb acts when used with a direct object
and an indirect object. Let us look at a few examples.
 Vincent gave a box of chocolates to his brother. (Indirect object – his brother, Direct object – a box of
chocolates)
 Garry passed the water bottle to Kevin, who was sitting in the first row. (Indirect object – Kevin,
Direct object – the water bottle)
 The little girl ran around the park for two hours.
 Francey walked to school every day.
 My mom cleaned the house today. (Direct object – the house)
 Seena did not like the movie. (Direct object – the movie)
In the above examples, the verbs ‘gave’ and ‘passed’ in the first two sentences are seen to take a direct
object and an indirect object, whereas the verbs ‘ran’ and ‘walked’ take no object at all. In the last two
sentences, the verbs ‘cleaned’ and ‘did not like’ take a direct object and no indirect object.
Verbs that take a direct object alone are called transitive verbs, and those verbs that do not take either a
direct object or an indirect object are called intransitive verbs. There is yet another category of verbs that
take both the direct object and the indirect object, and they are called ditransitive verbs.
Also explore: Difference between singular and plural verbs┃Finite verbs┃Non-finite verbs┃Stative
verbs┃Verbs exercises┃Subject-verb agreement exercises for class 9

Verb Forms
A verb is used in different ways to indicate the time in which the subject is performing an action. There are
various verb forms that are used to do the same. Let us look at the different verb forms explained below.
Root Verb
The raw or original form of the verb, how it originally exists in the English language, without any inflexions or
conjugations, is called the root verb.
Some examples of root verbs are as follows:
 Eat
 Sit
 Stir
 Type
 Read
 Fry
 Tick
 Shift
 Trick
 Sing

Simple Present – Third Person Singular

The third person singular form of the verb in the present tense is mostly the verb in the singular form. When
using the third person singular pronouns such as he, she and it, and the nouns that can be substituted by the
third person singular pronouns, the verb is singular (mostly done just by adding an ‘s’ to the root verb) so that
it agrees with the subject in the sentence.
For example:
Kenny likes to have mangoes after every meal. (The noun ‘Kenny’ can be substituted with the third person
singular pronoun ‘he’)
The cat chases every rat it catches sight of. (The noun ‘The cat’ can be substituted with the third person
singular pronoun ‘it’)

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She hates going to work on Saturdays and Mondays.
Present Participle
The present participle is used in the continuous form of tenses to indicate an action that is continuing or in
progress at that particular moment or sometime in the past or in the future. These words are formed just by
adding an ‘ing’ to the root verb. For verbs ending with an ‘e’, in most cases, the present participle is formed
by removing the ‘e’ and then adding ‘ing’ to the remaining portion of the verb.
For example:
Jhanvi is watching a movie along with her cousin. (Present Continuous Tense)
My mother is baking cakes (Present Continuous Tense)
All my brothers were playing dodgeball in the evening. (Past Continuous Tense)
Simple Past
There is a change in the spelling of the root verb when it is used to indicate the simple past tense form of the
verb. There is no one rule to write a verb in the simple past tense; it changes for each verb – some verbs like
‘give’ and ‘bring’ take a different spelling, and some verbs like ‘cut’ and ‘put’ remain the same when used in
the past tense. However, most verbs can be made into the past tense by adding an ‘ed’ at the end of the root
verb.
For example:
 The doctor asked me to take tablets for ten days. (The rook verb here is ‘ask’)
 Nelson bought the car he checked out last week. (The root verbs here are ‘buy’ and ‘check’)
 The baby drank the milk completely. (The root verb here is ‘drink’)

Past participle
The past participle form of the verb is used to denote the perfect tense forms in a sentence. In some cases,
the past tense and the past participle remain the same, but there are a number of verbs that have different
spellings when used as a simple past tense verb and a past participle.
For example:
 I have searched the entire loft for that box, but I did not find it. (The root verb here is ‘search’, ‘have
searched’ is the verb in the sentence that indicates the perfect tense and ‘searched’ is the past
participle)
 Dylan had read the book already.
In the above example, the root verb here is ‘read’, ‘have read’ is the verb in the sentence that indicates the
perfect tense and ‘read’ is the past participle. In this case, all forms of the verb take the same spelling but
have a different pronunciation.
Gerunds
Any verb can be transformed into a gerund by adding ‘ing’ to the root verb. Gerunds, when it stands by
themselves, can be used as nouns. A gerund can be used as a verb when used with an auxiliary verb to
indicate an action that is continuing at a particular period of time.
For example:
 He is eating an apple.
 Joy will be coming home next week.
 Walking every day is good exercise.
 Drinking and driving is dangerous.

Infinitives
Infinitives, like gerunds, can be used to turn verbs into nouns by adding a preposition ‘to’ in front of the root
verb.
For example:

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  Would you like to have something?
 I like to dance in my free time.
 I am going to talk to my friend.
Active Voice and Passive Voice
According to the position of the subject and object in a sentence, the voice of the verb can be determined. A
sentence in which the subject does the action is called the active voice, and a sentence in which the indirect
object or the direct object is switched to make it the subject is called the passive voice.
For example:
 Active Voice – The doctor checked the patient.
 Passive Voice – The patient was checked by the doctor.

Conjugating Verbs in the English Language – Tense Forms

Verbs can be conjugated to denote the tense you need. There are four tense forms, namely the simple
tense, the continuous tense, the perfect tense and the perfect continuous tense. These tense forms are used
to represent three time periods such as the present, past and future, thereby forming twelve main tense
forms in total.
You can learn more about tenses and how to conjugate them in detail by reading the article on tenses.

Points to Remember
Here are some points for you to keep in mind when using verbs in your speech or writing.
 Always try to use an active voice in your speech and writing as it is preferred widely and conveys the
message in a quick and simple manner. Do not use the passive voice unless it is absolutely
necessary.
 When you conjugate verbs to indicate different tense forms, see to it that the subject and the verb
agree with each other.
 Improve your vocabulary. Try to learn the specific verbs for every action instead of modifying other
verbs to convey the same. For example, stroll means a leisurely walk, and jabber means to talk in a
very excited, rapid and incomprehensible manner, yelp means a short and sharp cry to indicate pain
or an alarm.

Frequently Asked Questions on Verbs in English Grammar

Q1
What is a verb?
Verbs happen to be an essential part of speech, without which it would be impossible to indicate what the
subject is doing. It refers to all actions, including those related to feelings and emotions. Verbs come in
different types and forms so that they can perform differently in order to provide complete meaning.
Q2
What is the definition of a verb?
The Oxford Learners’ Dictionary defines a ‘verb’ as “a word or group of words that express an action (such
as eat), an event (such as happen) or a state (such as exist)”. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a
‘verb’ is defined as “a word or phrase that describes an action, condition, or experience”. The Collins
Dictionary provides a much more elaborate definition of a verb. According to them, “A verb is a word such as
‘ sing’, ‘ feel’, or ‘ die’ which is used with a subject to say what someone or something does or what happens
to them, or to give information about them”.
Q3
What are the types of verbs?
Verbs can be generally classified into three main categories with reference to what they signify, such as
verbs referring to actions, verbs referring to experiences or feelings and verbs referring to a state or

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condition. Furthermore, it can be classified into auxiliary verbs (otherwise called helping verbs), modal verbs,
phrasal verbs and linking verbs.
Q4
What are the different verb forms in the English language?
In the English language, there are eight to nine verb forms which include the root verb, the third person
singular present form of the verb, the present participle, the simple past, the past participle, the gerunds, the
infinitives, the active voice and the passive voice.

Verb Form
What Is a Verb Form?
A verb form is a way in which a verb is shaped or modified in order to suit the context that speaks about an
action that is performed at a specific time. The five verb forms in English are root verb, third person singular
present form of verb, present participle, simple past and past participle.

Root Verb with Examples

The root verb is the verb in its original form, without any inflexion or change. The root form of the verb is
used as the base form to create the other forms of the verb. Keep in mind that this is not the case with all
verbs. The root form of the verb is modified when conjugated to represent other forms of the verb only
for regular verbs. Irregular verbs have unique ways in which they are conjugated, and not all remain the
same.
Root verbs are most often used to indicate the simple present tense. Let us take a look at the following
examples of how the root verb is used in sentences.
Examples of Root Verbs:
 I love watching movies with my friends. (Root verb – love)
 I finish my homework before 6 p.m. everyday. (Root verb – finish)
 You play really well. (Root verb – play)
 You are beautiful. (Root verb – be)
In the above examples, the verbs ‘love’, ‘finish’, ‘play’ and ‘are’ are used in their original form, and so they
are called root verbs.

Third Person Singular Present Form with Examples

The third person singular form of the verb is used to represent the simple present tense. As far as regular
verbs are concerned, the third person singular form is indicated by the addition of an ‘s’ or ‘es’ to the end of
the root verb.
Examples of Third Person Singular Present Form:
 Tom likes having cereal for breakfast.
Root verb – like, Third person singular form – likes
 Sheela teaches English for sixth grade students.
Root verb – teach, Third person singular form – teaches
 My father reads the newspaper everyday.
Root verb – read, Third person singular form – reads
 The Sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
Root verb – rise, set; Third person singular form – rises, sets

Present Participle Form of the Verb with Examples

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The present participle form of the verb is formed by adding an ‘ing’ to the base form/root verb. In some
cases, when the word is a monosyllabic word that ends with a vowel followed by a consonant, the last
consonant is doubled, and then the ‘ing’ is added. For verbs ending with an ‘e’, the ‘e’ is removed, and the
‘ing’ is added in most cases. However, there are a few verbs that retain the ‘e’ in the base form when
converted to the present participle form of the verb.
This form of the verb is used in the continuous/progressive tenses to indicate that the action is still going on.
It is also used to convert verbs into nouns that refer to an action.
Examples of Present Participle Form:
 Words that have double consonants
 Run – Running
 Swim – Swimming
 Forget – Forgetting
 Sit – Sitting
 Cut – Cutting
 Examples of regular verbs converted to the present participle form
 Cry – crying
 Try – Trying
 Read – Reading
 Write – Writing (‘e’ is removed)
 Age – Ageing (‘e’ is retained)

Simple Past Form of the Verb with Examples

The simple past form of the verb is used to denote an action that took place in the past. It is usually formed
by adding an ‘ed’ or ‘d’ (for words ending in ‘e’) to the end of the root verb. However, there are irregular verbs
that do not follow the general rule. Let us look at a few examples of the simple past form of the verb.
Examples of Simple Past Form:
 Regular verbs in the simple past form
 Cheat – Cheated
 Dodge – Dodged
 Jump – Jumped
 Skip – Skipped
 Iron – Ironed
 Verbs that take the same form as the root verb in the simple past form of the verb
 Read – Read
 Cut – Cut
 Put – Put
 Let – Let
 Hit – Hit
 Hurt – Hurt
 Irregular verb forms
 Run – Ran
 Sit – Sat
 Sing – Sang
 Throw – Threw
 Fly – Flew
 Bring – Brought
 Buy – Bought
 Think – Though
 Ring – Rang
 Find – Found
 Lose – Lost

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  Meet – Met

Past Participle Form of the Verb with Examples

The past participle form of the verb is used to indicate the perfect tense. For regular verbs, the simple past
form and the past participle form of the verb remain the same, whereas there are irregular verbs that take a
different spelling when used as a past participle. Let us look at a few examples to understand better.
Examples of Past Participle Form:
 Verbs that take the same spelling in the simple past and past participle forms of the verb
Root Verb Simple Past Past Participle
Read Read Read
Sit Sat Sat
Think Thought Thought
Throw Threw Threw
Cut Cut Cut
Buy Bought Bought
Stand Stood Stood
Pull Pulled Pulled
Draw Drew Drew
Tumble Tumbled Tumbled
 Verbs that take a different spelling when used in the simple past form and the past participle form
Root Verb Simple Past Past Participle
Drink Drank Drunk
Sing Sang Sung
Ring Rang Rung
Choose Chose Chosen
Write Wrote Written

Test Your Knowledge of the Five Forms of Verbs

Why not check your understanding of the five different verb forms? Fill in the blanks with the suitable form of
the verb in the following sentences.
1. I _____ (go) to school everyday.
2. Teena ______ (love) ice cream.
3. Did you ________ (find) the pink dress I _____ (ask) for?
4. I will _______ (come) to the party tomorrow.
5. My mom ________ (clean) the house yesterday evening.
6. My name ______ (to be) Sheena D’Souza.
7. That bottle _______ (belong) to me.
8. My son, Sid can _________ (count) up to fifty.
9. Freddy will be _______ (go) to work tomorrow.
10. Joshua ______ (play) football.

Check your answers here.

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1. I go to school everyday.
2. Teena loves ice cream.
3. Did you find the pink dress I asked for?
4. I will come to the party tomorrow.
5. My mom cleaned the house yesterday evening.
6. My name is Sheena D’Souza.
7. That bottle belongs to me.
8. My son, Sid can count up to fifty.
9. Freddy will be going to work tomorrow.
10. Joshua plays football.

Frequently Asked Questions on Verb Forms in English

Q1
What is a verb form?
A verb form is a way in which a verb is shaped or modified in order to suit the context that speaks about an
action that is performed at a specific time.
Q2
What are the five verb forms in English?
The five verb forms in English are root verb, third person singular present form of verb, present participle,
simple past and past participle.
Q3
What is the simple past form of the verb?
The simple past form of the verb is used to denote an action that took place in the past. It is usually formed
by adding an ‘ed’ or ‘d’ (for words ending in ‘e’) to the end of the root verb. However, there are irregular verbs
that do not follow the general rule. Examples of simple past forms are read, sat, cheated, drank, spoke, cut,
etc.

Main Verb
A main verb, as the name suggests, is the principal verb in a sentence. It denotes the action performed by
the primary subject in a context.
Definition of a Main Verb
The Cambridge Dictionary defines a main verb as “the verb that contains the meaning, compared with any
auxiliary verbs that go with it in a clause.” According to the Collins Dictionary, a main verb is “a word used as
the final verb in a verb phrase, expressing the lexical meaning of the verb phrase, as ‘drink’ in ‘I don’t drink’,
‘going’ in ‘I am going’, or ‘spoken’ in ‘We have spoken’.”

Examples of Main Verbs

There are umpteen numbers of verbs that can be used as main verbs in a sentence. Given below is a list of
a few common verbs that can function as main verbs.
 Write
 Speak
 Read
 Talk
 Walk
 Sit
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  Jump
 Swim
 Leave
 Am
 Is
 Are
 Have
 Has
 Take
 Lend
 Request
 Apologise
 Teach
 Grab
 Gulp
 Swallow
 Digest
 Drink
 Do
 Make
 Try
 Pause
 Copy
 Invent
 Discover
 Chat

How to Use Main Verbs in Sentences?

Main verbs can be further divided into regular verbs and irregular verbs. The usage of the verb changes
according to the type of the main verb. As far as regular verbs are concerned, they follow the same rules
when conjugated to form a particular tense form. Irregular verbs, on the other hand, have specific
conjugations to form the past and past participle forms. The usage of these verbs as a main verb to
represent the different tenses, therefore, depends on the type of verb.
Let us look at the following examples to have a better understanding.
 I am a tennis player.
 She is going to the grocery store.
 The little boy loved the cake.
 My mom knows to operate the computer.
 Tina asked Sheela to work on the pending documents.

Difference between Main Verbs and Helping Verbs

The main difference between main verbs and helping verbs is that the main verb is the principal verb in a
sentence and represents the primary action done by the subject in the sentence, whereas the helping verb is
used along with the main verb to denote the tense of the verb. Let us look at the following examples to
understand better.
 Arjun is a salesman. (The verb ‘is’ acts as the main verb here that represents the action of Arjun
being a salesman.)
 The peacock flew from one tree to another. (The verb ‘flew’ acts as the main verb in this sentence,
and it represents the action of the peacock flying from one tree to another in the past.)
 Gavin will be meeting us at the airport. (The verb ‘will be’ is the helping verb and the verb ‘meeting’
acts as the main verb that represents a progressive action of Gavin meeting us at the airport in the
future.)

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  She has come all the way from Chicago to profess her love for him. (The verb ‘has’ acts as the
helping verb and ‘come’ acts as the main verb, which indicates the action of her coming from Chicago
in the recent past to profess her love for him.)
 He likes pizzas and burgers more than anything else. (The verb ‘likes’ is the main verb in the
sentence, and it signifies the action of him liking pizzas and burgers more than anything else.

Test Your Knowledge on Main Verbs

Let us see if you have understood well. Identify the main verbs in the following sentences.
1. Raam sent me a gift for my birthday.
2. Tharun has a brother.
3. It is Chirrag’s birthday today.
4. Sheena had visited her mother, who was hospitalised, last week.
5. I have called for a meeting of all the previous employees today evening.
6. When can you deliver the package?
7. They are trapped inside a vault.
8. The mom ran with her children to safety.
9. She started screaming when she saw a cockroach.
10. Can I ask you a question?

Check your answers to find out if you got it right.

1. Raam sent me a gift for my birthday.
2. Tharun has a brother.
3. It is Chirrag’s birthday today.
4. Sheena had visited her mother, who was hospitalised, last week.
5. I have called for a meeting of all the previous employees today evening.
6. When can you deliver the package?
7. They are trapped inside a vault.
8. The mom ran with her children to safety.
9. She started screaming when she saw a cockroach.
10. Can I ask you a question?

Frequently Asked Questions on Main Verbs

Q1
What is a main verb?
A main verb, as the name suggests, is the principal verb in a sentence. It denotes the action performed by
the primary subject in a context.
Q2
What is the definition of a main verb?
The Cambridge Dictionary defines a main verb as “the verb that contains the meaning, compared with any
auxiliary verbs that go with it in a clause.” According to the Collins Dictionary, a main verb is “a word used as
the final verb in a verb phrase, expressing the lexical meaning of the verb phrase, as ‘drink’ in ‘I don’t drink’,
‘going’ in ‘I am going’, or ‘spoken’ in ‘We have spoken’.”
Q3
Give some examples of main verbs.

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Eat, drink, walk, talk, have, had, am, is, take, keep, need, try, make, etc., are some verbs that can be used
as main verbs.

Helping VerB
In a sentence, the verb which is used along with the main verb or the principal verb that denotes the action
done by the subject is called a helping verb. As the name suggests, a helping verb is a verb that helps
another verb and is employed in a sentence to modify the tense, voice or mood of the sentence.
Definition of a Helping Verb
A helping verb is “a verb (as am, may, or will) that is used with another verb to express person, number,
mood, or tense”, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

How to Use Helping Verbs with Examples?

To use helping verbs effectively, you should know how it is conjugated to represent a different tense, mood
or voice. Have a look at the examples given below to understand how.
Examples:
 I am going to speak at the inaugural ceremony tomorrow.
 We are having spaghetti for dinner tonight.
 What are you doing?
 The children have been waiting to have ice cream.
 The Pavilion Apartments was built by M & M Builders.
 You cannot change your parents.
 I did have an imaginary friend.
 Do you need any help?
 Were you feeling nervous when you were on stage?
 Tony will take care of the students.

List of Helping Verbs of All Tenses

Here is a list of helping verbs and how they are conjugated to represent the different tenses.
Tense Examples Helping
Verb
Present Continuous Monica is making lasagna. Is
Present Perfect She has spoken to the Dean about it already. Has
Present Perfect Chandler has been smoking for an hour. Has been
Continuous
Past Continuous Rachel was working at the cafe. Was
Past Perfect Ross had not worked at the museum for ten years. Has not
Past Perfect My friends had been wanting to come home for a while Had been
Continuous now.
Future Continuous Phoebe will be playing the guitar at the party tomorrow. Will be
Future Perfect The plumber will have fixed all the pipelines in two days. Will have
Future Perfect The waitress will have been serving dinner for fifty Will have
Continuous people at this time tomorrow. been

Check Your Understanding of Helping Verbs

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate helping verb in the following sentences:
1. We _____ been waiting for our results for over a week.

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2. I ______ meet someone soon.
3. We ______ going to be fine.
4. I just ________ stand your friends.
5. She _______ working as a teacher for four years now.
6. They ______ be reaching Chennai by 9 p.m.
7. _____ you still staying near Central Perk?
8. The flight ___________ arrived at the airport by 6 p.m. tomorrow.
9. You ________ looking very pretty.
10. The Prime Minister ______ giving the presidential address for the Republic day ceremony.

Check how far you have understood the concept of using helping verbs.
1. We have been waiting for our results for over a week.
2. I will meet someone soon.
3. We are going to be fine.
4. I just cannot stand your friends.
5. She has been working as a teacher for four years now.
6. They will be reaching Chennai by 9 p.m.
7. Are you still staying near Central Perk?
8. The flight will have arrived at the airport by 6 p.m. tomorrow.
9. You are/were looking very pretty.
10. The Prime Minister will be giving the presidential address for the Republic day ceremony.

Frequently Asked Questions on Helping Verbs in English

Q1
What are helping verbs?
In a sentence, the verb which is used along with the main verb or the principal verb that denotes the action
done by the subject is called a helping verb. As the name suggests, a helping verb is a verb that helps
another verb and is employed in a sentence to modify the tense, voice or mood of the sentence.
Q2
What is the definition of a helping verb?
A helping verb is “a verb (as am, may, or will) that is used with another verb to express person, number,
mood, or tense”, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
Q3
Give some examples of helping verbs.
Is, can, will, have, are, must, will be, do, had and has are some examples of helping verbs.

Auxiliary Verb
An auxiliary verb is a verb that is used as a helping verb along with the main verb in a sentence to make it
more meaningful. It is used to alter the tense, mood or voice of the sentence.
Definition of an Auxiliary Verb
An auxiliary verb is “a verb such as be, do, and have used with main verbs to show tense, etc. and to form
questions, and negatives”, according to the Oxford Learners’ Dictionary.

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The Macmillan Dictionary defines auxiliary verbs as “the verbs ‘be’, ‘do’, and ‘have’ in English, when they are
used with another verb to form tenses, questions, question tags, and the passive. For example, in the
sentences ‘I am listening’, ‘Are you working?’, ‘You don’t like her, do you?’ and ‘The bill has been paid’, ‘am’,
‘are’, ‘do’, and ‘has been’ are all auxiliaries.”
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, an auxiliary verb is “a verb that is used with another verb to form
tenses, negatives, and questions. In English, the auxiliary verbs are ‘be’, ‘have’, and ‘do’.”

Examples of Auxiliary Verbs

Here is a list of auxiliary verbs that you can use along with the other main verbs to perform the different
functions of an auxiliary.
 Am
 Is
 Are
 Was
 Were
 Have
 Has
 Had
 WIll
 Would
 May
 Might
 Can
 Could
 Shall
 Should
 Must
 Ought to
 Need
 Do
 Did

How to Use Auxiliary Verbs?

Auxiliary verbs can be used to perform different functions in a sentence or a context. Auxiliary verbs act as
helping verbs to alter the tense, voice and mood of a sentence. Let us look at how these verbs act to fulfil
each of these characteristics.
Auxiliary Verbs Used to Alter the Tense of the Sentence
There are particularly a few auxiliary verbs that can be used to change the tense of the action being
performed by the subject (noun or pronoun) in a context. All ‘to be’ forms of verbs, all forms of ‘have’, and
forms of ‘will’ are used to denote different tenses.
Points to Remember
 When using the forms of ‘to be’, make sure you use the gerund (verb+ing) form of the main verb as
they are used to indicate continuous action.
 When using forms of ‘have’, see to it that you use the past participle forms of the main verbs along
with the different forms of ‘have’. There is one other thing that you should keep in mind. When the
auxiliary verbs ‘have’ and ‘been’ are used together to represent the perfect continuous tense, see to it
that you use the gerund (verb+ing) form of the main verb in that particular sentence.
 When using the auxiliary verb ‘will’ to denote the simple future tense, see to it that you use the root
verb as such along with ‘will’ and a gerund (verb+ing) along with ‘will be’ to indicate the future
continuous tense. Make sure you employ the past participle form of the main verb when it is used to
indicate the future perfect tense along with the auxiliary verbs, ‘will’ and ‘have’.

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Let us look at the following examples to learn how to use them in sentences effectively.
Root Auxiliary Tense Form Examples
Verb Verb
To be Am Present Continuous I am watching the match.
(Singular)
Is Present Continuous He is having his lunch.
(Singular)
Are Present Continuous They are going to Dubai.
(Plural)
Was Past Continuous Seetha was drinking water.
(Singular)
Were Past Continuous The children were playing pictionary.
(Plural)
Have Have Present Perfect They have come to India after five years.
Has Present Perfect (Third Tharun has finally found the keys to his car.
person pronoun – ‘He’,
‘She’ and ‘It’)
Had Past Perfect Neena and Vijay had brought their pet along
with them when they came to have dinner with
us.
Have been Present Perfect I have been waiting for my interview results
Continuous since last week.
Has been Present Perfect Firoz has been working as a doctor in Uttar
Continuous Pradesh for a year now.
(Third person pronoun
– ‘He’, ‘She’ and ‘It’)
Had been Past Perfect Heera and Diana had been waiting to visit the
Continuous Museum of Fine Arts from the day they reached
Bangalore.
Will Will Simple Future I assure you that I will finish all my assignments
by Friday.
Will be Future Continuous She will be attending the Parent-Teacher
meeting next week.
Will have Future Perfect They will have reached London by this time
tomorrow.
Auxiliary Verbs used to Alter the Voice of the Verb
All forms of ‘to be’, ‘have’ and ‘will’ can be used as auxiliary verbs to represent the voice of the verb in a
sentence. Let us look at some examples of how these auxiliary verbs can be used.

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 Root Auxiliary Examples
Verb Verb
To be Is Football is played by Garry.
Are Chocolates are liked by most children.
Was Any sort of amendments to the bill was refused by the judge.
Were The documents for the loan proposal were being checked by the
banking officials.
Have Have been All the neighbours have been invited to the birthday party by Raam
Kumar.
Has been He has been checked by the doctor.
Had been The workers had been sent to protest against low wages by the
company.
Will Will be The bus will be boarded by me at 8:30 p.m. tonight.
Will have The solution to the problem will have been delivered by the
authorities, this time tomorrow.
Auxiliary Verbs used to Express the Mood
The verb forms of the auxiliary verb ‘do’ are used to express the mood of a sentence. It is mostly used
in imperative and interrogative sentences. Let us look at some examples.
 Do your children enjoy watching educational films?
 Did she complete the work that was assigned to her?
 Do not forget to bring the Bluetooth speaker when you come home tonight.

Modal Auxiliary Verbs

Modal auxiliary verbs can be used as helping verbs along with other main verbs to emphasise on the
possibility, ability, necessity or probability of some action taking place. Have a look at the examples given
below to have a clear idea of how it works.
Modal Auxiliary Verb Examples
Can Can you do it?
Could I could find some time to finish it by tomorrow.
May She may have liked your style.
Might Suresh might be able to help you with it.
Will Anu will solve the puzzle.
Would Would you like to have some pizza?
Should The children should keep themselves active.
Must You must try the Dragon Chicken from China Valley.
Ought to You ought to abide by the rules set by the organisation you are a part
of.
Shall I shall be obliged to you for all your help.

Test Your Knowledge on Auxiliary Verbs and Their Usage

Try out the following practice exercise to find out how far you have understood the usage of auxiliary verbs in
sentences.

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Fill in the blanks with the appropriate auxiliary verb:
1. Leena ______ eating an apple.
2. _____ you finish the work I _____ given you yesterday?
3. _________ you please pass the logbook?
4. You _________ follow the rules.
5. Your phone ___________ damaged.
6. I am sorry, I ________ make it to your wedding.
7. Derrick __________ submitted all the documents for verification last week.
8. The Queen’s jewellery ______ stolen from the museum.
9. Peter ______ asked to host the ceremony by his uncle.
10. Sam and Joe ______ attending the event.

Ready to find out if you got it all right? Check your answers.
1. Leena is/was eating an apple.
2. Did you finish the work I had given you yesterday?
3. Could/Can you please pass the logbook?
4. You should/ought to follow the rules.
5. Your phone should be damaged.
6. I am sorry, I cannot make it to your wedding.
7. Derrick had submitted all the documents for verification last week.
8. The Queen’s jewellery was/had been stolen from the museum.
9. Peter was asked to host the ceremony by his uncle.
10. Sam and Joe will be attending the event.

Frequently Asked Questions on Auxiliary Verbs in English

Q1
What is an auxiliary verb?
An auxiliary verb is a verb that is used as a helping verb along with the main verb in a sentence to make it
more meaningful. It is used to alter the tense, mood or voice of the sentence.
Q2
What is the definition of an auxiliary verb?
An auxiliary verb is “a verb such as be, do, and have used with main verbs to show tense, etc. and to form
questions, and negatives”, according to the Oxford Learners’ Dictionary.
The Macmillan Dictionary defines auxiliary verbs as “the verbs ‘be’, ‘do’, and ‘have’ in English, when they are
used with another verb to form tenses, questions, question tags, and the passive. For example, in the
sentences ‘I am listening’, ‘Are you working?’, ‘You don’t like her, do you?’ and ‘The bill has been paid’, ‘am’,
‘are’, ‘do’, and ‘has been’ are all auxiliaries.”
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, an auxiliary verb is “a verb that is used with another verb to form
tenses, negatives, and questions. In English, the auxiliary verbs are ‘be’, ‘have’, and ‘do’.”
Q3
Give some examples of auxiliary verbs.
Am, is, are, was, were, will, have, has, had, may, might, can, could, shall, should, must, ought to, would, etc.,
are some examples of auxiliary verbs.

88
Q4
How can I use auxiliary verbs to express the tense in a sentence?
Given below are some points you have to keep in mind when using auxiliary verbs to express the tense in a
sentence.
 When using the forms of ‘to be’, make sure you use the gerund (verb+ing) form of the main verb as
they are used to indicate continuous action.
 When using forms of ‘have’, see to it that you use the past participle forms of the main verbs along
with the different forms of ‘have’. There is one other thing that you should keep in mind. When the
auxiliary verbs ‘have’ and ‘been’ are used together to represent the perfect continuous tense, see to it
that you use the gerund (verb+ing) form of the main verb in that particular sentence.
 When using the auxiliary verb ‘will’ to denote the simple future tense, see to it that you use the root
verb as such along with ‘will’ and a gerund (verb+ing) along with ‘will be’ to indicate the future
continuous tense. Make sure you employ the past participle form of the main verb when it is used to
indicate the future perfect tense along with the auxiliary verbs, ‘will’ and ‘have’.
Q5
Give some examples of how auxiliary verbs are used to express the voice of the verb in a sentence.
Here are some examples of how auxiliary verbs are used to express the voice of the verb in a sentence.
 Any sort of amendments to the bill was refused by the judge.
 The bus will be boarded by me at 8:30 p.m. tonight.
 The solution to the problem will have been delivered by the authorities, this time tomorrow.
 Chocolates are liked by most children.
 He has been checked by the doctor.

Transitive Verb
A transitive verb is a type of verb that needs an object to make complete sense of the action being performed
by the subject.
Dictionary Definition of a Transitive Verb
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a transitive verb is a verb “having or needing an object”. The Collins
Dictionary defines a transitive verb as “a verb accompanied by a direct object and from which a passive can
be formed, as ‘deny’, ‘rectify’, ‘elect’”. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary gives a similar definition. According to
them, a transitive verb is “characterised by having or containing a direct object”.

What Is an Intransitive Verb?

Since you now know what a transitive verb is, you will definitely be able to guess what an intransitive verb
would be. There you go. You guessed it right. An intransitive verb is a verb that does not necessarily require
an object to make sense of the action being performed by the subject in a sentence or a context. However,
there are some exceptional verbs that can perform the role of both a transitive verb and an intransitive verb.
Dictionary Definition of an Intransitive Verb
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines an intransitive verb as a verb that is “characterised by not having or
containing a direct object”. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, an intransitive verb is a verb “having or
needing no object”. “A verb that indicates a complete action without being accompanied by a direct object, as
sit or lie, and, in English, that does not form a passive” is defined as an intransitive verb, according to the
Collins Dictionary.

Transitive Verbs vs Intransitive Verbs

Let us look at the following table and try to comprehend the difference between a transitive verb and an
intransitive verb.
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 Transitive Verbs Intransitive Verbs
Require an object to make complete sense of Does not require an object to complete the
the action being referred to. sentence or make sense of the action being
referred to.
Transitive verbs occur in sentences that Intransitive verbs usually occur in sentences
follow the SVO, SVIODO, SVOC, SVOA, with the pattern ASVC, SV, SVC, ASVA and so
ASVO patterns. on.
A sentence that uses a transitive verb can be A sentence that makes use of an intransitive
changed into a passive voice. verb cannot be altered to form the passive
voice.
Transitive verbs are followed by an indirect Intransitive verbs are followed by either an
object or a direct object. adjunct or a complement.

Examples of Transitive Verbs and Intransitive Verbs

Check out the following examples of transitive verbs and intransitive verbs and try to understand the
difference between the two.
Examples of Transitive Verbs
Example 1:
 The dog / chased / the cat.
(subject / verb / object)
 The dog chased.
The verb ‘chased’ in the above example is a transitive verb that demands an object. As you can see, the
second sentence, “The dog chased” does not seem complete. The moment you say “The dog chased”, the
people listening to you would definitely ask the question, “Chased what?” That explains why ‘chased’ can be
classified as a transitive verb, and it follows the pattern SVO.
Example 2:
 The teacher gave me a new notebook.
(subject / verb / indirect object / direct object)
 The teacher gave.
The verb ‘gave’ in the above example is a transitive verb that needs an object. In the second sentence, ‘The
teacher gave’ sounds incomplete without the indirect object and the direct object.
Examples of Intransitive Verbs
Example 1:
 The old man felt weak.
(subject / verb / complement)
The verb in the above sentence is ‘felt’, and it connects the subject to the complement and does not require
an object.
Example 2:
 The baby is sleeping.
(subject / verb)
The verb in the above sentence is ‘is sleeping’ and does not require an object to complete the sentence.

Identify Transitive Verbs and Intransitive Verbs

Identify the verbs in the following sentences and find out if they are transitive verbs or intransitive verbs.
1. Dave bought a new bicycle.
2. Firoz laughed so hard.
3. The children passed the books around.

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4. I studied in California.
5. Can you bring me some mangoes?
6. Jack came home in the evening.
7. Eliza found the kittens in the corner of the street.
8. Roshan met his best friend at the park.
9. The car stopped suddenly, in the middle of the road.
10. Javed loved his new bike.

Let us check if you got your answers right.

1. Dave bought a new bicycle. – Transitive Verb
2. Firoz laughed so hard. – Intransitive Verb
3. The children passed the books around. – Transitive Verb
4. I studied in California. – Intransitive Verb
5. Can you bring me some mangoes? – Transitive Verb
6. Jack came home in the evening. – Intransitive Verb
7. Eliza found the kittens in the corner of the street. – Transitive Verb
8. Roshan met his best friend at the park. – Transitive Verb
9. The car stopped suddenly, in the middle of the road. – Intransitive Verb
10. Javed loved his new bike. – Transitive Verb

Frequently Asked Questions on Transitive Verbs and Intransitive Verbs in English

Q1
What is a transitive verb?
A transitive verb is a type of verb that needs an object to make complete sense of the action being performed
by the subject.
Q2
What is an intransitive verb?
An intransitive verb is a verb that does not necessarily require an object to make sense of the action being
performed by the subject in a sentence or a context. However, there are some exceptional verbs that can
perform the role of both a transitive verb and an intransitive verb.
Q3
What is the definition of a transitive verb?
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a transitive verb is a verb “having or needing an object”. The Collins
Dictionary defines a transitive verb as “a verb accompanied by a direct object and from which a passive can
be formed, as ‘deny’, ‘rectify’, ‘elect’”. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary gives a similar definition. According to
them, a transitive verb is “characterised by having or containing a direct object”.
Q4
What is the definition of an intransitive verb?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines an intransitive verb as a verb that is “characterised by not having or
containing a direct object”. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, an intransitive verb is a verb “having or
needing no object”. “A verb that indicates a complete action without being accompanied by a direct object, as
sit or lie, and, in English, that does not form a passive” is defined as an intransitive verb according to the
Collins Dictionary.

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Q5
What is the difference between a transitive verb and an intransitive verb?
The main difference between a transitive verb and an intransitive verb is that transitive verbs always require
or demand an object to make complete sense, whereas intransitive verbs do not need any object to construct
a complete sentence.

Regular Verb
A regular verb is a verb that follows a common pattern of conjugation. The past tense of a regular verb is
formed by adding an ‘ed’ or ‘d’ to the root verb and the past participle form of the verb is the same as its past
form.
How to Conjugate Regular Verbs?
Regular verbs can be conjugated to form the simple past form and the past participle forms. A regular verb
can be made simple past by,
 adding an ‘ed’ to the end of the base form of the regular verb and doubling the last consonant
 adding an ‘ed’ to the end of regular verbs – three or four lettered monosyllabic words preceded and
followed by consonants
 adding a ‘d’ to the end of the base form of the regular verb ending with an ‘e’
 removing ‘y’ and adding an ‘ied’ to the end of the base form of the regular verb ending with a
consonant and a ‘y’
 adding ‘ed’ to monosyllabic words ending with a vowel followed by a ‘y’
Conjugating Regular Verbs to Form Simple Past Examples
Regular Verb Simple Past Form of the Verb
Accept Accepted
Reach Reached
Offend Offended
Pack Packed
Scatter Scattered
Conjugating Regular Verbs Ending with an ‘e’ to Form SImple Past Examples
Regular Verbs Simple Past Form of the Verb
Arrive Arrived
Save Saved
Raise Raised
Place Placed
Live Lived
Conjugating Regular Verbs Ending with ‘y’ to Form SImple Past Examples
Regular Verbs Simple Past Form of the Verb
Marry Married
Multiply Multiplied
Play Played
Identify Identified
Try Tried

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Regular Verbs Examples List
Here are some common regular verbs and their conjugated forms for everyday use.
Regular Verbs Simple Past Form of the Verb Past Participle Form of the Verb
Agree Agreed Agreed
Ban Banned Banned
Choke Choked Choked
Deliver Delivered Delivered
Earn Earned Earned
Fix Fixed Fixed
Gather Gathered Gathered
Hatch Hatched Hatched
Injure Injured Injured
Jog Jogged Jogged
Knock Knocked Knocked
Laugh Laughed Laughed
Measure Measured Measured
Name Named Named
Operate Operated Operated
Please Pleased Pleased
Quiver Quivered Quivered
Return Returned Returned
Satisfy Satisfied Satisfied
Tie Tied Tied
Unlock Unlocked Unlocked
Visit Visited Visited
Wash Washed Washed
Yell Yelled Yelled
Zoom Zoomed Zoomed

Check Your Knowledge of Regular Verbs

Apply the rules you have learnt from the article and find out the simple past and past participle forms of the
following verbs:
1. Apologise
2. Welcome
3. Terrify
4. Paste
5. Fire
6. Hover
7. Love
8. Inject
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9. Join
10. Grab
Ready to check your answers? Find out if you conjugated them correctly.
Regular Verb Simple Past Form of the Verb Past Participle Form of the Verb
Apologise Apologised Apologised
Welcome Welcomed Welcomed
Terrify Terrified Terrified
Paste Pasted Pasted
Fire Fired Fired
Hover Hovered Hovered
Love Loved Loved
Inject Injected Injected
Join Joined Joined
Grab Grabbed Grabbed

Frequently Asked Questions on Regular Verbs

Q1
What are regular verbs?
Regular verbs are verbs that follow a common pattern of conjugation. The past tense of a regular verb is
formed by adding an ‘ed’ or ‘d’ to the root verb and the past participle form of the verb is the same as its past
form.
Q2
How do you conjugate a regular verb?
Regular verbs can be conjugated to form the simple past form and the past participle forms. A regular verb
can be made simple past by,
 adding an ‘ed’ to the end of the base form of the regular verb and doubling the last consonant
 adding an ‘ed’ to the end of regular verbs – three or four lettered monosyllabic words preceded and
followed by consonants
 adding a ‘d’ to the end of the base form of the regular verb ending with an ‘e’
 removing ‘y’ and adding an ‘ied’ to the end of the base form of the regular verb ending with a
consonant and a ‘y’
 adding ‘ed’ to monosyllabic words ending with a vowel followed by a ‘y’.
Q3
Give some examples of regular verbs.
Beg, cheat, jog, jump, roast, marry, live, laugh, cough, etc., are some examples of regular verbs.

Irregular Verb
An irregular verb is defined as “a verb that does not follow the usual rules of grammar. For example, ‘eat’ is
an irregular verb because its past tense is ‘ate’ and its past participle is ‘eaten’, not ‘eated’,” according to the
Macmillan Dictionary. According to the Oxford Learners’ Dictionary, an irregular verb is a verb that is “not
formed in the normal way.” The normal way of forming past and past participle forms of a verb in English is
by adding ‘ed’ to it. Irregular verbs do not follow this rule.

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Conjugating Irregular Verbs – Rules and Examples
Learning to conjugate irregular verbs can be a little tricky. It is often considered a difficult task, but that is not
the case. Before we start, try to unlearn the concepts or notions about irregular verbs you have in your mind.
Let us start from the beginning with a fresh and clear mind.
The conjugation of irregular verbs can be learnt under three main groups based on how they behave when
changed to represent the simple past and past participle forms.
It can be grouped as follows:
 Group 1 – Irregular verbs which take the same spelling as the base verb in the simple past form and
the past participle form. These verbs remain the same throughout all tense forms.
 Group 2 – Irregular verbs which have the same spelling in the simple past form and the past participle
form. There are some irregular verbs in this group that take an alternate spelling too.
 Group 3 – Irregular verbs which have three different spelling patterns in the base form, the simple
past form and the past participle form.
Let us now look at the list of irregular verbs which fall under the three groups to have a better understanding.

Irregular Verbs Examples

Group 1 – Irregular Verbs with the Same Spelling across All Forms
Base Verb Simple Past Form Past Participle Form
Cut Cut Cut
Put Put Put
Shut Shut Shut
Hurt Hurt Hurt
Burst Burst Burst
Shed Shed Shed
Bet Bet Bet
Let Let Let
Set Set Set
Hit Hit Hit
Split Split Split
Spread Spread Spread
Cast Cast Cast
Thrust Thrust Thrust
Group 2 – Irregular Verbs with the Same Simple Past Form and Past Participle Form
Base Verb Simple Past Form Past Participle Form
Bend Bent Bent
Bind Bound Bound
Find Found Found
Learn Learnt/Learned Learnt/Learned
Buy Bought Bought
Think Thought Thought
Catch Caught Caught

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 Light Lit Lit
Bring Brought Brought
Build Built Built
Hang Hung Hung
Spoil Spoilt/Spoiled Spoilt/Spoiled
Hear Heard Heard
Understand Understood Understood
Lose Lost Lost
Spill Spilt/Spilled Spilt/Spilled
Have Had Had
Burn Burnt/Burned Burnt/Burned
Strike Struck Struck
Lead Led Led
Say Said Said
Kneel Knelt Knelt
Dream Dreamt/Dreamed Dreamt/Dreamed
Hang Hung Hung
Make Made Made
Lay Laid Laid
Keep Kept Kept
Swing Swung Swung
Group 3 – Irregular Verbs with Completely Different Spellings for Each Form
Base Verb Simple Past Form Past Participle Form
Blow Blew Blown
Arise Arose Arisen
See Saw Seen
Run Ran Run
Sink Sank Sunk
Drink Drank Drunk
Sing Sang Sung
Break Broke Broken
Fly Flew Flown
Ring Rang Rung
Give Gave Given
Ride Rode Ridden
Rise Rose Risen
Take Took Taken
Shrink Shrank Shrunk
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 Strive Strove Striven
Throw Threw Thrown
Write Wrote Written
Show Showed Shown
Know Knew Known
Shake Shook Shaken
Bite Bit Bitten
Begin Began Begun

An Alternative Method to Learn Irregular Verbs and Their Conjugation

There is one other way in which you can learn irregular verbs easily by categorising words according to their
change in spelling. Have a look at the following table to understand how.
Base Verb Simple Past Form Past Participle Form
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Ow/Aw’ → ‘Ew’ → ‘Own/Awn’
Blow Blew Blown
Throw Threw Thrown
Know Knew Known
Grow Grew Grown
Draw Drew Drawn
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Ise’ → ‘Ose’ → ‘Isen’
Arise Arose Arisen
Rise Rose Risen
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Ive’ → ‘Ove/Ave’ → ‘Iven’
Strive Strove Striven
Give Gave Given
Forgive Forgave Forgiven
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Et’ → ‘Ot’ → ‘Otten’
Get Got Gotten
Forget Forgot Forgotten
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Ide/Ite’ → ‘Ode/Ote/Id/It’ → ‘Idden/Itten’
Ride Rode Ridden
Write Wrote Written
Bite Bit Bitten
Hide Hid Hidden
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Ink/Ing/In’ → ‘Ank/Ang/An’ → ‘Unk/Ung/Un’
Sink Sank Sunk
Drink Drank Drunk
Sing Sang Sung
Ring Rang Rung
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 Spring Sprang Sprung
Begin Began Begun
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Ake’ → ‘Ook’ → ‘Aken’
Take Took Taken
Shake Shook Shaken
Mistake Mistook Mistaken
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Eak/Ake/Eal’ → ‘Oke/Ole’ → ‘Oken/Olen’
Break Broke Broken
Speak Spoke Spoken
Wake Woke Woken
Steal Stole Stolen
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Ear’ → ‘Ore’ → ‘Orn/Orne’
Wear Wore Worn
Tear Tore Torn
Bear Bore Borne
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Oose’ → ‘Ose’ → ‘Osen’
Choose Chose Chosen
Irregular Verbs With ‘Ought/Aught’ in the Simple Past and Past Participle Form
Seek Sought Sought
Think Thought Thought
Catch Caught Caught
Buy Bought Bought
Fight Fought Fought
Bring Brought Brought
Teach Taught Taught

Test Your Knowledge of Irregular Verbs

Find out the simple past form and the past participle form of the following irregular verbs:
1. Find
2. Give
3. Drink
4. Catch
5. See
6. Take
7. Sing
8. Choose
9. Ride
10. Write

Let us find out if you got the answers right.

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1. Find – Found – Found
2. Give – Gave – Given
3. Drink – Drank – Drunk
4. Catch – Caught – Caught
5. See – Saw – Seen
6. Take -Took – Taken
7. Sing – Sang – Sung
8. Choose – Chose – Chosen
9. Ride – Rode – Ridden
10. Write – Wrote – Written

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of the verb as mentioned:
1. Peter _________ (use the simple past form of bring) home a puppy.
2. Emma ________ (use the simple past form of see) the car ______ (use the simple past form of hit) the
little boy.
3. My cell phone was ___________ (use the past participle of steal) yesterday.
4. Have you ____________ (use the past participle of think) of what to do today?
5. Toby _________ (use the simple past form of choose) to strike first.
6. The dress you ___________ (use the simple past form of wear) yesterday looked really good on you.
7. Have you ever ___________ (use the past participle of sing) alone in front of a huge audience?
8. The little girl _________ (use the simple past form of break) the glass by mistake.
9. Has the movie _________ (use the past participle form of begin) yet?
10. The teacher ___________ (use the simple past form of mistake) Jenny for Miranda.

Let us find out if you got the answers right.

1. Peter brought home a puppy.
2. Emma saw the car hit the little boy.
3. My cell phone was stolen yesterday.
4. Have you thought of what to do today?
5. Toby chose to strike first.
6. The dress you wore yesterday looked really good on you.
7. Have you ever sung alone in front of a huge audience?
8. The little girl broke the glass by mistake.
9. Has the movie begun yet?
10. The teacher mistook Jenny for Miranda.

Frequently Asked Questions on Irregular Verbs in English

Q1
What are irregular verbs?
Irregular verbs are those verbs that do not follow the rules of conjugation that regular verbs follow. Each
irregular verb has its own specific way of representing the simple past form and the past participle form.
Q2
What is the definition of an irregular verb?

99
An irregular verb is defined as “a verb that does not follow the usual rules of grammar. For example, ‘eat’ is
an irregular verb because its past tense is ‘ate’ and its past participle is ‘eaten’, not ‘eated’,” according to the
Macmillan Dictionary. According to the Oxford Learners’ Dictionary, an irregular verb is a verb that is “not
formed in the normal way.”
Q3
Give some irregular verbs examples.
 Wake
 Cut
 Put
 Shut
 Strive
 Throw
 Bend
 Find
 Keep
 Teach
Q4
How do we conjugate irregular verbs to form the simple past form and the past participle form?
The conjugation of irregular verbs can be done under three main groups based on how they behave when
changed to represent the simple past and past participle forms.
It can be grouped as follows:
 Group 1 – Irregular verbs which take the same spelling as the base verb in the simple past form and
the past participle form. These verbs remain the same throughout all tense forms.
 Group 2 – Irregular verbs which have the same spelling in the simple past form and the past participle
form. There are some irregular verbs in this group that take an alternate spelling too.
 Group 3 – Irregular verbs which have three different spelling patterns in the base form, the simple
past form and the past participle form.

Modal Verbs
Modal verbs are helping verbs that are used along with main verbs to represent the ability, possibility and
probability of a subject to do an action and emphasise the necessity of an action.

Examples of Modal Verbs

Let us look at some examples of modal verbs used as auxiliary verbs and their functions.
Modal Function
Verb
Can Used to denote the ability of the subject to perform an action or to request
permission to perform an action
Could Used to denote the ability of the subject to perform an action or an offer made by
the subject to perform an action
May Used to denote the probability of an action taking place or to request permission
to perform an action
Might Used to denote the probability of an action taking place or to make suggestions
Will Used to denote the surety of an action taking place or the assurance of the
subject to perform a particular action
Would Used to show politeness when requesting or asking if an action can be done by
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 the subject.
Shall Used to denote the surety of an action taking place or the assurance of the
subject to perform a particular action
Should Used to denote the necessity of an action to be done by the subject
Must Used to denote the strong obligation or necessity for the subject to do or not do
an action
Ought to Used to denote the obligation of the subject to perform a particular action

How to Use Modal Verbs in Sentences

Given below are a few examples of how modal verbs can be used to indicate the possibility or probability of
an action taking place.
 It might rain in the evening.
 I think they will reach Coimbatore by 8 pm.
 Can you pick up my brother from school on your way home tomorrow?
 I could make some time to help you with your assignments.
 Your friends may come to visit you next week.
 It would not be possible for you to complete all of it by tomorrow evening.
Here are some examples of modal verbs being used to show the necessity and obligation of the subject to
perform a particular set of actions.
 All students of this institution ought to abide by the rules and instructions provided.
 All employees should follow the dress code strictly.
 You must get yourself checked before the situation becomes worse.
 Your sister will have to apply for a leave request if she wants to take a month’s leave.
Modal verbs can be used to make offers, suggestions and requests. Check out the examples given below for
know-how.
 It would be better if you did it the other way.
 I could help you if you want.
 Shall I bring you some water to drink?
 Could you please pass me the science record?
 Will you please take care of my son for an hour? I have some grocery shopping to be done.

Test Your Knowledge of Modal Verbs

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate modal verb in the following sentences:
1. ________ you be able to bring your camera when you come?
2. Priya __________ apologise for the confusion that was caused yesterday because of her carelessness.
3. You _______ finish this first and then start with the other one.
4. ________ I make some tea for you?
5. I ______ make sure to keep everything ready by the time they reach the railway station.
6. You _______ see to it that the students are standing according to their roll numbers.
7. ______ I come in?
8. She _______ find it interesting as she likes reading adventure stories.
9. Do you have any idea how much all of this _______ cost?
10. ______ you please help me find my keys?

Ready to find out if you used the right modal verbs? Let us check.
1. Would you be able to bring your camera when you come?

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2. Priya should/ought to apologise for the confusion that was caused yesterday because of her
carelessness.
3. You could finish this first and then start with the other one.
4. Shall I make some tea for you?
5. I will make sure to keep everything ready by the time they reach the railway station.
6. You must see to it that the students are standing according to their roll numbers.
7. Can/Shall/May I come in?
8. She might find it interesting as she likes reading adventure stories.
9. Do you have any idea how much all of this would cost?
10. Can/Would/Could/Will you please help me find my keys?

Frequently Asked Questions on Modal Verbs in English Grammar

Q1
What are modal verbs?
Modal verbs are helping verbs that are used along with main verbs to represent the ability, possibility and
probability of a subject to do an action and emphasise the necessity of an action.
Q2
What are the examples of modal verbs?
Will, would, can, could, may, might, shall, should, must, ought to are the modal verbs in the English
language.
Q3
How do you use modal verbs in sentences?
Here are some examples of how you can use modal verbs in sentences.
 I could help you if you want.
 Shall I bring you some water to drink?
 Your sister will have to apply for a leave request if she wants to take a month’s leave.
 All students of this institution ought to abide by the rules and instructions provided.
 Can you pick up my brother from school on your way home tomorrow?

Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs can be said to be formed by the combination of a verb and an adverb or a preposition. In some
cases, it is a combination of all the three parts of speech – verb, adverb and preposition. Though each of
these parts of speech have different functions, they play the role of the verb when they are put together.
They can also act as a phrase and that is why these verbs are called phrasal verbs.
Definition of a Phrasal Verb
The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines a phrasal verb as “a verb combined with an adverb or a preposition,
or sometimes both, to give a new meaning, for example, ‘go in for’, ‘win over’ and ‘see to’.” According to the
Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a phrasal verb is defined as “a phrase (such as take off or look down on) that
combines a verb with a preposition or adverb or both, and that functions as a verb whose meaning is
different from the combined meanings of the individual words.” The Cambridge Dictionary defines a phrasal
verb as “a phrase that consists of a verb with a preposition or adverb or both, the meaning of which is
different from the meaning of its separate parts.”

Types of Phrasal Verbs

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Phrasal verbs can be divided into four main types or rather two main categories based on how they behave
when used in sentences. They are:
 Transitive Phrasal Verbs
 Intransitive Phrasal Verbs
 Separable Phrasal Verbs
 Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

Transitive Phrasal Verbs

Just like normal transitive verbs, a transitive phrasal verb can be identified by its demand for an object.
For example :
 It was not possible for Veena to do away with all of it as they brought back so many memories of the
past.
 Can you fill in the required details so that we can move forward with the screening process.

Intransitive Phrasal Verbs

Intransitive phrasal verbs behave exactly like intransitive verbs. They do not require an object to complete
the sentence they are used in or make sense of the context.
For example:
 My car broke down all of a sudden while driving through the ghat section.
 It has been years since we met, we should definitely catch up.

Separable Phrasal Verbs

Separable phrasal verbs include transitive phrasal verbs which have the characteristic property of separating
the phrasal verb with the object in between. There is, however, a word order which should be taken into
account when separating the phrasal verb.
For example:
 I am not the kind of person who holds all of this against you.
 Dhiraj is the one who is taking care of the applications for gold loan. Can you please hand it over to
him?
Inseparable Phrasal Verbs
Inseparable phrasal verbs, as the name suggests, cannot be separated from each other and have to be used
together, no matter what.
For example:
 You will have to account for all the losses that have been incurred.
 Harish was asked to check out of the hotel before 9 p.m. on Tuesday.

How to Use Phrasal Verbs?

As fun and interesting as it is to use phrasal verbs, there are a few pointers you have to keep in mind when
using them in your daily communication. Following a particular word order and conjugating it to represent the
tense of the sentence are the two things you have to learn and put into practice.
Conjugating Phrasal Verbs
As far as the conjugation part is concerned, all you have to remember is to employ the same rules of
conjugation you would if the verb stands by itself. When the phrasal verb is used as a main verb, you have to
conjugate the verb alone according to the respective tense and not change the preposition in the phrasal
verb.
For example:
 Heera dropped out of school due to her illness. (Drop out)
 My friend, Sharon, had broken up with her boyfriend last month. (Break up)
 The security guard asked around the whole building to know whose car was parked right in front of
the gate. (Ask around)
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  I hung out with my friends after the wedding reception. (Hang out)
Note that, in the above sentences, the prepositions remain the same whereas the verbs ‘dropped’, ‘asked’
and ‘hung’ have been conjugated in the simple past form and the verb ‘broken’ has been conjugated in the
past participle form. Keep in mind that irregular verbs take the same spellings as they do when used as
normal verbs conjugated in the different forms.
Using the Right Word Order
Word order comes into the picture mainly when you are attempting to split up the phrasal verbs. Always bear
in mind that intransitive phrasal verbs and inseparable phrasal verbs have to be used together. The verb and
the participle/preposition should go next to each other.
With separable phrasal verbs, it is different. They are transitive and always have a direct object to complete
them. You can separate the phrasal verb by putting the direct object in between the verb and the preposition.
For example:
 Kate let me down when she did not show up for my court hearing.
Some phrasal verbs will always require to be separated by the direct object in between.
For example:
 We are very glad that we have you around during this difficult time.
When noun phrases act as the object, it can also be placed in between the verb and the preposition.
For example:
 He was asked to leave all of it out for approval.

Examples of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are most often a topic that confuses a lot of people, especially second language learners and
new learners of the language. Since the multiple words used in a phrasal verb have different meanings and
have a completely different meaning when used together, they end up being a slightly puzzling topic for
some.
Phrasal verbs can be conjugated to suit the tense of the sentence and can be used like a normal verb. Here
are a few examples of phrasal verbs. Identify how many of them you know and how often you use them in
your regular communication.
Give up – combination of a verb (give) and a preposition (up)
Individually, the verb ‘give’ means to give something to someone and the preposition ‘up’ shows the position
of some object. The magic happens or the confusion begins when both the verb and the preposition are used
together. The phrasal ‘give up’ means to surrender or to stop making an effort in doing something.
Let us look at how the phrasal verb ‘give up’ can be conjugated to represent the different verb forms in
English.
 Simple Past Form
The captain gave up at the last quarter.
 Infinitive Form
It was not easy for the coach to give up trying to encourage the team even in such a hopeless situation.
 Gerund Form
Giving up is not the solution to the problem, it is just the easiest choice.
 Past Participle Form
I have given up on them.
For more examples, check out Phrasal Verbs List.

Check Your Understanding of Phrasal Verbs

Fill in the blanks by choosing the most appropriate phrasal verbs from the list of phrasal verbs given below.
Conjugate them to suit the tense of the sentence.
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(stand for, narrow down, hold on, run into, check out, go through, fall apart, pull off, fill in, hold against)
1. Make sure you _________ of the hotel at the right time, else they will charge you extra.
2. Levin was asked to _______ for Suresh.
3. ________ the whole itinerary before you make a decision.
4. Tom and Jerry ___________ after their last meeting.
5. Please _________ for a minute, I forgot to take my car keys.
6. It is not good to _______ such a silly issue _______ her for so many years.
7. Do you think Andreah would be able to _____ it _____ all by herself?
8. We have _____________ the possibilities of them finding us.
9. Do you know who we _______ on our way here?
10. Nelson Mandela ________ for the rights of his people.

Check your answers here.

1. Make sure you check out of the hotel at the right time, else they will charge you extra.
2. Levin was asked to fill in for Suresh.
3. Go through the whole itinerary before you make a decision.
4. Tom and Jerry fell apart after their last meeting.
5. Please hold on for a minute, I forgot to take my car keys.
6. It is not good to hold such a silly issue against her for so many years.
7. Do you think Andreah would be able to pull it off all by herself?
8. We have narrowed down the possibilities of them finding us.
9. Do you know who we ran into on our way here?
10. Nelson Mandela stood up for the rights of his people.

Frequently Asked Questions on Phrasal Verbs in English

Q1
What are phrasal verbs?
Phrasal verbs can be said to be formed by the combination of a verb and an adverb or a preposition. In some
cases, it is a combination of all the three parts of speech – verb, adverb and preposition. Though each of
these parts of speech have different functions, they play the role of the verb when they are put together.
They can also act as a phrase and that is why these verbs are called phrasal verbs.
Q2
What is the definition of a phrasal verb?
The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines a phrasal verb as “a verb combined with an adverb or a preposition,
or sometimes both, to give a new meaning, for example, go in for’, ‘win over’ and ‘see to’.” According to the
Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a phrasal verb is defined as “a phrase (such as take off or look down on) that
combines a verb with a preposition or adverb or both, and that functions as a verb whose meaning is
different from the combined meanings of the individual words.” The Cambridge Dictionary defines a phrasal
verb as “a phrase that consists of a verb with a preposition or adverb or both, the meaning of which is
different from the meaning of its separate parts.”
Q3
Give some examples of phrasal verbs.

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Here are some examples of phrasal verbs which you can use in your daily communication – stand up, go
through, check in, fall apart, make up, stop over, put up with, do away with, hold up, get through, give in, etc.

Finite Verb
A finite verb is often the main verb in the sentence, which denotes the primary action done by the subject in a
particular context. Finite verbs can be a part of an independent clause or verb phrase that can stand alone in
a sentence and still make sense.
Definition of a Finite Verb
According to the Oxford Learners’ Dictionary, “a finite verb form or clause shows a particular tense, person
and number.” The Collins Dictionary defines a finite verb as “a verb form that distinguishes person, number,
and tense, and also mood or aspect, as ‘opens’ in She opens the door.”
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a finite verb as one that is “of, relating to, or being a verb or verb
form that can function as a predicate or as the initial element of one and that is limited (as in tense, person,
and number)”.

How to Use Finite Verbs in Sentences?

There are some points you have to keep in mind if you want to use finite verbs accurately.
 The most important point you have to focus on when working with finite verbs is that they always
work with a subject.
 You have to always make sure that the verb agrees with the subject.
 Remember that the use of a finite verb can allow the clause to stand by itself as an independent
clause.
 Make sure that you conjugate the finite verb accurately to suit the context in which the action takes
place.

Examples of Finite Verbs

Here are a few examples to help you understand how finite verbs are used in sentences.
 Reena reached home after 7 p.m.
The root verb ‘reach’ is used in its past form and acts as the finite verb in the above sentence.
 Henry likes to read adventure novels.
In the above sentence, the root verb ‘like’ is used in the third-person singular form to play the role of the finite
verb in the sentence. It can also be noted here that ‘Henry likes adventure novels’ is still a complete
sentence and makes sense without the infinitive ‘to read’.
 We had all the South Indian delicacies that were served at the wedding reception on June 8th.
In the above example, “had” is the finite verb.
 Do you know how to draw an elephant?
In this sentence, the verb ‘know’ used in its simple present form is the finite verb.
 My child likes singing Hindi songs.
The verb ‘like’, used in the third person singular form, is the finite verb in the above example.
20 Examples of Finite Verbs
Here are 20 examples of finite verbs that you can refer to have a clear idea.
 I like ice cream.
 Do you know this guy?
 Kimmy lives in Spain.
 We work at the Plaza.
 Teena needs some money.
 I do not understand what you are talking about.
 Mario plays video games.
 Lintu cooked pasta for breakfast.

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  My dad rides a bike.
 I have coffee in the morning.
 We walked through the forest.
 The boys stood right in front of the park.
 Little Tom enjoyed the ride.
 Titus saw an aeroplane.
 I listen to melodious songs all the time.
 Henry thanked Jerry for the cake.
 The dog ran away.
 Rory took a photo of his new room.
 Xan lost her cell phone.
 Ozy is an actor.

Check Your Understanding of Finite Verbs

Identify the finite verbs in the following sentences:
1. The teacher is late to class.
2. The auto stopped abruptly.
3. I bought a new pair of shoes for the trip.
4. My brother loved the movie.
5. I finished the household chores.
6. The plate is empty.
7. Can you try to lift it one more time?
8. Did you read all the chapters of this book?
9. My phone worked properly even after the repair.
10. I took a photo of the bunch of flowers that had bloomed in my garden for the first time.

Ready to check if you found the finite verbs in the sentences correctly? Let us find out.
1. The teacher is late to class.
2. The auto stopped abruptly.
3. I bought a new pair of shoes for the trip.
4. My brother loved the movie.
5. I finished all the household chores.
6. The plate is empty.
7. Can you try to lift it one more time?
8. Did you read all the chapters of this book?
9. My phone worked properly even after the repair.
10. I took a photo of the bunch of flowers that had bloomed in my garden for the first time.

Frequently Asked Questions on Finite Verbs in English

Q1
What is a finite verb?
A finite verb is often the main verb in the sentence, which denotes the primary action done by the subject in a
particular context. Finite verbs can be a part of an independent clause or verb phrase that can stand alone in
a sentence and still make sense.
Q2
What is the definition of a finite verb?

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According to the Oxford Learners’ Dictionary, “a finite verb form or clause shows a particular tense, person
and number.” The Collins Dictionary defines a finite verb as “a verb form that distinguishes person, number,
and tense, and also mood or aspect, as ‘opens’ in She opens the door.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary
defines a finite verb as one that is “of, relating to, or being a verb or verb form that can function as a
predicate or as the initial element of one and that is limited (as in tense, person, and number)”.
Q3
How are finite verbs used?
There are some points you have to keep in mind if you want to use finite verbs accurately.
 The most important point you have to focus on when working with finite verbs is that they always
work with a subject.
 You have to always make sure that the verb agrees with the subject.
 Remember that the use of a finite verb can allow the clause to stand by itself as an independent
clause.
 Make sure that you conjugate the finite verb accurately to suit the context in which the action takes
place.
Q4
Give some examples of finite verbs.
All main verbs can be used as finite verbs. It has to be conjugated in order to represent the right form of the
verb/tense that agrees with the subject doing the action in a sentence.
Listening to yesterday was very soothing.

Non-finite Verb
A non-finite verb is most often not the main verb in the sentence. It does not show the tense or number of the
verb. Non-finite verbs are multifunctional. They can take the gerund form of the verb and function as an
infinitive by taking a ‘to’ along with the base form of the verb.
Definition of a Non-Finite Verb
A non-finite verb is “an infinitive or a participle and has no tense”, according to the Collins Dictionary. The
Oxford Learners’ Dictionary defines a non-finite verb as “a verb form or clause that does not show a
particular tense, person or number”.

How to Use Non-finite Verbs in Sentences?

Learning how to use non-finite verbs in sentences can be made quite easy if you know how finite verbs work.
Unlike finite verbs, non-finite verbs do not include main verbs and do not show any tense. Here are some tips
on how you can make effective use of non-finite verbs in your everyday life and convey what is in your mind
in a clear and simple manner. Non-finite verbs include the base form of the verb, the present participle or the
gerund form of the verb (v+ing), the past participle form and the infinitive form.

Examples of Non-finite verbs

Check out the following examples to understand how you can make effective use of non-finite verbs.
 Would you like to go with me to the party?
In the above sentence, the infinitive form of the verb is used to perform the role of the non-finite verb and it is
used immediately after the finite verb ‘like’.
 Fed up with the continuous quarrels, he walked away.
 The trip being cancelled, I made some other plans.

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In the above examples, you can see how the verb ‘fed up’ is used as a non-finite verb with no particular
tense and the second sentence where the non-finite verb ‘being cancelled’ shows no agreement with the
subject in the sentence.

Difference between Finite Verbs and Non-finite Verbs

Let us find out what makes finite verbs and non-finite verbs different from each other. Check out the table
given below.
Finite Verbs Non-finite Verbs
 Finite verbs are used to represent  Non-finite verbs have no tense.
tense, person or number.
 Finite verbs take the simple present  Non-finite verbs can be used in their
and the simple past form of the infinitive, present participle or past
particular verb. participle form.
 Finite verbs always agree with the  Non-finite verbs do not agree with the
subject performing the action in the subject in a sentence.
sentence.
 Most often, the finite verb can be  Non-finite verbs are sometimes found in
found next to the subject in a the beginning of a sentence. In certain
sentence. cases, the non-finite verb is found
immediately after the finite verb in the
sentence.
 A finite verb appears to be a part of  A non-finite verb often constitutes a
an independent clause and can help phrase and does not make sense when
the clause stand alone by making considered separately.
complete sense of what is being
conveyed,

Check Your Understanding of Non-finite Verbs

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of non-finite verbs in the following sentences:
1. __________ (walk) along the pavement, Robin found a stack of cash.
2. Lorry likes ________ (eat) raw vegetables.
3. ___________ (finish) the household work, Sandhya went out to buy groceries.
4. _________ (stretch) out his small hands, he begged for some food as he was hungry.
5. Not _________ (know) what to do, I asked Nivin for help.
6. Today, _______ (be) a very hot day, I decided not to go to my cousin’s house.
7. Prerna loves _______ (dance).
8. We read ________ (survive) the intellectual world.
9. Adarsh, the new marketing manager, is easy _______ (cope) with.
10. He is too thin ______ (lift) that box all the way up to the thirteenth floor.
Find out if your answers match the answers given below.
1. Walking along the pavement, Robin found a stack of cash.
2. Lorry likes to eat raw vegetables.
3. Having finished the household work, Sandhya went out to buy groceries.
4. Stretching out his small hands, he begged for some food as he was hungry.
5. Not knowing what to do, I asked Nivin for help.
6. Today, being a very hot day, I decided not to go to my cousin’s house.
7. Prerna loves to dance.
8. We read to survive the intellectual world.

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9. Adarsh, the new marketing manager, is easy to cope with.
10. He is too thin to lift that box all the way up to the thirteenth floor.

Frequently Asked Questions on Non-finite Verbs

Q1
What is a non-finite verb?
A non-finite verb is most often not the main verb in the sentence. It does not show the tense or number of the
verb. Non-finite verbs are multifunctional. They can take the gerund form of the verb and function as an
infinitive by taking a ‘to’ along with the base form of the verb.
Q2
What is the definition of a non-finite verb?
A non-finite verb is “an infinitive or a participle and has no tense”, according to the Collins Dictionary. The
Oxford Learners’ Dictionary defines a non-finite verb as “a verb form or clause does not show a particular
tense, person or number”.
Q3
What is the difference between a finite verb and a non-finite verb?
The main difference between a finite verb and a non-finite verb is that a finite verb can be used to denote the
tense, person and number whereas a non-finite verb cannot do so. A finite verb is always found to agree with
the subject and can stand alone as an independent clause. On the other hand, a non-finite clause does not
agree with the subject or take any tense. It cannot pass off as an independent clause either.
Q4
Give some examples of non-finite verbs.
The gerund form, the infinitive form and the participle form of verbs can be used as non-finite verbs. Here are
some examples for you to understand better.
 Would you like to go with me to the party?
 Fed up with the continuous quarrels, he walked away.
 The trip being cancelled, I made some other plans.

Linking Verbs
Linking verbs, as the name suggests, are used to link the subject (noun or pronoun) to the rest of the
sentence. It acts like a bridge between the subject and the subject complement in a sentence. Let us look at
how different dictionaries define the term ‘linking verb’.
Definition of a Linking Verb
The Oxford Learners’ Dictionary defines a linking verb as “a verb such as be or become that connects a
subject with the adjective or noun (called the complement) that describes it.” According to the Merriam-
Webster Dictionary, a linking verb is “an intransitive verb that connects a subject with a word or words in the
predicate. The words ‘look’ in ‘you look tired’ and ‘are’ in ‘my favourite fruits are apples and oranges’ are
linking verbs.”
A linking verb, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as “a verb that connects the qualities of an
object or person to that object or person.”

How to Use Linking Verbs?

A linking verb can be used for various reasons:
 To link one part of the sentence to another

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  To link the subject with more information about the subject, for example, with an adjective or a
complement.
 To denote an existing relationship or condition of the subject in a sentence.
Linking verbs act a little differently. They are not used to denote an action but just as a link. They do not
seem to necessarily mean anything. It is normally found right next to the subject in a sentence.

Examples of Linking Verbs

Let us have a look at the following examples to understand how linking verbs can be used.
 All basic forms of the ‘to be’ verb can be used as linking verbs to qualify the state of being of the
subject.
 All forms of the verb ‘to seem’ are used as linking verbs.
 All forms of the verb ‘to become’ are used as linking verbs.
Some verbs can act as both linking verbs and action verbs.
 Verbs that provide more information about the five senses can be used as linking verbs.
 Verbs that indicate growth, inactivity or change can also be used as linking verbs in sentences.
Let us now look at a few examples of the different forms of these three verbs, which can act as linking verbs.
Verbs that Show the Verbs that Describe the Verbs that Portray Change,
State of Being Five Senses Growth and Inactivity
Am Appear Grow
Is/Are Look Remain
Was/Were Smell Prove
Been Feel Turn
Being Sound Stay
Seem Taste Act
Become – Get
Having known the verbs which can be used as linking verbs now, don’t you want to know how to use them in
sentences? Given below are a few sentences constructed using linking verbs to help you with it.
 Navani seems to be very energetic today.
 The dish smells delicious.
 The dress you were wearing yesterday looked great on you.
 Divya and Mazeeka remained best friends even after all the fights they have had in the past.
 The little boy sounded excited about the school trip.
 Gavin is the new marketing manager of CSD Fin Corp.

Check Your Understanding of Linking Verbs

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate linking verbs in the following sentences:
1. I _____ the class teacher of VII B.
2. Ferry and Henry _________ exhausted after cleaning every loft in the office.
3. This book on women and society _______ to be interesting.
4. The tree _______ cut.
5. The child ______ happy.
6. Your brother ________ really cool.
7. Beth _____ the Vice Principal of St Luke’s Anglo Indian Girls High School.
8. The teacher ________ absent today.
9. My parents ________ tired after the long journey.
10. Kenny ______ a great man.

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Find out if you filled in the blanks with the right linking verb.
1. I am the class teacher of VII B.
2. Ferry and Henry were exhausted after cleaning every loft in the office.
3. This book on women and society seems to be interesting.
4. The tree was cut.
5. The child looks happy.
6. Your brother sounds really cool.
7. Beth is the Vice Principal of St Luke’s Anglo Indian Girls High School.
8. The teacher was absent today.
9. My parents were tired after the long journey.
10. Kenny seems to be/is/was a great man.

Frequently Asked Questions on Linking Verbs in English

Q1
What is a linking verb?
A linking verb, as the name suggests, is used to link the subject (noun or pronoun) to the rest of the
sentence. It acts like a bridge between the subject and the subject complement in a sentence.
Q2
What is the definition of a linking verb?
The Oxford Learners’ Dictionary defines a linking verb as “a verb such as be or become that connects a
subject with the adjective or noun (called the complement) that describes it.” According to the Merriam-
Webster Dictionary, a linking verb is “an intransitive verb that connects a subject with a word or words in the
predicate. The words ‘look’ in ‘you look tired’ and ‘are’ in ‘my favourite fruits are apples and oranges’ are
linking verbs.” A linking verb, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as “a verb that connects the
qualities of an object or person to that object or person.”
Q3
Give some examples of linking verbs.
Am, is, are, was, were, seems, become, remain, grow, etc., are some examples of linking verbs.

Stative Verbs
Stative verbs are verbs that are used to describe or indicate the state of being of a noun or pronoun that acts
as the subject in a sentence.
Definition of a Stative Verb
A stative verb is defined as “a verb that describes a state and not an action”, according to the Cambridge
Dictionary. According to the Collins Dictionary, a stative verb is “a verb describing a state rather than an
activity, act, or event, such as know and want as opposed to leave and throw.”

Examples of Stative Verbs and How They Can be Used in Sentences

As discussed, stative verbs are used to represent a state of being and not an action. Some verbs like feel,
taste, smell, look and sound that represent the five senses also come under stative verbs.
Let us look at the following examples to understand how they are used.
 I know what to do with this.
 I understand exactly what you say.
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  I do not feel very good.
 None of this concerns you or your brother.
 All the women are depending on you.

Difference between Stative Verbs and Linking Verbs

Are you wondering what the difference between stative verbs and linking verbs is? Here it is. Check out the
table given below.
Stative Verb Linking Verb
A stative verb is a verb that is used to express A linking verb, on the other hand, acts as the
the state a subject is in and does not describe bridge between the subject and the subject
an action. complement.
Examples: Do I look good in this dress? Examples: Theodore is smart.
This dish tastes delicious. Carlos and Jack seem angry.

Test Your Knowledge of Stative Verbs

Identify if the underlined verbs in the following sentences are stative verbs and linking verbs.
1. Peter was my best friend.
2. Dhanush does not feel good.
3. The new employer seems like a nice guy.
4. Do you think it is a good idea to go to London?
5. Jane seems to be an intelligent girl.
6. She has her own bike.
7. The ladies agreed with each other.
8. The movie on the real-time incident could be interesting.
9. Do you like the book I gave you?
10. I understand all of it now.

Check out your answers here.

1. Peter was my best friend. – Stative Verb
2. Dhanush does not feel good. – Stative Verb/Linking Verb
3. The new employer seems like a nice guy. – Stative Verb
4. Do you think it is a good idea to go to London? – Stative Verb
5. Jane seems to be an intelligent girl. – Stative Verb
6. She has her own bike. – Stative Verb
7. The ladies agreed with each other. – Stative Verb
8. The movie on the real-time incident could be interesting. – Linking Verb
9. Do you like the book I gave you? – Stative Verb
10. I understand all of it now. – Stative Verb

Frequently Asked Questions on Stative Verbs

Q1
What are stative verbs?
Stative verbs are verbs that are used to describe or indicate the state of being of a noun or pronoun that acts
as the subject in a sentence.
Q2
What is the definition of a stative verb?
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A stative verb is defined as “a verb that describes a state and not an action”, according to the Cambridge
Dictionary. According to the Collins Dictionary, a stative verb is “a verb describing a state rather than an
activity, act, or event, such as know and want as opposed to leave and throw.”
Q3
Give some examples of stative verbs.
All forms of ‘to be’ and verbs like feel, sense, taste, smell, look, have, has, want, know, etc., are some
examples of stative verbs. Some verbs like feel, smell, taste, look, etc., act as both stative verbs and linking
verbs.
1.
English
2. English Grammar
3. Parts of Speech
4. Verbs
5. Action Verbs

Action Verb
As the name suggests, an action verb is used to represent the action done by the subject in a sentence.
Action verbs cannot be used as linking verbs. They have only one function, and that is to denote the action in
a sentence.
Definition of an Action Verb
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an action verb is defined as “a verb that expresses action.
‘Drive’ in ‘We often drive past their house’ and ‘think’ in ‘Let’s think about the problem’ are both action verbs.”

Examples of Action Verbs Used in Sentences

Action verbs mostly appear right next to the subject at the beginning of a sentence. Let us look at the
following examples to get an idea of how they are used.
 My mom reached home at 5:20 p.m. (The root verb ‘reach’ used in the simple past form is the action
verb in the sentence)
 The little girl ran to her mother the moment she saw her. (The verbs ‘ran’ and ‘saw’ are the action
verbs in the sentence. They are simple past forms of ‘run’ and ‘see’)
 Let us take the wounded dog to the veterinary hospital. (The action verb in the sentence is ‘take’
used in its simple present form or the original form)
 Cherina is singing the most recent song of A. R. Rahman. (The verb ‘singing’, used in the present
continuous form, is the action verb in the sentence)
 I wrote a letter to the bank manager requesting for a bank statement. (The verb ‘wrote’, used in the
simple past form, is the action verb in the sentence)
Action verbs can be used to represent different tenses by using the different forms of verbs. Check out verb
forms to learn more.

Everyday Action Verbs List for Kids

Here are some action verbs that can be used in everyday communication.
Run Walk Talk
Share Sit Stand
Jump Keep Bring
Buy Drink Chew
Sing Speak Drive

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 Travel Teach Learn
Play Dance Skip
Try Move Lift
Make Cook Read
Write Test Ring
Call Clear Stitch

Test Your Knowledge on Action Verbs

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate action verb in the following sentences. Choose the verb from the list
given and use it in the suitable tense.
(accompany, draft, win, cry, buy, sleep, drink, pass, ask, call)
1. Why did you ________ me?
2. The baby _________ because he is hungry
3. My sister __________ me to the hospital tomorrow.
4. Every day, I _______ milk in the morning.
5. My dad _________ me a new dress for my cousin’s wedding.
6. My brother _________ by 10 p.m. daily.
7. Can you _______ a mail to your manager requesting a transfer?
8. The teacher _______ the students to submit their assignments before 8 in the morning.
9. Mary Kom ______ a gold medal at the Olympics in the boxing tournament.
10. Can you please ______ the attendance register?
Let us find out if you got it right. Check your answers here.
1. Why did you call me?
2. The baby is crying because he is hungry.
3. My sister will accompany me to the hospital tomorrow.
4. Everyday, I drink milk in the morning.
5. My dad bought me a new dress for my cousin’s wedding.
6. My brother sleeps by 10 p.m. daily.
7. Can you draft a mail to your manager requesting a transfer?
8. The teacher asked the students to submit their assignments before 8 in the morning.
9. Mary Kom won a gold medal at the Olympics in the boxing tournament.
10. Can you please pass the attendance register?

Frequently Asked Questions on Action Verbs in English

Q1
What is an action verb, and what is its definition?
As the name suggests, an action verb is used to represent the action done by the subject in a sentence.
Action verbs cannot be used as linking verbs. They have only one function, and that is to denote the action in
a sentence. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an action verb is defined as “a verb that
expresses action. ‘Drive’ in ‘We often drive past their house’ and ‘think’ in ‘Let’s think about the problem’ are
both action verbs.”
Q2
Give some examples of action verbs.

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Run, walk, jump, talk, sing, speak, eat, drink, cry, skip, pull, push, fetch, give, make, bake, try, bring, teach,
study, etc. are some examples of action verbs.
Q3
How do I use action verbs in sentences?
Action verbs are used immediately after the noun or pronoun that acts as the subject in a sentence. Action
verbs are employed in their different verb forms to indicate the different tenses.

 My mom reached home at 5:20 p.m.
 The little girl ran to her mother the moment she saw her.
 Let us take the wounded dog to the veterinary hospital.
 Cherina is singing the most recent song of A. R. Rahman.
 I wrote a letter to the bank manager requesting for a bank statement.

Adverb
Like an adjective gives us more information about the noun in a sentence, an adverb is used to provide more
information about the verb or the action in the sentence. It also has the property of describing the adjective or
another adverb.
Definition of an Adverb
An adverb, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is “a word that adds more information about place,
time, manner, cause or degree to a verb, an adjective, a phrase or another adverb.” The Cambridge
Dictionary defines an adverb as “a word that describes or gives more information about a verb, adjective,
adverb, or phrase.”
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary provides a similar definition. It defines an adverb as “a word used to modify
a verb, an adjective, or another adverb and often used to show degree, manner, place, or time.” According to
the Collins Dictionary, an adverb is defined as “a word such as ‘slowly’, ‘ now’, ‘very’, ‘politically’, or ‘
fortunately’ which adds information about the action, event, or situation mentioned in a clause.”

Types of Adverbs
Adverbs are categorised into different types according to their functions when used in a sentence. Given
below are the different types of adverbs.
 Adverbs of Manner
 Adverbs of Time
 Adverbs of Place
 Adverbs of Frequency
 Adverbs of Degree
 Conjunctive Adverbs
Check out the article on types of adverbs to learn more about them in detail. Furthermore, read through the
article on adverbial phrases to learn what they are.

Examples of Adverbs
Now that you know what adverbs are and how there are different types of adverbs, let us look at
some adverb examples to see how they can be used effectively in sentences.
How Adverbs are Used in Sentences
Unlike other parts of speech, adverbs can be placed at any part of the sentence (beginning, middle or end),
and make complete sense without sounding absurd. Another characteristic is that multiple adverbs can be
used in a sentence. Have a look at the following examples to have a clear understanding of the same.
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  I was planning to go to the supermarket to buy some groceries. However, I did not find the time to
go. So I ordered online.
 My mom did not cook breakfast today. Therefore, we ended up making noodles for everyone.
 Normally, we go to church on Sundays.
 Don’t you think the coffee is too sweet?
 Do not worry. You will gradually learn how to do it.
 The song I was listening to yesterday was very soothing.
 He kept talking to me for such a long time but I barely knew him.
 It is extremely hot outside today.
 How often do you work out?
 Can I come home tomorrow?

Check Your Knowledge of Adverbs

Identify the most suitable adverb from the list given below and use them to complete the following sentences.
(slightly, too, very, anywhere, instantly, quarterly, soon, never, rarely , seldom, monthly, extremely, seriously,
sometimes, weekly)
1. The weather here is _____ cold.
2. I am _________ sorry for the delay.
3. You will receive an OTP and on entering it, your account will be _________ activated.
4. The journal is published ______________.
5. Can you please finish it ______ so that I can use the table.
6. She _______ goes to the salon.
7. Oshin did not find the blue file ________.
8. __________, I like to go on a trip alone just to clear my mind and have a break from this busy schedule.
9. This seems to be ________ absurd.
10. The teacher asked her students to take the project _________ as it would be considered for internal
marks.

You have probably got all of it right. Let us find out. Note that some adverbs can be used interchangeably.
1. The weather here is too/very/extremely cold.
2. I am extremely sorry for the delay.
3. You will receive an OTP and on entering it, your account will be instantly activated.
4. The journal is published weekly/monthly/quarterly.
5. Can you please finish it soon so that I can use the table.
6. She seldom/rarely/never goes to the salon.
7. Oshin did not find the blue file anywhere.
8.Sometimes, I like to go on a trip alone just to clear my mind and have a break from this busy schedule.
9. This seems to be too/very absurd.
10. The teacher asked her students to take the project seriously as it would be considered for internal
marks.
Check out the article on adverb exercises for more practice exercises.

Frequently Asked Questions on Adverbs in English

Q1
What is an adverb?
An adverb is used to provide more information about the verb or the action in the sentence. It also has the
property of describing the adjective or another adverb.
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Q2
What is the definition of an adverb?
An adverb, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is “a word that adds more information about place,
time, manner, cause or degree to a verb, an adjective, a phrase or another adverb.” The Cambridge
Dictionary defines an adverb as “a word that describes or gives more information about a verb, adjective,
adverb, or phrase.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary provides a similar definition. It defines an adverb as “a
word used to modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb and often used to show degree, manner, place,
or time.” According to the Collins Dictionary, an adverb is defined as “a word such as ‘slowly’, ‘ now’, ‘very’,
‘politically’, or ‘ fortunately’ which adds information about the action, event, or situation mentioned in a
clause.”
Q3
What are the different types of adverbs?
Adverbs can be classified into six main types:
 Adverbs of Manner
 Adverbs of Time
 Adverbs of Place
 Adverbs of Frequency
 Adverbs of Degree
 Conjunctive Adverbs
Q4
Give some examples of adverbs used in sentences.
Here are some examples to show you how the different types of adverbs can be used in sentences.
 My mom did not cook breakfast today; therefore we ended up making noodles for everyone.
 Normally, we go to church on Sundays.
 Don’t you think the coffee is too sweet?
 Do not worry. You will gradually learn how to do it.
 The song I was listening to yesterday was very soothing.

Conjunctive Adverb
A conjunctive adverb is a part of speech that is an adverb by design but has the characteristic of a
conjunction. It can be used to link different clauses or sentences, to show cause and effect, sequence, and
contrast between the two clauses or sentences.
Definition of a Conjunctive Adverb
According to the Collins Dictionary, a conjunctive adverb is defined as “serving to connect two clauses or
sentences, as however or furthermore.” The word ‘conjunctive’, according to the Merriam-Webster
Dictionary, is defined as something that is “being or functioning like a conjunction.” The Merriam-Webster
Dictionary defines the quality of a part of speech being ‘conjunctive’ as “relating to a conjunction (=linking
word), or expressing a link between two things that are both true.”

Using Conjunctive Adverbs – Points to Remember

Since conjunctive adverbs have the special feature of behaving like a conjunction, there are a few points you
will need to be aware of and bear in mind when using them in your sentences, especially in writing.
 Rule 1: Always use a comma if the conjunctive adverb is used to link or separate an independent
clause and a dependent clause. This rule applies when conjunctions like and, or, so or but are used
before the conjunctive adverb.

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  Rule 2: When you are using a conjunctive adverb to link or show the relationship between two
independent clauses, make sure you separate them with a semicolon before the conjunctive adverb
and a comma after it.
 Rule 3: When conjunctive adverbs are used to separate or link two independent clauses which have
the ability to stand as two distinct sentences, a period can be used in between them and the second
clause would begin with the conjunctive adverb.
 Rule 4: If the conjunctive adverb appears in the beginning of a second clause in a sentence, you
should use a comma after the adverb. In case the conjunctive adverb used in the beginning of the
second clause is a monosyllabic adverb, a comma need not be used.
 Rule 5: If the conjunctive adverb is used in the middle of a clause, it should be preceded and followed
by a comma. This, however, need not be the case always, especially when conjunctive adverbs are
made use of in short clauses.

Examples of Conjunctive Adverbs

Here is a list of conjunctive adverbs with example sentences.
Conjunctive Uses Sentence Examples
Adverbs
However Used to denote contrasting Aaron went to many stationery stores in that
opinions, suggestions or area; however, he did not find what he was
statements looking for.
Besides The computer I am thinking of buying does not
meet my expectations; besides, it is very
expensive.
Instead Remya had planned to go out with her family to
the circus; instead, she went to the beach.
Anyway Cece wanted to visit the museum yesterday but
could not as it was raining. Anyway, we are
going today, so we asked her to join us.
Nonetheless People have been struggling to be financially
stable; nonetheless, they are managing to
make all ends meet.
Nevertheless It was raining; nevertheless, we went to the
party.
Meanwhile Asha was washing all the plates; meanwhile,
her husband cleaned the house.
Also Used to add ideas See to that you carry your umbrella and
torchlight when you go for the trip. Also, make
sure you take a few copies of your ID proof for
verification.
Furthermore Our parents are coming home this weekend
and, furthermore, we will be going to
Bangalore.
Besides The train is already running late. Besides, we
got caught in the early morning traffic.
Additionally Diu Art Cafe is known for its amazing
food. Additionally, the cafe often features live
music and dance shows.
Moreover Ajith is an engineer and, moreover, he is a
good singer.
Similarly Used to represent similar Adjectives are used to describe
ideas and statements or nouns. Similarly, you can use adverbs to
compare two ideas describe verbs, adjectives or other adverbs.
Likewise The student who stands in the beginning of the
line has to pass the ball and move to the end of
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 the line. Likewise, the next student has to move
to the beginning of the line and do the same.
Indeed Used to emphasise The show went on for so long and indeed, was
something that is being said a great one.
Certainly Certainly, that was your responsibility.
Undoubtedly Undoubtedly, this year’s annual day was the
best.
Of course Of course, the western dance is the most
anticipated programme of the day.
Consequently Used to represent cause I am participating in multiple
and effect competitions. Consequently, I will require more
Used to express one’s time for practice and preparation.
Otherwise complete agreement with Make sure you carry your ID proof when you are
travelling; otherwise, they will not let you travel
something that is happening on the train.
Accordingly or suggested; to show that The prices of the materials kept fluctuating
something is happening as every year. Accordingly, we had to adjust the
a result of something cost of our products.
Then Pravin moved all the furniture; then, he cleaned
the entire house.
Therefore It became too dark; therefore, we decided not
to go to the park.
Thus Sandy received the maximum votes; thus,
became the chairperson of the academic year
2022-23.
Finally Finally, her parents permitted her to go for the
trek.
Hence The hills are steep, and hence, it is very
dangerous to drive at night.

Check Your Understanding of Conjunctive Adverbs

Fill in the blanks by choosing the most appropriate conjunctive adverbs from the list given below.
(undoubtedly, therefore, then, additionally, however, finally, hence, thus, otherwise, certainly)
1. Krithik left home early; ___________, he did not reach school in time for the assembly.
2. You have to work hard; __________, you will not be able to score good marks.
3. We had watched every new movie that was released on Friday. _________, Home was the best movie.
4. Darin was waiting for his result the whole day. ________, the results were published around 6 p.m.
5. The kids were already feeling cold; ____________, we decided not to turn on the AC.
6. The question papers did not reach us on time. __________, that caused a huge discomfort among the
students and teachers.
7. You would be informed what all you should carry with you when you come for the trip; ____________, you
will be given an itinerary so that you can be well aware of the activities that will take place.
8. The students had not completed their project, and ___________, they were not allowed to go for their
games period.
9. I will complete my Chemistry project, and ________, I will start working on the Maths assignment.
10. Aaron practised very well, and ________, he got the second prize.

Let us check if you have understood well.

1. Krithik left home early; however, he did not reach school in time for the assembly.
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2. You have to work hard; otherwise, you will not be able to score good marks.
3. We had watched every new movie that was released on Friday. Undoubtedly, Home was the best movie.
4. Darin was waiting for his result the whole day. Finally, the results were published around 6 p. m.
5. The kids were already feeling cold; hence, we decided not to turn on the AC.
6. The question papers did not reach us on time. Certainly, that caused a huge discomfort among the
students and teachers.
7. You would be informed what all you should carry with you when you come for the trip; additionally, you
will be given an itinerary so that you can be well aware of the activities that will take place.
8. The students had not completed their project, and therefore, they were not allowed to go for their games
period.
9. I will complete my Chemistry project, and then, I will start working on the Maths assignment.
10. Aaron practised very well, and thus, got the second prize.

Frequently Asked Questions on Conjunctive Adverbs

Q1
What is a conjunctive adverb?
A conjunctive adverb is a part of speech that is an adverb by design but has the characteristic of a
conjunction. It can be used to link different clauses or sentences, to show cause and effect, sequence and
contrast between the two clauses or sentences.
Q2
What is the definition of a conjunctive adverb?
According to the Collins Dictionary, a conjunctive adverb is defined as “serving to connect two clauses or
sentences, as however or furthermore.” The word ‘conjunctive’, according to the Merriam-Webster
Dictionary, is defined as something that is “being or functioning like a conjunction.” The Merriam-Webster
Dictionary defines the quality of a part of speech being ‘conjunctive’ as “relating to a conjunction (= linking
word), or expressing a link between two things that are both true.
Q3
Give some examples of conjunctive adverbs.
However, eventually, consequently, finally, otherwise, anyway, moreover, similarly, hence, therefore, thus,
accordingly, etc. are some examples of conjunctive adverbs.

Adverb Clause
An adverb clause, as the name suggests, is a clause that does all the functions of a normal adverb. One can
identify an adverb clause by asking when, where, how, why and how often. To know how adverb clauses are
actually defined, check out the dictionary definitions given below.
Definition of an Adverb Clause
According to the Collins Dictionary, an adverb clause is defined as “a subordinate clause that functions as an
adverb within a main clause”. The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar defines an adverb clause as “any
*clause (*finite, *non-finite, or *verbless) functioning as an adverbial.”

How to Use Adverb Clauses?

Adverb clauses, as discussed earlier, can be used to provide information about when, where, under what
conditions, how and why an action is taking place. They also give the reader a description of an adjective

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and an adverb. Always remember that an adverb clause begins with a subordinating conjunction like ‘after’,
‘whether’, ‘if’, ‘because’, ‘although’, ‘even though’, etc.
Adverb clauses can be found in the beginning, in the middle or at the end of a sentence. Let us look at some
examples, and see how it works when used in the different parts of the sentence.

Examples of Adverb Clauses

Here are some adverb clause examples to help you understand how adverb clauses can be effectively
employed in your writing and speech.
Examples of Adverb Clauses Used in the Beginning of a Sentence
When adverb clauses are used in the beginning of a sentence, it is usually followed by a comma. These
clauses are often subordinate or dependent clauses and cannot stand on their own.
Examples:
 If you work hard, you will be able to score good grades.
 In case you like it, let us know.
 Although they drove really fast, they could not reach there in time.
 Before you make your decision, make sure you think this through.
 As soon as you meet her, call me.

Examples of Adverb Clauses Used in the Middle of a Sentence

Adverb clauses that appear in the middle of a sentence are enclosed within commas, and even if removed
from the sentence, lets the sentence convey meaning.
Examples:
 My cousins, though they told us that they would not come for the movie, they somehow made it.
 He remembered, after he left the office, that he had not sent the EOD report.
 Remya, since she was not keeping well, decided not to go to work today and tomorrow.
 My friend, because he does not like working in the IT field, started his own company.
 Digital money, even though it has been made legal all around the world, is not accepted or
considered safe by common people.
Examples of Adverb Clauses Used in the End of a Sentence
Whenever adverb clauses are used at the end of a sentence, it does not demand or require any sort
of punctuation.
Examples:
 Aaron was made to practise the song for the competition until he sang it perfectly.
 Angel kept rambling on and on as if she wanted to prove that she is broke.
 The dog got so comfortable with my brother after he cuddled her for a while.
 We felt time was very slow because we were sitting idly.
 You will be able to go to the theatres to watch movies as long as there is no lockdown.

Test Your Understanding of Adverb Clauses

Identify the adverb clauses in the following sentences:
1. Diaz came first in the dance competition because he had practised for almost two months.
2. If you like it, you can take it.
3. Danny follows a strict diet in order to stay fit.
4. Unless he is interested in the plot of a movie, he does not watch it.
5. Hector, in order to reach school early, decided to take the metro today.
6. When the clock strikes twelve, you will have to stop writing.
7. Make sure you buy it only if you like it.
8. The football gallery at Loyola, where we used to sit and talk, has been demolished.
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9. Although he finished working with his project, he continued to make corrections.
10. Those green shoes, even though they are too big for him, goes with his style.

Were you able to identify them? Let us find out if you got it right.
1. Diaz came first in the dance competition because he had practised for almost two months.
2. If you like it, you can take it.
3. Danny follows a strict diet in order to stay fit.
4. Unless he is interested in the plot of a movie, he does not watch it.
5. Hector, in order to reach school early, decided to take the metro today.
6. When the clock strikes twelve, you will have to stop writing.
7. Make sure you buy it only if you like it.
8. The football gallery at Loyola, where we used to sit and talk, has been demolished.
9. Although he finished working with his project, he continued to make corrections.
10. Those green shoes, even though they are too big for him, goes with his style.

Frequently Asked Questions on Adverb Clauses in English

Q1
What is an adverb clause?
An adverb clause, as the name suggests, is a clause that does all the functions of a normal adverb. One can
identify an adverb clause by asking when, where, how, why and how often.
Q2
What is the definition of an adverb clause?
According to the Collins Dictionary, an adverb clause is defined as “a subordinate clause that functions as an
adverb within a main clause.” The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar defines an adverb clause as “any
*clause (*finite, *non-finite, or *verbless) functioning as an *adverbial.”
Q3
Give some examples of adverb clauses.
Given below are some examples of adverb clauses that you can refer to.
 The dog got so comfortable with my brother after he cuddled her for a while.
 We felt time was very slow because we were sitting idly.
 My friend, because he does not like working in the IT field, started his own company.
 Digital money, even though it has been made legal all around the world, is not accepted or
considered safe by common people.
 Although they drove really fast, they could not reach there in time.
 Before you make your decision, make sure you think this through.

Adjective
What Is an Adjective?
An adjective is a part of speech that can be used to describe or provide more information about
a noun or pronoun that acts as the subject in a sentence. Adjectives are found after the verb or before the
noun it modifies.
Definition of an Adjective
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, an adjective is defined as “a word that describes a noun or pronoun.”
The Collins Dictionary gives a more elaborate definition. According to it, “an adjective is a word such as ‘big’,
123
‘ dead’, or ‘ financial’ that describes a person or thing, or gives extra information about them. Adjectives
usually come before nouns or after link verbs.”
The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines an adjective as “a word that describes a person or thing, for
example ‘big’, ‘red’ and ‘clever’ in a big house, red wine and a clever idea.” An adjective is “a word belonging
to one of the major form classes in any of numerous languages and typically serving as a modifier of a noun
to denote a quality of the thing named, to indicate its quantity or extent, or to specify a thing as distinct from
something else”, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Forms of Adjectives – Degrees of Comparison

Did you know that adjectives can be used to compare similar qualities of different subjects that perform the
same action. There are three forms of adjectives or rather three degrees of comparison. The are:
 Positive or Absolute Form
 Comparative Form
 Superlative Form
Positive Degree of Comparison:
The positive form or the positive degree of comparison is the form of the adjective used in the original form.
For example: This book is interesting. This form of adjective is used when there is no other subject to be
compared.
Comparative Degree of Comparison
The comparative form of the adjective is used when two subjects performing the same action or possessing
the same quality are compared. For example: The book I read yesterday was more interesting than the one
I read today.
Superlative Degree of Comparison
The superlative degree of comparison is used when comparing the same quality of two or more subjects and
to represent that a subject is superior to two or more subjects in performing an action. For example: This
fantasy novel is the most interesting book that I have ever read.

Types of Adjectives
Adjectives can be divided into different categories based on their functions when used in a sentence. The
different types of adjectives are:
 Possessive Adjectives
 Interrogative Adjectives
 Demonstrative Adjectives
 Compound Adjectives
Possessive Adjectives:
These adjectives, like possessive pronouns, are used to show or represent possession of a quality. For
example: my, your, his, her, their, its, whose, etc.
Interrogative Adjectives:
An adjective that is used to modify a noun or a pronoun by asking a question is called an interrogative
adjective. There are only a few adjectives that can be termed as interrogative adjectives. They are whose,
what and which.
Demonstrative Adjectives:
Demonstrative adjectives are mainly used to describe the position of a subject (a noun or pronoun) in space
or time. This, that, these and those are the demonstrative adjectives in English.

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Compound Adjectives:
Compound adjectives consist of two or more adjectives that are combined together to form an adjective that
can be used to modify the subject. Some examples of compound adjectives are cotton-tailed, curly-haired,
absent-minded, happy-go-lucky, etc.
How to Use Adjectives in Sentences?
Adjectives are known to give your writing and speech a very flowery look. It aids in making it descriptive and
also in giving your readers and listeners a visual treat. However, stuffing it with too many adjectives can
make it look or sound vague and unclear. This would only lead to misunderstanding of your content. Knowing
when, where and how to use adjectives is a skill that you should master.
Any piece of writing should be clear and precise. Find out if there is a word that specifically means whatever
you are trying to convey. For example: quick, swift, hasty, fleet, etc. are all adjectives that mean ‘very fast’.
Likewise, contented, cheerful, merry, joyful, ecstatic, delighted, etc. are all words that describe different
degrees of happiness. There is also another concept that you should know. There is a particular order in
which you should place adjectives when you are using two or more adjectives to describe the same subject
or object. Check out the order of adjectives to learn more.

Examples of Adjectives
If you are wondering what part of speech a colour or a number belongs to, do not waste any more time
thinking about it. All colours and numbers are classified as adjectives. Adjectives are words that modify
nouns but in most cases, they can be seen to be doing much more than that. Given below are the various
ways in which adjectives can function and be used.
Adjectives as Complements
Adjectives can act as complements that modify nouns that act as subjects and objects. When the adjective
describes the object in a sentence, it is called an object complement and when it is used to describe the
subject in a sentence, it is referred to as a subject complement. They are seen to be used in sentences
which are seen to use the following patterns:
 SVC – Aaron is good.
In the above example, the adjective is ‘good’ and it is used to describe the subject ‘Aaron’ and so it is called
a subject complement.
 SVOC – The movie made Karthik sleepy.
Here, the adjective ‘sleepy’ describes the object ‘Karthik’ and so comes under the category of object
complements.
Adjectives as Coordinates
When two or more adjectives are used to describe the same noun in a sentence, they are called coordinate
adjectives. Coordinate adjectives are often separated by a comma or the conjunction ‘and’.
For example:
 The mobile phone is easy to use and handy.
 My cousin is tall and thin.

Multifunctional Adjectives
Adjectives can be made to function like or take the role of nouns in a sentence, and sometimes, a noun,
when used to describe or provide more information about another noun, can perform the role of an adjective.
For example:
 I like my English teacher.
In the above example, the word ‘English’ is generally considered a noun as it represents a language and it is
a proper noun. But here, it is used to describe the noun ‘teacher’ which makes it an adjective.
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  It is our duty to tend to the poor and the oppressed.
In this sentence, the words ‘the poor’ and ‘the oppressed’ pass off as nouns as it refers to ‘poor people’ and
‘oppressed people’. So, when adjectives are preceded by the article ‘the’, it often refers to a category of
people which makes the adjective a noun.
In addition to these types of adjectives, there are also phrases and clauses which act just like an adjective.
To know what they are and how they work in a sentence, check out the articles on adjective
phrases and adjective clauses.
Check out the adjectives list for an extensive list of adjectives that you can make use of in your daily
communication and work out exercises on adjectives to brush up your knowledge of it.
Also explore: Adjectives for book│Adjectives for boy│Adjectives for children│Adjectives for dogs│Adjectives
for eyes│Adjectives for flower│Adjectives for mother│Adjectives for music│Adjectives for trees│Difference
between adjective of quantity and adjective of number

Check Your Knowledge of Adjectives

Identify the adjectives in the following sentences:
1. I bought a red dress for the wedding.
2. I have eight apples.
3. The food is delicious.
4. My brother is naughty.
5. The movie we watched last night was boring.
6. Pablo Picasso is a fine artist.
7. The weather in Chennai is sultry all round the year.
8. Now is a great time to visit the United States.
9. It was a fabulous drive.
10. The Marina Beach is the longest beach in India.

You should have definitely got it all right. Check them out.
1. I bought a red dress for the wedding.
2. I have eight apples.
3. The food is delicious.
4. My brother is naughty.
5. The movie we watched last night was boring.
6. Pablo Picasso is a fine artist.
7. The weather in Chennai is sultry all round the year.
8. Now is a great time to visit the United States.
9. It was a fabulous drive.
10. The Marina Beach is the longest beach in India.

Frequently Asked Questions on Adjectives in English

Q1
What is an adjective?
An adjective is a part of speech that can be used to describe or provide more information about the noun or
pronoun that acts as the subject in a sentence. Adjectives are found after the verb or before the noun it
modifies.
Q2
126
What is the definition of an adjective?
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, an adjective is defined as “a word that describes a noun or pronoun.”
The Collins Dictionary gives a more elaborate definition. According to them, “an adjective is a word such as ‘
big’, ‘ dead’, or ‘ financial’ that describes a person or thing, or gives extra information about them. Adjectives
usually come before nouns or after link verbs.”
The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines an adjective as “a word that describes a person or thing, for
example ‘big’, ‘red’ and ‘clever’ in a big house, red wine and a clever idea.” An adjective is “a word belonging
to one of the major form classes in any of numerous languages, and typically serving as a modifier of a noun
to denote a quality of the thing named, to indicate its quantity or extent, or to specify a thing as distinct from
something else”, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
Q3
What are the forms of adjectives?
There are three forms of adjectives in English grammar. They are also called the degrees of comparison.
The three forms of adjectives are:
 The Positive or Absolute Form
 The Comparative Form
 The Superlative Form
Q4
What are the types of adjectives?
Adjectives can be divided into different categories based on their functions when used in a sentence. The
different types of adjectives are:
 Possessive Adjectives
 Interrogative Adjectives
 Demonstrative Adjectives
 Compound Adjectives
Q5
Give some examples of adjectives.
Happy, depressed, hardworking, successful, skilled, sloppy, green, tampered, dilapidated, fixed, healthy, etc.
are some examples of adjectives.

Possessive Adjectives
Any word that is used to describe the ownership or possession of something by someone can be called a
possessive adjective.
Definition of a Possessive Adjective
A possessive adjective, according to the Collins Dictionary, is “an adjective such as ‘my’ or ‘your’ which
shows who or what something belongs to or is connected with”. According to the Merriam-Webster
Dictionary, a possessive adjective is “a pronominal adjective expressing possession”.

Examples of Possessive Adjectives

Learning how to use possessive adjectives effectively is vital. All you need to understand is that possessive
adjectives are meant to describe the nouns that act as the subject or object in a sentence. The examples
given below will definitely help you out.
 Ram is my brother.
 Mikki told me that he met your son in Chennai.
 Can you please fill my water bottle?
 We travelled to Bangalore in my sedan car.
 Did you pick up your bag from the deposit counter?
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  My laptop is broken and has to be serviced.
 Aldrin and I went to Tambaram on his bike.
 Her father is working as a heavy vehicle mechanic in Saudi Arabia.
 Sanju borrowed my red shirt as it was the dress code for an event.
 Shadow is their pet dog.

Difference between Possessive Adjectives and Possessive Pronouns

There are only a few points that differentiate a possessive adjective from a possessive pronoun. Once you
know how to identify the difference, everything else becomes easy.
Possessive Adjectives Possessive Pronouns
A possessive adjective is employed in a sentence A possessive pronoun, on the other hand,
in order to show ownership and provide more is used to substitute a noun in order to
information about the noun, which plays the role represent the possession or ownership of
of the subject or object in a sentence. something or someone.
Possessive adjectives can be seen to occur in the Unlike possessive adjectives, possessive
beginning, middle or end of a sentence. pronouns cannot be placed at the
beginning of a sentence.
Examples of possessive adjectives include his, Examples of possessive pronouns include
her, my, its, your and their. mine, yours, his, hers and theirs.

Check Your Understanding of Possessive Adjectives

Fill in the blanks with appropriate possessive adjectives in the following sentences:
1. Have you met ______ father? Don’t I look just like him?.
2. Sid bought a new bike. Did you see _____ new bike?
3. Mazeeka and Gowtham are getting married. _________ wedding reception begins at 5 p.m. tomorrow.
4. We just moved into the locality recently and found that nobody likes _______ neighbour.
5. ________ English teacher asked us to complete the grammar exercises on possessive adjectives before
Friday.
6. ________ house in Ooty is a farmhouse. He goes there every summer.
7. Sharanya is leaving tomorrow. Do you know when ______ flight to London is?
8. I have to buy some acrylic colours to finish _____ painting.
9. Did you ask her where _______ husband works?
10. Can you bring ______ certificate file when you come?

Let us find out if you have understood how to use possessive adjectives.
1. Have you met my father? Don’t I look just like him?
2. Sid bought a new bike. Did you see his new bike?
3. Mazeeka and Gowtham are getting married. Their wedding reception begins at 5 p.m. tomorrow.
4. We just moved into the locality recently and found that nobody likes our neighbour.
5. Our English teacher asked us to complete the grammar exercises on possessive adjectives before Friday.
6. His house in Ooty is a farmhouse. He goes there every summer.
7. Sharanya is leaving tomorrow. Do you know when her flight to London is?
8. I have to buy some acrylic colours to finish my painting.
9. Did you ask her where her husband works?
10. Can you bring my certificate file when you come?

Frequently Asked Questions on Possessive Adjectives in English

Q1
128
What are possessive adjectives?
Any word that is used to describe the ownership or possession of something by someone can be called a
possessive adjective.
Q2
What is the definition of a possessive adjective?
A possessive adjective, according to the Collins Dictionary, is “an adjective such as ‘my’ or ‘your’ which
shows who or what something belongs to or is connected with”. According to the Merriam-Webster
Dictionary, a possessive adjective is “a pronominal adjective expressing possession”.
Q3
Give some examples of possessive adjectives.
His, her, my, their, your, its, etc. are some examples of possessive adjectives.

What Is an Interrogative Adjective?

An interrogative adjective is a word like ‘whose’, ‘what’ and ‘which’ that is employed in order to modify
the noun or the pronoun by asking a question.
Definition of an Interrogative Adjective
An interrogative adjective, also known as interrogative determiner, is an adjective that modifies a noun by
asking a question. The interrogative adjectives in English are ‘what’, ‘which’, and ‘whose’.

Examples of Interrogative Adjectives

There are only three interrogative adjectives in English. Let us look at some examples of how each of them
can be used in sentences to modify the noun.
Example 1:
 Whose bag is this?
 Did you find out whose keys those were?
Example 2:
 What kind of books would you suggest for students of grade 8?
 Do you know what sort of desserts Manu likes?
Example 3:
 Do you have any idea which teacher would be accompanying us for the trip?
 Around 5 movies were released in the theaters last Friday. Which movie would you like to watch?

Difference between Interrogative Adjectives and Interrogative Pronouns

Let us take a look at the following table to find out how interrogative adjectives differ from interrogative
pronouns.
Interrogative Adjectives Interrogative Pronouns
Interrogative adjectives are those words which Interrogative pronouns, on the other hand,
are used to modify a noun by asking a are used to substitute or replace a noun in a
question. question.
An interrogative adjective is usually followed by Unlike interrogative adjectives, an
a noun. interrogative pronoun is followed by a verb.
Examples of interrogative adjectives include Examples of interrogative pronouns include
what, whose and which. who, whom, whose, what and which.
 Which movie did you watch recently?  Which of these is your favorite dish?
 Do you know whose bags these are?  Whose is this?

Test Your Understanding of Interrogative Adjectives

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Identify if the underlined words in the following sentences are interrogative adjectives or interrogative
pronouns.
1. Who was in that room?
2. Can you tell me whom I should contact?
3. Do you know whose vehicle is parked in B2?
4. Which of these did you find in the lost and found box?
5. What would you like to have for dinner tomorrow?

Let us check if you have understood the difference between interrogative adjectives and interrogative
pronouns.
Answers:
1. Who was in that room? – Interrogative pronoun
2. Can you tell me whom I should contact? – Interrogative pronoun
3. Do you know whose vehicle is parked in B2? – Interrogative adjective
4. Which of these did you find in the lost and found box? – Interrogative adjective
5. What would you like to have for dinner tomorrow? – Interrogative pronoun

Frequently Asked Questions on Interrogative Adjectives in English

Q1
What is an interrogative adjective?
An interrogative adjective is a word like ‘whose’, ‘what’ and ‘which’ that is employed in order to modify the
noun or the pronoun by asking a question.
Q2
What are the examples of interrogative adjectives?
Whose, what and which are the interrogative adjectives in the English language.
Q3
What is the difference between interrogative adjectives and interrogative pronouns?
The main difference between an interrogative adjective and an interrogative pronoun is that an interrogative
adjective modifies the noun, and an interrogative pronoun replaces or substitutes the noun.

Compound Adjective
A compound adjective is a combination of two or more words which can perform the role of an adjective in a
sentence. A compound adjective is formed by adding a noun, a present participle, or a past participle to the
adjective. In some cases, the adjective is preceded by either of these and in other cases, the adjective is
followed by either of them. Compound adjectives are mostly hyphenated.
Definition of a Compound Adjective
A compound adjective, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is “formed of two or more parts.”
According to the Collins Dictionary, “in grammar, a compound noun, adjective, or verb is one that is made up
of two or more words, for example fire engine, bottle-green, and force-feed.”
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, “a compound word is two or more words linked together to produce a
word with a new meaning.” So, any other part of speech that is combined with an adjective to mean
something else and describe the subject or object in a sentence can be said to be a compound adjective.
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Types of Compound Adjectives with Examples
Based on the different parts of speech or verb forms that are combined with an adjective to form compound
adjectives, we can segregate them into various types. Take a look at the table given below to find out.
Word 1 Word 2 Compound Examples
Words
White (Adjective) Collar (Noun) White-collar Do you have a white-collar job?
Eye (Noun) Opening Eye-opening The trek to the Himalayas happened to be
(Present an eye-opening experience for many
Participle) reasons.
Brand (Noun) New Brand-new Joshua came to college today in
(Adjective) his brand-new Audi car.
Sun (Noun) Dried (Past Sun-dried Sun-dried tomatoes seem to add a tangy
Participle) taste to the dish that makes it even more
delicious.
Cruelty (Noun) Free Cruelty-free All these cosmetics are cruelty-free and
(Adjective) affordable.
Ten Page (Noun) Ten-page The students of class VI were asked to
(Number/Adjective) write a ten-page assignment which would
be considered for internal marks.
Cold (Adjective) Blooded (Past Cold-blooded Everyone would think you are too cold-
Participle) blooded if you continue to behave so.
Brightly (Adverb) Lit (Past Brightly-lit The brightly-lit room definitely elevated
Participle) the mood of the entire gathering.
Man (Noun) Eater (Noun) Man-eater The tiger that was killed was a man-
eater.

List of Compound Adjectives Examples

Here is a list of compound adjectives that you can make use to make your writing or speech specific and
descriptive.
 Blue-collar
 Short-term
 White-washed
 Short-handed
 Ill-minded
 Ice-cold
 Grass-fed
 Home-bred
 East-facing
 Mouth-watering
 Overcooked
 Undercooked
 Deep-fried
 Seasick
 Well-known
 Tightly-wound
 Fifty-storey
 100-page
 Last-minute
 Full-length
 Heavy-laden
 Short-lived
 Long-distance

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  High-quality
 Quick-thinking
 Nail-biting
 Three-hour
 Record-breaking
 Time-saving
 Ready-made
 World-famous
 English-speaking
 Middle-aged
 Densely-populated
 Highly-qualified
 Long-forgotten
 Highly-respected
 Old-fashioned
 Smoke-free
 Waterproof
 Shatterproof
 Break-free
 Four-week
 Good-looking

Difference between Compound Adjectives and Compound Nouns

The main difference between a compound adjective and a compound noun is the kind of role they play when
used in a sentence. A compound adjective behaves like an adjective that modifies the noun or pronoun in a
sentence whereas, a compound noun behaves like a noun that does or receives the action in a sentence. A
bedroom, a water tank, a washing machine, an air conditioner, a bird watcher, a skyscraper, etc. are
compound nouns. On the other hand, ill-natured, kind-hearted, Malayalam-speaking, long-lasting,
everlasting, densely-populated, old-fashioned, etc., are all examples of compound adjectives.

Test Your Understanding of Compound Adjectives

Identify the compound adjectives in the following sentences and find out the parts of speech which form the
compound adjectives.
1. All my students are well-behaved.
2. The villain in that movie seemed to be a cold-blooded man.
3. Gokul works as a part-time trainer.
4. Each one of us were able to make it to the top of the 100-feet high mountain.
5. The three-legged, green-eyed monster in the movie looked really scary.
6. Since you are a diabetes patient, make sure you consume only sugar-free food.
7. Find out if the widely-known singer would be available to be our chief guest for the inter-state musical
competition.
8. The marriage and reception were well-planned.
9. The movie about the life of nurses in the Middle East countries had a long-lasting effect on the audience.
10. The ten-hour long journey was worth it.

Let us check if you got your answers right.

1. All my students are well-behaved. (Adverb + Past Participle)
2. The villain in that movie seemed to be a cold-blooded man. (Adjective + Past Participle)
3. Gokul works as a part-time trainer. (Adjective + Noun)
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4. Each one of us were able to make it to the top of the 100-feet high mountain. (Adjective + Noun)
5. The three-legged green-eyed monster in the movie looked really scary.Adjective + Past Participle,
Adjective + Past Participle)
6. Since you are a diabetes patient, make sure you consume only sugar-free food. (Noun + Adjective)
7. Find out if the widely-known singer would be available to be our chief guest for the inter-state musical
competition. (Adverb + Past Participle)
8. The marriage and reception were well-planned. (Adverb + Past Participle)
9. The movie about the life of nurses in the Middle East countries had a long-lasting effect on the audience.
(Adjective + Present Participle)
10. The ten-hour long journey was worth it. (Adjective + Noun)

Frequently Asked Questions on Compound Adjectives in English

Q1
What is a compound adjective?
A compound adjective is a combination of two or more words which can perform the role of an adjective in a
sentence. A compound adjective is formed by adding a noun, a present participle, or a past participle to the
adjective. In some cases, the adjective is preceded by either of these and in other cases, the adjective is
followed by either of them. Compound adjectives are mostly hyphenated.
Q2
What is the definition of a compound adjective?
A compound adjective, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is “formed of two or more parts.”
According to the Collins Dictionary, “in grammar, a compound noun, adjective, or verb is one that is made up
of two or more words, for example fire engine, bottle-green, and force-feed.” According to the Cambridge
Dictionary, “a compound word is two or more words linked together to produce a word with a new meaning.”
So, any other part of speech that is combined with an adjective to mean something else and describe the
subject or object in a sentence can be said to be a compound adjective.
Q3
What are the types of compound adjectives?
Compound adjectives can be categorized into different types based on their combinations. With respect to
this, there are compound adjectives which are formed as a result of combining:
 A Noun and a Noun
 A Noun and an Adjective
 A Noun and a Present Participle
 A Noun and a Past Participle
 An Adjective and a Noun
 An Adjective and a Past Participle
 An Adverb and a Past Participle
 A Number and a Noun
Q4
Give some examples of compound adjectives.
Ill-natured, kind-hearted, Malayalam-speaking, long-lasting, everlasting, densely-populated, old-fashioned,
etc. are some examples of compound adjective

Demonstrative Adjective
As the name suggests, a demonstrative adjective is an adjective that can be used to specifically describe the
position of someone or something.
Definition of a Demonstrative Adjective

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According to the Collins Dictionary, the word ‘demonstrative’ is defined as “a word or morpheme pointing out
the one referred to and distinguishing it from others of the same class.” A demonstrative adjective, according
to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as a word that is “used to identify the person or thing that is
being referred to”.

Examples of Demonstrative Adjectives

In the English language, ‘this’, ‘that’, ‘these’ and ‘those’ are used as demonstrative adjectives. Have a look at
the sentences given below to understand how demonstrative adjectives can be used.
 This hospital was where I was born.
 I am not in a situation to lend you money at this moment.
 The ambience of this cafe is soothing.
 That boy was the one who won the first prize in the Inter-state singing competition.
 Can you send those packages to the store?

Difference between Demonstrative Adjectives and Demonstrative Pronouns

Let us find out what makes demonstrative adjectives different from demonstrative pronouns.
Demonstrative Adjectives Demonstrative Pronouns
Demonstrative adjectives are used in order to Demonstrative pronouns, on the other hand,
describe or specify an object. are used instead of a noun. It points out to
the subject or object doing or receiving the
action in the sentence.
Examples of demonstrative adjectives are this, Examples of demonstrative pronouns are
that, these and those. Their position and this, that, these and those.
function in a sentence is what differentiates
them from demonstrative pronouns.
Eg: Can I take this bag to put in all my clothes? Eg: You can take this to put in all your
Here, ‘this’ describes the bag. clothes.
Here, ‘this’ is the demonstrative pronoun that
substitutes the noun ‘bag’.

Check Your Understanding of Demonstrative Adjectives

Fill in the blanks with the most suitable demonstrative adjective in the following sentences.
1. _______ house right there is the one we are planning to buy.
2. _______ movie we are watching now is really interesting.
3. All __________ students who had scored 100 in Maths and Science last year were awarded with gold
medals and cash prizes.
4. Do you see ______ tree? There is an eagle’s nest on top of it.
5. _______ computer you see here has not been working properly for a few weeks now. I guess I have to
buy a new one.
6. ________ mangoes on the table here are ripe. You can have them.
7. Did you bring _______ cake for me?
8. If you were given a choice, would you choose _______ ukulele here, or _______ guitar over there?
9. _________ building over there was constructed after our ancestral house was demolished.
10. What is the name of _________ PG you were staying at last year?

Check your answers from the sentences given below to find out if you have answered them correctly.
1. That house right there is the one we are planning to buy.
2. This movie we are watching now is really interesting.

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3. All those students who had scored 100 in Maths and Science last year were awarded with gold medals
and cash prizes.
4. Do you see that tree? There is an eagle’s nest on top of it.
5. This computer you see here has not been working properly for a few weeks now. I guess I have to buy a
new one.
6. These mangoes on the table here are ripe. You can have them.
7. Did you bring this cake for me?
8. If you were given a choice, would you choose this ukulele here, or that guitar over there?
9. That building over there was constructed after our ancestral house was demolished.
10. What is the name of that PG you were staying at last year?

Frequently Asked Questions on Demonstrative Adjectives

Q1
What is a Demonstrative Adjective?
A demonstrative adjective, as the name suggests, can be used to specifically describe the position of
someone or something.
Q2
What is the definition of a demonstrative adjective?
According to the Collins Dictionary, the word ‘demonstrative’ is defined as “a word or morpheme pointing out
the one referred to and distinguishing it from others of the same class.” A demonstrative adjective, according
to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is defined as a word that is “used to identify the person or thing that is
being referred to”.
Q3
Give some examples of demonstrative adjectives.
This, that, these and those are the only demonstrative adjectives in the English language.
Table of Contents
 Most Popular Adjectives List
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘A’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘B’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘C’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘D’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘E’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘F’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘G’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘H’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘I’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘J’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘K’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘L’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘M’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘N’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘O’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘P’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘Q’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘R’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘S’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘T’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘U’
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  List of Adjectives Starting with ‘V’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘W’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘X’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘Y’
 List of Adjectives Starting with ‘Z’
 Frequently Asked Questions on Adjectives List

Most Popular Adjectives List

Manny, the mammoth in Ice Age says, “I’m not fat. It’s all this fur. It makes me look poofy”. It always feels
great to identify and express what you think, the way you see yourself, and the way you feel about things. To
do so, you need to know a wide range of adjectives that describe your personality and thoughts exactly. Here
is a list of adjectives that you can use in your daily communication. Try using them in your writing to help
your readers see what you see.
List of Adjectives Starting with ‘A’
 Affectionate
 Amicable
 Ambitious
 Agreeable
 Aromatic
 Auspicious
 Affluent
 Authentic
 Acoustic
 Amusing

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘B’

 Beautiful
 Bold
 Basic
 Bountiful
 Brilliant
 Believable
 Blue
 Brave
 Boundless
 Better

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘C’

 Canny
 Competent
 Captive
 Cautious
 Cosy
 Creamy
 Cordial
 Creative
 Cheerful
 Chaotic

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘D’

 Daring
 Devoted
 Dusty
 Dim

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  Decisive
 Dazzling
 Dangling
 Determined
 Different
 Dearest
List of Adjectives Starting with ‘E’
 Exclusive
 Exact
 Echoing
 Eatable
 Elegant
 Explosive
 Edifying
 Elevated
 Elegant
 Earthly

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘F’

 Fancy
 Faithful
 Fascinating
 Fantastic
 Famous
 Fair
 Fearless
 Fading
 Fleeting
 First

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘G’

 Greasy
 Gracious
 Graphic
 Gentle
 Global
 Golden
 Glorious
 Giddy
 Gigantic
 Glad

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘H’

 Haunting
 Hasty
 Hard
 Handy
 Hearty
 Hidden
 Hectic
 Happy
 Harmless
 Huge

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘I’

 Icy
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  Indispensable
 Intuitive
 Identifiable
 Important
 Internal
 Imaginary
 Incredible
 Immense
 Innate
List of Adjectives Starting with ‘J’
 Jolly
 Jovial
 Jubilant
 Just
 Joyful
 Judicial
 Jittery
 Justifiable
 Joyous
 Judicious

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘K’

 Keen
 Knightly
 Kind
 Knotted
 Kindled
 Knowledgeable
 Kindred
 Kinetic
 Kingly
 Kempt

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘L’

 Lyrical
 Lovable
 Lively
 Lustrous
 Loyal
 Lifelike
 Leafy
 Lenient
 Likeable

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘M’

 Major
 Maintainable
 Maximum
 Mythical
 Magical
 Magnanimous
 Magnetic
 Magnificent
 Miniscule
 Majestic

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List of Adjectives Starting with ‘N’
 Nameless
 Narrow
 Nourishing
 Necessary
 Normal
 Neutral
 Noisy
 Noble
 Nice
 Neat

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘O’

 Obedient
 Obscure
 Obvious
 Odd
 Oily
 Older
 Operational
 Observant
 Oblivious
 Omnipresent

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘P’

 Pale
 Pampered
 Parallel
 Pure
 Picturesque
 Passive
 Patient
 Peaceful
 Peculiar
 Perfect

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘Q’

 Quiet
 Quirky
 Quick
 Quantitative
 Qualified
 Questionable
 Qualitative
 Quick-witted
 Quaint
 Quick-minded

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘R’

 Radiant
 Rapid
 Refundable
 Repulsive
 Refreshing

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  Reliable
 Reminiscent
 Rich
 Robust
 Rare
List of Adjectives Starting with ‘S’
 Sunny
 Safe
 Subtle
 Successful
 Strong
 Super
 Sweet
 Stylish
 Special
 Spacious

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘T’

 Tactical
 Tailored
 Thoughtful
 Triumphant
 Thirsty
 Tranquil
 Thrilling
 Thin
 Thankful
 Thought-provoking

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘U’

 Uniform
 Urban
 Usual
 Unique
 Utmost
 Urgent
 United
 Ultra
 Ubiquitous
 Unhappy

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘V’

 Vacant
 Valid
 Various
 Vintage
 Verbal
 Vibrant
 Virtual
 Vocal
 Violet
 Versatile

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘W’

 Warm
 Whopping
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  Witty
 Wonderful
 Worldly
 Winged
 Weary
 Wavy
 Wild
 Windy
List of Adjectives Starting with ‘X’
 Xanthic
 Xanthous
 Xenial
 Xyloid
 Xylophonic
 Xenolithic
 Xenotropic
 Xeric
 Xerographic
 Xylotomous

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘Y’

 Yellowish
 Yummy
 Yearning
 Youngish
 Yearly
 Yielding
 Yearlong
 Yappy
 Young
 Youthful

List of Adjectives Starting with ‘Z’

 Zany
 Zealous
 Zestful
 Zonal
 Zippy
 Zymolytic
 Zen
 Zigzag
 Zillionth
 Zoic

Frequently Asked Questions on Adjectives List

Q1
Give 10 examples of adjectives.
Here are 10 examples of adjectives:
 Impossible
 Purple
 Small
 Thoughtful
 Plump
 Fluffy
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  Photogenic
 Brave
 Full
 Busy
Q2
Give some adjectives that can be used in daily communication.
Diligent, everlasting, classy, timely, gorgeous, simple, precise, clear, duty-bound, boundless, lovable, empty
are some adjectives that you can use in your daily communication.
Q3
What are some adjectives to describe a person?
Given below are some adjectives that can be used to describe a person based on their appearance,
personality and character.
 Gentle
 Curious
 Helpful
 Friendly
 Tall
 Short
 Clever
 Generous
 Kind
 Reliable

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