FEUCAT Language Proficiency — Grammar Fundamentals — Parts of Speech & DeterminersCheat Sheet
Cheat sheet for FEUCAT Language Proficiency — Grammar Fundamentals — Parts of Speech & Determiners. Compact, printable, and organised around the concepts Far Eastern University tests most frequently in the FEUCAT 2026. Perfect for the week before exam day.
Exam context
For the Far Eastern University College Admission Test, Far Eastern University tests Language Proficiency under a "Core" label, with Grammar Fundamentals — Parts of Speech & Determiners in the 1st slot across 7 chapters. FEUCAT candidates must clear the Competitive overall score cut on the 2026 paper, which draws about a meaningful share of Language Proficiency questions. Date to watch: Q3–Q4 2026.
Grammar Fundamentals — Parts of Speech & Determiners - Cheat sheet
Your last-minute revision companion for mastering the building blocks of English grammar
Sections
Section Title
Nouns
Important Facts
- Proper nouns always start with capital letters
- Mass nouns don't take 'a/an' and don't have plural forms
- Collective nouns can be singular or plural depending on context
- Gerunds (-ing words used as nouns) are verbal nouns
- Compound nouns can be written as one word, hyphenated, or separate words
Key Definitions
Term
Noun
Example
dog, happiness, Manila, Jose Rizal
Definition
A word that names a person, place, thing, animal, or concept
Term
Common Noun
Example
city, teacher, book
Definition
General name for any person, place, or thing
Term
Proper Noun
Example
Philippines, Christmas, Rizal Park
Definition
Specific name of a person, place, or thing (always capitalized)
Term
Abstract Noun
Example
love, freedom, courage
Definition
Names ideas, qualities, or emotions that cannot be seen or touched
Term
Concrete Noun
Example
table, music, flower
Definition
Names things that can be perceived through the five senses
Term
Count Noun
Example
book/books, child/children
Definition
Can be counted and has singular/plural forms
Term
Mass Noun
Example
water, rice, information
Definition
Cannot be counted individually (uncountable)
Term
Collective Noun
Example
team, family, class
Definition
Names a group of people or things as one unit
Diagrams To Know
- Noun classification tree (common/proper, concrete/abstract, count/mass)
Section Title
Pronouns
Important Facts
- Subject pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
- Object pronouns: me, you, him, her, it, us, them
- Use 'who' for subjects, 'whom' for objects
- Its = possessive, It's = it is
- Never use 'myself' as a subject (Wrong: Myself and John went)
Key Definitions
Term
Personal Pronouns
Example
She loves reading books
Definition
Replace specific people or things (I, you, he, she, it, we, they)
Term
Possessive Pronouns
Example
This book is mine
Definition
Show ownership (mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs)
Term
Reflexive Pronouns
Example
I taught myself to cook
Definition
End in -self/-selves, refer back to subject
Term
Demonstrative Pronouns
Example
This is my favorite song
Definition
Point to specific things (this, that, these, those)
Term
Interrogative Pronouns
Example
Who is coming to the party?
Definition
Used to ask questions (who, whom, whose, which, what)
Term
Relative Pronouns
Example
The student who studies hard succeeds
Definition
Connect clauses (who, whom, whose, which, that)
Diagrams To Know
- Pronoun case chart (subjective, objective, possessive)
Section Title
Verbs
Important Facts
- Main linking verbs: be, seem, appear, become, feel, look, sound, taste
- Modal verbs are followed by base form (infinitive without 'to')
- Perfect tenses use 'have/has/had + past participle'
- Progressive tenses use 'be + present participle (-ing)'
- Passive voice: be + past participle
Key Definitions
Term
Action Verb
Example
run, write, think
Definition
Shows what the subject does
Term
Linking Verb
Example
am, is, are, seem, become
Definition
Connects subject to information about it
Term
Auxiliary Verb
Example
She has finished her homework
Definition
Helps main verb (have, be, do)
Term
Modal Verb
Example
can, could, may, might, must, should, will, would
Definition
Shows possibility, necessity, or ability
Term
Transitive Verb
Example
She reads books (books = direct object)
Definition
Requires a direct object
Term
Intransitive Verb
Example
The baby sleeps
Definition
Does not require a direct object
Diagrams To Know
- Verb tense timeline
- Active vs passive voice transformation
Section Title
Adjectives
Important Facts
- Order: Opinion-Size-Age-Shape-Color-Origin-Material-Purpose
- One-syllable adjectives: add -er/-est (tall, taller, tallest)
- Two+ syllables: use more/most (beautiful, more beautiful, most beautiful)
- Irregular comparatives: good/better/best, bad/worse/worst
- Use 'a' before consonant sounds, 'an' before vowel sounds
Key Definitions
Term
Descriptive Adjective
Example
beautiful, tall, intelligent
Definition
Describes qualities or characteristics
Term
Demonstrative Adjective
Example
This book is interesting
Definition
Points out specific nouns (this, that, these, those)
Term
Possessive Adjective
Example
Her car is red
Definition
Shows ownership (my, your, his, her, its, our, their)
Term
Interrogative Adjective
Example
Which movie do you prefer?
Definition
Used in questions (which, what, whose)
Term
Comparative Adjective
Example
taller, more beautiful
Definition
Compares two things (add -er or use 'more')
Term
Superlative Adjective
Example
tallest, most beautiful
Definition
Compares three or more things (add -est or use 'most')
Diagrams To Know
- Adjective order diagram
- Comparison forms chart
Section Title
Adverbs
Important Facts
- Most adverbs are formed by adding -ly to adjectives
- Frequency adverbs usually go before main verbs but after 'be'
- Good (adjective) vs Well (adverb)
- Position: Manner-Place-Time (She sang beautifully there yesterday)
- Some adverbs have irregular comparative forms (well/better/best)
Key Definitions
Term
Adverb of Manner
Example
quickly, carefully, loudly
Definition
Shows how something is done (usually ends in -ly)
Term
Adverb of Time
Example
yesterday, now, soon, always
Definition
Shows when something happens
Term
Adverb of Place
Example
here, there, everywhere, outside
Definition
Shows where something happens
Term
Adverb of Frequency
Example
always, usually, sometimes, never
Definition
Shows how often something happens
Term
Adverb of Degree
Example
very, quite, extremely, rather
Definition
Shows extent or intensity
Diagrams To Know
- Adverb position in sentences
- Types of adverbs classification
Section Title
Prepositions
Important Facts
- Time: at (specific times), on (days/dates), in (months/years/periods)
- Place: at (specific points), on (surfaces), in (enclosed spaces)
- Common mistakes: different from (not than), good at (not in)
- Phrasal verbs change meaning: look up, look after, look into
- Never end sentences with prepositions in formal writing
Key Definitions
Term
Preposition of Time
Example
at 3 o'clock, on Monday, in December
Definition
Shows when something happens
Term
Preposition of Place
Example
at school, on the table, in the room
Definition
Shows where something is or happens
Term
Preposition of Movement
Example
to Manila, from Cebu, through the door
Definition
Shows direction or movement
Diagrams To Know
- Time prepositions usage chart
- Place prepositions visual guide
Section Title
Conjunctions
Important Facts
- FANBOYS need commas when joining independent clauses
- Common subordinating: because, since, although, while, if, when
- Correlative conjunctions must be parallel in structure
- Starting sentences with 'and' or 'but' is acceptable in modern usage
- Use semicolon before conjunctive adverbs (however, therefore, moreover)
Key Definitions
Term
Coordinating Conjunctions
Example
I studied hard, but I still failed
Definition
Join equal elements (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
Term
Subordinating Conjunctions
Example
Because it rained, we stayed inside
Definition
Join dependent clauses to independent clauses
Term
Correlative Conjunctions
Example
both...and, either...or, neither...nor, not only...but also
Definition
Work in pairs to join equal elements
Diagrams To Know
- FANBOYS memory device
- Sentence combining patterns
Section Title
Interjections
Important Facts
- Usually followed by exclamation points
- Can stand alone or be part of a sentence
- Express emotions like surprise, joy, pain, anger
- More common in informal speech than writing
- Examples: Ah, Eh, Hmm, Ouch, Phew, Ugh, Yay
Key Definitions
Term
Interjection
Example
Oh! Wow! Alas! Hurray! Oops!
Definition
Words or phrases that express sudden emotion
Section Title
Determiners
Important Facts
- 'A' before consonant sounds, 'an' before vowel sounds
- 'The' = definite article (specific), 'a/an' = indefinite (general)
- Much/little with uncountable, many/few with countable nouns
- Some/any: some in positive, any in negative/questions
- Can't use multiple articles together (*the my book)
Key Definitions
Term
Articles
Example
a book, an apple, the student
Definition
The most common determiners (a, an, the)
Term
Demonstratives
Example
this pen, those books
Definition
Point out specific nouns (this, that, these, those)
Term
Possessives
Example
my homework, their house
Definition
Show ownership (my, your, his, her, its, our, their)
Term
Quantifiers
Example
some water, many students, few problems
Definition
Express quantity (some, many, few, several, all, most)
Diagrams To Know
- Article usage decision tree
- Quantifiers with countable vs uncountable nouns
Must Remember
- Proper nouns are always capitalized; common nouns are not
- Use 'a' before consonant sounds, 'an' before vowel sounds
- Subject pronouns (I, he, she, we, they) vs object pronouns (me, him, her, us, them)
- Its = possessive; it's = it is (contraction)
- Good is an adjective; well is an adverb
- FANBOYS coordinating conjunctions: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
- Much/little with uncountable nouns; many/few with countable nouns
- Adjective order: Opinion-Size-Age-Shape-Color-Origin-Material-Purpose
- Modal verbs are followed by base form (without 'to')
- Time prepositions: at (specific time), on (days), in (months/years)
Last Minute Tips
- If unsure between adjective/adverb, check what word it modifies - nouns need adjectives, verbs need adverbs
- For pronoun case, remove other people from the sentence: 'Me and John went' becomes 'Me went' - clearly wrong!
- Remember 'who' does the action (subject), 'whom' receives the action (object)
- Articles: if you can count it and it's general, use 'a/an'; if it's specific, use 'the'
- For prepositions of time: think smaller to larger - at a point, on a surface, in a space
Comparison Tables
Rows
Values
- Yes
- No
Property
Can be counted
Values
- Yes
- No
Property
Has plural form
Values
- Yes
- No
Property
Uses a/an
Values
- Yes
- No
Property
Uses many/few
Values
- No
- Yes
Property
Uses much/little
Values
- books, chairs, students
- water, advice, information
Property
Examples
Columns
- Feature
- Count Nouns
- Mass Nouns
Table Title
Count vs Mass Nouns
Rows
Values
- I
- me
- my
- mine
Property
1st Singular
Values
- you
- you
- your
- yours
Property
2nd Singular
Values
- he/she/it
- him/her/it
- his/her/its
- his/hers/its
Property
3rd Singular
Values
- we
- us
- our
- ours
Property
1st Plural
Values
- you
- you
- your
- yours
Property
2nd Plural
Values
- they
- them
- their
- theirs
Property
3rd Plural
Columns
- Person
- Subjective
- Objective
- Possessive Adjective
- Possessive Pronoun
Table Title
Personal Pronoun Cases
Rows
Values
- Nouns and pronouns
- Verbs, adjectives, other adverbs
Property
Modifies
Values
- What kind? Which one? How many?
- How? When? Where? How much?
Property
Answers
Values
- Basic form
- Usually adjective + -ly
Property
Formation
Values
- Before noun or after linking verb
- Various positions in sentence
Property
Position
Values
- She is quick
- She runs quickly
Property
Example
Columns
- Aspect
- Adjective
- Adverb
Table Title
Adjective vs Adverb
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