Grammar’s Order of Operation
Order of Operations
Step 1. Article: a, an, the
Step 2. Nouns: A person, place, thing or idea.
Find the nouns that accompany their articles.
Ex: The dog and the cat are friends.
Step 3. Nouns: Find the rest of the nouns.
two__________
the __________
Ex: The dog and the cat are friends.
Step 4. Pronouns: Takes the place of a noun in a sentence.
I, we, you, he, she, it, they, me, us, him, them, her, it.
pro pro
Ex: I love you.
Step 5. Verbs: Recite the helpers and look for action! (Memorize helpers.)
If you can’t conjugate it, it isn’t an action verb.
I will___________
Yesterday I ____________
I have ____________
Helping Verbs: may, might, must
shall, should
will, would
can, could
has, have, had
do, did, does
Linking Verbs: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been, become, seem
√ pro
Ex: The teacher and I have worked hard.
Step 6. Prepositional Phrase: Begins with a preposition and ends with a noun, which is the object of the preposition. It modifies another word.
A preposition is anything you can do to a box. On a box, in a box,
above a box, inside a box, etc. Exceptions will be memorized.
after, at, by, during, for, from, of, through, to, with
√ prep √ op
Ex: The girl (in the booth.)
Step 7. Adjectives: a. Modify nouns.
b. Describing words such as: big, small, tall.
c. Sometimes you will find an adj describing the subject of a sentence, after a linking verb are called predicate adjectives.
d. They are found between articles and nouns.
e. Many are found directly to the left of a noun, but not always.
Step 8. Adverbs: a. Modify verbs.
b. Answer questions such as WHEN, WHERE, WHY and TO WHAT EXTENT.
c. Is not contained in a contraction.
d. Not and Very are always adverbs.
√ adj adv √ adj
Ex: The black cat closely watched the little mouse.
Step 9. Coordinating Conjunctions: And, but, for, yet, or, nor, ;
√ cc
Ex: The boy and girl.
Step 10. Interjections: !
Step 11. Identify Noun Functions:
1. Subject: Look at the main noun in the sentence.
Say, “WHO or WHAT?” then read the verb.
Find the subject for each main verb in the sentence.
√ s √
Ex: The dog licked the girl.
The WHO or WHAT licked? The dog = Subject
2. Is the main verb a LINKING VERB or ACTION VERB?
a. Linking Verb
1. Find the Predicate Nominative.
PN names the same thing or person as the subject. It is a noun following a linking verb. Not all linking verbs have a PN.
√ adj pn
Ex: Bob is a good dancer.
Is there a noun after the linking verb? Yes, dancer. Is Bob the dancer? Is the dancer the same person as Bob? Yes, dancer is a PN.
2. If all nouns have a function, then you are done! If not, continue.
3. Is there a noun set off by commas in the sentence?
YES? Does this noun name the person being spoken to in the sentence?
nda s/pro √
Ex: Bob, I want the milk.
Bob is a Noun of Direct Address, NDA.
4. If it is not a NDA, then it is an Appositive.
An Appositive is a noun set off by commas which names the same person or thing named by a noun in front of it.
S √ app √
Ex: Mr. Jones, the teacher, is on the playground.
The word, teacher, names the same person as the noun, Mr. Jones.
5. If all nouns have a function, then you are done! If not, go back to the start!
b. Action Verb
1. Is the verb is an action verb, the it may have a Direct Object.
DO is found by reading the subject and the verb and then saying, “WHOM or WHAT?”
√ s √
Ex: The dog bit the girl.
The dog bit WHOM or WHAT? the girl. Girl = DO.
Not all action verbs have direct objects.
2. If there is no direct object, continue on to noun of direct address.
3. If there is a direct object, find the Indirect Object.
If a sentence has an action verb and a direct object, it may have an indirect object. An Indirect Object is a noun or a pronoun.
a. Is there a noun or a pronoun b’t the action verb and the d.o.?
NO: Go to the NDA
YES: Put the words to or for in front of this noun or pronoun. Move it to the right of the direct object. Read the sentence. Does it make sense? If it makes sense, that noun or pronoun is an Indirect Object. s/pro √
Ex: I gave her a ring. her = Indirect Object
4. Do all nouns have a function?
YES! You are done!
Examples:
adj
√ adj s prep op adv
1. The only store (in town) will close soon.
 |
adv adv
s/pro prep √ prep √ op
2. We went (on a diet)(after the holidays.)
 |
adv
s/pro adj cc prep op
3. We had orange juice and cereal (for breakfast.)
 |
√ √ adj √ adj
4. The accident taught the reckless driver an important lesson.
