Chapter 7 Verbal and Written Communications 159
Verbs in the third person should agree in number with the nouns or
pronouns.
Example: John and Laura study every day.
Adjectives
An adjective is a word that modifi es or describes a noun or pronoun.
Examples of adjectives include big, cold, blue, and silly. Adjectives provide
details about the noun or pronoun that give you a better understanding of
the person, place, or thing. Adjectives can come before or after the words
they modify.
Examples: Two students failed the science test.
After studying all night, Denise is tired.
Adverbs
An adverb is a word that tells “how,” “when,” “where,” or “how
much.” Some examples of adverbs include easily, carefully, slowly, mainly,
freely, often, and unfortunately.
Examples: Finally, I fi nished my project.
Jennifer will have an interview tomorrow.
Sarah quickly fi nished the multiple choice section of her exam.
Conjunctions
A conjunction is a word that joins other words, phrases (two or more
words acting as a unit in a sentence), clauses (a group of words that con-
tains a noun and a verb), or sentences. Examples of common conjunctions
are and, as, because, but, or, since, so, until, and while.
Example: While I could become a nurse, I might also want to be
a physical therapist or an occupational therapist.
Prepositions
A preposition is a word that connects or relates its object to the rest of
the sentence. Examples include to, at, by, of, under, beside, over, and during.
Example: During an internship, you will be working beside an
experienced medical professional.
Prepositional Phrases. A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition, its
object, and related adjectives and adverbs.
Example: The patient is in the examination room.
Interjections
An interjection is a word, phrase, or clause that expresses emotion. An
interjection often starts a sentence, but it can be contained within a sentence
adjective
a word that modifi es or
describes a noun or pronoun
adverb
any word that tells how,
when, where, or how much
conjunction
a word that joins other
words, phrases, clauses, or
sentences
preposition
a word that connects or
relates its object to the rest
of the sentence
interjection
a word, phrase, or clause
that expresses emotion