Unit 1 rebuilds the grammar you need to read real Latin prose: cases and what they do, verbs in every indicative tense and both voices, pronouns and adjectives, the subjunctive and imperative, and participles. It ends where the exam begins: translating literally and citing specific Latin to support an interpretation.
Latin nouns have gender, number and case, shown by endings that depend on the declension. A nominative noun can be the subject; an accusative noun can be the direct object. Because endings carry the meaning, word order is flexible. Prepositional phrases pair a preposition with a noun, usually in the accusative or ablative.
A linking verb joins two nominatives. A verb's stem and ending show person, number, tense, voice and mood; its conjugation sets the endings, and irregular verbs like sum, esse break the pattern (and can be left out). The indicative states facts in six tenses. Active voice: the subject acts; passive: the subject is acted on.
The genitive usually shows possession, but also description, the whole of which something is part, and an object implied by a noun. The dative shows to or for whom something is done, often with verbs of speaking, giving and showing. The accusative can show duration of time. Pronouns have gender, number and case, and agree with their antecedents in number and gender.
The ablative shows means, agent, manner, place or time, and separation. The subjunctive in a main clause means may, might, would, should, let or I wish; the imperative gives commands. Participles are verbal adjectives that agree with nouns and have tense and voice. Adjectives agree in gender, number and case and can stand alone as nouns. Interpretations need specific Latin evidence.