Word Forms and Parts of Speech
Many workplace items give you one root word and ask for the correct form: noun, verb, adjective, or adverb. The grammar of the sentence tells you which form belongs in the blank. This chapter reviews how position signals part of speech.
Nouns After Determiners
After a possessive or article, a noun is expected: 'her accuracy', not 'her accurate'. Learning the standard noun form of a root (accurate to accuracy) prevents invented words like 'accurateness'.
Adjectives and Adverbs
Adjectives follow linking verbs and describe nouns ('the estimates were unrealistic'), while adverbs modify verbs ('responded promptly'). The word being described tells you which form to choose.
Verbs After 'To'
When the infinitive marker 'to' appears, the base verb form follows: 'expected to consolidate operations', not 'to consolidation'. Recognizing the infinitive marker keeps you from choosing a noun.