SPEAKING SKILLS

The words of English Language are

classified as Parts of Speech and
are named according to their
functions. This means that every
word, depending on its use, falls
into one of the following categories.

Interjection
Noun

Preposition

Verb

PARTS OF SPEECH

Adverb

Pronoun

Adjective
Conjunction

THE NOUN: a noun is a name of a person, animal, place or thing.

Example: student

THE VERB: a verb may be said to be a doing word or an action word.

Example: pass, is

THE ADJECTIVE: an adjective describes a noun.

Example: hardworking

THE ADVERB: an adverb generally modifies a verb.

Example: poorly

THE PRONOUN: a pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun.

Example: she

THE PREPOSITION: a preposition shows the relation between one

thing and another.
Example: to

THE CONJUNCTION: a conjunction is a word used to join words and

clauses.
Example: so

THE EXCLAMATION/INTERJECTION: an exclamation or interjection

expresses sudden emotion.
Example: Good luck Azwana!

PARTS OF SPEECH NOUNS

A Noun is a name of anything. It is the name of a thing, a person, an
animal, a bird, place, idea, subject, feeling, etc.
To find a Noun in a sentence, we ask the question, What? Or Who?
Before or after the Verb in the sentence.
Examples:
Cats eat fish
What eat fish? (Cats = Noun)
Cats eat what? (Fish = Noun)
Ahmad saw a mouse.
Who saw a mouse? (Ahmad = Noun)
Ahmad saw what? (a mouse = Noun)
Other examples of nouns are; pencil, tiger, sparrow, London,
freedom, hospital, goodness, Peter, etc

KINDS OF NOUNS
There are four (4) kinds of Nouns, namely:
Common Nouns
Proper Nouns
Abstract Nouns
Collective Nouns

A common noun is a name given in common to every person or thing of

the same class or kind.
Examples: river, woman, bank, country, ocean, school, shop, town, etc
A proper noun is the special name of a particular person, place, etc. A
proper noun always begins with Capital Letter.
Examples: Malaysia, Ahmad, Serdang, EDU Mall etc.
An abstract noun is the name of something that we can only think of or
feel but cannot see.
Examples: anger, thirst, freedom, pleasure, hunger, strength, wisdom, etc
A collective noun is the name of a number of persons or things taken or
thought of as one.
Examples: a group of nurses, a gang of robbers, a bunch of keys, a team
of doctors, a list of patients, a set of tools, etc

NUMBER OF NOUNS
Countable Nouns
Uncountable Nouns
Countable Nouns are nouns that can be counted. We
usually use the expression a, an, a few, several,
many, a large number of, etc with
Examples: man, hospital, wheelchair, etc
Uncountable Nouns are nouns that cannot be counted.
We usually use the expression a little, much, and a
great deal of, etc with
Examples: solution, patience, punctuality, ice, flour,
sugar, dust, food, etc

A Singular Noun represents one person, animal, place or thing.

Example: a boy, a book, a pen, etc
A Plural Noun represents more than one person, animal, place or
thing.
Examples: boys, books, pens, nurse, etc. We also form Plural Nouns
by adding -es, -ies, -en,, etc.
Examples: boxes, babies, men, etc
Pair Nouns are nouns that come in pairs. These nouns are used in
plural forms.
Examples:
A pair of jeans
A pair of shoes
A pair of glasses
Some Nouns are always spelled in plural forms even though they
are singular.
Examples: name of diseases (measles, mumps)
Name of subjects (economics, mathematics)
Others (species)

PARTS OF SPEECH VERBS

A Verb is a saying-word that are used to name actions. It is the most
important words in a sentence. Every sentence must have a verb.
Verbs can be divided into two categories:
1) Main verb
Examples: insert, move, console, exhale etc.
2) Be verb
Examples: am, is, are, was, were

The verb is a word used to say something about a person or thing.

It tells us what a person or thing does.
Examples:
Ahmad eats every day.
Ahmad reads every day.
Ahmad plays tennis everyday.
The words, eats, reads and plays tell us what Ahmad does. They
are called Verbs.
A verb is not always one word. It may be made up of more than one
word.
Examples:
Siti is playing badminton
He was beaten by his father.
He will go tomorrow.
The money has been lost.

PARTS OF SPEECH ADJECTIVES

Adjectives are words that are used to describe and give more
information about the Nouns.
Examples:
Staff Nurse Aziah is a caring person.
Adjective - caring describes the noun person
The ward is tidy
Adjective tidy describes the noun ward
Most Adjectives appear in two main positions.
1) Before a noun
Examples: The contaminated needle must be disposed of.
2) After certain verbs like be, seem, appear, look, sound, smell, taste,
feel, become, get
Examples:
The patient seems withdrawn today.
The toilet in Medical Ward looks and smells awful.

PARTS OF SPEECH ADVERBS

An Adverb is a word that adds to the meaning of a verb, an adjective
or another adverb. This means, it is a word that says something more
about a verb, an adjective or another adverb.
Examples:
a) Ahmad came yesterday.

(came = verb)
(yesterday = adverb)

b) That is very beautiful flower. (beautiful = adjective)

(very = adverb)
c) The rain stopped quite suddenly.

(suddenly = adverb)
(quite = adverb)

Adverbs are divided into the following classes according to their use.
Adverbs of manner are used to show actions are carried out.
Examples:
He eats alone.
The doctor examines his patients thoroughly.
Adverbs of place are used to indicate where actions/activities
happen.
She searched for the psychiatric patient everywhere.
I shall meet you here tomorrow.
Adverbs of time are used to indicate when actions/activities
happen.
Examples:
The surgeons are performing the operation now.
We have already documented the procedure.

Adverbs of degree are used to indicate the relative condition

of actions/activities.
Examples:
The surgical wound is healing very well.
The Admission and Emergency Department is quite busy during
the festive season due to the increase in road accidents.

Adverbs of frequency are used to show how often actions or

activities are carried out.
Examples:
Patients in the Intensive Care Unit must always be monitored.
She constantly complains of angina.

PARTS OF SPEECH PRONOUNS

A Pronoun are words that are used to replace Nouns. There
are 2 types of Pronouns that we are going to deal with.
1) Personal pronouns
Examples: I, you, she, he, we, they, it.
2) Possessive pronouns
Examples: mine, yours, hers, his, ours, theirs, its.
Example:
Rahim has a car. He likes it. He drives it every day.
The words He and it in the second and third sentences are
used for or instead of the Nouns Rahim and car in the first
sentence. This is done to avoid repeating the same name
too many times. The words He and it are used for the
names or nouns Rahim and car and are called Pronouns.

PARTS OF SPEECH PREPOSITIONS

A preposition is a word which is used before a Noun or Pronoun to
show its relation to some other word in the sentence.
Example:
His hat is on his head.

(on = preposition)
(head = noun)

He walked past the door.

(past = preposition)
(door = noun)

They were in the room.

(in = preposition)
(room = noun)

Preposition can indicate:Direction:

Siti walked towards me.
Sam went to town.
Aishah came into our classroom.
Position:
Rahimah sat on the table.
We all live under one roof.
The burglar jumped over the fence.
Time:
You can meet me at 4.00 pm tomorrow evening.
I walk around the Lake Gardens in the evening.
He always comes home on time for dinner.

By Someone:
The story was written by Ahmad.
This photograph was taken by Prem.
The song was sung by Aishah.
By Something:
Mohan sent the letter by Pos Laju.
Peter contacted me by telephone.
Sheila went to PJ by bus.
With Something/Someone:
Sam cut the fruits with a sharp knife.
Segaran cleaned the carpet with a vacuum cleaner.
I went for a holiday with my family.

Quantity of Something:
I gave my girlfriend a bouquet of roses on Valentines Day.
Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water.
Of Something:
The teacher made the naughty students stand in front of the class.
He kept the important documents on top of the cupboard.
Like Someone/Something:
She sings like Ning Baizura.
Ali behaves like a gangster.
The boxer walks like a gorilla.

PARTS OF SPEECH CONJUNCTIONS

A conjunctions are words or phrase that are used to join words, phrases
and sentences.
Example: as, since, due to, in order to, although, even though
The functions of conjunctions;
1) Addition or similar ideas
Examples: And, not only but also, both and, neither nor
2) Cause and effect
Examples: Because, since, as, so, so that, so that, as long as, as a
result, consequently, therefore, due to

3) Time
Examples: after, before, when, until, as soon as, once
4) Contrast
Examples: but, yet, still, however, nevertheless, although, even
though, though, despite, in spite of, whereas
5) Condition
Examples: if, unless
6) Choice
Examples: or, either or

PARTS OF SPEECH INTERJECTIONS/EXCLAMATIONS

A Interjections/Exclamations are words that are used to attract attention.
An exclamation mark is normally found at the end of the sentence.

To express surprise of an unexpected event/ feelings of panic

Oh my God! I am pregnant!
To express admiration/satisfaction
Wow! The ward is so tidy!
To express strong feelings such as disgust, dismay, regret etc
Phew! The toilet stinks!
When giving orders or commands
Quiet!
Sentences that begin with what a! and How!
What a lame excuse!
What a nasty thing to say!
How rude!
How awful!

Exercise
1. I cannot be a physician (as, although) I am afraid of blood.
2. Jazila can walk faster than her husband (but, even though) she is
eight months pregnant.
3. (Though, Since) he is afraid of operations, he opts for alternative
medicine.
4. (Either, Neither) the patient (or, nor) his relatives are allowed to
read the bed head ticket.
5. During the first trimester, a mother-to-be is not allowed to take any
medications (unless, since) it may affect the baby.
6. You will know whether you are pregnant (but, unless) you take a
pregnancy test.
7. The baby cried all night (although, because) he was ill.
8. You must complete your assignment (either, neither) by today (nor,
or) tomorrow the latest.
9. Many patients dislike Dr. Zurina (because, so) she is haughty (and,
but) rude.
10. She searched through all the papers in the drawer (but, and) the
report was not there.

Exercise
1. Sonia cried when she was diagnosed ____ cancer. (by, with,
into)
2. The ambulance was traveling ____ full speed to rush the burns
victim to the hospital. (at, on, within)
3. The surgeon is going to operate ____ Mr. Raven. (at, on, above)
4. I normally have breakfast ____ bed when Im sick. (in, on, up)
5. The patient requested ____ some privacy. (on, for, with)
6. There is some blood ____ his stool. (on, in, within)
7. Can you please roll ____ your sleeves? (on, up, in)
8. How far is the medical ward ____ here? (into, from, between)
9. Have you recovered ____ your flu? (from, of, with)
10. Please take good care ____ your health. (about, of, for)

verb.
Her teacher graded the test.
noun.
Dogs and cats sometimes are friends.

verb.
She read the whole book.

noun.
We went to the beach.

verb.
She read the whole book.

noun.
Phil rode his bike to the park.

verb.
Dolphins swim with ease.

noun.
Please ask your father.

verb.
My cat just had a litter of kittens.

verb.
She wrote a letter to her grandmother.

verb.
The soccer player kicked the ball into the goal.

verb.
His favorite internet game is Math Baseball.
adverb.
The fish quickly swam away from the fisherman's nets.
noun.
Miles quickly climbed to the very top of the tree to rescue the kitten.
preposition.
My cousin paints beautiful pictures with watercolors.
preposition.
The fish quickly swam away from the fisherman's nets.

noun.
He suddenly jumped off the couch and hit his head on the hard wall.
verb.
Peter studied hard and received a perfect score.
adverb.
She happily announced the cake was for me.
noun.
My favorite food is pepperoni pizza.