As a recap of the things we’ve just learned, this table can provide a good
reference:
Word type: Example: Teaching tips:
Nouns: Naming words Pen/pencil Home/street Use concrete objects –
used for things, places, Girl/boy Love/hate realia, pictures etc.
people or ideas.
Pronouns: Used in I/we/you/she/he/it/they Start with introducing
place of nouns, people and
referring to things possessions.
previously identified in
conversation.
Word type: Example: Teaching tips:
Verbs: Describe an Eat, sleep, jump, Use visual
action or state. watch. Think, feel, demonstrations, and
daydream. start with the present
tense.
Adjectives: Used for Red, blue, yellow Hot, Start with learning
describing nouns. cold, windy Pretty, colors, or giving basic
ugly, expensive. descriptions of
previously learned
nouns.
Prepositions: Used to In, on, under, behind, Use objects and ask
express relationships in front of. where certain objects
between other words. are in relation to others.
Conjunctions: Used to And, if, but, or, for. Have students compile
join together sentences, lists of objects using
ideas, phrases or ‘and’ or alternatives to
clauses. These can be someone else’s
Word type: Example: Teaching tips:
split into coordinating or suggested objects
subordinating using ‘or’ or ‘but’.
conjunctions.
Adverbs: Describe the Very, thoroughly Introduce activities and
manner, time, degree or (degree) Here, there then use ‘how’, ‘when’
place in which a verb is (place) Badly, and ‘where’ to get your
done. wonderfully (manner) students to describe
Later, earlier, tomorrow the actions further.
(time)
Interjections: Small Oh dear, uh oh, huh. Pair facial expressions,
comments that have emotions or actions
specific meanings with suitable
usually caused by interjections.
strong emotions.
Determiners: Placed The, an, that, this, Use questions involving
before nouns to help those, many, ten, “which” and “how
show which another. many”, then have
Word type: Example: Teaching tips:
noun is being referred students reply.
to. Highlight the different
determiners that could
be used in their replies.
Exercise: Compare this table with the notes that you made at the start, and
consider how well you did. For further practice, try again without using the
table above.
By being aware of these different types of words yourself, you’ll be able to
teach your students about their uses, and how to form sentences with them.
Next, we’ll look at the different types of verbs which exist.
Take a few minutes to read over this summary below:
Punctuatio Symbol Uses: Examples:
n: :
Periods . Placed at the end of a I like to [Link]. Mrs.
[Link] abbreviations to Ph.D. [Link]
indicate shortened [Link] knocked on the
an ellipsis to show missing door… but no one
words. was home.
Commas , Used to indicate breaks I like rice, eggs,
within a chicken, and
[Link] lists of [Link] he
items. enjoyed the movie,
he didn’t want to
watch it again.
Question ? Used to indicate that the Do you like carrots?
marks phrase is a question and
requires an answer.
Exclamation ! Used to indicate heightened I hate you!
marks emotions.
Punctuatio Symbol Uses: Examples:
n: :
Colons : Used to add additional To renew your
information to a sentence, passport you’ll
to introduce a quote, or to need: 2 passport
introduce a list. photos, your old
passport, and an
envelope.
Semicolons ; Used to connect two I’m tired today; it
independent clauses. was too hot to sleep
last night.
Apostrophes ‘ Used to indicate words that It’s hot [Link]
are contracted, standing in dog’s bed.
the place of removed
letters, and are also added
onto the end of words with
an ‘s’ to indicate
possession.
Quotation “” Used to surround speech in “What are you
marks creative writing, or to doing?” He asked.
indicate direct quotes.
Hyphens – Used to link words or parts Sugar-free soda
of words to give new
meanings.
Dashes –– En dash is primarily used to The material is in
indicate a span of time chapters [Link]
between numbers or day was finally over
[Link] dash indicates a – or so she thought.
break in speech or thought,
used for extra emphasis.
Slashes / Used primarily to indicate Someone had left
the word ‘or’ without writing his/her phone in the
it. room.
Punctuatio Symbol Uses: Examples:
n: :
Parentheses () Often used to add additional The party (which
information that isn’t really was usually held
vital for the sentence to be every year) was
understandable. canceled because
of the storm.
Brackets: [] Usually used in technical It was the last time
writing or to add extra their parents saw
information that clarifies the them [the missing
situation. girls].