ASL Grammar
What is the typical ASL "sentence" structure?
Topic-comment
What term is preferred: "deaf" or "hearing impaired"
Deaf
Who is the famous DeafBlind woman who became an author and activist?
Helen Keller
What are classifiers in ASL used for?
To show size, shape, movement, or location of objects?
What is the sign for "name"
Two H handshapes tap together twice
What part of your body often shows grammatical information in ASL?
Your face (facial expressions and non-manual markers)
What does the capital "D" in Deaf represent?
Cultural identity/pride and community
Who co-founded the first school for the Deaf in America with Thomas Gallaudet?
Laurent Clerc
Which classifier represents a person standing?
CL: 1
What is the sign for "school"?
Flat hands "clap" twice
What does ASL use instead of articles like "a", "an", and "the"?
ASL does not use articles
What does the term “Deaf Gain” mean in Deaf culture?
It refers to the idea that being Deaf is not a loss, but a gain in unique perspectives, community, and visual ways of experiencing the world.
Who is the Deaf actress known for her Oscar-winning role in Children of a Lesser God? She was also in CODA and Through Deaf Lies
Marlee Matlin
Which classifier is used to represent vehicles like cars or trucks?
CL:3
How do you sign "learn"?
Pull a flat hand from an open palm to your forehead
In ASL, how do you show tense (past, present, future)?
Through time indicators at the beginning of the sentence
What is considered rude in Deaf culture during conversations?
Looking away while someone is signing and/or breaking eye contact
Who was the first Deaf person to earn a Ph.D. from Gallaudet University?
Dr. I. King Jordan
Which classifier might show a flat object like a piece of paper?
CL:B
What’s the difference between “nice” and “clean”?
Same movement, but “clean” uses one long sweep instead of two short ones
What is the difference between "WH" questions and "yes/no" questions in ASL grammar?
WH-questions have furrowed brows.
Yes/no questions have raised brows
What event in 1988 marked a major milestone in Deaf rights and leadership?
Which Deaf artist is known for colorful pop art inspired by ASL handshapes?
Chuck Baird
How can classifiers be used to show a car accident in ASL?
By using CL:3 handshapes for each vehicle and showing their movement, direction, and collision spatially to depict the event.
0What’s the sign for “understand”?
Index finger flicks up near the forehead