Vocab & Grammar Tips

Question

Hello everybody!

I would like to introduce to you all a "game," where you share your favorite tip or trick you learned about vocabulary or grammar, either in Spanish or English.

Let me begin.....

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When an English word ends in -tion, it is a noun. Every time.

we saw an ac"tion" movie. adjective. When a director calls action, is it a verb (command)? - 0074b507, Feb 23, 2011

Thats an idiom. Go to http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/action and it says that its a noun, as you would use it as a noun: "It was an action" - espanol5555, Feb 23, 2011

Well, you could also use it as an adjective, but also a noun. Weirdo word. :) - espanol5555, Feb 23, 2011

mention - Sabor, Feb 23, 2011

Answer 1

Whenever a word ends in an -ly, then it is an adverb P.S. I love your questions

Hey thanks, why "an" and not "a"? - Dakie, Feb 23, 2011

Dakie, it does not have to start with a vowel to have an "an" - Gummibear, Feb 23, 2011

But it sounds weird if I try to pronounce it, that's another rule isn't it?. - Dakie, Feb 23, 2011

It only needs to have a vowel *sound*: ly = --> elwhy - Gummibear, Feb 23, 2011

For example: You do not say a x-ray - Gummibear, Feb 23, 2011

You would say: An x-ray, because x sounds like "ex" - Gummibear, Feb 23, 2011

Quarterly is an adjective, too. - Sabor, Feb 23, 2011

So is lovely. - 0074b507, Feb 24, 2011

Answer 2

In English, when talking about numbers:

If the number ends in 1, end the phrase with "first" (ex: 21 = twenty first)

Good one. - Dakie, Feb 23, 2011

But if I am just counting I can say "twenty one" isn't it? - Dakie, Feb 23, 2011

. . can't I? - Sabor, Feb 23, 2011

You could, but "first" is an adjective, noun, and an adverb. It usually is used to number an object, (the first one). Twenty one is for other reasons (Object number twenty one, the answer is twenty one, etc.). - espanol5555, Feb 24, 2011

Answer 3

I see there is a dispute between "a" and "an":

Use "a" before all words that begin with consonants, except an unsounded h (an honest error).

Use "an" before all words that begin with vowels, except when a u makes the same sound as y in you, or when o makes the same sound as the w in won.

Answer 4

When a masculine word in Spanish ends in a, it's most likely a word of Greek origin. Examples:

El/la economista

El/la estadista

El panorama

El/la cosmopolita

el/la cometa...how do we know if it is Greek in origin? - 0074b507, Feb 24, 2011

Answer 5

Las palabras agudas son aquellas que llevan el acento prosódico en la úlima sílaba, y llevan tilde siempre y cuando terminen con las letras, n, s o vocal. Ejemplo:

Abril ->No tilde.

Corazón ->tilde.

I always had problems with the accent marls. This tip will be useful! - espanol5555, Feb 23, 2011

Answer 6

The prefix "cant" means "to sing"

Really?? - Dakie, Feb 23, 2011

I just learned that a few days ago. :) - espanol5555, Feb 23, 2011