english grammar eight parts of speech

The 8 Parts of Speech: Examples and Rules

​​Every word in English can be classified as one of eight parts of speech. The term part of speech refers to the role a word plays in a sentence. And like in any workplace or on any TV show with an ensemble cast, these roles were designed to work together.

Read on to learn about the different parts of speech that the words we use every day fall into, and how we use them together to communicate ideas clearly.

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The 8 parts of speech

A noun is a word that names a person, place, concept, or object. Basically, anything that names a “thing” is a noun, whether you’re talking about a basketball court , San Francisco , Cleopatra , or self-preservation .

Nouns fall into two categories: common nouns and proper nouns. Common nouns are general names for things, like planet and game show . Proper nouns are names or titles for specific things, like Jupiter and Jeopardy!

>> Read more about nouns

Pronouns are words you substitute for specific nouns when the reader or listener already knows which specific noun you’re referring to.

You might say, “Jennifer was supposed to be here at eight,” then follow it with “ She’s always late; next time I’ll tell her to be here a half hour earlier.”

Instead of saying Jennifer’s name three times in a row, you substituted she and her, and your sentences remained grammatically correct. Pronouns are divided into a number of categories, and we cover them all in our guide to pronouns:

>> Read more about pronouns

3 Adjectives

Adjectives are the words that describe nouns. Think about your favorite movie. How would you describe it to a friend who’s never seen it?

You might say the movie was funny , engaging , well-written , or suspenseful . When you’re describing the movie with these words, you’re using adjectives. An adjective can go right before the noun it’s describing (“I have a black dog”), but it doesn’t have to. Sometimes, adjectives are at the end of a sentence (“My dog is black ”).

>> Read more about adjectives

Go ! Be amazing! Run as fast as you can! Win the race! Congratulate every participant who put in the work and competed !

Those bolded words are verbs. Verbs are words that describe specific actions, like running , winning , and being amazing.

Not all verbs refer to literal actions, though. Verbs that refer to feelings or states of being, like to love and to be , are known as nonaction verbs . Conversely, the verbs that do refer to literal actions are known as action verbs .

>> Read more about verbs

An adverb is a word that describes an adjective, a verb, or another adverb. I entered the room quietly .

Quietly is describing how you entered (verb) the room.

A cheetah is always faster than a lion.

Always is describing how frequently a cheetah is faster (adjective) than a lion.

>> Read more about adverbs

6 Prepositions

Prepositions tell you the relationships between other words in a sentence.

You might say, “I left my bike leaning against the garage.” In this sentence, against is the preposition because it tells us where you left your bike.

Here’s another example: “She put the pizza in the oven.” Without the preposition in , we don’t know where the pizza is.

>> Read more about prepositions

7 Conjunctions

Conjunctions make it possible to build complex sentences that express multiple ideas.

“I like marinara sauce. I like alfredo sauce. I don’t like puttanesca sauce.” Each of these three sentences expresses a clear idea. There’s nothing wrong with listing your preferences like this, but it’s not the most efficient way to do it.

Consider instead: “I like marinara sauce and alfredo sauce, but I don’t like puttanesca sauce.

In this sentence, and and but are the two conjunctions that link your ideas together.

>> Read more about conjunctions

A pear. The brick house. An exciting experience. These bolded words are known as articles.

Articles come in two flavors: definite articles and indefinite articles . And similarly to the two types of nouns, the type of article you use depends on how specific you need to be about the thing you’re discussing.

A definite article, like the or this, describes one specific noun.

Did you buy the car?

From the above sentence, we understand that the speaker is referring to a specific previously discussed car.

Now swap in an indefinite article:

Did you buy a car?

See how the implication that you’re referring back to something specific is gone, and you’re asking a more general question?

>> Read more about articles

Figuring out parts of speech

Sometimes, it’s not easy to tell which part of speech a word is. Here are a few easy hacks for quickly figuring out what part of speech you’re dealing with:

• If it’s an adjective plus the ending – ly , it’s an adverb . Examples: commonly , quickly .
• If you can swap it out for a noun and the sentence still makes sense, it’s a pronoun . Example: “ He played basketball.” / “ Steve played basketball.”
• If it’s something you do and you can modify the sentence to include the word do , it’s a verb . Example: “I have an umbrella.” / “I do have an umbrella.”
• If you can remove the word and the sentence still makes sense but you lose a detail, the word is most likely an adjective . Example: “She drives a red van.” / “She drives a van.”

And if you’re ever really stumped, just look the word up. Dictionaries typically list a word’s part of speech in its entry, and if it has multiple forms with different parts of speech, they are all listed, with examples.

That brings us to another common issue that can confuse writers and language learners.

When a word can be different parts of speech

Just like y is sometimes a vowel and sometimes a consonant , there are words that are sometimes one part of speech and other times another. Here are a few examples:

• “I went to work ” (noun).
• “I work in the garden” (verb).
• “She paints very well ” (adverb).
• “They are finally well now, after weeks of illness” (adjective).
• “I dropped a penny into the well ” (noun).
• “ I cooked breakfast and lunch, but Steve cooked dinner” (conjunction).
• “I brought everything but the pens you asked for” (preposition).

And sometimes, words evolve to add forms that are new parts of speech. One recent example is the word adult . Before the 2010s, adult was primarily a noun that referred to a fully grown person. It could also be used as an adjective to refer to specific types of media, like adult contemporary music. But then, at right about the turn of the 2010s, the word adulting , a brand-new verb, appeared in the internet lexicon. As a verb, adulting refers to the act of doing tasks associated with adulthood, like paying bills and grocery shopping.

Open and closed word classes

The parts of speech fall into two word classes : open and closed .

The open word classes are the parts of speech that regularly acquire new words. Language evolves, and usually, that evolution takes place in nouns, adjectives, adverbs, and verbs. In 2022, new words added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary included dumbphone (noun), greenwash (verb), and cringe (adjective).

The closed word classes are the parts of speech that don’t readily acquire new words. These parts of speech are more set in stone and include pronouns, conjunctions, articles, and prepositions.

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• Parts of speech

The 8 Parts of Speech | Chart, Definition & Examples

A part of speech (also called a word class ) is a category that describes the role a word plays in a sentence. Understanding the different parts of speech can help you analyze how words function in a sentence and improve your writing.

The parts of speech are classified differently in different grammars, but most traditional grammars list eight parts of speech in English: nouns , pronouns , verbs , adjectives , adverbs , prepositions , conjunctions , and interjections . Some modern grammars add others, such as determiners and articles .

Many words can function as different parts of speech depending on how they are used. For example, “laugh” can be a noun (e.g., “I like your laugh”) or a verb (e.g., “don’t laugh”).

You can check whether you’re using each of the parts of speech correctly using our grammar checker .

Table of contents

• Prepositions
• Conjunctions
• Interjections

Other parts of speech

Interesting language articles, frequently asked questions.

A noun is a word that refers to a person, concept, place, or thing. Nouns can act as the subject of a sentence (i.e., the person or thing performing the action) or as the object of a verb (i.e., the person or thing affected by the action).

There are numerous types of nouns, including common nouns (used to refer to nonspecific people, concepts, places, or things), proper nouns (used to refer to specific people, concepts, places, or things), and collective nouns (used to refer to a group of people or things).

Ella lives in France .

Other types of nouns include countable and uncountable nouns , concrete nouns , abstract nouns , and gerunds .

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A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun. Pronouns typically refer back to an antecedent (a previously mentioned noun) and must demonstrate correct pronoun-antecedent agreement . Like nouns, pronouns can refer to people, places, concepts, and things.

There are numerous types of pronouns, including personal pronouns (used in place of the proper name of a person), demonstrative pronouns (used to refer to specific things and indicate their relative position), and interrogative pronouns (used to introduce questions about things, people, and ownership).

That is a horrible painting!

A verb is a word that describes an action (e.g., “jump”), occurrence (e.g., “become”), or state of being (e.g., “exist”). Verbs indicate what the subject of a sentence is doing. Every complete sentence must contain at least one verb.

Verbs can change form depending on subject (e.g., first person singular), tense (e.g., simple past), mood (e.g., interrogative), and voice (e.g., passive voice ).

Regular verbs are verbs whose simple past and past participle are formed by adding“-ed” to the end of the word (or “-d” if the word already ends in “e”). Irregular verbs are verbs whose simple past and past participles are formed in some other way.

“I’ve already checked twice.”

“I heard that you used to sing .”

Other types of verbs include auxiliary verbs , linking verbs , modal verbs , and phrasal verbs .

An adjective is a word that describes a noun or pronoun. Adjectives can be attributive , appearing before a noun (e.g., “a red hat”), or predicative , appearing after a noun with the use of a linking verb like “to be” (e.g., “the hat is red ”).

Adjectives can also have a comparative function. Comparative adjectives compare two or more things. Superlative adjectives describe something as having the most or least of a specific characteristic.

Other types of adjectives include coordinate adjectives , participial adjectives , and denominal adjectives .

An adverb is a word that can modify a verb, adjective, adverb, or sentence. Adverbs are often formed by adding “-ly” to the end of an adjective (e.g., “slow” becomes “slowly”), although not all adverbs have this ending, and not all words with this ending are adverbs.

There are numerous types of adverbs, including adverbs of manner (used to describe how something occurs), adverbs of degree (used to indicate extent or degree), and adverbs of place (used to describe the location of an action or event).

Talia writes quite quickly.

Other types of adverbs include adverbs of frequency , adverbs of purpose , focusing adverbs , and adverbial phrases .

A preposition is a word (e.g., “at”) or phrase (e.g., “on top of”) used to show the relationship between the different parts of a sentence. Prepositions can be used to indicate aspects such as time , place , and direction .

I left the cup on the kitchen counter.

A conjunction is a word used to connect different parts of a sentence (e.g., words, phrases, or clauses).

The main types of conjunctions are coordinating conjunctions (used to connect items that are grammatically equal), subordinating conjunctions (used to introduce a dependent clause), and correlative conjunctions (used in pairs to join grammatically equal parts of a sentence).

You can choose what movie we watch because I chose the last time.

An interjection is a word or phrase used to express a feeling, give a command, or greet someone. Interjections are a grammatically independent part of speech, so they can often be excluded from a sentence without affecting the meaning.

Types of interjections include volitive interjections (used to make a demand or request), emotive interjections (used to express a feeling or reaction), cognitive interjections (used to indicate thoughts), and greetings and parting words (used at the beginning and end of a conversation).

Ouch ! I hurt my arm.

I’m, um , not sure.

The traditional classification of English words into eight parts of speech is by no means the only one or the objective truth. Grammarians have often divided them into more or fewer classes. Other commonly mentioned parts of speech include determiners and articles.

• Determiners

A determiner is a word that describes a noun by indicating quantity, possession, or relative position.

Common types of determiners include demonstrative determiners (used to indicate the relative position of a noun), possessive determiners (used to describe ownership), and quantifiers (used to indicate the quantity of a noun).

My brother is selling his old car.

Other types of determiners include distributive determiners , determiners of difference , and numbers .

An article is a word that modifies a noun by indicating whether it is specific or general.

• The definite article the is used to refer to a specific version of a noun. The can be used with all countable and uncountable nouns (e.g., “the door,” “the energy,” “the mountains”).
• The indefinite articles a and an refer to general or unspecific nouns. The indefinite articles can only be used with singular countable nouns (e.g., “a poster,” “an engine”).

There’s a concert this weekend.

If you want to know more about nouns , pronouns , verbs , and other parts of speech, make sure to check out some of our language articles with explanations and examples.

Nouns & pronouns

• Common nouns
• Proper nouns
• Collective nouns
• Personal pronouns
• Uncountable and countable nouns
• Verb tenses
• Phrasal verbs
• Types of verbs
• Active vs passive voice
• Subject-verb agreement

A is an indefinite article (along with an ). While articles can be classed as their own part of speech, they’re also considered a type of determiner .

The indefinite articles are used to introduce nonspecific countable nouns (e.g., “a dog,” “an island”).

In is primarily classed as a preposition, but it can be classed as various other parts of speech, depending on how it is used:

• Preposition (e.g., “ in the field”)
• Noun (e.g., “I have an in with that company”)
• Adjective (e.g., “Tim is part of the in crowd”)
• Adverb (e.g., “Will you be in this evening?”)

As a part of speech, and is classed as a conjunction . Specifically, it’s a coordinating conjunction .

And can be used to connect grammatically equal parts of a sentence, such as two nouns (e.g., “a cup and plate”), or two adjectives (e.g., “strong and smart”). And can also be used to connect phrases and clauses.

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8 Parts of Speech

The 8 parts of speech in English are: Nouns, Adjectives, Adverbs, Verbs, Prepositions, Pronouns, Conjunctions, and Interjections.

A part of speech is a category of words that have similar grammatical functions or properties. In other words, they play similar roles in a sentence. For instance, a verb shows the action of a subject or the subject's state of being. 

We'll now look in more detail at the function of each of these parts of speech. 

Understanding the 8 Parts of Speech

Nouns are words used to talk about people, places, things, or ideas/concepts. Here are some examples:

• Person: The President
• Place: London
• Thing: Table
• Idea/concept: Neo-liberalism

So it may be naming something we can touch ( e.g. table; book; car ) or something we cannot touch ( e.g. Neo-liberalism; happiness; wish ).

There are both common nouns, used for classes of   people, places, things, or ideas/concepts,  and proper nouns, which is their given name, always with a capital letter.

Common Nouns

• political party

Proper Nouns

• Chester Avenue

Learn more about the various types of noun >>

Another of the 8 parts of speech are adjectives. They describe nouns or pronouns. They can come before or after the noun/pronoun they describe:

Absolute Adjectives

• The  large  shopping complex
• The  excited  child
• She is  happy
• It was a  shocking  film
• Her dress was  lovely
• He's a  good-looking  man

These are  absolute adjectives , but they can also be  comparative  (comparing two or more things) or  superlative  (showing degree or quality):

Comparative Adjectives

• She's  fitter than the others
• Their house is bigger
• I ran faster  than you
• Cats are more agile than dogs
• Sue's  more tired than Tim

Superlative Adjectives

• She's the fittest
• Their house is the biggest
• I ran the fastest
• Cats are the most agile
• Sue's the most tired

There are various other types of adjective. Learn more about the different types of adjectives >>

Adverbs modify verbs, other adverbs, and adjectives. There are adverbs of manner, time, place and degree . Here are examples of each being modified in relation to verbs, adverbs, and adjectives (the word being modified is underlined):

Adverbs Modifying Verbs

• He runs fast
• Ian quickly left the room
• She spoke slowly

Adverbs Modifying Other Adverbs

• He runs exceptionally  fast
• Ian very  quickly left the room
• She spoke extremely  slowly

Adverbs Modifying Adjectives

• She's really excited
• He's happily married
• The elegantly designed dress is mine

Verbs form part of the predicate of a sentence.

In relation to the subject, they are used to express a physical action (e.g. walk; speak; show) or a mental action (e.g. think; feel; want). They can also express a state of being , mainly with the verb 'to be' but also some others.

Here are some examples:

Physical Action

• He ran home
• They chose the blue one

Mental Activity

• I am thinking about it
• Ian guessed the answer
• She believes in ghosts

State of Being

• She is a police woman
• They seem worried

These though are main verbs. They have many other uses in a sentence so you should read about all the types of verbs further. 

Prepositions

Another of the 8 parts of speech are prepositions. These show the relationship between two words or phrases in a sentence. They precede a noun or pronoun.

Commons examples of prepositions are  above,  up, upon,  at, before, behind,  since, to, through, under, until, with, within,  about, against, along, around,  beside, between,  down, during,  below, by,  except, for, from, in, into, like, near, of, off, on,  toward.

In these example sentences with prepositions, the two words whose relationship is being expressed are underlined and the prepositions are in bold:

• The book is on the table
• He is the leader of the conservative party
• The boy picked up the toy under the sofa
• This is a present for your mother

Pronouns replace nouns and they prevent us from repeating the noun in a sentence. These are the types of pronouns with some examples:

• Personal e.g. I; you; they; she
• Possessive e.g. mine; yours; his; theirs
• Relative e.g. who; which; that; whom
• Demonstrative e.g. this; these; those
• Reciprocal e.g. one another; each other
• Emphatic / Reflexive e.g. myself; herself; itself; ourselves
• Interrogative e.g. what; which; whom; whose

Here are some examples of these words used in sentences:

• Martha decided she would leave
• Why don't you use his  car instead of mine
• Mick is a person who learns quickly
• Shall we buy some of these ?
• They began to argue with each other
• Jenny is pleased with  herself
• What time is he coming?

Conjunctions

Conjunctions are the of the 8 parts of speech responsible for joining together words, phrases, or clauses. There are three types:

• Coordinating: and; or; but; so; yet; for; nor
• Correlative: neither/nor; either/or; not only/but also
• Subordinating: e.g. although; because; while; which; where; until

Coordinating Conjunctions

Used to connect like for like words (e.g. noun+noun):

• I like apples and oranges ( 2 nouns )
• His speech was slow but effective ( 2 adjectives )
• Shall I say it loudly or quietly? ( 2 adverbs )

Or simple sentences (independent clauses):

• I find the music annoying but she finds It pleasant
• She came to the lecture late so she missed everything important
• She took her umbrella for it was raining hard

Correlative Conjunctions

Used to join alternative or equal elements:

• He felt neither happy nor sad about it
• Sue had to decide to either quit or carry on
• I went not only to Australia but also to New Zealand

Subordinating Conjunctions

Used to join subordinate clauses to main clauses:

• The government won't vote on the bill until both parties agree
• I'm still not tired although it is late
• I'll eat the dish which you don't like

Interjections

Interjections are words used to express an emotion or a sentiment such as surprise, joy, disgust, fear, excitement, pain, or enthusiasm.

They usually appear at the start of a sentence and are not connected to it grammatically. Here are some examples of interjections in sentences:

• Wow , that's an amazing score!
• Oh , I didn't know you failed the exam
• Well , we better not leave too late
• Ow , that really hurt!
• Ah , I understand now
• Oops , I've forgotten to bring the sandwiches

Learn more about interjections >>

Are there only 8 Parts of Speech?

Sometimes rather than 8 parts of speech, you may see 9 or 10 listed. This is because some people treat articles and determiners  as separate categories. 

However, when there are only 8 parts of speech considered (as above), this is because as these two types of word modify nouns, they are classified under adjectives. 

Now practice what you have learned in our identifying parts of speech quiz

More on Sentence Structure:

Parts of a Sentence: Subject, Verbs, Objects, Predicates, Complements

The main parts of a sentence are subjects, verbs, objects, predicates, and subject complements. All of these have a specific purpose within the structure of a sentence.

Using Object Complements in a Sentence

Using object complements in a sentence enhances your ability to convey specific information about actions and their outcomes.

Types of Clauses in English Grammar - Independent and Dependent Clause

The two types of clauses in English grammar are the independent and dependent clause. Both have a subject and verb which makes them clauses, but while independent clauses express a complete thought, dependent clauses do not. This is the main distinction.

Nominalisation in English Grammar: High Level Writing Tips

Nominalisation is an important aspect of academic writing. This lesson teachers you what this is and how you can use it effectively in your writing.

Subject Complements: Predicate Adjectives and Predicate Nominatives

Here we demystify subject complements, predicate adjectives, and predicate nominatives with simple explanations and examples.

Phrases and Clauses - Building good sentences

Phrases and clauses are the key building blocks of sentences. A clause contains a subject and a verb and can express a complete thought. A phrase does not contain a subject or verb.

How to Use Either and Neither with Examples

Advice on how to use either and neither in English grammar. They can be adjectives, adverbs, pronouns and conjunctions.

Direct and Indirect Objects: The Differences

Direct and indirect objects are key parts of most sentences. A direct object is the receiver of action while indirect object identifies to or for whom or what the action of the verb is performed.

Examples of Parallelism in English Grammar

View examples of parallelism in English grammar that show you correct and incorrect parallel sentences.

Parallelism Grammar Rules (Parallel Structure)

Parallelism is about balancing the grammatical structure of words, phrases and clauses in your sentences. Parallel structure will improve your writing's coherence.

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The 8 Parts of Speech in English Grammar

Table of contents, introduction, what are parts of speech, a list of 8 parts of speech, prepositions, conjunctions, interjections, analyzing sentence structure (parts of speech) .

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Parts of Speech: Definition and Types with Examples

In English grammar, the parts of speech are the categories to which words are assigned based on their function in a sentence. There are eight parts of speech in the English language: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections. Each part of speech has a specific role in a sentence and serves a specific purpose.

Understanding the different parts of speech and their functions can help you analyze and construct sentences, and improve your communication skills.

Eight Parts of Speech in English Grammar

There are eight parts of speech in the English language:

A noun is a word that is used to name a person, place, thing, or idea. It helps us identify and talk about the people, objects, and concepts in our world. Nouns can be proper nouns (e.g. John, New York) or common nouns (e.g. boy, city).

Let’s break it down further:

• Person: Nouns can be used to talk about people. For example, names like “John” or “Sarah” are nouns because they represent specific individuals. The word “teacher” is also a noun because it refers to a person who teaches.
• Place: Nouns can also represent locations or specific places. For instance, “Paris” or “school” are nouns because they name particular places. They help us understand where things are happening.
• Thing: Nouns can refer to objects or things. For example, “table,” “book,” or “car” are all nouns because they represent physical items that we can see and touch.
• Idea: Nouns can even represent abstract concepts or ideas. Words like “love,” “freedom,” or “knowledge” are nouns because they represent things that exist in our minds but cannot be seen or touched.

Examples in Sentences:

• Ronaldo is a good player.
• Kate has a lovely doll .
• Dubai is a beautiful city .

>> Read more about nouns

A pronoun is a word that we use to replace a noun. Instead of repeating the noun over and over again, we can use a pronoun to refer to it. Pronouns can be personal pronouns (e.g. I, you, he, she, it), possessive pronouns (e.g. mine, yours, his, hers), or reflexive pronouns (e.g. myself, yourself, himself, herself).

Let’s say, you have a friend named Emily. When you talk about Emily, you can use her name, saying things like “Emily is kind” or “Emily is smart.” But instead of saying “Emily” every time, you can use a pronoun like “she” to refer to her. So you could say “She is kind” or “She is smart.”

• This is my father. He is a teacher.
• My mother is kind. Everybody likes her .
• I made this cake myself .

Using pronouns makes our language smoother and easier to understand. They help us refer to people, objects, or things without repeating their names all the time.

>> Read more about Pronouns

A verb is a word that shows an action or a state of being. It describes what someone or something does or how they exist. Verbs bring action and movement to our sentences.

• Action: Verbs can represent actions that people or things do. For example, words like “run,” “jump,” “eat,” or “write” are verbs because they describe specific actions that someone or something is performing. So when you say, “I run,” or “The dog jumps,” the verbs “run” and “jumps” show the action taking place.
• State of being: Verbs can also express a state of being or existence. For instance, words like “is,” “am,” “are,” or “was” are verbs because they describe how someone or something exists or what they are like. When you say, “I am happy,” or “They were excited,” the verbs “am” and “were” express a state of being or existence.

Verbs are crucial for constructing meaningful sentences because they allow us to describe actions, events, and conditions. They help us convey what is happening, what has happened, or how things are. Without verbs, our sentences would lack the action and dynamism needed to communicate effectively.

Remember, verbs make sentences come alive by showing what is happening or how things are. They are like the engines that power our language!

• Cows eat grass.
• Mary enjoys singing.
• Most children learn very fast
• He became a doctor.

>>Read more about Verbs

An adjective is a word that describes or gives more information about a noun. It helps to paint a clearer picture in our minds by adding details and qualities to the things we talk about.

Here’s a simple explanation:

Imagine you have a fluffy cat. The word “fluffy” is an adjective because it describes how the cat looks. It helps you imagine the cat’s soft and thick fur. Similarly, if you say you have a big house, “big” is the adjective that tells us about the size of the house.

Present Indefinite Tense: Rules and Example

Active and Passive Voice with Rules & Examples

Adjectives can describe many different qualities, such as size, color, shape, texture, taste, and more. They help us express our thoughts and create a more vivid and specific image of the things we are talking about.

Here are a few more examples:

• A delicious meal: “Delicious” describes how the meal tastes.
• A beautiful flower: “Beautiful” tells us about the appearance of the flower.
• A tall tree: “tall” describes the height of the tree.

By using adjectives, we can add more detail and make our language more interesting and descriptive. They help us express our opinions, observations, and preferences by giving more information about the nouns they describe.

An adverb is a word that describes or gives more information about a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. It tells us how, when, where, or to what extent something happens. Adverbs help us understand the way actions are performed or qualities are expressed.

• Describing verbs: Adverbs can describe how an action is performed. For example, if someone runs quickly, “quickly” is the adverb because it tells us the manner or speed of the action. Adverbs can answer questions like “How?” or “In what way?”
• Describing adjectives: Adverbs can also describe or modify adjectives, providing more information about the qualities they represent. For instance, if you say someone is extremely intelligent, “extremely” is the adverb because it shows the degree or intensity of the adjective “intelligent.” Adverbs can answer questions like “To what extent?”
• Describing other adverbs: Adverbs can even describe or modify other adverbs, adding further detail or intensity to their meaning. For example, if you say someone speaks very loudly, “very” is the adverb that describes the intensity of the adverb “loudly.”

Adverbs can tell us more about the time, place, manner, frequency, degree, or reason behind an action or quality. They help us provide a fuller description of what is happening or how something is done.

• She sings beautifully. “Beautifully” describes how she sings.
• They arrived late. “Late” describes the time of their arrival.
• He writes quite slowly. “Slowly” describes the manner in which he writes.

By using adverbs, we can add more information, clarify details, and give a better understanding of actions, qualities, or circumstances. They help us communicate more precisely and vividly.

Preposition

A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and another word in a sentence. It helps us understand where something is in relation to something else or how things are connected.

• Location: Prepositions can describe where something is located. For example, words like “in,” “on,” “at,” or “under” show the position of an object. If you say, “The book is on the table,” the preposition “on” tells us the relationship between the book and the table.
• Direction: Prepositions can indicate the direction of movement. Words like “to,” “from,” or “towards” show where someone or something is going. For instance, if you say, “She walked to the park,” the preposition “to” indicates the direction of her movement.
• Time: Prepositions can also express time-related relationships. Words like “before,” “after,” “during,” or “at” show when something happens. For example, if you say, “We’ll meet at 5 o’clock,” the preposition “at” indicates the specific time of the meeting.

Prepositions help us understand the spatial, temporal, or directional connections between different parts of a sentence. They provide crucial information about the location, movement, or time frame of people, objects, or events.

Here are a few examples:

• She sat beside her friend. “Beside” shows the position of her sitting.
• The cat jumped off the table. “Off” shows the direction of the cat’s movement.
• We’ll have dinner after the movie. “After” indicates the time relationship between the movie and dinner.

By using prepositions, we can provide context and clarify the relationships between different elements in a sentence. They help us paint a more complete picture and make our language more precise and meaningful.

More Example Sentences:

• He is going to New York.
• There is an old castle on the hill.
• There are seven days in a week.

Conjunction

A conjunction is a part of speech used to connect words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence. It helps to establish relationships between different elements, making the sentence more coherent and creating logical connections between ideas. Conjunctions play a crucial role in forming complex sentences by joining various components together. They can connect similar ideas (coordinating conjunctions) or show relationships between dependent and independent clauses (subordinating conjunctions).

Here are two main types of conjunctions:

• and : I like apples and oranges.
• but : She studied hard, but she still failed the exam.
• or : Would you like tea or coffee?
• nor : He didn’t eat breakfast, nor did he have lunch.
• yet : It was raining, yet they decided to go for a walk.
• so : She practiced every day, so she improved her skills.
• for : He worked hard, for he wanted to succeed.
• because : She stayed home because it was raining.
• when : I will call you when I arrive.
• if : He will come if he has time.
• although : Although it was late, they continued the party.
• while : She read a book while waiting for the bus.

Conjunctions are essential for constructing well-structured sentences and paragraphs. They allow us to convey complex relationships between ideas and enable smooth and logical transitions between different parts of a sentence.

Interjection

An interjection is a word or phrase that expresses a sudden or strong emotion or reaction. It is like a burst of feeling that we use to convey our immediate thoughts or sentiments. Interjections add color, emphasis, or an emotional touch to our language.

• Expressing emotions: Interjections capture our emotions and reactions in a concise way. They can convey excitement, surprise, joy, pain, frustration, or any other intense feeling. For example, words like “Wow!”, “Ouch!”, “Yay!”, “Oops!”, or “Oh no!” are interjections because they express our immediate responses.
• Stand-alone words or phrases: Interjections are often used as stand-alone words or phrases, independent of the rest of the sentence. They can be inserted before, after, or even within a sentence to convey the emotion we are experiencing. For instance, if you say, “Yikes! That was close,” the interjection “Yikes!” adds a sense of surprise or fear to the statement.
• Punctuation and tone: Interjections are typically punctuated with an exclamation mark to emphasize the strong emotion being expressed. They can also be influenced by the tone of our voice, such as when we raise our voice to convey excitement or lower it to show disappointment.

Interjections bring life and immediacy to our language. They allow us to express our unfiltered reactions or feelings in a vivid and engaging way.

• Yippee! I won the game! “Yippee!” expresses excitement and joy.
• Ouch! That hurt! “Ouch!” conveys pain or discomfort.
• Oh well, I guess it’s not meant to be. “Oh well” shows resignation or acceptance.

By using interjections, we can add emotion, energy, and personal expression to our words. They help us communicate our feelings and connect with others on an emotional level.

We briefly discussed the parts of speech with examples. Each part of speech has different types, and we will explain each in detail. Here’s an example sentence using all eight parts of speech.

Example Sentence using all Eight Parts of Speech

I (pronoun) quickly (adverb) ran (verb) to (preposition) the store (noun) and (conjunction) bought (verb) a big (adjective), expensive (adjective) bag of chips (noun). Wow (interjection), that was a lot of money (noun)!

When a word functions as different parts of speech?

Sometimes, a word can function as different parts of speech depending on its usage and context within a sentence. This versatility arises because words can have multiple meanings and can be applied in various ways. Here are a few examples to illustrate how a word can be different parts of speech:

Example word: “Run”

• Noun: “He went for a run in the park.” Here, “run” functions as a noun, representing an activity or exercise.
• Verb: “She likes to run every morning.” In this sentence, “run” acts as a verb, describing the action of engaging in the activity.

Example word: “Fast”

• Adjective: “He is a fast runner.” In this case, “fast” functions as an adjective, describing the quality of being quick or speedy.
• Adverb: “She ran fast to catch the bus.” Here, “fast” is an adverb, modifying the verb “ran” to indicate the manner or speed of the action.

Example word: “Hard”

• Adjective: “The test was hard.” In this sentence, “hard” acts as an adjective, describing the difficulty level of the test.
• Adverb: “He worked hard to achieve his goals.” Here, “hard” functions as an adverb, describing the intensity or degree of effort exerted.

These examples demonstrate how the same word can have different roles based on its function within a sentence and the meaning it conveys in that particular context. Understanding the broader context, sentence structure , and the intended meaning is key to correctly identifying the part of speech a word is fulfilling in a given sentence.

Open and closed word classes

Open and closed word classes are categories used in linguistics to classify words based on their ability to accept new members or their resistance to new additions. Parts of Speech falls into these two categories.

Open Word Classes:

Open word classes are categories of words that have the potential to grow and accept new members over time. They are characterized by their flexibility and ability to create new words. The four main open-word classes are:

• Nouns are open-word classes because new nouns can be coined or added to the language as new concepts or objects are discovered or created. For example, “ deep state ,” “ genocidaire ,” “ easybeat ,” and “ depthness ” are relatively recent additions to the English language.
• Verbs are open word classes because new verbs can be formed or added to the language as new actions or concepts emerge. For instance, “ genocide ” and “ kinkle ” are examples of relatively recent verb formations.
• Adjectives are open word classes because new adjectives can be created or borrowed to describe new qualities or characteristics. Examples of newer adjectives include “ snitchy ,” “ plasmonic ,” and “ anticipatory .”
• Adverbs are open word classes because new adverbs can be formed or added to the language to describe new manners, degrees, or circumstances. For instance, “ folklorically ,” “ crazily ,” and “ certifiably ” are relatively recent adverb formations.

Closed Word Classes:

Closed word classes are categories of words that have a limited number of members and are resistant to the addition of new words. They have relatively stable membership and do not readily accept new members. The three main closed word classes are:

• Pronouns have a fixed set of members that represent specific categories, such as personal pronouns (e.g., “he,” “she,” “it”), possessive pronouns (e.g., “mine,” “yours”), and reflexive pronouns (e.g., “myself,” “yourself”).
• Prepositions have a fixed set of members, and new prepositions are rarely added to the language. Examples of prepositions include “in,” “on,” “at,” “under,” and “between.”
• Conjunctions have a limited set of members, and new conjunctions are not typically added to the language. Common conjunctions include “and,” “but,” “or,” and “because.”

These closed-word classes have relatively stable membership and do not readily accept new words because they serve specific grammatical or structural functions in the language.

Tips to figure out Parts of Speech

When trying to figure out parts of speech in a sentence, there are several tips you can use. Here are some common approaches:

• Understand the role of the word: Parts of speech are determined by the function of a word within a sentence. Start by understanding the role the word plays—does it describe, name, connect, or modify something? This can give you a clue about its part of speech.
• Identify word endings: Many words have specific endings that indicate their part of speech. For example, nouns often end in -tion, -ment, -ity, or -ness; verbs can end in -ing or -ed; adjectives may end in -ful or -ous. Pay attention to these patterns.
• Look for determiners: Determiners (such as articles like “the” or “a,” possessive pronouns like “my” or “your,” or demonstratives like “this” or “that”) are often indicators of nouns. If a word is preceded by a determiner, it’s likely a noun.
• Consider the context: Context can provide valuable clues about a word’s part of speech. Look at the words that surround it and the overall meaning of the sentence. For example, if the word is an action or state, it’s likely a verb; if it describes or modifies a noun, it’s likely an adjective.
• Word order : In English, word order often indicates the part of speech. For example, articles (a, an, the) usually come before nouns, while adjectives often come before nouns they modify.
• Consult a dictionary or grammar resource: When in doubt, consult a dictionary or a reliable grammar resource. They can provide definitions, examples, and the specific part of speech for a given word.
• Practice with sentence diagrams: Diagramming sentences can help you visually represent the structure and relationship between words in a sentence. This can assist in identifying the part of speech of each word.
• Learn the common patterns: Each part of speech has certain characteristics and patterns. By familiarizing yourself with these patterns, such as typical word order or common word formations, you can improve your ability to identify parts of speech.

Remember that figuring out parts of speech requires practice and a good understanding of grammar rules. Over time, you’ll become more proficient at recognizing the different parts of speech in sentences.

Figures of Speech: Definition and Types with Examples

Sentence Structure: Simple, Compound and Complex Sentences

Sentence: Definition & Types with Examples

Clauses: Definition, Types and Examples

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Understanding the Parts of Speech in English

Yes, the parts of speech in English are extensive and complex. But we’ve made it easy for you to start learning them by gathering the most basic and essential information in this easy-to-follow and comprehensive guide.

Parts of Speech: Quick Summary

Parts of speech assign words to different categories. There are eight different types in English. Keep in mind that a word can belong to more than one part of speech.

Learn About:

• Parts of Speech
• Prepositions
• Conjunctions
• Interjections

Using the Parts of Speech Correctly In Your Writing

Knowing the parts of speech is vital when learning a new language.

When it comes to learning a new language, there are several components you should understand to truly get a grasp of the language and speak it fluently.

It’s not enough to become an expert in just one area. For instance, you can learn and memorize all the intricate grammar rules, but if you don’t practice speaking or writing colloquially, you will find it challenging to use that language in real time.

Conversely, if you don’t spend time trying to learn the rules and technicalities of a language, you’ll also find yourself struggling to use it correctly.

Think of it this way: Language is a tasty, colorful, and nutritious salad. If you fill your bowl with nothing but lettuce, your fluency will be bland, boring, and tasteless. But if you spend time cultivating other ingredients for your salad—like style, word choice, and vocabulary— then it will become a wholesome meal you can share with others.

In this blog post, we’re going to cover one of the many ingredients you’ll need to build a nourishing salad of the English language—the parts of speech.

LanguageTool's Paraphrasing Tool can also help you use the different parts of speech effectively in your writing.

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What Are the Parts of Speech in English?

The parts of speech refer to categories to which a word belongs. In English, there are eight of them : verbs , nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.

Many English words fall into more than one part of speech category. Take the word light as an example. It can function as a verb, noun, or adjective.

Verb: Can you please light the candles?

Noun: The room was filled with a dim, warm light .

Adjective: She wore a light jacket in the cool weather.

The parts of speech in English are extensive. There’s a lot to cover in each category—much more than we can in this blog post. The information below is simply a brief overview of the basics of the parts of speech. Nevertheless, the concise explanations and accompanying example sentences will help you gain an understanding of how to use them correctly.

What Are Verbs?

Verbs are the most essential parts of speech because they move the meaning of sentences along.

A verb can show actions of the body and mind ( jump and think ), occurrences ( happen or occur ), and states of being ( be and exist ). Put differently, verbs breathe life into sentences by describing actions or indicating existence. These parts of speech can also change form to express time , person , number , voice , and mood .

There are several verb categories. A few of them are:

• Regular and irregular verbs
• Transitive and intransitive verbs
• Auxiliary verbs

A few examples of verbs include sing (an irregular action verb), have (which can be a main verb or auxiliary verb), be , which is a state of being verb, and would (another auxiliary verb).

My little sister loves to sing .

I have a dog and her name is Sweet Pea.

I will be there at 5 P.M.

I would like to travel the world someday.

Again, these are just the very basics of English verbs. There’s a lot more that you should learn to be well-versed in this part of speech, but the information above is a good place to start.

What Are Nouns?

Nouns refer to people ( John and child ), places ( store and Italy ), things ( firetruck and pen ), and ideas or concepts ( love and balance ). There are also many categories within nouns. For example, proper nouns name a specific person, place, thing, or idea. These types of nouns are always capitalized.

Olivia is turning five in a few days.

My dream is to visit Tokyo .

The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States.

Some argue that Buddhism is a way of life, not a religion.

On the other hand, common nouns are not specific to any particular entity and are used to refer to any member of a general category.

My teacher is the smartest, most caring person I know!

I love roaming around a city I’ve never been to before.

This is my favorite book , which was recommended to me by my father.

There’s nothing more important to me than love .

Nouns can be either singular or plural. Singular nouns refer to a single entity, while plural nouns refer to multiple entities.

Can you move that chair out of the way, please? (Singular)

Can you move those chairs out of the way, please? (Plural)

While many plural nouns are formed by adding an “–s” or “–es,” others have irregular plural forms, meaning they don’t follow the typical pattern.

There was one woman waiting in line.

There were several women waiting in line.

Nouns can also be countable or uncountable . Those that are countable refer to nouns that can be counted as individual units. For example, there can be one book, two books, three books, or more. Uncountable nouns cannot be counted as individual units. Take the word water as an example. You could say I drank some water, but it would be incorrect to say I drank waters. Instead, you would say something like I drank several bottles of water.

What Are Pronouns?

A pronoun is a word that can take the place of other nouns or noun phrases. Pronouns serve the purpose of referring to nouns without having to repeat the word each time. A word (or group of words) that a pronoun refers to is called the antecedent .

Jessica went to the store, and she bought some blueberries.

In the sentence above, Jessica is the antecedent, and she is the referring pronoun. Here’s the same sentence without the proper use of a pronoun:

Jessica went to the store, and Jessica bought some blueberries.

Do you see how the use of a pronoun improves the sentence by avoiding repetitiveness?

Like all the other parts of speech we have covered, pronouns also have various categories.

Personal pronouns replace specific people or things: I, me, you, he, she, him, her, it, we, us, they, them.

When I saw them at the airport, I waved my hands up in the air so they could see me .

Possessive pronouns indicate ownership : mine, ours, yours, his, hers, theirs, whose.

I think that phone is hers .

Reflexive pronouns refer to the subject of a sentence or clause. They are used when the subject and the object of a sentence refer to the same person or thing: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.

The iguanas sunned themselves on the roof of my car.

Intensive pronouns have the same form as reflexive pronouns and are used to emphasize or intensify the subject of a sentence.

I will take care of this situation myself .

Indefinite pronouns do not refer to specific individuals or objects but rather to a general or unspecified person, thing, or group. Some examples include someone, everybody, anything, nobody, each, something, and all.

Everybody enjoyed the party. Someone even said it was the best party they had ever attended.

Demonstrative pronouns are used to identify or point to specific pronouns: this, that, these, those.

Can you pick up those pens off the floor?

Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions and seek information: who, whom, whose, which, what.

Who can help move these heavy boxes?

Relative pronouns connect a clause or a phrase to a noun or pronoun: who, whom, whose, which, that, what, whoever, whichever, whatever.

Christina, who is the hiring manager, is the person whom you should get in touch with.

Reciprocal pronouns are used to refer to individual parts of a plural antecedent. They indicate a mutual or reciprocal relationship between two or more people or things: each other or one another.

The cousins always giggle and share secrets with one another .

What Are Adjectives?

Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns, usually by describing, identifying, or quantifying them. They play a vital role in adding detail, precision, and imagery to English, allowing us to depict and differentiate the qualities of people, objects, places, and ideas.

The blue house sticks out compared to the other neutral-colored ones. (Describes)

That house is pretty, but I don’t like the color. (Identifies)

There were several houses I liked, but the blue one was unique. (Quantifies)

We should note that identifying or quantifying adjectives are also referred to as determiners. Additionally, articles ( a, an, the ) and numerals ( four or third ) are also used to quantify and identify adjectives.

Descriptive adjectives have other forms (known as comparative and superlative adjectives ) that allow for comparisons. For example, the comparative of the word small is smaller, while the superlative is smallest.

Proper adjectives (which are derived from proper nouns) describe specific nouns. They usually retain the same spelling or are slightly modified, but they’re always capitalized. For example, the proper noun France can be turned into the proper adjective French.

What Are Adverbs?

Adverbs are words that modify or describe verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, or entire clauses. Although many adverbs end in “–ly,” not all of them do. Also, some words that end in “–ly” are adjectives, not adverbs ( lovely ).

She dances beautifully .

In the sentence above, beautifully modifies the verb dances.

We visited an extremely tall building.

Here, the adverb extremely modifies the adjective tall.

He had to run very quickly to not miss the train.

The adverb very modifies the adverb quickly.

Interestingly , the experiment yielded unexpected results that left us baffled.

In this example, the word interestingly modifies the independent clause that comprises the rest of the sentence (which is why they’re called sentence adverbs ).

Like adjectives, adverbs can also have other forms when making comparisons. For example:

strongly, more strongly, most strongly, less strongly, least strongly

What Are Prepositions?

Prepositions provide context and establish relationships between nouns, pronouns, and other words in a sentence. They indicate time, location, direction, manner, and other vital information. Prepositions can fall into several subcategories. For instance, on can indicate physical location, but it can also be used to express time.

Place the bouquet of roses on the table.

We will meet on Monday.

There are many prepositions. A few examples include: about, above, across, after, before, behind, beneath, beside, during, except, for, from, in, inside, into, like, near, of, off, onto, past, regarding, since, through, toward, under, until, with, without.

Prepositions can contain more than one word, like according to and with regard to.

What Are Conjunctions?

Conjunctions are words that join words, phrases, or clauses together within a sentence and provide information about the relationship between those words. There are different types of conjunctions.

Coordinating conjunctions connect words, phrases, or clauses of equal importance: and, but, for, not, or, so, yet.

I like to sing, and she likes to dance.

Correlative conjunctions come in pairs and join balanced elements of a sentence: both…and, just as…so, not only…but also, either…or, neither…nor, whether…or.

You can either come with us and have fun, or stay at home and be bored.

Subordinating conjunctions connect dependent clauses to independent clauses. A few examples include: after, although, even though, since, unless, until, when , and while.

They had a great time on their stroll, even though it started raining and they got soaked.

Conjunctive adverbs are adverbs that function as conjunctions, connecting independent clauses or sentences. Examples of conjunctive adverbs are also, anyway, besides, however, meanwhile, nevertheless, otherwise, similarly, and therefore .

I really wanted to go to the party. However , I was feeling sick and decided to stay in.

I really wanted to go to the party; however , I was feeling sick and decided to stay in.

What Are Interjections?

Interjections are words that express strong emotions, sudden reactions, or exclamations. This part of speech is usually a standalone word or phrase, but even when it is part of a sentence, it does not relate grammatically to the rest of .

There are several interjections. Examples include: ahh, alas, bravo, eww, hello, please, thanks, and oops.

Ahh ! I couldn’t believe what was happening.

When it comes to improving your writing skills, understanding the parts of speech is as important as adding other ingredients besides lettuce to a salad.

The information provided above is indeed extensive, but it’s critical to learn if you want to write effectively and confidently. LanguageTool—a multilingual writing assistant—makes comprehending the parts of speech easy by detecting errors as you write.

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Understanding the 8 Parts of Speech: Definitions and Examples

Are you trying to master the grammatical rules of English? If so, understanding the 8 parts of speech is crucial. But what exactly are the parts of speech? How many are there? And how do you know which words fall into each category? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In this comprehensive guide, we will break down the definitions and examples of the 8 parts of speech, making it easier for you to navigate the intricacies of the English language.

Key Takeaways

What are parts of speech.

Pronouns are words used in place of nouns to avoid repetition. They can refer to individuals or groups. Examples of pronouns include “he,” “she,” “it,” and “they.”

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, providing information on how, when, where, or to what extent. They often end in “-ly.” Examples of adverbs include “quickly,” “happily,” and “very.”

Prepositions

Conjunctions, interjections.

Interjections are short exclamations used to express emotions or surprise. They are often followed by exclamation marks. Examples of interjections include “Wow,” “Yay,” and “Ouch!”

Parts of Speech

Pronouns are words that are used to replace nouns in a sentence. They help avoid repetitive use of nouns and add fluency to our language. Personal pronouns, such as “he,” “she,” or “they,” refer to specific individuals or groups of people. Here are some examples of pronouns used in sentences:

Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They provide information about how, when, where, or to what extent an action is performed. Adverbs enhance the meaning of a sentence and add precision to our language. Here are some examples of adverbs used in sentences:

Preposition

Conjunction, interjection.

Interjections are words or phrases used to convey strong emotions or reactions. They are often standalone expressions and can add emphasis or express surprise, joy, or frustration. Interjections bring life and emotion to our language. Here are some examples of interjections used in sentences:

Examples of Each Part of Speech

Pronouns, on the other hand, replace nouns to avoid repetition. Here are a few examples for better understanding:

Verbs express actions, feelings, or states of being. Check out these verb examples:

Adjectives add descriptions to nouns. Here are a few examples:

Adverbs add meaning to verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Take a look at these examples:

Prepositions express the relationship between nouns, pronouns, and other words. Here are some examples:

Conjunctions connect words, phrases, or clauses within a sentence. Check out these examples:

Interjections convey strong emotions or sudden reactions. Here are a few examples:

Remember, understanding the different parts of speech and their functions is crucial in constructing meaningful sentences. Keep practicing and exploring the various examples to strengthen your language skills.

By practicing and exploring the functions of these parts of speech, you will become a confident English speaker and writer. Remember to apply this knowledge in your daily conversations and written communication to enhance your language skills.

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What are the parts of speech?

Today's the day for you to learn about this important grammatical concept! But first...let's see what the parts of speech have to do with your clothes.

Imagine that it's laundry day, and you've just finished washing and drying your clothes. You dump the contents of the laundry basket onto your bed, and you begin to organize everything. You fold matching socks together, you create a pile of perfectly folded shirts that you would be proud to show Marie Kondo, and you do the same thing with your pants, jackets, and everything else.

In the same way that we organize our clothes into groups based on each item's function and features, we organize our words into categories based on each word's function and features. We call these categories of words the parts of speech .

Some people categorize words into eight parts of speech, and some people categorize them into nine parts of speech. Neither one is wrong; they're just two ways of looking at things. We'll go over these categories below. Here at English Grammar Revolution, we categorize words into eight groups, but I'll tell you about the ninth one as well.

There's one important thing for you to know before we look at these categories: most words can function as more than one part of speech . They will only do one job at a time, but they can do different things in different sentences. Look at the word love in the following sentences.

My  love  of grammar inspired me to make this website.

Here, love is functioning as a noun. It's the subject of the sentence. 

I  love  you.

Now, love is acting as a  verb ! It's telling us an action.

The only way we can know how to categorize a word is to look at how it's acting within a sentence.

Okay, let's check out the parts of speech!

The 8 Parts of Speech

Nouns  name people, places, things, or ideas. They're important parts of our sentences because they perform  important jobs  (subjects, direct objects, predicate nouns, etc.).

A peacock walked through our yard .

The dog howled during the night , and it woke up our whole family .

Sometimes people get bogged down with this part of speech because there are also many subcategories of nouns. This is similar to the way that we have subcategories for our clothes. You may have a whole drawer full of pants, but you may also have different types of pants that you use for different purposes (workout pants, lounge pants, work pants, etc.). This is similar to the way that we can further categorize nouns into smaller groups. 

Here are a few of the subcategories of nouns:  proper nouns, common nouns ,  collective nouns ,  possessive nouns , and compound nouns.

Tip : Other parts of speech also have subcategories. If you're studying this information for the first time, ignore the subcategories and focus on learning about each broader category.

2. Pronouns

Pronouns  take the place of nouns. When most people hear the word pronoun , they think of words like I, we, me, he,   she, and they . These are indeed all pronouns, but they're a part of a subcategory called personal pronouns. Know that there are other kinds of pronouns out there as well. Here are some examples: myself, his, someone , and who .

Here are a few of the subcategories of pronouns:  reflexive pronouns ,  indefinite pronouns ,  possessive pronouns , and  relative pronouns . 

When we walked across the bridge,  we saw someone who  knows you .

I will fix the dishwasher  myself .

Verbs  show actions or states of being. They are integral elements of  sentences .   

The shuttle will fly into space.

The loving mother comforted  and soothed the baby.

In the Montessori tradition of education, they use a large red circle or ball to symbolize a verb, and they often teach children to think of verbs as a sun providing the energy of a sentence. Isn't that a lovely way to think of verbs?

I know that you're getting tired of hearing about subcategories, but linking verbs, action verbs, and helping verbs are described on the  verb page here . 

Modal verbs  are described on that link, and you can learn even more about  action verbs  and  linking verbs  from those links.

4. Adjectives

Adjectives  describe, or  modify , nouns and pronouns. I like to think of them as adding color to language. It would be hard to describe a beautiful sunset or the way a touching story makes us feel without using adjectives.

The wise, handsome owl had orange eyes.

The caring father rocked the baby.

One helpful strategy for learning about and identifying adjectives is to learn how they are diagrammed . Sentence diagrams are pictures of sentences that help us see how all of the words are grammatically related. Since adjectives modify nouns and pronouns, we diagram them on slanted lines under the nouns/pronouns that they are modifying. 

My green and white book fell.

Book is a noun. It's the subject of this sentence. My, green , and white are all adjectives describing book , so we diagram them on slanted lines underneath book . Isn't that a great way to SEE what adjectives do?

Nine Parts of Speech

When people categorize words into eight parts of speech, they say that articles/determiners ( a, an,   the, this, that, etc. ) are subcategories of adjectives.  

When people categorize words into nine parts of speech, they say that articles/determiners make up their own category and are not a part of the adjective category. 

Adverbs  modify (describe) verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Adverbs are similar to adjectives in that they both modify things. 

The extremely cute koala hugged its mom very tightly .

The dog howled loudly .

Sentence diagrams also make it really easy to see what adverbs do. Take a look at this diagram. What do you notice about the way the adverbs are diagrammed? 

James ran very quickly.

Did you notice that the adverbs are diagrammed on slanted lines under the words that they are modifying?

Ran is a verb. Quickly is an adverb telling us more about the verb ran . Very is an adverb telling us more about the adverb quickly .

Doesn't the diagram make it easier to SEE what adverbs do?

6. Prepositions

Prepositions  are probably the most difficult part of speech to explain, but people generally have an easier time understanding them when they look at lots of examples. So...let's start with some examples of commonly used prepositions! 

in, for, of, off, if, until

The frog sat in the flower.

The baby cried for a long time.

I'm so convinced that memorizing some of the prepositions will be helpful to you that  I'll teach you a preposition song . 

Okay, now that we've looked at some examples, let's look at the definition of a preposition. 

Prepositions show the relationship between a noun or a pronoun and some other word in the rest of the sentence. 

Sentence diagrams will come to the rescue again to help us visualize what prepositions do. Think of prepositions as "noun hooks" or "noun bridges." In the diagram below, notice how the preposition down links the noun tree to the rest of the sentence.  

The cat ran down the tree.

Since prepositions always function as "noun hooks," they'll always be accompanied by a noun. The preposition plus its noun is called a prepositional phrase .

If you find a word from the preposition list that's not a part of a prepositional phrase, it's not functioning as a preposition. (You remember that words can function as different parts of speech , right?)

7. Conjunctions

Conjunctions  join things together. They can join words or groups of words (phrases and clauses).

The hummingbird sat   and   waited .

The conjunction and is joining the words sat and waited .

Do you live  near the park or near the hospital ?

The conjunction or is joining the phrases near the park and near the hospital.  

The two conjunctions we just looked at ( and and or ) belong to a subcategory called coordinating conjunctions, but there are other subcategories of conjunctions as well. The other one that we use most often is  subordinating conjunctions . Subordinating conjunctions are a little trickier to learn because they involve a more complicated concept ( dependent adverb clauses ).

For now, just know that all conjunctions, no matter what type they are, connect things together. In fact, let's LOOK at how they do this by looking at a sentence diagram.

Here is a sentence diagram  showing how the coordinating conjunction  and  connects two clauses. 

She cooked, and he cleaned. 

8. Interjections

Interjections show excitement or emotion. 

Wow ! That jump was amazing!

Phew , the baby finally fell asleep.

They are different from the other parts of speech in that they're not grammatically related to the rest of the sentence, and the way that we diagram them reflects that. Look at how we diagram interjections :

Yes ! We won the lottery!

The interjection yes sit sits there on its own line floating above the rest of the sentence. This helps show that it's not grammatically related to the other words in the sentence. 

It's time to review what we covered on this page.

• We can categorize the words that we use into groups based on their functions and features. We call these groups the parts of speech.
• Many words can function as multiple parts of speech. You need to look at each word in the context of a sentence in order to say what part of speech it is. 
• The eight parts of speech are nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections. 
• You just learned about all of the parts of speech. Give yourself a high five! 

If you'd like to teach or learn grammar the easy way—with sentence diagrams—check out our  Get Smart Grammar Program .

It starts from the very beginning and teaches you grammar and sentence diagramming in easy, bite-size lessons. 

Hello! I'm Elizabeth O'Brien, and my goal is to get you jazzed about grammar. 

This is original content from  https://www.english-grammar-revolution.com/parts-of-speech.html

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Parts of Speech: Definitions, Categories and Examples

By: Author English Study Online

Posted on Last updated: August 28, 2024

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In this reference, we will break down each part of speech and provide examples to help you understand their usage. We will also discuss how to identify the different parts of speech in a sentence and provide tips on how to use them correctly. Let’s get started!

Parts of Speech – Created by Englishstudyonline

Table of Contents

What is a Parts of Speech?

A  part of speech  is a category that describes the role a word plays in a sentence. These roles help you understand how words function in grammar .

There are typically eight main parts of speech in English:

• Nouns : Words that name people, places, things, or ideas.
• Pronouns : Words that replace nouns, such as  he, she, it .
• Verbs : Words that describe actions or states, like  run, is .
• Adjectives : Words that describe or modify nouns, like  blue  or  quick .

Some grammars list additional parts of speech:

• Adverbs : Words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, such as  quickly .
• Prepositions : Words that show relationships between a noun (or pronoun) and another word, like  in  or  on .
• Conjunctions : Words that connect clauses, sentences, or words, such as  and  or  but .
• Interjections : Words that express emotion, like  wow  or  oops .

Some sources also include:

• Determiners/Articles : Words that modify nouns and specify which one, like  the, a .

Categories of Parts of Speech

Nouns are words that represent people, places, things, or ideas. They are one of the most important parts of speech in English and are used in nearly every sentence. In this section, we will explore the different types of nouns and their functions.

• Common Nouns : General names for people, places, or things. Not capitalized unless at the start of a sentence. Examples : “book,” “city,” “teacher.”
• Proper Nouns : Specific names for people, places, or things. Always capitalized. Examples : “Harry Potter,” “New York City,” “Ms. Johnson.”
• Abstract Nouns : Names for ideas, concepts, or emotions that are intangible. Examples : “love,” “happiness,” “freedom.”
• Collective Nouns : Names for groups of people or things; can be singular or plural. Examples : “team,” “family,” “herd.”

2. Pronouns

Pronouns are words that replace nouns in a sentence. They help avoid repetition and make sentences clearer. Here are different types of pronouns in English:

• Personal Pronouns : Refer to specific people or things and can be subjects or objects. Examples : I/me, you/your/yours, he/him/his, she/her/hers, it/its.
• Demonstrative Pronouns : Point to specific people or things and indicate distance. Examples : this (near), that (far), these (plural, near), those (plural, far).
• Interrogative Pronouns : Used to ask questions. Examples : who (person), whom (person, object), whose (possession).
• Indefinite Pronouns : Refer to non-specific people or things. Examples : anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything.
• Action Verbs : Describe actions performed by the subject. Examples : Run, Jump, Sing, Dance, Write.
• Linking Verbs : Connect the subject to a noun, pronoun, or adjective that describes it; they do not show action. Examples : Is, Are, Was, Were, Seem.
• Helping Verbs : Work with the main verb to express tense, voice, or mood; they have no meaning on their own. Examples : Am, Is, Are, Was, Were.

4. Adjectives

Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns or pronouns, giving more information about their qualities, quantity, or identity. Here are three types of adjectives:

• Descriptive Adjectives : Describe the characteristics or qualities of a noun or pronoun. Examples : Beautiful, Tall, Thin, Ugly, Smart, Kind. Sentence Example : “The red car is fast.” (“red” describes the color; “fast” describes the speed).
• Quantitative Adjectives : Indicate the quantity or amount of a noun or pronoun, answering “how much” or “how many.” Examples : Few, Many, Several, Some, All, No. Sentence Example : “I have two apples.” (“two” describes the number of apples).
• Demonstrative Adjectives : Point to specific nouns or pronouns, answering “which one” or “whose.” Examples : This, That, These, Those. Sentence Example : “This book is mine.” (“this” specifies the book).

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, providing more detail about an action, adverbs of manner, adverbs of place, adverbs of time, adverbs of frequency , adverbs of degree, or intensity.

Examples of adverbs:

• I left my keys here . (Adverb of place)
• She arrived late because she missed the bus. (Adverb of time)
• James visits his grandmother weekly . (Adverb of frequency)
• Please drive carefully on the wet roads. (Adverb of manner)
• She was extremely tired after the long journey. (Adverb of degree)

6. Prepositions

Prepositions are words that show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence, indicating position, direction, or time.

Prepositions of Time : Indicate when an action takes place. Examples :

• “At” for specific times: “at 2 pm,” “at midnight.”
• “In” for longer periods: “in the morning,” “in October.”
• “On” for dates: “on Monday,” “on July 4th.”

Prepositions of Place : Indicate where something is located. Examples :

• “In” for enclosed spaces: “in the house,” “in the car.”
• “On” for surfaces: “on the table,” “on the floor.”
• “At” for specific locations: “at the park,” “at the beach.”

Prepositions of Direction : Indicate movement from one place to another. Examples :

• “To” for movement towards: “I am going to the store.”
• “From” for movement away: “I am coming from the park.”
• “Towards” for movement in a direction: “I am walking towards the museum.”

7. Conjunctions

Conjunctions are words that connect words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence, helping to create complex sentences and showing relationships between ideas. There are three main types of conjunctions: coordinating, subordinating, and correlative.

Coordinating Conjunctions : Connect words, phrases, or independent clauses of equal importance. Remember them using FANBOYS : for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. Examples :

• “I like pizza and pasta .”
• “He wanted to go to the beach, but it was raining.”

Subordinating Conjunctions : Connect dependent clauses to independent clauses, showing relationships like cause and effect, time, condition, or contrast. Examples : because, although, while, if, unless, since.

• “Because it was raining, we stayed inside.”
• “While I was studying, my roommate was watching TV.”

Correlative Conjunctions : Work in pairs to connect elements in a sentence, showing a relationship between them. Examples : both…and, either…or, neither…nor, not only…but also.

• “Both my sister and I like to read.”
• “Not only was he late, but he also forgot his homework.”

8. Interjections

In English grammar, interjections are words or phrases that express strong emotions or feelings. They are also known as exclamations and are one of the eight parts of speech in English. Interjections are grammatically independent from the words around them, and they can often be removed from a sentence or context without affecting its basic meaning.

Interjections can be used to express a wide range of emotions, including surprise, joy, anger, frustration, and pain. Some common examples of interjections include “ wow ,” “ ouch ,” “ yay ,” “ oh no ,” and “ oops .” They can be used to add emphasis to a sentence or to convey a particular tone or mood.

9. Articles/Determiners

In English grammar, articles and determiners are words that are used with nouns to provide more information about them. They help us to understand the context and meaning of a sentence.

There are three articles in the English language: “ the ,” “ a, ” and “ an. ” “The” is known as the definite article because it refers to a specific noun that has already been mentioned or is known to the reader. For example, “The cat is sleeping on the sofa.” In this sentence, “the” refers to a specific cat that has already been mentioned or is known to the reader.

“A” and “an” are known as indefinite articles because they refer to any member of a group or class of nouns. “A” is used before words that begin with a consonant sound, while “an” is used before words that begin with a vowel sound. For example, “I need a pen” and “She ate an apple.”

Determiners

Determiners are words that come before a noun to provide more information about it. They can include articles, as well as words like “ this ,” “ that ,” “ these ,” and “ those .”

In addition to these, there are other types of determiners such as possessive determiners (e.g. “my,” “your,” “his,” “her,” “its,” “our,” and “their”), demonstrative determiners (e.g. “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those”), and quantifying determiners (e.g. “some,” “any,” “many,” “few,” “several,” etc.).

Determiners can also be used with adjectives to provide more information about a noun. For example, “She ate the delicious apple” and “I saw that beautiful sunset.”

Examples of Parts of Speech

• Noun – The dog barked loudly.
• Pronoun – They went to the park together.
• Verb – She writes beautiful poetry.
• Adverb – He runs very quickly.
• Adjective – The red car is fast.
• Preposition – The cat is sitting on the sofa.
• Conjunction – She wanted to go for a walk, and he wanted to stay home.
• Interjection – Wow! That was an incredible performance.

Practical Exercises

Exercise 1: Identify the Part of Speech

Read each sentence and identify the underlined word’s part of speech (Noun, Pronoun, Verb, Adverb, Adjective, Preposition, Conjunction, Interjection).

• The beautiful garden is full of flowers.
• She quickly finished her homework.
• Wow! That was a great surprise.
• The cat hid under the bed.
• I want to go out, but it’s raining.
• He is a very talented musician.
• The children play in the park every evening.
• The cake is delicious .
• After lunch, we went for a walk.
• They will arrive at the airport soon.
• Interjection
• Preposition
• Conjunction

Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Part of Speech

Choose the correct word from the list and fill in the blanks with the appropriate part of speech.

Word List: (and, beautiful, suddenly, them, book, Wow, under, write, she, quickly)

• The weather is so __________ today.
• I have to __________ an essay for my class.
• He ran __________ to catch the bus.
• The ball rolled __________ the table.
• They read a __________ together every night.
• She wanted to go to the park, __________ it started raining.
• Can you give this note to __________?
• __________! That was an amazing goal!
• __________ is going to the market.
• The bird flew away __________.
• beautiful (Adjective)
• write (Verb)
• quickly (Adverb)
• under (Preposition)
• book (Noun)
• and (Conjunction)
• them (Pronoun)
• Wow (Interjection)
• She (Pronoun)
• suddenly (Adverb)
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Parts of Speech

English grammar.

The parts of speech explain how a word is used in a sentence.

There are eight main parts of speech (also known as word classes): nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions and interjections .

Most parts of speech can be divided into sub-classes. Prepositions can be divided into prepositions of time, prepositions of place etc. Nouns can be divided into proper nouns, common nouns, concrete nouns etc.

It is important to know that a word can sometimes be in more than one part of speech. For example with the word increase .

Increase can be a verb e.g. Prices increased and increase can also be a noun e.g. There was an increase in the number of followers.

The eight main parts of speech in English are:

NOUN - (Naming word)

A noun is the name of a person, place, thing or idea.

Examples of nouns: Daniel, London, table, dog, teacher, pen, city, happiness, hope

Example sentences: Steve lives in Sydney . Mary uses pen and paper to write letters .

Learn more about the different types of nouns .

PRONOUN - (Replaces a Noun)

A pronoun is used in place of a noun or noun phrase to avoid repetition.

Examples of pronouns: I, you, we, they, he, she, it, me, us, them, him, her, this, those

Example sentences: Mary is tired. She wants to sleep. I want her to dance with me .

ADJECTIVE - (Describing word)

An adjective describes, modifies or gives more information about a noun or pronoun.

Examples: big, happy, green, young, fun, crazy, three

Example sentences: The little girl had a pink hat.

VERB - (Action Word)

A verb shows an action or state of being. A verb shows what someone or something is doing.

Examples: go, speak, run, eat, play, live, walk, have, like, are, is

Example sentences: I like Woodward English. I study their charts and play their games.

ADVERB - (Describes a verb)

An adverb describes/modifies a verb, an adjective or another adverb. It tells how, where, when, how often or to what extent. Many adverbs end in -LY

Examples: slowly, quietly, very, always, never, too, well, tomorrow, here

Example sentences: I am usually busy. Yesterday , I ate my lunch quickly .

PREPOSITION - (Shows relationship)

A preposition shows the relationship of a noun or pronoun to another word. They can indicate time, place, or relationship.

Examples: at, on, in, from, with, near, between, about, under

Example sentences: I left my keys on the table for you.

CONJUNCTION - (Joining word)

A conjunction joins two words, ideas, phrases or clauses together in a sentence and shows how they are connected.

Examples: and, or, but, because, so, yet, unless, since, if.

Example sentences: I was hot and exhausted but I still finished the marathon.

INTERJECTION - (Expressive word)

An interjection is a word or phrase that expresses a strong feeling or emotion. It is a short exclamation.

Examples: Ouch! Wow! Great! Help! Oh! Hey! Hi!

Example sentences: Wow! I passed my English test. Great! – Ouch! That hurt.

Summary Chart

Sometimes teachers include Articles as a ninth part of speech so we have included it here. Note, an article is a type of adjective.

ARTICLE - (Defining word)

An article is used before a noun. These are divided into definite (the) and indefinite (a, an). Articles help define nouns.

Examples: a, an, the

Example sentences: I need a dictionary. The dictionary needs to be in English.

Next activity

See our grammar notes with more details about nouns , pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions and interjections (coming soon).

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Parts Of Speech: Breaking Them Down With Examples

Author: sarah perowne, more content, why understanding parts of speech is important , the 8 parts of speech: definitions, examples, and rules, 2. pronouns, 3. adjectives, 6. prepositions, 7. conjunctions, 8. articles, takeaways - tips.

Parts of speech are like Legos. Instead of being made into houses or spaceships, they’re the building blocks we use to form written and spoken language.

Every word you speak or write is a part of speech. In the English language, there are 8 parts of speech: nouns , pronouns , adjectives , verbs , adverbs , prepositions , conjunctions , and articles (determiners). These parts of speech represent categories of words according to their grammatical function.

Having a basic understanding of the parts of speech in the English language gives you a specific terminology and classification system to talk about language. It can help you correctly punctuate a sentence, capitalize the right words, and even understand how to form a complete sentence to avoid grammatical errors.

Still with us? Now, we will break down each of these English grammar categories and give some examples.

Nouns are words that name a person, place, thing, or idea. They can be further classified into different types of nouns .

Proper Nouns Vs. Common Nouns

There are some nouns we can count and others we cannot. Take a look at this table.

Concrete Nouns Vs. Abstract Nouns

Singular Nouns Vs. Plural Nouns

Exceptions To The Rule

Some nouns are irregular, and it’s a case of learning their plural form as they don’t always follow specific rules. Here are some examples:

Countable Vs. Uncountable Nouns

Other Types of Nouns

Possessive nouns.

Possessive nouns possess something and usually have ‘s or simply ‘ at the end. When the noun is singular, we add an ‘s. When the noun is plural, we add an apostrophe.

Here are examples of possessive nouns :

• David’s sister has a dog.
• His sister’s dog is named Max.

Collective Nouns

Collective nouns refer to a group or collection of things, people, or animals. Such as,

• Choir of singers
• Herd of sheep

Noun Phrases

A noun phrase is two or more words that function as a noun in a sentence. It also includes modifiers that can come before or after the noun.

Here are examples of noun phrases:

• The little brown dog is mine.
• The market down the street has the best prices.

If you want to know where to find nouns in a sentence, look for the subject or a direct object, and they will stand right out. For example:

• Mary ate chocolate cake and ice cream .

(Mary = Subject) (Chocolate cake, and ice cream = direct objects)

This is an easy way to identify nouns in a sentence.

Pronouns are words used in the place of a noun or noun phrase. They can be further classified into different types of pronouns , such as personal, reflexive, and possessive.

Personal Pronouns

Reflexive Pronouns

Some examples of reflexive pronouns are myself, yourself, herself, and itself.

Here are examples of reflexive pronouns in sentences:

• I helped myself to an extra serving of gravy.
• She didn’t do the cooking herself.
• The word itself is pretty easy to spell but hard to pronounce.

Reflexive pronouns can also be used for emphasis, as in this sentence:

• Joe himself baked the cake.

Possessive Pronouns

Some examples of possessive pronouns are my, mine, your, yours, his, hers, its, ours, and theirs. We use these words when we want to express possession. Such as,

• Is this your car?
• No, it’s his .
• It’s not mine .

Mine, yours, and his are examples of the independent form of possessive pronouns , and when showing possession, these pronouns never need an apostrophe.

Adjectives are words that describe nouns or pronouns. They make the meaning more definite. When we want to talk about what kind of a house we have, we can use adjectives to describe it, such as big, red, or lovely.

We can use adjectives to precede the word it modifies, like this;

• She wore a beautiful , blue dress.

Or we can use adjectives following the word they modify, like this;

• The athlete, tall and thin , was ready to win the race.

There are many types of adjectives, one being possessive . The seven possessive adjectives are my, your, his, her, its, our, and their. These words modify a noun or pronoun and show possession. Such as,

• Their dog is brown.
• How old is your brother?
• That was my idea.

Verbs are words that express an action or a state of being. All verbs help to make a complete statement. Action verbs express a physical action, for example:

Other verbs express a mental action, for example:

These can also be called lexical verbs .

Lexical Verbs and Auxiliary Verbs

Sometimes lexical verbs need the help of another type of verb . That’s where helping verbs , or auxiliary verbs , come into action; they help to make a statement or express action.

Examples of auxiliary verbs are am, are, is, has, can, may, will be, and might have.

When we use more than one verb when writing or speaking to express an action or state of being, it’s a verbal phrase consisting of the main verb, lexical verb, and one or more auxiliary verbs.

Some examples of verbal phrases:

• Should have done
• Must have been broken
• Will be following

Here are examples of verbal phrases used in a sentence.

• You should have gone to the concert last night. It was amazing!
• I may go to the concert next time if I have the money for a ticket.
• I might have missed out this time, but I certainly won’t next time.

Adverbs are used to describe an adjective, verb, or even another adverb . They can express how something is done, as in splendidly or poorly .

Here are some examples of adverbs in use:

• She was running extremely fast during that race .

The adverb extremely modifies the adjective fast , expressing just how rapid the runner was.

• I can hardly see it in the distance.

The adverb hardly modifies the verb see , expressing how much is visible, which in this case is not much at all.

• It’s been surprisingly poorly cleaned.

The adverb surprisingly modifies the adverb poorly, expressing the surprise at how badly the car has been cleaned.

They are used to show relationships between words, such as nouns or pronouns, with other words in the sentence. They can indicate spatial or time relationships. Some common prepositions are about, at, before, behind, but, in, off, on, to, and with.

Here are some examples of common prepositions in sentences:

• She sat behind me in class.
• Her mother was from Vietnam.
• The two of us worked together on the project.

Prepositions are followed by objects of prepositions, a noun, or a noun phrase that follows to give it meaning.

• Julie goes to school with Mark . (With whom? Mark.)

Groups of words can also act as prepositions together, such as in spite of .

• In spite of all the traffic, we arrived just on time.

Conjunctions link words or groups of words together. We often use them to create complex sentences. There are three types of conjunctions: coordinating conjunctions , correlative conjunctions , and subordinating conjunctions.  

Coordinating Conjunctions

Examples of coordinating conjunctions are and, but, or, nor, for, so, and yet. Such as:

• He wanted apple pie and ice cream.
• She offered him fruit or cookies.
• He ate the fruit but still wanted apple pie.

Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions are used in pairs. Some examples are;

• and neither/ nor.

Here is an example of the conjunctions above in use:

• He wanted neither fruit nor cookies for dessert.

Subordinating Conjunctions

We use subordinating conjunctions to begin subordinate clauses or sentences.

Some examples of common subordinating conjunctions are after, before, then, when, provided, unless, so that, and while. Such as,

• He left the house before it turned dark.
• He realized he had forgotten a gift when he arrived at the party.
• The party was better than he had imagined.

There are three articles in the English language: a, an, and the. Articles can indicate whether a specific identity is known or not.

A and an are called indefinite articles and refer to a general group. Such as,

• A woman is at the front door.
• She stood there for a minute.
• She had a book in her hand.

The is a definite article and refers to a specific thing or person. Such as,

• The woman at the door is my friend Tracy.
• She’s returning the book she borrowed last week.

Getting these right to know if we’re talking about a specific item, person, or thing, in general, is important.

How many parts of speech are there in the English language? Are there 8, 9, or 10?

Many words can also be used as more than one part of speech..

Once you get the hang of it, identifying the various parts of speech in a sentence will be second nature, like riding a bike. And just think, it can help you craft stronger sentences!

More Parts of Speech Topics:

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Parts of Speech

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• Noun (apple, table, book, beauty, sky, life)
• Verb (be, want, go, do, imagine)

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The 8 Parts Of Speech In English

There are eight major  parts of speech .

• Nouns  name persons, places, things, ideas, or qualities, e.g., Franklin, boy, Yangtze River, shoreline, Bible, desk, fear, happiness.
• Pronouns  usually substitute for nouns and function as nouns, e.g., I, you, he, she, it, we, they, myself, this, that, who, which, everyone.
• Verbs  express actions, occurrences, or states of being, e.g., be, become, bunt, inflate, run.
• Adjectives  describe or modify nouns or pronouns, e.g., gentle, helpful, small.
• Adverbs  describe or modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, e.g., almost, gently, helpfully, someday.
• Prepositions  relate nouns or pronouns to other words in a sentence, e.g., about, at, down, for, of, with.
• Conjunctions  link words, clauses, and phrases. There are coordinating conjunctions that link words, clauses, or phrases of equal importance, and there are subordinating conjunctions that introduce subordinate clauses and link them to main clauses.
• Interjections  express feeling or command attention, either alone or in a sentence, e.g., darn, hey, oh, wow.

Some words ( adjectives ,  adverbs ,  interjections ,  nouns ,  verbs ) are productive classes allowing new members; others, with functional rather than lexical meaning ( articles ,  conjunctions ,  prepositions ) are nonproductive and have a limited number of members.

Some grammarians consider  articles ,  quantifiers , and  numerals  to also be parts of speech.

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Introduction to grammar

Parts of Speech

The  parts of speech  explain how a word is used in a sentence.

There are eight main parts of speech (also known as word classes):  nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions  and  interjections .

Most  parts of speech  can be divided into sub-classes. Prepositions can be divided into prepositions of time, prepositions of place etc. Nouns can be divided into proper nouns, common nouns, concrete nouns etc.

It is important to know that a word can sometimes be in more than one part of speech. For example with the word  increase .

Increase  can be a verb e.g. Prices  increased and  increase  can also be a noun e.g. There was an  increase  in the number of followers.

A list of parts of speech in English grammar include the following:

A verb is used to show an action or a state of being

go, write, exist, be

A noun is a word used to refer to people, animals, objects, substances, states, events, ideas and feelings. A noun functions as a subject or object of a verb and can be modified by an adjective.

John, lion, table, freedom, love ...

3. Adjective

Adjectives are used to describe or specify a noun or pronoun

good, beautiful, nice, my  ...

An adverb is used to modify a verb, adjective and other adverbs.

completely, never, there  ...

A pronoun is used in the place of a noun or phrase.

I, you, he, she, it  ...

6. Preposition

Prepositions are used before nouns to form a phrase that shows where, when, how and why

in, above, to, for, at ...

7. Conjunction

Conjunctions join clauses or sentences or words

and, but, when ...

8. Interjection

Interjections are used to show surprise or emotion.

oh!, Good Lord

Examples of parts of speech

Here are some examples of parts of speech: My ( adjective ) friend ( noun ) speaks ( verb ) English ( noun ) fluently ( adverb ). Oh! ( interjection ) I (  pronoun ) went ( verb ) to ( preposition ) school ( noun ) and ( conjunction ) I (  pronoun ) met ( verb ) Fred ( noun ).

Course Curriculum

• Basic English Grammar Components 20 mins
• Auxiliary Verbs 30 mins
• Articles 20 mins
• Parts of Speech 20 mins

Parts of Speech: Essential Components of Language

Understanding the parts of speech is essential for anyone looking to improve their grasp on the English language. There are traditionally eight parts of speech, each serving a distinct function within a sentence. By familiarizing oneself with the functions and rules governing each part of speech, one can develop better communication skills, whether it’s through written or spoken language.

Overview of Parts of Speech

Nouns are words that denote a person, place, or thing. In a sentence, nouns answer the questions who and what. For example, in the sentence “The dog ran after the ball,” there are two nouns: “dog” and “ball.” Nouns can be further classified into common nouns, proper nouns, and collective nouns.

• Common nouns: general names for people, places, or things (e.g., dog, city)
• Proper nouns : specific names of a particular person, place, or thing (e.g., John, London)
• Collective nouns: names for groups of things (e.g., flock, team)

2. Pronouns

Pronouns are words that replace nouns in a sentence. They help avoid repetition and make sentences less monotonous. For example, in the sentence “She gave her book to him,” the pronouns “she,” “her,” and “him” replace the respective nouns. Pronouns can be classified as:

• Personal pronouns : I, you, he, she
• Demonstrative pronouns : this, that, these, those
• Possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers
• Reflexive pronouns: myself, yourself, himself, herself

3. Adjectives

Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns or pronouns. They provide additional information about the noun/pronoun, such as size, color, or emotion. For example, in the sentence “The red ball is big,” “red” and “big” are adjectives.

Verbs are words that express an action, occurrence, or state of being. They usually indicate what the subject (noun or pronoun) of the sentence is doing. For example, in the sentence “The dog barks,” “barks” is the verb. Verbs can be classified as:

• Action verbs: run, jump, eat, think
• Linking verbs : be, seem, become, appear
• Helping/auxiliary verbs : have, do, will, should

Adverbs are words that modify or describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They provide additional information about the action or quality of an action, such as how, when, or where it took place. For example, in the sentence “The dog barks loudly,” “loudly” is an adverb.

6. Prepositions

Prepositions are words that show the relationship between a noun or a pronoun and other words in a sentence. They usually indicate direction, location, or time. Common prepositions include:

• Direction : to, from, across, through, towards
• Location : in, on, at, under, above
• Time : before, after, during, since, until

7. Conjunctions

Conjunctions are words that connect words or groups of words in sentences. They help form complex sentences and provide a flow of ideas. There are three main types of conjunctions:

• Coordinating conjunctions : and, but, or, for, so (connect words, phrases, or clauses of equal importance)
• Subordinating conjunctions : because, if, although, when (introduce dependent clauses)
• Correlative conjunctions : either…or, neither…nor, both…and (work in pairs to connect similar elements)

8. Interjections

Interjections are short, abrupt words or phrases that express strong emotion or surprise. They are usually set apart from the rest of the sentence by punctuation, such as an exclamation mark or a comma. Examples of interjections include:

• Surprise: oh, wow, ouch
• Agreement: yes, indeed, exactly
• Disagreement: no, nonsense, definitely not

9. Articles

Articles are a type of determiner that precede nouns to specify the noun’s definiteness (whether it is specific or general) and can be classified as:

• Definite article: the (refers to a specific noun)
• Indefinite articles : a, an (refers to a non-specific noun)

Sentence Examples for the 8 Parts of Speech

In this section, we will provide examples of sentences that illustrate the 8 parts of speech in English. The parts of speech include nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.

Word Classes and Categories

Parts of speech in a language can be subcategorized into word classes and categories, making it easier to study and understand grammar. Word classes can be defined as groups of words that share similar linguistic properties, while categories refer to the roles they play in sentences.

There are generally two basic types of word classes: open and closed. Open word classes are the ones that regularly acquire new words as the language evolves. These include nouns, adjectives, adverbs, and verbs. On the other hand, closed word classes comprise pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, articles/determiners, and interjections. Closed classes usually remain constant over time, with new words being infrequent additions.

Some major word class categories are:

• Nouns : These represent people, places, things, or ideas. Examples include “dog,” “city,” and “happiness.”
• Verbs : These express actions, states, or occurrences. Examples include “run,” “is,” and “become.”
• Adjectives : These describe qualities or characteristics of nouns. Examples include “tall,” “red,” and “happy.”
• Adverbs : These modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Examples include “quickly,” “very,” and “well.”

Word classes can be further divided into subcategories based on their specific functions or forms. For instance, nouns can be categorized as proper nouns (e.g., “John”) or common nouns (e.g., “man”), while verbs can be classified as transitive (e.g., “eat”) or intransitive (e.g., “sleep”).

Dictionaries play a crucial role in defining word classes by providing definitions, grammatical information, and usage examples for each word. It helps users understand which category a word belongs to and how it functions in a sentence.

English Language Grammar and Structure

Sentence structure.

In the English language, the foundation of grammar lies in the structure of sentences. A sentence consists of words arranged in a specific order, following a set of rules to convey a complete thought. The basic structure of an English sentence consists of a subject, a verb, and an object. For example:

Furthermore, sentences can be simple, compound, or complex, depending on the number of independent and dependent clauses they contain.

Parts of Speech Relationships

English grammar can be broken down into eight primary parts of speech, each with a unique function in the structure of sentences. These parts of speech are as follows:

• Nouns : They represent people, animals, things, or ideas. Examples: dog, city, love, time.
• Pronouns : These words replace nouns to avoid repetition, such as he, she, they, it, and their.
• Verbs : They describe actions, states, or occurrences, like eat, think, and know.
• Adjectives : Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns, providing more details or descriptions, for instance, red, happy, or large.
• Adverbs : They modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, giving more information about the manner, place, time, or degree. Examples: quickly, very, well.
• Prepositions : These words show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence, including location or time. Examples: in, on, at, between.
• Conjunctions : They connect words, phrases, or clauses, providing coherence and fluency to sentences. Examples: and, but, because, although.
• Interjections : They express emotions or reactions, often followed by an exclamation point. Examples: oh, wow, ouch, great.

Frequently Asked Questions on Parts of Speech

What are the parts of speech.

The parts of speech are different categories of words based on their usage and role in a sentence. In the English language, there are eight traditional parts of speech: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.

Can you provide examples of each part of speech?

Certainly! Here are examples for each part of speech:

• Nouns : cat, book, happiness, city
• Pronouns : he, she, they, whose
• Verbs : run, think, be, have
• Adjectives : happy, large, warm, yellow
• Adverbs : quickly, very, almost, gently
• Prepositions : in, on, of, with
• Conjunctions : and, but, or, yet
• Interjections : ouch, hooray, wow, oh

So interesting page

I love this , let me know can we connect

Parts of Speech

What are the parts of speech, a formal definition.

Table of Contents

The Part of Speech Is Determined by the Word's Function

Are there 8 or 9 parts of speech, the nine parts of speech, (1) adjective, (3) conjunction, (4) determiner, (5) interjection, (7) preposition, (8) pronoun, why the parts of speech are important, video lesson.

• You need to dig a well . (noun)
• You look well . (adjective)
• You dance well . (adverb)
• Well , I agree. (interjection)
• My eyes will well up. (verb)
• red, happy, enormous
• Ask the boy in the red jumper.
• I live in a happy place.
• I caught a fish this morning! I mean an enormous one.
• happily, loosely, often
• They skipped happily to the counter.
• Tie the knot loosely so they can escape.
• I often walk to work.
• It is an intriguingly magic setting.
• He plays the piano extremely well.
• and, or, but
• it is a large and important city.
• Shall we run to the hills or hide in the bushes?
• I know you are lying, but I cannot prove it.
• my, those, two, many
• My dog is fine with those cats.
• There are two dogs but many cats.
• ouch, oops, eek
• Ouch , that hurt.
• Oops , it's broken.
• Eek! A mouse just ran past my foot!
• leader, town, apple
• Take me to your leader .
• I will see you in town later.
• An apple fell on his head .
• in, near, on, with
• Sarah is hiding in the box.
• I live near the train station.
• Put your hands on your head.
• She yelled with enthusiasm.
• she, we, they, that
• Joanne is smart. She is also funny.
• Our team has studied the evidence. We know the truth.
• Jack and Jill went up the hill, but they never returned.
• That is clever!
• work, be, write, exist
• Tony works down the pit now. He was unemployed.
• I will write a song for you.
• I think aliens exist .

Are you a visual learner? Do you prefer video to text? Here is a list of all our grammar videos .

Video for Each Part of Speech

The Most Important Writing Issues

The top issue related to adjectives.

The Top Issue Related to Adverbs

• Extremely annoyed, she stared menacingly at her rival.
• Infuriated, she glared at her rival.

The Top Issue Related to Conjunctions

• Burger, Fries, and a shake
• Fish, chips and peas

The Top Issue Related to Determiners

The Top Issue Related to Interjections

The top issue related to nouns, the top issue related to prepositions, the top issue related to pronouns, the top issue related to verbs.

• Crack the parts of speech to help with learning a foreign language or to take your writing to the next level.

This page was written by Craig Shrives .

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Learn 8 Parts of Speech in English Grammar!

The  parts of speech explain how a word is used in a sentence. There are 8 parts of speech (also known as word classes): nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions  and interjections.

Table of Contents

8 Parts of Speech in English

• A  noun  names a person, place, things or idea.
• Examples:  dog , cat, horse, student, teacher, apple, Mary and etc.
• An  adverb  tells how often, how, when, where. It can describe a verb, an adjective or an adverb.
• Examples:   loudly, always, never, late, soon etc.
• A  verb  is a word or group of words that describes an action, experience.
• Examples:  realize, walk, see, look, sing, sit, listen and etc.
• An  adjective  describes a noun or pronoun.
• Examples :  red, tall, fat, long, short, blue, beautiful, sour, bitter and etc.

PREPOSITION

• A  preposition  is used before a noun, pronoun, or gerund to show place, time, direction in a sentence.
• Examples:  at, in, on, about, to, for, from and etc.

CONJUNCTION

• Conjunctions  join words or groups of words in a sentence.
• Examples:    and, because, yet, therefore, moreover, since, or, so, until, but and etc…
• Pronouns  replace the name of a person, place, thing or idea in a sentence.
• Examples:  he, she, it, we, they, him, her, this, that and etc.

INTERJECTION

• Interjections  express strong emotion and are often followed by an exclamation point.
• Examples :  Bravo! Well! Aha! Hooray! Yeah! Oops! Phew!

8 Parts of Speech in English | Image

Please explain how to use the parts of speeches in sentence formation..

Good matiral could you please send it to my by my email

Hi, why is the ARTICLE not part of the speech? Like in french? “The, a, an,…” to which category do they belong?

Nice one, simplified as much as possible , reading through all, was like eating a pizza or taking a walk in park

Hello it’s boring ????????????????☺️☺️????????☺️

Hhhhhqwl☺️☺️????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????️❤️????️????????????️????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????️????????????????????????????????

• English Grammar
• Parts of Speech

Parts of Speech - Definition, 8 Types and Examples

In the English language , every word is called a part of speech. The role a word plays in a sentence denotes what part of speech it belongs to. Explore the definition of parts of speech, the different parts of speech and examples in this article.

Table of Contents

Parts of speech definition, different parts of speech with examples.

• Sentences Examples for the 8 Parts of Speech

A Small Exercise to Check Your Understanding of Parts of Speech

Frequently asked questions on parts of speech, what is a part of speech.

Parts of speech are among the first grammar topics we learn when we are in school or when we start our English language learning process. Parts of speech can be defined as words that perform different roles in a sentence. Some parts of speech can perform the functions of other parts of speech too.

• The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines parts of speech as “one of the classes into which words are divided according to their grammar, such as noun, verb, adjective, etc.”
• The Cambridge Dictionary also gives a similar definition – “One of the grammatical groups into which words are divided, such as noun, verb, and adjective”.

Parts of speech include nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions and interjections.

8 Parts of Speech Definitions and Examples:

1. Nouns are words that are used to name people, places, animals, ideas and things. Nouns can be classified into two main categories: Common nouns and Proper nouns . Common nouns are generic like ball, car, stick, etc., and proper nouns are more specific like Charles, The White House, The Sun, etc.

Examples of nouns used in sentences:

• She bought a pair of shoes . (thing)
• I have a pet. (animal)
• Is this your book ? (object)
• Many people have a fear of darkness . (ideas/abstract nouns)
• He is my brother . (person)
• This is my school . (place)

Also, explore Singular Nouns and Plural Nouns .

2. Pronouns are words that are used to substitute a noun in a sentence. There are different types of pronouns. Some of them are reflexive pronouns, possessive pronouns , relative pronouns and indefinite pronouns . I, he, she, it, them, his, yours, anyone, nobody, who, etc., are some of the pronouns.

Examples of pronouns used in sentences:

• I reached home at six in the evening. (1st person singular pronoun)
• Did someone see a red bag on the counter? (Indefinite pronoun)
• Is this the boy who won the first prize? (Relative pronoun)
• That is my mom. (Possessive pronoun)
• I hurt myself yesterday when we were playing cricket. (Reflexive pronoun)

3. Verbs are words that denote an action that is being performed by the noun or the subject in a sentence. They are also called action words. Some examples of verbs are read, sit, run, pick, garnish, come, pitch, etc.

Examples of verbs used in sentences:

• She plays cricket every day.
• Darshana and Arul are going to the movies.
• My friends visited me last week.
• Did you have your breakfast?
• My name is Meenakshi Kishore.

4. Adverbs are words that are used to provide more information about verbs, adjectives and other adverbs used in a sentence. There are five main types of adverbs namely, adverbs of manner , adverbs of degree , adverbs of frequency , adverbs of time and adverbs of place . Some examples of adverbs are today, quickly, randomly, early, 10 a.m. etc.

Examples of adverbs used in sentences:

• Did you come here to buy an umbrella? (Adverb of place)
• I did not go to school yesterday as I was sick. (Adverb of time)
• Savio reads the newspaper everyday . (Adverb of frequency)
• Can you please come quickly ? (Adverb of manner)
• Tony was so sleepy that he could hardly keep his eyes open during the meeting. (Adverb of degree)

5. Adjectives are words that are used to describe or provide more information about the noun or the subject in a sentence. Some examples of adjectives include good, ugly, quick, beautiful, late, etc.

Examples of adjectives used in sentences:

• The place we visited yesterday was serene .
• Did you see how big that dog was?
• The weather is pleasant today.
• The red dress you wore on your birthday was lovely.
• My brother had only one chapati for breakfast.

6. Prepositions are words that are used to link one part of the sentence to another. Prepositions show the position of the object or subject in a sentence. Some examples of prepositions are in, out, besides, in front of, below, opposite, etc.

Examples of prepositions used in sentences:

• The teacher asked the students to draw lines on the paper so that they could write in straight lines.
• The child hid his birthday presents under his bed.
• Mom asked me to go to the store near my school.
• The thieves jumped over the wall and escaped before we could reach home.

7. Conjunctions are a part of speech that is used to connect two different parts of a sentence, phrases and clauses . Some examples of conjunctions are and, or, for, yet, although, because, not only, etc.

Examples of conjunctions used in sentences:

• Meera and Jasmine had come to my birthday party.
• Jane did not go to work as she was sick.
• Unless you work hard, you cannot score good marks.
• I have not finished my project,  yet I went out with my friends.

8. Interjections are words that are used to convey strong emotions or feelings. Some examples of interjections are oh, wow, alas, yippee, etc. It is always followed by an exclamation mark.

Examples of interjections used in sentences:

• Wow ! What a wonderful work of art.
• Alas ! That is really sad.
• Yippee ! We won the match.

Sentence Examples for the 8 Parts of Speech

• Noun – Tom lives in New York .
• Pronoun – Did she find the book she was looking for?
• Verb – I reached home.
• Adverb – The tea is too hot.
• Adjective – The movie was amazing .
• Preposition – The candle was kept under the table.
• Conjunction – I was at home all day, but I am feeling very tired.
• Interjection – Oh ! I forgot to turn off the stove.

Let us find out if you have understood the different parts of speech and their functions. Try identifying which part of speech the highlighted words belong to.

• My brother came home  late .
• I am a good girl.
• This is the book I  was looking for.
• Whoa ! This is amazing .
• The climate  in  Kodaikanal is very pleasant.
• Can you please pick up Dan and me on  your way home?

Now, let us see if you got it right. Check your answers.

• My – Pronoun, Home – Noun, Late – Adverb
• Am – Verb, Good – Adjective
• I – Pronoun, Was looking – Verb
• Whoa – Interjection, Amazing – Adjective
• Climate – Noun, In – Preposition, Kodaikanal – Noun, Very – Adverb
• And – Conjunction, On – Preposition, Your – Pronoun

What are parts of speech?

The term ‘parts of speech’ refers to words that perform different functions in a sentence  in order to give the sentence a proper meaning and structure.

How many parts of speech are there?

There are 8 parts of speech in total.

What are the 8 parts of speech?

Nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions and interjections are the 8 parts of speech.

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The Eight Parts of Speech

• Prepositions
• Conjunctions
• Interjections
• Basic Sentence Structure
• Sentence Fragments
• Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices
• Sentence Type and Purpose
• Independent and Dependent Clauses: Coordination and Subordination
• Subject Verb Agreement
• Consistent Verb Tense
• Other Phrases: Verbal, Appositive, Absolute
• Pronoun Reference
• Relative Pronouns: Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clauses
• Avoiding Modifier Problems
• Transitions
• Would, Should, Could
• Achieving Parallelism
• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Two-Word Verbs

TIP Sheet THE EIGHT PARTS OF SPEECH

There are eight parts of speech in the English language: noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection. The part of speech indicates how the word functions in meaning as well as grammatically within the sentence. An individual word can function as more than one part of speech when used in different circumstances. Understanding parts of speech is essential for determining the correct definition of a word when using the dictionary.

1. NOUN

• A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea.

man... Butte College... house... happiness

A noun is a word for a person, place, thing, or idea. Nouns are often used with an article ( the , a , an ), but not always. Proper nouns always start with a capital letter; common nouns do not. Nouns can be singular or plural, concrete or abstract. Nouns show possession by adding 's . Nouns can function in different roles within a sentence; for example, a noun can be a subject, direct object, indirect object, subject complement, or object of a preposition.

The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher , and then she quickly disappeared. Oh my!

See the TIP Sheet on "Nouns" for further information.

2. PRONOUN

• A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun.

She... we... they... it

A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun. A pronoun is usually substituted for a specific noun, which is called its antecedent. In the sentence above, the antecedent for the pronoun she is the girl. Pronouns are further defined by type: personal pronouns refer to specific persons or things; possessive pronouns indicate ownership; reflexive pronouns are used to emphasize another noun or pronoun; relative pronouns introduce a subordinate clause; and demonstrative pronouns identify, point to, or refer to nouns.

The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher, and then she quickly disappeared. Oh my!

See the TIP Sheet on "Pronouns" for further information.

3. VERB

• A verb expresses action or being.

jump... is... write... become

The verb in a sentence expresses action or being. There is a main verb and sometimes one or more helping verbs. (" She can sing." Sing is the main verb; can is the helping verb.) A verb must agree with its subject in number (both are singular or both are plural). Verbs also take different forms to express tense.

The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher, and then she quickly disappeared . Oh my!

See the TIP Sheet on "Verbs" for more information.

4. ADJECTIVE

• An adjective modifies or describes a noun or pronoun.

pretty... old... blue... smart

An adjective is a word used to modify or describe a noun or a pronoun. It usually answers the question of which one, what kind, or how many. (Articles [a, an, the] are usually classified as adjectives.)

See the TIP Sheet on "Adjectives" for more information.

5. ADVERB

• An adverb modifies or describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

gently... extremely... carefully... well

An adverb describes or modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb, but never a noun. It usually answers the questions of when, where, how, why, under what conditions, or to what degree. Adverbs often end in -ly.

See the TIP Sheet on "Adverbs" for more information.

6. PREPOSITION

• A preposition is a word placed before a noun or pronoun to form a phrase modifying another word in the sentence.

by... with.... about... until

(by the tree, with our friends, about the book, until tomorrow)

A preposition is a word placed before a noun or pronoun to form a phrase modifying another word in the sentence. Therefore a preposition is always part of a prepositional phrase. The prepositional phrase almost always functions as an adjective or as an adverb. The following list includes the most common prepositions:

See the TIP Sheet on "Prepositions" for more information.

7. CONJUNCTION

• A conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses.

and... but... or... while... because

A conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses, and indicates the relationship between the elements joined. Coordinating conjunctions connect grammatically equal elements: and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet. Subordinating conjunctions connect clauses that are not equal: because, although, while, since, etc. There are other types of conjunctions as well.

The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher, and then she quickly disappeared. Oh my!

See the TIP Sheet on "Conjunctions" for more information.

8. INTERJECTION

• An interjection is a word used to express emotion.

Oh!... Wow!... Oops!

An interjection is a word used to express emotion. It is often followed by an exclamation point.

The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher, and then she quickly disappeared. Oh my !

See the TIP Sheet on "Interjections" for more information.

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Parts of Speech: 8 Key Elements Explained and Their Usage Guide

• Parts of speech are crucial to sentence structure and clarity in English grammar.
• Each of the eight parts of speech serves a specific function within a sentence.
• Mastery of parts of speech helps prevent common grammatical errors.

To develop a strong command of English, one must become adept at identifying and employing the eight parts of speech. Having a clear grasp of their functions can prevent common grammatical errors that often confuse readers and distort the message. A sentence’s clarity hinges on the correct placement and use of these essential components. With practice and knowledge, the mechanics of English become less daunting, enabling more effective and expressive communication.

Table of Contents

Parts of Speech: 8 Parts of Speech, What Are They, How to Use Them

In English, the eight parts of speech are fundamental building blocks of language. Each part of speech serves a unique function within a sentence, contributing to the meaning and structure of communication.

Nouns name people, places, things, or ideas. They can be subject or object in a sentence:

• Subject : The dog barks.
• Object : She petted the dog .

Pronouns replace nouns and help avoid repetition:

• She loves her dog.

Verbs express action or state of being:

• Action: The dog runs .
• State: The dog is happy.

Adjectives describe or modify nouns, giving more information:

• The playful dog.

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, often ending in ‘-ly’:

• She petted the dog gently .

Prepositions show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other parts of the sentence:

• The dog jumped over the log.

Conjunctions connect words, phrases, or clauses:

• The dog ran and jumped.

Interjections express strong emotions or reactions, often standing alone:

• Wow ! That’s a fast dog.

The following tables show examples and their usage:

Using the Parts of Speech:

Understanding the 8 Parts of Speech

Parts of speech are the categories that words are divided into based on their function. These classifications are essential for understanding how words can be combined to form meaningful sentences.

Nouns are the building blocks of sentences, representing people, places, ideas, or objects. They can be categorized into several types:

• Common nouns : Refers to general items, e.g., ‘city,’ ‘dog.’
• Proper nouns : Specific names of people or places, e.g., ‘London,’ ‘Elizabeth.’
• Abstract nouns : Qualities or ideas, e.g., ‘bravery.’
• Concrete nouns : Perceptible things, e.g., ‘book.’
• Countable nouns : Items you can count, e.g., ‘apples.’
• Uncountable nouns : Substances or concepts you cannot count, e.g., ‘sugar.’
• Collective nouns : Groups of things or people, e.g., ‘flock.’
• Singular noun : Represents one item, e.g., ‘car.’
• Plural noun : Represents more than one item, e.g., ‘cars.’

Pronouns replace nouns in sentences, helping avoid repetition:

• Personal pronouns : ‘I,’ ‘you,’ ‘he,’ ‘she.’
• Demonstrative pronouns : ‘this,’ ‘that,’ ‘these,’ ‘those.’
• Interrogative pronouns : ‘who,’ ‘what,’ ‘where.’
• Indefinite pronouns : ‘anyone,’ ‘everyone.’
• Relative pronouns : Connect clauses, e.g., ‘who,’ ‘which.’
• Reflexive pronouns : Reflect back to the subject, e.g., ‘myself.’
• Possessive pronouns : Show ownership, e.g., ‘yours,’ ‘ours.’

Verbs showcase action or a state of being in a sentence:

• Regular verbs : Form their past tense by adding -ed, e.g., ‘talked.’
• Irregular verbs : Have a unique past tense, e.g., ‘sang.’
• Auxiliary verbs : Help the main verb, e.g., ‘have,’ ‘be.’
• Transitive verbs : Require an object, e.g., ‘need’ (something).
• Intransitive verbs : Do not require an object, e.g., ‘sleep.’
• Linking verbs : Connect the subject to more information, e.g., ‘appear.’
• Modal verbs : Express necessity or possibility, e.g., ‘must,’ ‘can.’
• Phrasal verbs : Consist of a verb plus a particle, e.g., ‘give up.’

Adjectives modify nouns and pronouns, providing additional information:

• Articles : The definite article ‘the,’ and indefinite articles ‘a,’ ‘an.’
• Comparative adjectives : Compare two things, e.g., ‘taller.’
• Superlative adjectives : Compare more than two things, e.g., ‘tallest.’
• Coordinate adjectives : Equally modify a noun, e.g., ‘a cold, rainy night.’
• Participial adjectives : Derived from verbs, e.g., ‘boring.’
• Denominal adjectives : Formed from nouns, e.g., ‘golden.’

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs:

• Adverbs of manner : Describe how something is done, e.g., ‘quickly.’
• Adverbs of time : Indicate when something happens, e.g., ‘yesterday.’
• Adverbs of place : Indicate where, e.g., ‘here.’
• Adverbs of degree : Indicate the level of intensity, e.g., ‘very.’
• Adverbs of frequency : Indicate how often, e.g., ‘often.’

Prepositions

Prepositions are used to show relationships between nouns or pronouns and other words in a sentence:

• Preposition examples : ‘at,’ ‘on,’ ‘in.’

Conjunctions

Conjunctions connect words or groups of words:

• Coordinating conjunctions : Connect elements of the same grammatical type, e.g., ‘and,’ ‘but.’
• Correlative conjunctions : Work in pairs, e.g., ‘neither/nor.’
• Subordinating conjunctions : Connect clauses, e.g., ‘although,’ ‘because.’

Interjections

Interjections express emotion and are often found at the beginning of a sentence:

• Exclamatory words : ‘Wow!,’ ‘Ouch!,’ ‘Hooray!’

Parts of Speech Tables

Common Mistakes with Parts of Speech

Each part of speech plays a pivotal role in sentence structure and the conveyance of meaning. Recognizing and understanding their functions help both the writer and the reader communicate more precisely.

Using Parts of Speech Effectively

To use parts of speech effectively, one must grasp their specific functions within sentences. Here’s a brief overview:

• Nouns : Name people, places, things, or ideas (e.g., cat, happiness).
• Pronouns : Stand in for nouns (e.g., she, they).
• Verbs : Express actions or states of being (e.g., run, is).
• Adjectives : Describe nouns (e.g., sunny, blue).
• Adverbs : Modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs (e.g., quickly, very).
• Prepositions : Show relationships between nouns or pronouns and other words in a sentence (e.g., under, beside).
• Conjunctions : Connect words, phrases, or clauses (e.g., and, because).
• Interjections : Express strong emotions (e.g., wow, ouch).

Determiners, quantifiers, numbers , and articles are often considered part of the noun phrase and are essential in specifying which noun you’re referring to.

Common Errors and How to Avoid Them

1. Articles and Nouns :

• Incorrect : I have cat.
• Correct : I have a cat (when referring to any single cat).

2. Agreement between Subject and Verb :

• Incorrect : She run every day.
• Correct : She runs every day.

3. Overuse or Incorrect Use of Adverbs :

• Incorrect : She sings very beautifully.
• Correct : She sings beautifully (the adverb ‘very’ is often unnecessary).

4. Confusing Adjectives and Adverbs :

• Incorrect : He runs quick.
• Correct : He runs quickly (use an adverb to modify a verb).

5. Misuse of Pronouns :

• Incorrect : Each student must submit their homework.
• Correct : Each student must submit his or her homework (use ‘his or her’ for singular nouns).

6. Plural Forms and Possessives :

• Incorrect : Childrens’ books.
• Correct : Children’s books (the possessive apostrophe placement).

A table to help identify errors and corrections for subject-verb agreement and singular/plural confusion:

A table to help distinguish between possessive determiners and contractions:

My name is Khamis Maiouf. I am the creator of the English Teacher Site, dedicated to providing valuable resources and insights for students around the world. With a passion for education and a commitment to helping students enhance their skills, I aim to make English teaching more effective and enjoyable for both educators and students.

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Basic English Grammar

Helping People Understand the Eight Parts of Speech!

8 Parts of Speech Definitions With Examples

The 8 parts of speech definitions with examples include nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions and interjections.

By using proper grammar in your writing and speaking, you will communicate clearly and effectively with your subject or audience! Moreover, by learning and understanding the 8 parts of speech, you will be able to master proper grammar in your writing and speaking. Below are the 8 parts of speech definitions with examples!

TOC – 8 Parts of Speech Definitions With Examples

• Prepositions
• Conjunctions
• Interjections

Definition of Parts of Speech: A part of speech is a category to which a word is assigned in accordance with its syntactic functions.

To put it very simply, a part of speech identifies a word in accordance with its function in a sentence such as: a noun, a verb, an adjective, a pronoun, an adverb, a preposition, a conjunction and an interjection.

Some Examples of Parts of Speech:

• The driver died in the car accident. (Noun)
• The prisoner escaped from the moving van. (Verb)
• The violent criminal changed his ways in prison. (Adjective)
• The students were late so they ran to class. (Pronoun)
• The bus will leave soon. (Adverb)
• He left his computer in the house. (Preposition)
• David and Jonathan fished all day with no success. (Conjunction)
• Wow! What a magnificent photograph! (Interjection)

Definition of Nouns: Nouns are naming words and they name persons, places, things, animals, qualities, feelings, actions or ideas.

Examples of Nouns:

• Jonathan and Rachel are excellent workers (Naming a Person).
• Australia and New Zealand are island continents in the South Pacific (Naming a Place).
• The boat sank in the river (Naming a Thing).
• The dog jumped the fence (Naming an Animal).
• Courage and bravery are two heroic qualities (Naming a Quality).
• Candice experienced both happiness and sadness at her mother’s funeral (Naming a Feeling).
• He demanded justice for all (Naming an Idea).

Examples of Types of Nouns:

• Jennifer is my best friend (Proper Noun).
• I read several books a week (Common Noun).
• Emma parked her vehicle in the driveway (Concrete Noun).
• His joy overwhelmed the crowd (Abstract Noun).
• I gave my brother a pack of cards for his birthday (Collective Noun).
• My mother-in-law drives a new car (Compound Noun).
• The photographer took a variety of photographs at the school picnic (Countable Noun).
• The jogger brought his water with him (Non-Countable Noun).
• Jonathan’s pickup is being repaired (Possessive Noun).
• His return was a complete surprise (Verbal Noun).

You can learn more about the types of nouns in English grammar by checking out 10 Types of Nouns With Examples. You will find each type of noun explained with several examples so that your skill levels to recognize nouns will increase.

Examples of Functions of Nouns:

• David arrived late to the party (Noun Functions as Subject).
• Rebekah washed the dishes before she went to school (Noun Functions as Direct Object).
• Jonathan taught the students public speaking in class (Noun Functions as Indirect Object).
• Scott is the minister of the local church (Noun Functions as Predicate Nominative).
• The traffic stopped at the lights (Noun Functions as Object of Preposition).
• My assistant, Brad, shared the message on Sunday (Noun Functions as an Appositive).
• Rebekah named her dog Bailey (Noun Functions as Objective Complement).
• Class, it is time for fire drill (Noun Functions as Noun of Direct Address).

You can learn more about the functions of Nouns in English grammar by clicking on The 8 Noun Functions With Examples. You will find each function explained with examples to help you develop your skills in recognizing the different ways nouns function.

Definition of Verbs: Verbs show action or state-of-being.

Examples of Verb Types:

• The dog jumped the fence (Action Verb).
• Rachel is beautiful (State-of-Being Verb).
• Brad hits the ball over the fence (Action Verb).
• The song sounds awful (State-of-Being).
• Emma walked the dog in the park (Action Verb).

Examples of Verb Functions:

• Candice writes a letter to her friend (Transitive Verb).
• Candice writes beautifully (Intransitive Verb).
• David walked the dog in the park (Transitive Verb).
• David walked in the park in the rain (Intransitive Verb).
• Emma became an apprentice hairdresser (Intransitive Verb).

Examples of Verb Voices:

• John rode the bike to school (Active Voice).
• The bike was ridden by John (Passive Voice).
• Jennifer led the worship service (Active Voice).
• The worship service was led by Jennifer (Passive Voice).
• The criminal was punished by the courts (Passive Voice).

You can learn more about how to identify types, functions and voices of verbs by clicking on How To Identify Verbs With Examples. This will help you develop your writing and speaking gifts.

3. Adjectives

Definition of Adjectives: Adjectives are words that describe or modify other words in a sentence thus making your writing and speaking more specific and interesting.

Examples of Several Types Adjectives:

• English grammar will help you develop your writing and speaking skills (Proper Adjective).
• Rachel had beautiful hair (Descriptive Adjective).
• My son bought an expensive car (Qualitative Adjective).
• The black cat ran in front of the car (Attributive Adjective).
• The cat is black (Predicative Adjective).
• My husband has a single focus for life (Quantitative Adjective).
• I can get twenty-four hours of service in our location (Numeral Adjective).
• I want those people charged for robbery (Demonstrative Adjective).
• David wants every person evacuated safely (Distributive Adjective).
• What time will you arrived home from the game (Interrogative Adjective)?
• The students will submit their assignments on time (Possessive Adjective).
• It is a long, narrow, winding road to the mountain top (Sequence Adjectives).
• Emma is a happy and lively person (Coordinate Adjectives).
• That was one nasty old man who drove the school bus this morning (Cumulative Adjectives).
• The murderer is a cold-blooded person (Compound Adjective).
• The builder bought a house in the country (Article Adjectives).
• Jonathan wants a few minutes of your time (Indefinite Adjective).
• The first person in the line collapsed onto the floor (Ordinal Adjective).
• The two men were jailed for life (Cardinal Adjective).

Learning to recognize the different types of adjectives will help you develop your speaking and writing skills so that you can be more specific, interesting and colorful in the way you express yourself.

4. Pronouns

Definition of Pronouns: Pronouns are words that replace nouns in sentence in order to avoid repeating the same noun over and over again.

Examples of Several Types of Pronouns :

• Dad, will you help me with my assignment (Personal Pronoun)?
• These books are mine (Possessive Pronoun).
• Give me that (Demonstrative Pronoun)!
• Some made thousands from the market collapse (Indefinite Pronoun).
• The player who was warmed about his behavior lost his spot on the team (Relative Pronoun).
• Candice saw herself in the mirror (Reflective Pronoun).
• David repairs the car himself (Emphatic Pronoun).

You can learn more about the different types of pronouns in English grammar with examples by clicking on Types of Pronouns With Examples. You will find a brief explanation of each type of pronoun with some examples. This will help you understand how pronouns work in English sentences.

Definition of Adverbs: Adverbs are words or a group of words that modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs. They usually tell when, where, how or to what extent an action is performed or it may indicate the quality or degree of the action.

Examples of Different Types of Adverbs:

• She worked slowly and carefully on the building site (Adverb of Manner).
• David will be home soon (Adverb of Time).
• Candice put her book there (Adverb of Place).
• We are extremely hungry (Adverb of Degree).
• She never cleans her room (Adverb of Frequency).
• He gave little to charity (Adverb of Quantity).
• He fell forward on the parade ground (Adverb of Direction).
• Hopefully, I will be able to attend class today (Adverb of Uncertainty).
• Rachel went shopping; however, she didn’t buy anything (Conjunctive Adverb).
• Yes, I will be coming to the game tomorrow (Adverb of Affirmation).

You can learn more about adverbs and how they are used in English sentences by clicking on What is an Adverb? Adverb can be confusing at times because they perform differently roles and they can be inserted at different place in English sentences. By learning to recognize the types of adverbs and how they function in sentences, you will certainly increase your ability to write and speak with interesting to your audiences.

6. Prepositions

Definition of Prepositions: Prepositions consist of words or groups of words that show the relationship between nouns or pronouns with other words in sentences.

Examples of Several Types of Prepositions:

• Emma arrived on Saturday afternoon (Preposition of Time).
• The book is on the table (Preposition of Place).
• David will ride his bike to the game on Saturday (Preposition of Movement).
• Rebekah goes to work by bus (Preposition of Manner).
• Jonathan is sawing the timber with his new saw (Preposition of Agent).
• The hardware store sells electrical cord by the meter (Preposition of Measure).
• Candace received her weekly wage from her workplace (Preposition of Source).
• This is the property of my late wife (Preposition of Possession).

You can learn more about the 8 types of prepositions with examples by clicking on 8 types of prepositions with examples. Once you identify the 8 types of preposition and how they function in sentence, you will become more creative in your writing and speaking skills.

7. Conjunctions

Definition of Conjunctions: Conjunctions are words or groups of words that show how ideas are related to each other in English sentences.

Examples of Several Types of Conjunctions:

• Rachel and Darcy traveled to the zoo during the holidays (Coordinating Conjunction).
• Unless the drought breaks soon, many farmers will find it very difficult to continue farming (Subordinating Conjunction).
• David is both discreet and considerate (Correlative Conjunctions).
• We have been good friends; however, I think at times you take me for granted (Conjunctive Adverb).
• The stray dog not only destroyed the chicken pen but also killed the chickens (Correlative Conjunctions).

You can learn more about the 4 types of conjunctions with examples by clicking on 4 Types of Conjunctions With Examples. By learning these 4 types of conjunctions with examples, you will be able to identify how words, phrases and clauses relate to each other in English sentences.

8. Interjections

Definition of Interjections: Interjections are used to express feelings and emotions in English sentences.

Examples of Interjections:

• Oh, you can’t be serious!
• Wow! That’s was excellent.
• Ah, I needed that cuppa!
• I won the lottery, wahoo!
• It stinks, hey, I will never do that again!

You can learn more about interjections by clicking on What is an Interjection?

The more you understand the 8 parts of speech in English grammar with examples, the better you will be able to write and speak to your designated audience. Enjoy!

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Home » Parts of Speech Worksheets with Answers

Parts of Speech Worksheets with Answers

Understanding the parts of speech is an essential aspect of mastering the English language. Whether you’re a student, a teacher, or someone looking to brush up on grammar, parts of speech worksheets can provide a structured and fun way to practice. This article will delve into various parts of speech worksheets that you can use to reinforce your knowledge. From identifying different parts of speech to challenging your understanding with activities, this guide will cover it all.

Table of Contents

Identifying Parts of Speech Worksheet

The ability to recognize the parts of speech in a sentence is crucial for building strong writing and communication skills. This worksheet is designed to help you identify nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections. Carefully read each sentence and identify the correct part of speech for each underlined word.

In the sentences below, identify the part of speech for each underlined word.

• The dog barked loudly at the stranger.
• She quickly ran to the store.
• The book on the table belongs to John.
• He is a brilliant student.
• The happy child played in the park.
• After the meeting, they went to lunch.
• We need to finish this assignment by tomorrow.
• Wow! That’s an amazing view.
• The sun shone brightly throughout the day.
• He and she went to the market.

Identify the parts of speech in this worksheet and improve your grammar knowledge

Fill-in-the-Blanks Worksheet for Parts of Speech

This activity encourages you to fill in the blanks with the correct part of speech. Each blank corresponds to a specific part of speech, so think carefully about what fits the sentence.

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate part of speech.

• The ___ (noun) jumped over the fence.
• She sings ___ (adverb).
• The ___ (adjective) dog ran down the street.
• He ___ (verb) to the store yesterday.
• We will go ___ (preposition) the river for a picnic.
• The ___ (noun) is on the table.
• She ___ (verb) the answer correctly.
• ___ (pronoun) is my best friend.
• I bought a ___ (adjective) dress for the party.
• She called me ___ (conjunction) it was urgent.

Fill in the blanks with the correct parts of speech in this worksheet

Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) for Identifying Parts of Speech

This multiple-choice exercise is a great way to test your understanding of parts of speech. Choose the correct answer from the options provided for each sentence.

Identify the part of speech for the underlined word in each sentence.

• She danced gracefully at the concert. (a) Noun (b) Verb (c) Adverb (d) Adjective
• The beautiful flowers bloomed in the garden. (a) Verb (b) Adjective (c) Conjunction (d) Preposition
• He and I went to the mall together. (a) Preposition (b) Pronoun (c) Conjunction (d) Noun
• They laughed loudly . (a) Verb (b) Noun (c) Adjective (d) Adverb
• After the rain stopped, we went outside. (a) Conjunction (b) Preposition (c) Interjection (d) Adverb
• The dog wagged its tail happily. (a) Pronoun (b) Noun (c) Verb (d) Adverb
• She spoke softly during the presentation. (a) Noun (b) Adverb (c) Verb (d) Pronoun
• Wow! That’s a fantastic idea! (a) Noun (b) Conjunction (c) Interjection (d) Adjective
• The cat jumped on the table. (a) Verb (b) Preposition (c) Pronoun (d) Adverb
• He studies hard for the exams. (a) Adjective (b) Noun (c) Verb (d) Pronoun

Test your knowledge of parts of speech with this multiple-choice quiz

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About the author.

AceEnglishGrammar

Asim is a TEFL, IELTS and ESL Certified Trainer from Arizona State University having experience of 7 years in teaching English worldwide to the students with diverse culture. He is a passionate English language trainer by both profession and passion. He is keenly interested to teach English worldwide through this blog.

The Eight Parts of Speech in English

When studying English grammar, the most important thing you must learn is the eight parts of speech. In the English language, the eight parts of speech serve as the ultimate foundation of grammar. You can never understand some basic rules of tenses, usage, conjugation, etc. if your knowledge about the eight parts of speech is not enough.

Generally, the part of speech shows how the word functions in meaning as well as grammatically within the sentence. For instance, a word can function as over one part of speech in various circumstances.

The eight parts of speech in English are:

A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea.

For example: child, Cebu, Japan, mall, love

A noun is a word for a person, place, thing, or idea. Some nouns are often in pain with the articles a, an, the.

There are two kinds of nouns: Proper Nouns and Common Nouns.

Proper nouns always start with CAPITAL letters. For example, Q-ty, QQEnglish, Cebu, China, Japan, etc.

Common nouns are not written in capital letters . For example, boy, chocolate, food, pen, school, etc.

Grammatically, nouns can be singular or plural, concrete or abstract.

Nouns show possession by adding ‘s.

Additionally, nouns can function in different roles within a sentence; for example, a noun can be a subject, direct object, indirect object, subject complement, or object of a preposition.

Check out the nouns in our sample sentence below:

MARY dropped by their HOUSE to give her MOM the expensive GIFT , and then she left for OFFICE immediately. Exhausting!

A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun.

For example : He, we, they, it, myself, himself

We use a pronoun in place of a noun. In English, we substitute a noun with a pronoun, which is called its antecedent. In the sentence above, the antecedent for the pronoun she is the girl. Pronouns are further defined by type: personal pronouns refer to specific persons or things; possessive pronouns show ownership; reflexive pronouns are used to emphasize another noun or pronoun; relative pronouns introduce a subordinate clause; and demonstrative pronouns identify, point to, or refer to nouns.

Check out the pronouns in our sample sentence below:

Mary dropped by THEIR house to give HER mom the expensive gift, and then SHE left for the office immediately. Exhausting!

A verb is a word that expresses action or being.

For example: eat, is, talk, sleep

The verb in a sentence expresses action or being.

Some sentence contains the main verb and one or more helping verbs. (“He can cook.” Cook is the main verb , while the “can” is the helping verb. ) A verb must agree with its subject in number (both are singular or both are plural).

Interestingly, verbs can be regular or irregular .

Moreover, verbs also take different forms to express tense. The tense can be present, past, or future

Check out the verbs in our sample sentence below:

Mary DROPPED by their house to GIVE her mom the expensive gift, and then she LEFT for the office immediately. Exhausting!

4. ADJECTIVE

The fourth in our eight parts of speech list is the adjective. An adjective is a word that modifies or describes a noun or pronoun.

For example : large, blue, old, many, high

An adjective is a word used to modify or describe a noun or a pronoun. It usually answers the question of which one, what kind, or how many. (Articles [a, an, the] are usually classified as adjectives.)

Check out the adjective  in our sample sentence below:

Mary dropped by their house to give her mom the EXPENSIVE gift, and then she left for the office immediately. Exhausting!

An adverb modifies or describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

For example: happily, often, silently, well

In English grammar, adverbs describe or modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb in the sentence. Only adjectives modify a noun but not adverbs. Moreover, adverbs usually answer the questions of when, where, how, why, under what conditions, or to what degree. Adverbs often end in -ly.

Check out the adverbs in our sample sentence below:

Mary dropped by their house to give her mom the expensive gift, and THEN she left for the office IMMEDIATELY . Exhausting!

6. PREPOSITION

Coming sixth in our eight parts of speech list is the preposition.

Prepositions are words we place before a noun or pronoun to form a phrase modifying another word in the sentence.

For example: on, at, top, beside, in

(on the table, at school, top of the world, next to the book, in the box)

Prepositions are words we place before a noun or pronoun to form a phrase modifying another word in the sentence. Thus, a preposition is always part of a prepositional phrase.

A prepositional phrase is a group of words consisting of a preposition, its object, and any words that modify the object. Most time, a prepositional phrase modifies a verb or a noun.

Check out the prepositions  in our sample sentence below:

Mary dropped BY their house TO give her mom the expensive gift, and then she left FOR the office immediately. Exhausting!

7. CONJUNCTION

This time, let’s talk about conjunctions.

What is a conjunction? Well, a conjunction is a word that joins words, phrases, or clauses.

For example: and, but, because, for, so

Conjunctions are words that connect words, phrases, or clauses, and show the relationship between the elements joined.

There are two types of conjunctions: Coordinating and Subordinating conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions connect grammatically equal elements: and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet.

Subordinating conjunctions connect clauses that are not equal: because, although, while, since, etc. There are other types of conjunctions as well.

Check out the conjunction  in our sample sentence below:

Mary dropped by their house to give her mom the expensive gift, AND then she left for the office immediately. Exhausting!

8. INTERJECTION

The eighth and last in our list of the eight parts of speech is the interjection. An interjection is a word that expresses a strong feeling or emotion.

For example : Ouchh!… oh!… Oops!…Wow!

An interjection is a word that expresses a strong feeling or emotion. It is often followed by an exclamation point.

Check out the interjection in our sample sentence below:

Mary dropped by their house to give her mom the expensive gift, and then she left for the office immediately. EXHAUSTING!

• February 15, 2021

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Parts of Speech Coloring ALL YEAR | Art-infused Fall / Halloween Activity & More

What educators are saying

Description.

This Differentiated Parts of Speech Pop Art Coloring Pages ALL YEAR Collection makes learning and reviewing grammar a lot of fun...from back to school, through the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, until the end of the year! Included are starter, basic, beginner, intermediate and advanced English Language Arts coloring pages to help students (grades 2 to 8) practice parts of speech and review their grammar.

This set includes 10 images that are appropriate for different times of the year. With the FIVE levels included you will find that “discreet” differentiation is easy. This parts of speech product is designed to be useful at any time of the year and for the entire year. This resource is HUGE—over 150 pages!!!

In the words of a fellow teacher, " Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!!!! This is such a great activity and I love how I can use it over and over throughout the year to drill parts of speech, which my students struggle with. It really helps that there are differentiated levels to help all students succeed, and because it's pop art, they can't just guess at what the colors will be by identifying what the picture is. I've used this activity in so many ways ( early finishers, small groups, homework on testing weeks , etc) and my students have never complained about redundancy. Because it's leveled, I can also assign levels that increase as the year goes on. Very well thought out product! " ~ Victor S.

Also available:

• Homophone Coloring Pages
• Nonfiction Reading Comprehension Passages
• Listening Comprehension Bundle

Art with Jenny K. and Brain Waves Instruction have teamed up to create this parts of speech Pop Art coloring pages resource to help you in your classrooms.

Images included (for all 5 levels):

• Christmas tree
• “LOVE” symbol
• Ice cream cone

These images are selected to go with autumn, winter, spring, and summer and some of the major holidays included in those seasons.

On the Starter, Basic, and Beginner coloring pages, you will find that the parts of speech are written directly onto the coloring pages. Students will recognize the part of speech and color it according to the color key at the top of the page.

Starter Pages:

There are 4 parts of speech reviewed on these pages: noun, verb, adjective, and adverb . This starter set has the words that need to be colored repeated within a pattern-making them the easiest of all the sets.

10 Coloring pages as well and answer sheets included.

You will need red, yellow, blue, green, purple, and orange in crayons, colored pencils, or markers.

Basic Pages:

There are 4 parts of speech reviewed on these pages: noun, verb, adjective, and adverb . This set is a step harder than the starter sheets because the words are not repeated within the patterns - creating more opportunity for the students to practice their parts of speech.

Beginner Pages:

There are 6 parts of speech reviewed in the beginner sheets: noun, verb, pronoun, adjective, adverb, and preposition.

There are about 50 words on each page for students to categorize by their part of speech.

Intermediate Pages:

Students will have 2 pages. The first page has a variety of sentences with a part of speech underlined. The second page is a coloring page that students will color according to their answers on the first page and the color key at the top of the coloring page.

For example, if the answer to number 1 is "noun," students would color all the “1’s” on the coloring page red. If the answer for number 2 (on page 1) is “adjective,” students would color all the “2’s” on the coloring page (page 2) green. And so on for all colors and spaces on the coloring page.

Parts of speech reviewed: 6 parts of speech—noun, verb, pronoun, adjective, adverb, and preposition.

There are 10 pages of sentences (1 per coloring page) and 16 sentences per page. Also included are answer keys in two formats.

Advanced Pages:

For this parts of speech coloring activity, students will have 2 pages. The first page will have a variety of sentences with a part of speech underlined. The second page is a coloring page that students will color according to their answers on the first page and the color key at the top of the coloring page.

Parts of speech reviewed: 8 parts of speech—noun, verb, pronoun, adjective, adverb, preposition, interjection and, conjunction.

There are 20 - 26 sentences per page and 10 pages + 10 coloring pages. Answers keys provided.

You will need red, yellow, blue, green, purple, orange, light blue, and light green in crayons, colored pencils, or markers.

Also included are instructions and examples and a handout on Pop Art. Please download the preview to see all that is included—over 150 pages!!!

You May Also Like

• Pop Art Coloring Sheets: ELA Parts of Speech FREE SAMPLE.
• Pop Art Coloring Sheets: ELA Homophone Coloring Sheets FREE SAMPLE.
• Pop Art Coloring: ELA Homophone Coloring Sheets
• Pop Art Math Fact Review Coloring Sheets BUNDLE

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