by Yogi P - October 6, 2023

Parts of speech – Definition, types and examples

Parts of speech are grammatical categories that determines the role of a word in a sentence. Parts of speech are important for understanding how sentences are structured and how to use words correctly. By understanding the different parts of speech, you can improve your writing and speaking skills. There are eight main parts of speech in English:

1. Nouns: Nouns name people, places, things, ideas, or qualities.
2. Pronouns: Pronouns take the place of nouns.
3. Verbs: Verbs describe actions or states of being.
4. Adjectives: Adjectives describe nouns.
5. Adverbs: Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
6. Prepositions: Prepositions show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word in the sentence.
7. Conjunctions: Conjunctions connect words, phrases, or clauses.
8. Interjections: Interjections are words or phrases that express strong emotion.

Parts of Speech Definition

As per The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary parts of speech is defined as “one of the classes into which words are divided according to their grammar, such as noun, verb, adjective, etc.”

The Cambridge Dictionary also defines parts of speech similar as – “One of the grammatical groups into which words are divided, such as noun, verb, and adjective”.

Different Parts of Speech with Examples

1. Nouns

Nouns are words that name people, places, things, ideas, or qualities. They are the most important part of speech in English, and they can be used in many different ways in a sentence.

Examples:

• Person: teacher, student, friend
• Place: school, park, home
• Thing: book, pen, computer
• Idea: love, happiness, freedom
• Quality: kindness, intelligence, strength

Examples of Nouns used in sentences:

• The cat is sitting on the mat.
• The children are playing in the park.
• The teacher is writing on the board.
• The book is on the table.
• The school is closed on holidays.

2. Pronouns

Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns. They are used to avoid repeating the same noun over and over again in a sentence.

Examples:

• Personal pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
• Possessive pronouns: my, your, his, her, its, our, their
• Demonstrative pronouns: this, that, these, those
• Relative pronouns: who, which, that
• Interrogative pronouns: who, what, which, where, when, why, how

Examples of Pronouns used in sentences:

• She is my friend.
• He is my brother.
• I am going to the store.
• You are a good student.
• We are having a party tonight.

3. Verbs

Verbs are words that describe actions or states of being. They are the second most important part of speech in English, and they are essential for forming complete sentences.

Examples:

• Action verbs: run, jump, eat, sleep
• Linking verbs: is, am, are, was, were, be
• Helping verbs: do, does, did, have, has, had, will, would, shall, should, may, might, can, could

Examples of Verbs used in sentences:

• The dog is running in the yard.
• The dog ran quickly after the ball
• The birds are singing in the trees.
• The students are learning in the classroom.
• The teacher is teaching the students.
• The cook is cooking dinner in the kitchen.

4. Adjectives

Adjectives are words that describe nouns. They provide more information about the noun, such as its size, color, shape, or quality.

Examples:

• Descriptive adjectives: big, small, red, blue, happy, sad
• Proper adjectives: American, French, Chinese

Examples of Adjectives used in sentences:

• The red ball is rolling down the hill.
• The big dog is barking at the mailman.
• The tall trees are swaying in the wind.
• The cold ice cream is melting in my hand.
• The hot soup is burning my tongue.

5. Adverbs

Adverbs are words that describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They provide more information about how, when, where, or to what degree something happens.

Examples:

• Time adverbs: when, now, then, soon, late, early
• Place adverbs: where, here, there, up, down, in, out
• Manner adverbs: how, quickly, slowly, carefully, well
• Degree adverbs: very, much, more, most, quite, almost

Examples of Adverbs used in sentences:

• The fast car is racing down the road.
• The slowly moving snail is crossing the sidewalk.
• The carefully written essay is very good.
• The well-behaved students are sitting quietly.
• The very hungry cat ate all of the food.

6. Prepositions

Prepositions are words that show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word in the sentence. They can indicate location, time, direction, or manner.

Examples:

• Common prepositions: at, by, for, from, in, into, of, off, on, to, with

Examples of Prepositions used in sentences:

• The cat is sitting on the mat.
• The children are playing in the park.
• The teacher is writing on the board.
• The book is on the table.
• The school is closed on holidays.

7. Conjunctions

Conjunctions are words that connect words, phrases, or clauses. They can be used to coordinate or subordinate ideas.

Examples:

• Coordinating conjunctions: and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so
• Subordinating conjunctions: because, after, although, when, while, unless, until

Examples of Conjunctions used in sentences:

• I like ice cream and cake.
• He is going to the store, but I am staying home.
• She is going to the movies, or she is staying home.
• I am not going to the party, because I am sick.
• I will go to the park when the weather is nice.

8. Interjections

Interjections are words or phrases that express strong emotion. They are often used at the beginning of a sentence, but they can also be used in the middle or at the end of a sentence.

Examples:

• Common interjections: wow, ouch, oh, hey, hello, goodbye

Examples of Interjections used in sentences:

• Ouch! I hit my toe.
• Wow! That is a beautiful sunset.
• Oh no! I forgot my keys.
• Hey! What are you doing?
• Hello!

Quick review of Parts of speech in sentences:

• Noun: The teacher gave the students a test.
• Pronoun: She finished the test before me.
• Verb: The dog is running in the park.
• Adjective: The big black dog is running fast.
• Adverb: The dog is running very fast.
• Preposition: The dog is running in the park.
• Conjunction: The dog is running and jumping.
• Interjection: Ouch! The dog bit me.

 

Parts of speech are an essential part of English grammar. By understanding the different parts of speech and how to use them correctly, you can improve your writing and speaking skills.

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FAQs on parts of speech

Q1. What are parts of speech?

Parts of speech are grammatical categories that words are divided into based on their function in a sentence. There are eight main parts of speech in English: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.

Q2. What are the different parts of speech?

• Nouns: Nouns name people, places, things, ideas, or qualities.
• Pronouns: Pronouns take the place of nouns.
• Verbs: Verbs describe actions or states of being.
• Adjectives: Adjectives describe nouns.
• Adverbs: Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
• Prepositions: Prepositions show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word in the sentence.
• Conjunctions: Conjunctions connect words, phrases, or clauses.
• Interjections: Interjections express strong emotions.

Q3. Why are parts of speech important?

Parts of speech are important because they help us to understand the structure of sentences and the meaning of words. By understanding the different parts of speech and how they are used, we can improve our writing and speaking skills.

Q4. How can I learn more about parts of speech?

There are many resources available to help you learn more about parts of speech. You can find books, articles, and websites on the topic. There are also many online exercises and quizzes that can help you to practice identifying and using the different parts of speech.

Q5. What are some common mistakes people make with parts of speech?

One common mistake people make is to confuse nouns and pronouns. For example, instead of saying “I saw her at the store,” people might say “Me saw her at the store.” The correct pronoun in this case is “I,” because it is the subject of the sentence.

Another common mistake is to misuse prepositions. For example, instead of saying “I went to the store,” people might say “I went at the store.” The correct preposition in this case is “to,” because it indicates the destination of the speaker’s journey.

By being aware of these common mistakes, you can improve your accuracy when using parts of speech.

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MCQs on Parts of Speech

Q1. What is a noun?

a) An action or state
b) A describing word
c) A word showing emotion
d) A person, place, thing, or idea

Answer: d) A person, place, thing, or idea

Q2. What part of speech describes a verb?

a) Adjective
b) Adverb
c) Conjunction
d) Noun

Answer: b) Adverb

Q3. Which word is an example of a pronoun?

a) Joy
b) She
c) But
d) Under

Answer: b) She

Q4. Which of the following words shows a place?

a) Jump
b) Above
c) Loudly
d) Park

Answer: d) Park

Q5. Which word is an interjection?

a) Wow
b) On
c) Is
d) Bright

Answer: a) Wow

Q6. Which of the following is a conjunction?

a) Swim
b) And
c) Quickly
d) Happy

Answer: b) And

Q7. Which word describes a noun?

a) Run
b) Beautiful
c) For
d) Always

Answer: b) Beautiful

Q8. What part of speech is the word “beneath”?

a) Adjective
b) Pronoun
c) Preposition
d) Verb

Answer: c) Preposition

Q9. Which of the following is not an adverb?

a) Gently
b) Bright
c) Slowly
d) Quickly

Answer: b) Bright

Q10. Which word can replace a noun in a sentence?

a) It
b) Under
c) Bright
d) Run

Answer: a) It

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Fill in the blanks

1. The word “run” is an example of a _______.

2. The word “beautifully” describes how an action is done and is an _______.

3. The word “before” can indicate time or place and is a _______.

4. The word “huge” describes the size of a noun and is an _______.

5. The word “and” connects two similar ideas or items and is a _______.

6. The word “wow” expresses surprise and is an _______.

7. The word “he” can replace a noun and is a _______.

8. The word “those” can indicate specific items among a group and is a _______.

9. The word “swimming” in the sentence “I love swimming” is a _______.

10. The word “because” can introduce a reason or cause and is a _______.

Answers: 1. Verb, 2. Adverb, 3. Preposition, 4. Adjective, 5. Conjunction, 6. Interjection, 7. Pronoun, 8. Determiner, 9. Gerund, 10. Conjunction