VA-F2 Introduction to Grammar and Parts of Speech

Introduction to Grammar and Competitive Examinations

  • In competitive examinations, such as those for which the IPM Indore Courseware is designed, a student's knowledge of grammar and usage is primarily tested through specific question formats:
    • 'Spot The Error'
    • 'Sentence Correction'
    • 'Sentence Improvement'

The Nine Parts of Speech

  • To answer grammar questions correctly, one must be familiar with the category or classification of every word.
  • Most words in the English language fall under nine major categories known as the Parts of Speech:
    • Nouns
    • Pronouns
    • Adjectives
    • Articles
    • Verbs
    • Adverbs
    • Prepositions
    • Conjunctions
    • Interjections

Sentence Construction and Composition

  • A correct understanding of sentence construction is vital for tackling grammar questions.
  • Sentence Definition: A sentence is a set of words that is complete in itself.
  • Core Components: Sentences usually contain a Subject and a Verb.
  • Additional Components: Sentences may also contain:
    • A predicate
    • An object
    • Phrases
    • Clauses
    • Determiners
  • Mastery over sentence composition and the categories of words that modify or describe other categories allows for better performance in verbal ability assessments.

Key Grammatical Definitions and Components

1. Subject
  • Definition: The subject of a sentence is the person or thing about whom or which something is being said (the entity being described) or the person or thing who/what is doing some action (the doer of the action).
  • Example: "Mayank is a good boy."
    • In this instance, "Mayank" is the subject.
2. Predicate
  • Definition: A predicate is that part of a sentence (or clause) which tells us something about the subject. It describes what the subject is or what the subject does.
  • Example: "Deepika is the most beautiful girl in the class."
    • Here, the phrase following the subject provides information regarding Deepika.
3. Sentence
  • Definition: A sentence is a group of words which conveys a complete thought. It usually includes a subject, a verb, and a predicate.
  • Example: "Abhishek is a good boy."
4. Phrase
  • Definition: A phrase is a part of a sentence consisting of a group of words which does not convey a complete thought. Crucially, a phrase does not contain a verb.
  • Example: "The cat is sitting in the corner."
    • In this example, "in the corner" functions as a phrase.
5. Clause
  • Definition: A clause is defined as a subject plus a verb. It may express a complete thought or only a part of some thought.
  • Types of Clauses:
    • Main / Independent Clause: This type expresses a complete thought on its own.
      • Example: "Ankita likes cats."
    • Dependent / Subordinate Clause: This type conveys some thought, but it is not a complete thought.
      • Example: "If you can work on Sundays"
6. Object of a Sentence
  • Definition: An object is that part of a sentence (specifically a noun or pronoun) which receives the action performed by the subject.
  • Functional Relationship: The subject is the "doer" of the action, while the object is the "receiver" of the action.
  • Example: "We moved the furniture across the room."
    • In this sentence, "We" is the subject (doer) and "the furniture" is the object (receiver).