Grammar summary
Word classes
there are 8 word classes in English
Verb: describes actions and states. For example, I like ice cream. Or I remembered her name
(werkwoord)
There are 3 kinds of verbs
ordinary verb: has meaning of its own and can be the only verb in a phrase.
auxiliary verb: has no meaning and is only there for grammatical purposes. An auxiliary verb is
always combined with an ordinary verb. For example: I am reading this summary. ‘Am’ is an auxiliary
verb and ‘reading’ is the ordinary verb.
modal verb: adds meaning to the ordinary verb. For example: May I ask you a question.
A modal verb is used to show if you believe if something is certain, probable or possible (or not).
A modal verb is always one of these words:
can could
may might
shall should
will would
must
Noun: describes people, places, things and ideas. For example: The car is red. (zelfstandig
naamwoord)
Adjective: modifies nouns. For example: The car is red. Or the red car. ( bijvoegelijk naamwoord)
Adverb: modifies verbs. For example: The family truly loved their dog. (bijwoord)
Determiner: expresses a reference of the noun in the context. There are 7 subclasses in this word
class
Indefinite article: a or an. For example: a bike, or an umbrella
Definite article: the. For example: the dog
Quantifier: states the quantity of the noun without being exact. For example: some grapes.
Numeral: indicate the exact quantity or order of the noun. For example: I came in first. Or I sold fifty
balloons today.
Possessive: indicates who or what the noun belongs to. For example: that’s my bike.
Demonstrative: always that, this, these or those and is used to draw attention to nouns. For
example: can you hand me those books?
Word classes
there are 8 word classes in English
Verb: describes actions and states. For example, I like ice cream. Or I remembered her name
(werkwoord)
There are 3 kinds of verbs
ordinary verb: has meaning of its own and can be the only verb in a phrase.
auxiliary verb: has no meaning and is only there for grammatical purposes. An auxiliary verb is
always combined with an ordinary verb. For example: I am reading this summary. ‘Am’ is an auxiliary
verb and ‘reading’ is the ordinary verb.
modal verb: adds meaning to the ordinary verb. For example: May I ask you a question.
A modal verb is used to show if you believe if something is certain, probable or possible (or not).
A modal verb is always one of these words:
can could
may might
shall should
will would
must
Noun: describes people, places, things and ideas. For example: The car is red. (zelfstandig
naamwoord)
Adjective: modifies nouns. For example: The car is red. Or the red car. ( bijvoegelijk naamwoord)
Adverb: modifies verbs. For example: The family truly loved their dog. (bijwoord)
Determiner: expresses a reference of the noun in the context. There are 7 subclasses in this word
class
Indefinite article: a or an. For example: a bike, or an umbrella
Definite article: the. For example: the dog
Quantifier: states the quantity of the noun without being exact. For example: some grapes.
Numeral: indicate the exact quantity or order of the noun. For example: I came in first. Or I sold fifty
balloons today.
Possessive: indicates who or what the noun belongs to. For example: that’s my bike.
Demonstrative: always that, this, these or those and is used to draw attention to nouns. For
example: can you hand me those books?
