part of speech meaning and their examples

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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”).

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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The 9 Parts of Speech: Definitions and Examples

Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
B.A., English, State University of New York

A part of speech is a term used in traditional grammar for one of the nine main categories into which words are classified according to their functions in sentences , such as nouns or verbs. Also known as word classes , these are the building blocks of grammar.

Parts of Speech

Word types can be divided into nine parts of speech:
prepositions
conjunctions
articles/determiners
interjections
Some words can be considered more than one part of speech, depending on context and usage.
Interjections can form complete sentences on their own.

Every sentence you write or speak in English includes words that fall into some of the nine parts of speech. These include nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, articles/determiners, and interjections. (Some sources include only eight parts of speech and leave interjections in their own category.)

Learning the names of the parts of speech probably won't make you witty, healthy, wealthy, or wise. In fact, learning just the names of the parts of speech won't even make you a better writer. However, you will gain a basic understanding of sentence structure and the English language by familiarizing yourself with these labels.

Open and Closed Word Classes

The parts of speech are commonly divided into open classes (nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs) and closed classes (pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, articles/determiners, and interjections). The idea is that open classes can be altered and added to as language develops and closed classes are pretty much set in stone. For example, new nouns are created every day, but conjunctions never change.

In contemporary linguistics , the label part of speech has generally been discarded in favor of the term word class or syntactic category . These terms make words easier to qualify objectively based on word construction rather than context. Within word classes, there is the lexical or open class and the function or closed class.

The 9 Parts of Speech

Read about each part of speech below and get started practicing identifying each.

Nouns are a person, place, thing, or idea. They can take on a myriad of roles in a sentence, from the subject of it all to the object of an action. They are capitalized when they're the official name of something or someone, called proper nouns in these cases. Examples: pirate, Caribbean, ship, freedom, Captain Jack Sparrow.

Pronouns stand in for nouns in a sentence. They are more generic versions of nouns that refer only to people. Examples: I, you, he, she, it, ours, them, who, which, anybody, ourselves.

Verbs are action words that tell what happens in a sentence. They can also show a sentence subject's state of being ( is , was ). Verbs change form based on tense (present, past) and count distinction (singular or plural). Examples: sing, dance, believes, seemed, finish, eat, drink, be, became

Adjectives describe nouns and pronouns. They specify which one, how much, what kind, and more. Adjectives allow readers and listeners to use their senses to imagine something more clearly. Examples: hot, lazy, funny, unique, bright, beautiful, poor, smooth.

Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, and even other adverbs. They specify when, where, how, and why something happened and to what extent or how often. Examples: softly, lazily, often, only, hopefully, softly, sometimes.

Preposition

Prepositions show spacial, temporal, and role relations between a noun or pronoun and the other words in a sentence. They come at the start of a prepositional phrase , which contains a preposition and its object. Examples: up, over, against, by, for, into, close to, out of, apart from.

Conjunction

Conjunctions join words, phrases, and clauses in a sentence. There are coordinating, subordinating, and correlative conjunctions. Examples: and, but, or, so, yet, with.

Articles and Determiners

Articles and determiners function like adjectives by modifying nouns, but they are different than adjectives in that they are necessary for a sentence to have proper syntax. Articles and determiners specify and identify nouns, and there are indefinite and definite articles. Examples: articles: a, an, the ; determiners: these, that, those, enough, much, few, which, what.

Some traditional grammars have treated articles as a distinct part of speech. Modern grammars, however, more often include articles in the category of determiners , which identify or quantify a noun. Even though they modify nouns like adjectives, articles are different in that they are essential to the proper syntax of a sentence, just as determiners are necessary to convey the meaning of a sentence, while adjectives are optional.

Interjection

Interjections are expressions that can stand on their own or be contained within sentences. These words and phrases often carry strong emotions and convey reactions. Examples: ah, whoops, ouch, yabba dabba do!

How to Determine the Part of Speech

Only interjections ( Hooray! ) have a habit of standing alone; every other part of speech must be contained within a sentence and some are even required in sentences (nouns and verbs). Other parts of speech come in many varieties and may appear just about anywhere in a sentence.

To know for sure what part of speech a word falls into, look not only at the word itself but also at its meaning, position, and use in a sentence.

For example, in the first sentence below, work functions as a noun; in the second sentence, a verb; and in the third sentence, an adjective:

The noun work is the thing Bosco shows up for.
The verb work is the action he must perform.
The attributive noun [or converted adjective] work modifies the noun permit .

Learning the names and uses of the basic parts of speech is just one way to understand how sentences are constructed.

Dissecting Basic Sentences

To form a basic complete sentence, you only need two elements: a noun (or pronoun standing in for a noun) and a verb. The noun acts as a subject and the verb, by telling what action the subject is taking, acts as the predicate.

In the short sentence above, birds is the noun and fly is the verb. The sentence makes sense and gets the point across.

You can have a sentence with just one word without breaking any sentence formation rules. The short sentence below is complete because it's a command to an understood "you".

Here, the pronoun, standing in for a noun, is implied and acts as the subject. The sentence is really saying, "(You) go!"

Constructing More Complex Sentences

Use more parts of speech to add additional information about what's happening in a sentence to make it more complex. Take the first sentence from above, for example, and incorporate more information about how and why birds fly.

Birds fly when migrating before winter.

Birds and fly remain the noun and the verb, but now there is more description.

When is an adverb that modifies the verb fly. The word before is a little tricky because it can be either a conjunction, preposition, or adverb depending on the context. In this case, it's a preposition because it's followed by a noun. This preposition begins an adverbial phrase of time ( before winter ) that answers the question of when the birds migrate . Before is not a conjunction because it does not connect two clauses.

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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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Applied Grammar by Gail Brubaker

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.

English can be a challenging language to learn, but by understanding the parts of speech, you’ll gain a solid foundation for constructing sentences with clarity and precision. Whether you’re a student, a writer, or simply someone looking to improve your language skills, this article will provide you with a clear understanding of each part of speech. So, let’s immerse and explore the definitions and examples of the 8 parts of speech, empowering you to communicate effectively and confidently in English.

Key Takeaways

Understanding the 8 parts of speech is crucial for mastering English grammar.
The 8 parts of speech are: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.
Nouns represent people, places, things, or ideas.
Pronouns replace nouns to avoid repetition.
Verbs describe actions or states of being.
Adjectives provide additional details about nouns.
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
Prepositions show relationships between words in a sentence.
Conjunctions join words, phrases, or clauses together.
Interjections express strong emotions or surprise.

What Are Parts of Speech?

When it comes to understanding the intricacies of English grammar, learning the different parts of speech is crucial. But what exactly are parts of speech? How many are there? And how do you determine which words belong to each part of speech? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll provide clear definitions and examples for each part of speech, helping you navigate the complexities of the English language.

Nouns are words that represent people, places, things, or ideas. They can be common or proper, singular or plural. Examples of nouns include “dog,” “New York City,” and “love.”

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.”

Verbs are action words that describe what a subject does or the state of being. They can be in different tenses and forms. Examples of verbs include “run,” “jump,” and “is.”

Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns, giving more details or information about them. They can describe qualities, size, shape, color, and more. Examples of adjectives include “beautiful,” “large,” and “blue.”

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

Prepositions show a relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. They indicate position, direction, time, or manner. Examples of prepositions include “in,” “on,” “at,” and “from.”

Conjunctions

Conjunctions join words, phrases, or clauses together. They can be coordinating or subordinating. Examples of conjunctions include “and,” “but,” “or,” and “because.”

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

Understanding the different parts of speech is crucial for building a strong foundation in English grammar. Each part of speech plays a unique role in the construction of sentences, providing clarity and meaning to our language. In this section, we will explore the definitions and examples of the eight parts of speech: noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection.

A noun is a word that identifies a person, place, thing, or idea. It can refer to both concrete objects, such as “book” or “dog,” and abstract concepts, such as “love” or “happiness.” Nouns are often referred to as “persons, places, or things,” but it is essential to recognize that they encompass much more than that. Here are some examples of nouns used in sentences:

The cat is sleeping on the couch.
I love to read a good book .
She has a beautiful voice .

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:

She is going to the store.
We had an amazing time at the party.
Please give me the book.

Verbs are action words that express an action, occurrence, or state of being. They are the backbone of a sentence and provide information about what is happening. Verbs can be either transitive or intransitive, depending on whether they require an object to complete their meaning. Here are some examples of verbs used in sentences:

The dog ran in the park.
I love to swim in the ocean.
They are studying for the exam.

Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns. They provide additional information about the nouns they accompany, such as their size, color, or quality. Adjectives help make our language more vivid and expressive. Here are some examples of adjectives used in sentences:

She has a beautiful smile.
The blue sky is clear today.
He is a talented musician.

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:

He quickly finished his assignments.
She sings beautifully .
They went outside to play.

Preposition

Prepositions are words that indicate the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. They often express location, direction, time, or manner. Prepositions are essential for understanding spatial and temporal relationships. Here are some examples of prepositions used in sentences:

The cat is under the table.
We walked through the park.
The book is on the shelf.

Conjunction

Conjunctions are words that connect words, phrases, or clauses within a sentence. They help establish relationships between different parts of a sentence, coordinating or subordinating their meaning. Conjunctions are essential for creating complex sentences. Here are some examples of conjunctions used in sentences:

I will go to the store, but I need to buy milk.
Because it was raining, we stayed indoors.
He likes both chocolate and vanilla ice cream.

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:

Wow , that’s an impressive performance!
Ouch , that hurt!
Alas , I lost my wallet.

Understanding and mastering the eight parts of speech will greatly enhance your language skills and enable you to effectively communicate in English. From nouns that identify people and things to verbs that express actions, each part of speech contributes to the overall structure and meaning of a sentence. Keep practicing and exploring the various functions of these parts of speech to become a confident English speaker and writer.

Examples of Each Part of Speech

Nouns play a crucial role in sentence construction as they represent people, places, things, or ideas. Here are some examples of nouns:

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

If you leave now, only James and I will remain behind.
Their feet ached more than ours .

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

We sang songs , danced all night , and by the morning had fallen in love .
Can you bring me something from the kitchen?

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

The tall building stood out in the city skyline.

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

The car drove quickly down the street.
She performed very well in the competition.

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

The book is on the table.
The cat jumped over the fence.

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

He likes tea and coffee.
She is tired, but she is determined to finish the project.

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

Wow , what a beautiful sunset!
Oh no , I forgot to bring my umbrella.

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.

Now that you have a clear understanding of the eight parts of speech in English grammar, you are equipped with the knowledge to construct sentences with precision and clarity. By mastering the definitions and examples of nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections, you can effectively communicate in English.

Each part of speech serves a unique purpose in sentence construction, providing meaning and structure to our language. Nouns name people, places, things, or ideas, while pronouns replace nouns to avoid repetition. Verbs express actions or states of being, while adjectives and adverbs provide descriptions and modify other words. Prepositions indicate relationships between words, conjunctions connect words or phrases, and interjections express strong emotions.

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.

Continue to refine your understanding and usage of the eight parts of speech, and watch as your language abilities flourish.

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General Education

If you’re trying to learn the grammatical rules of English, you’ve probably been asked to learn the parts of speech. But what are parts of speech and how many are there? How do you know which words are classified in each part of speech?

The answers to these questions can be a bit complicated—English is a difficult language to learn and understand. Don’t fret, though! We’re going to answer each of these questions for you with a full guide to the parts of speech that explains the following:

What the parts of speech are, including a comprehensive parts of speech list
Parts of speech definitions for the individual parts of speech. (If you’re looking for information on a specific part of speech, you can search for it by pressing Command + F, then typing in the part of speech you’re interested in.)
Parts of speech examples
A ten question quiz covering parts of speech definitions and parts of speech examples

We’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s begin!

Feature Image: (Gavina S / Wikimedia Commons)

What Are Parts of Speech?

The parts of speech definitions in English can vary, but here’s a widely accepted one: a part of speech is a category of words that serve a similar grammatical purpose in sentences.

To make that definition even simpler, a part of speech is just a category for similar types of words . All of the types of words included under a single part of speech function in similar ways when they’re used properly in sentences.

In the English language, it’s commonly accepted that there are 8 parts of speech: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, conjunctions, interjections, and prepositions. Each of these categories plays a different role in communicating meaning in the English language. Each of the eight parts of speech—which we might also call the “main classes” of speech—also have subclasses. In other words, we can think of each of the eight parts of speech as being general categories for different types within their part of speech . There are different types of nouns, different types of verbs, different types of adjectives, adverbs, pronouns...you get the idea.

And that’s an overview of what a part of speech is! Next, we’ll explain each of the 8 parts of speech—definitions and examples included for each category.

There are tons of nouns in this picture. Can you find them all?

Nouns are a class of words that refer, generally, to people and living creatures, objects, events, ideas, states of being, places, and actions. You’ve probably heard English nouns referred to as “persons, places, or things.” That definition is a little simplistic, though—while nouns do include people, places, and things, “things” is kind of a vague term. I t’s important to recognize that “things” can include physical things—like objects or belongings—and nonphysical, abstract things—like ideas, states of existence, and actions.

Since there are many different types of nouns, we’ll include several examples of nouns used in a sentence while we break down the subclasses of nouns next!

Subclasses of Nouns, Including Examples

As an open class of words, the category of “nouns” has a lot of subclasses. The most common and important subclasses of nouns are common nouns, proper nouns, concrete nouns, abstract nouns, collective nouns, and count and mass nouns. Let’s break down each of these subclasses!

Common Nouns and Proper Nouns

Common nouns are generic nouns—they don’t name specific items. They refer to people (the man, the woman), living creatures (cat, bird), objects (pen, computer, car), events (party, work), ideas (culture, freedom), states of being (beauty, integrity), and places (home, neighborhood, country) in a general way.

Proper nouns are sort of the counterpart to common nouns. Proper nouns refer to specific people, places, events, or ideas. Names are the most obvious example of proper nouns, like in these two examples:

Common noun: What state are you from?

Proper noun: I’m from Arizona .

Whereas “state” is a common noun, Arizona is a proper noun since it refers to a specific state. Whereas “the election” is a common noun, “Election Day” is a proper noun. Another way to pick out proper nouns: the first letter is often capitalized. If you’d capitalize the word in a sentence, it’s almost always a proper noun.

Concrete Nouns and Abstract Nouns

Concrete nouns are nouns that can be identified through the five senses. Concrete nouns include people, living creatures, objects, and places, since these things can be sensed in the physical world. In contrast to concrete nouns, abstract nouns are nouns that identify ideas, qualities, concepts, experiences, or states of being. Abstract nouns cannot be detected by the five senses. Here’s an example of concrete and abstract nouns used in a sentence:

Concrete noun: Could you please fix the weedeater and mow the lawn ?

Abstract noun: Aliyah was delighted to have the freedom to enjoy the art show in peace .

See the difference? A weedeater and the lawn are physical objects or things, and freedom and peace are not physical objects, though they’re “things” people experience! Despite those differences, they all count as nouns.

Collective Nouns, Count Nouns, and Mass Nouns

Nouns are often categorized based on number and amount. Collective nouns are nouns that refer to a group of something—often groups of people or a type of animal. Team , crowd , and herd are all examples of collective nouns.

Count nouns are nouns that can appear in the singular or plural form, can be modified by numbers, and can be described by quantifying determiners (e.g. many, most, more, several). For example, “bug” is a count noun. It can occur in singular form if you say, “There is a bug in the kitchen,” but it can also occur in the plural form if you say, “There are many bugs in the kitchen.” (In the case of the latter, you’d call an exterminator...which is an example of a common noun!) Any noun that can accurately occur in one of these singular or plural forms is a count noun.

Mass nouns are another type of noun that involve numbers and amount. Mass nouns are nouns that usually can’t be pluralized, counted, or quantified and still make sense grammatically. “Charisma” is an example of a mass noun (and an abstract noun!). For example, you could say, “They’ve got charisma, ” which doesn’t imply a specific amount. You couldn’t say, “They’ve got six charismas, ” or, “They’ve got several charismas .” It just doesn’t make sense!

Verbs are all about action...just like these runners.

A verb is a part of speech that, when used in a sentence, communicates an action, an occurrence, or a state of being . In sentences, verbs are the most important part of the predicate, which explains or describes what the subject of the sentence is doing or how they are being. And, guess what? All sentences contain verbs!

There are many words in the English language that are classified as verbs. A few common verbs include the words run, sing, cook, talk, and clean. These words are all verbs because they communicate an action performed by a living being. We’ll look at more specific examples of verbs as we discuss the subclasses of verbs next!

Subclasses of Verbs, Including Examples

Like nouns, verbs have several subclasses. The subclasses of verbs include copular or linking verbs, intransitive verbs, transitive verbs, and ditransitive or double transitive verbs. Let’s dive into these subclasses of verbs!

Copular or Linking Verbs

Copular verbs, or linking verbs, are verbs that link a subject with its complement in a sentence. The most familiar linking verb is probably be. Here’s a list of other common copular verbs in English: act, be, become, feel, grow, seem, smell, and taste.

So how do copular verbs work? Well, in a sentence, if we said, “Michi is ,” and left it at that, it wouldn’t make any sense. “Michi,” the subject, needs to be connected to a complement by the copular verb “is.” Instead, we could say, “Michi is leaving.” In that instance, is links the subject of the sentence to its complement.

Transitive Verbs, Intransitive Verbs, and Ditransitive Verbs

Transitive verbs are verbs that affect or act upon an object. When unattached to an object in a sentence, a transitive verb does not make sense. Here’s an example of a transitive verb attached to (and appearing before) an object in a sentence:

Please take the clothes to the dry cleaners.

In this example, “take” is a transitive verb because it requires an object—”the clothes”—to make sense. “The clothes” are the objects being taken. “Please take” wouldn’t make sense by itself, would it? That’s because the transitive verb “take,” like all transitive verbs, transfers its action onto another being or object.

Conversely, intransitive verbs don’t require an object to act upon in order to make sense in a sentence. These verbs make sense all on their own! For instance, “They ran ,” “We arrived ,” and, “The car stopped ” are all examples of sentences that contain intransitive verbs.

Finally, ditransitive verbs, or double transitive verbs, are a bit more complicated. Ditransitive verbs are verbs that are followed by two objects in a sentence . One of the objects has the action of the ditransitive verb done to it, and the other object has the action of the ditransitive verb directed towards it. Here’s an example of what that means in a sentence:

I cooked Nathan a meal.

In this example, “cooked” is a ditransitive verb because it modifies two objects: Nathan and meal . The meal has the action of “cooked” done to it, and “Nathan” has the action of the verb directed towards him.

Adjectives are descriptors that help us better understand a sentence. A common adjective type is color.

#3: Adjectives

Here’s the simplest definition of adjectives: adjectives are words that describe other words . Specifically, adjectives modify nouns and noun phrases. In sentences, adjectives appear before nouns and pronouns (they have to appear before the words they describe!).

Adjectives give more detail to nouns and pronouns by describing how a noun looks, smells, tastes, sounds, or feels, or its state of being or existence. . For example, you could say, “The girl rode her bike.” That sentence doesn’t have any adjectives in it, but you could add an adjective before both of the nouns in the sentence—”girl” and “bike”—to give more detail to the sentence. It might read like this: “The young girl rode her red bike.” You can pick out adjectives in a sentence by asking the following questions:

Which one?
What kind?
How many?
Whose’s?

We’ll look at more examples of adjectives as we explore the subclasses of adjectives next!

Subclasses of Adjectives, Including Examples

Subclasses of adjectives include adjective phrases, comparative adjectives, superlative adjectives, and determiners (which include articles, possessive adjectives, and demonstratives).

Adjective Phrases

An adjective phrase is a group of words that describe a noun or noun phrase in a sentence. Adjective phrases can appear before the noun or noun phrase in a sentence, like in this example:

The extremely fragile vase somehow did not break during the move.

In this case, extremely fragile describes the vase. On the other hand, adjective phrases can appear after the noun or noun phrase in a sentence as well:

The museum was somewhat boring.

Again, the phrase somewhat boring describes the museum. The takeaway is this: adjective phrases describe the subject of a sentence with greater detail than an individual adjective.

Comparative Adjectives and Superlative Adjectives

Comparative adjectives are used in sentences where two nouns are compared. They function to compare the differences between the two nouns that they modify. In sentences, comparative adjectives often appear in this pattern and typically end with -er. If we were to describe how comparative adjectives function as a formula, it might look something like this:

Noun (subject) + verb + comparative adjective + than + noun (object).

Here’s an example of how a comparative adjective would work in that type of sentence:

The horse was faster than the dog.

The adjective faster compares the speed of the horse to the speed of the dog. Other common comparative adjectives include words that compare distance ( higher, lower, farther ), age ( younger, older ), size and dimensions ( bigger, smaller, wider, taller, shorter ), and quality or feeling ( better, cleaner, happier, angrier ).

Superlative adjectives are adjectives that describe the extremes of a quality that applies to a subject being compared to a group of objects . Put more simply, superlative adjectives help show how extreme something is. In sentences, superlative adjectives usually appear in this structure and end in -est :

Noun (subject) + verb + the + superlative adjective + noun (object).

Here’s an example of a superlative adjective that appears in that type of sentence:

Their story was the funniest story.

In this example, the subject— story —is being compared to a group of objects—other stories. The superlative adjective “funniest” implies that this particular story is the funniest out of all the stories ever, period. Other common superlative adjectives are best, worst, craziest, and happiest... though there are many more than that!

It’s also important to know that you can often omit the object from the end of the sentence when using superlative adjectives, like this: “Their story was the funniest.” We still know that “their story” is being compared to other stories without the object at the end of the sentence.

Determiners

The last subclass of adjectives we want to look at are determiners. Determiners are words that determine what kind of reference a noun or noun phrase makes. These words are placed in front of nouns to make it clear what the noun is referring to. Determiners are an example of a part of speech subclass that contains a lot of subclasses of its own. Here is a list of the different types of determiners:

Definite article: the
Indefinite articles : a, an
Demonstratives: this, that, these, those
Pronouns and possessive determiners: my, your, his, her, its, our, their
Quantifiers : a little, a few, many, much, most, some, any, enough
Numbers: one, twenty, fifty
Distributives: all, both, half, either, neither, each, every
Difference words : other, another
Pre-determiners: such, what, rather, quite

Here are some examples of how determiners can be used in sentences:

Definite article: Get in the car.

Demonstrative: Could you hand me that magazine?

Possessive determiner: Please put away your clothes.

Distributive: He ate all of the pie.

Though some of the words above might not seem descriptive, they actually do describe the specificity and definiteness, relationship, and quantity or amount of a noun or noun phrase. For example, the definite article “the” (a type of determiner) indicates that a noun refers to a specific thing or entity. The indefinite article “an,” on the other hand, indicates that a noun refers to a nonspecific entity.

One quick note, since English is always more complicated than it seems: while articles are most commonly classified as adjectives, they can also function as adverbs in specific situations, too. Not only that, some people are taught that determiners are their own part of speech...which means that some people are taught there are 9 parts of speech instead of 8!

It can be a little confusing, which is why we have a whole article explaining how articles function as a part of speech to help clear things up .

Adverbs can be used to answer questions like "when?" and "how long?"

Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives (including determiners), clauses, prepositions, and sentences. Adverbs typically answer the questions how?, in what way?, when?, where?, and to what extent? In answering these questions, adverbs function to express frequency, degree, manner, time, place, and level of certainty . Adverbs can answer these questions in the form of single words, or in the form of adverbial phrases or adverbial clauses.

Adverbs are commonly known for being words that end in -ly, but there’s actually a bit more to adverbs than that, which we’ll dive into while we look at the subclasses of adverbs!

Subclasses Of Adverbs, Including Examples

There are many types of adverbs, but the main subclasses we’ll look at are conjunctive adverbs, and adverbs of place, time, manner, degree, and frequency.

Conjunctive Adverbs

Conjunctive adverbs look like coordinating conjunctions (which we’ll talk about later!), but they are actually their own category: conjunctive adverbs are words that connect independent clauses into a single sentence . These adverbs appear after a semicolon and before a comma in sentences, like in these two examples:

She was exhausted; nevertheless , she went for a five mile run.

They didn’t call; instead , they texted.

Though conjunctive adverbs are frequently used to create shorter sentences using a semicolon and comma, they can also appear at the beginning of sentences, like this:

He chopped the vegetables. Meanwhile, I boiled the pasta.

One thing to keep in mind is that conjunctive adverbs come with a comma. When you use them, be sure to include a comma afterward!

There are a lot of conjunctive adverbs, but some common ones include also, anyway, besides, finally, further, however, indeed, instead, meanwhile, nevertheless, next, nonetheless, now, otherwise, similarly, then, therefore, and thus.

Adverbs of Place, Time, Manner, Degree, and Frequency

There are also adverbs of place, time, manner, degree, and frequency. Each of these types of adverbs express a different kind of meaning.

Adverbs of place express where an action is done or where an event occurs. These are used after the verb, direct object, or at the end of a sentence. A sentence like “She walked outside to watch the sunset” uses outside as an adverb of place.

Adverbs of time explain when something happens. These adverbs are used at the beginning or at the end of sentences. In a sentence like “The game should be over soon,” soon functions as an adverb of time.

Adverbs of manner describe the way in which something is done or how something happens. These are the adverbs that usually end in the familiar -ly. If we were to write “She quickly finished her homework,” quickly is an adverb of manner.

Adverbs of degree tell us the extent to which something happens or occurs. If we were to say “The play was quite interesting,” quite tells us the extent of how interesting the play was. Thus, quite is an adverb of degree.

Finally, adverbs of frequency express how often something happens . In a sentence like “They never know what to do with themselves,” never is an adverb of frequency.

Five subclasses of adverbs is a lot, so we’ve organized the words that fall under each category in a nifty table for you here:

It’s important to know about these subclasses of adverbs because many of them don’t follow the old adage that adverbs end in -ly.

Here's a helpful list of pronouns. (Attanata / Flickr )

#5: Pronouns

Pronouns are words that can be substituted for a noun or noun phrase in a sentence . Pronouns function to make sentences less clunky by allowing people to avoid repeating nouns over and over. For example, if you were telling someone a story about your friend Destiny, you wouldn’t keep repeating their name over and over again every time you referred to them. Instead, you’d use a pronoun—like they or them—to refer to Destiny throughout the story.

Pronouns are typically short words, often only two or three letters long. The most familiar pronouns in the English language are they, she, and he. But these aren’t the only pronouns. There are many more pronouns in English that fall under different subclasses!

Subclasses of Pronouns, Including Examples

There are many subclasses of pronouns, but the most commonly used subclasses are personal pronouns, possessive pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, indefinite pronouns, and interrogative pronouns.

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns are probably the most familiar type of pronoun. Personal pronouns include I, me, you, she, her, him, he, we, us, they, and them. These are called personal pronouns because they refer to a person! Personal pronouns can replace specific nouns in sentences, like a person’s name, or refer to specific groups of people, like in these examples:

Did you see Gia pole vault at the track meet? Her form was incredible!

The Cycling Club is meeting up at six. They said they would be at the park.

In both of the examples above, a pronoun stands in for a proper noun to avoid repetitiveness. Her replaces Gia in the first example, and they replaces the Cycling Club in the second example.

(It’s also worth noting that personal pronouns are one of the easiest ways to determine what point of view a writer is using.)

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns are used to indicate that something belongs to or is the possession of someone. The possessive pronouns fall into two categories: limiting and absolute. In a sentence, absolute possessive pronouns can be substituted for the thing that belongs to a person, and limiting pronouns cannot.

The limiting pronouns are my, your, its, his, her, our, their, and whose, and the absolute pronouns are mine, yours, his, hers, ours, and theirs . Here are examples of a limiting possessive pronoun and absolute possessive pronoun used in a sentence:

Limiting possessive pronoun: Juan is fixing his car.

In the example above, the car belongs to Juan, and his is the limiting possessive pronoun that shows the car belongs to Juan. Now, here’s an example of an absolute pronoun in a sentence:

Absolute possessive pronoun: Did you buy your tickets ? We already bought ours .

In this example, the tickets belong to whoever we is, and in the second sentence, ours is the absolute possessive pronoun standing in for the thing that “we” possess—the tickets.

Demonstrative Pronouns, Interrogative Pronouns, and Indefinite Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns include the words that, this, these, and those. These pronouns stand in for a noun or noun phrase that has already been mentioned in a sentence or conversation. This and these are typically used to refer to objects or entities that are nearby distance-wise, and that and those usually refer to objects or entities that are farther away. Here’s an example of a demonstrative pronoun used in a sentence:

The books are stacked up in the garage. Can you put those away?

The books have already been mentioned, and those is the demonstrative pronoun that stands in to refer to them in the second sentence above. The use of those indicates that the books aren’t nearby—they’re out in the garage. Here’s another example:

Do you need shoes? Here...you can borrow these.

In this sentence, these refers to the noun shoes. Using the word these tells readers that the shoes are nearby...maybe even on the speaker’s feet!

Indefinite pronouns are used when it isn’t necessary to identify a specific person or thing . The indefinite pronouns are one, other, none, some, anybody, everybody, and no one. Here’s one example of an indefinite pronoun used in a sentence:

Promise you can keep a secret?

Of course. I won’t tell anyone.

In this example, the person speaking in the second two sentences isn’t referring to any particular people who they won’t tell the secret to. They’re saying that, in general, they won’t tell anyone . That doesn’t specify a specific number, type, or category of people who they won’t tell the secret to, which is what makes the pronoun indefinite.

Finally, interrogative pronouns are used in questions, and these pronouns include who, what, which, and whose. These pronouns are simply used to gather information about specific nouns—persons, places, and ideas. Let’s look at two examples of interrogative pronouns used in sentences:

Do you remember which glass was mine?

What time are they arriving?

In the first glass, the speaker wants to know more about which glass belongs to whom. In the second sentence, the speaker is asking for more clarity about a specific time.

Conjunctions hook phrases and clauses together so they fit like pieces of a puzzle.

#6: Conjunctions

Conjunctions are words that are used to connect words, phrases, clauses, and sentences in the English language. This function allows conjunctions to connect actions, ideas, and thoughts as well. Conjunctions are also used to make lists within sentences. (Conjunctions are also probably the most famous part of speech, since they were immortalized in the famous “Conjunction Junction” song from Schoolhouse Rock .)

You’re probably familiar with and, but, and or as conjunctions, but let’s look into some subclasses of conjunctions so you can learn about the array of conjunctions that are out there!

Subclasses of Conjunctions, Including Examples

Coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, and correlative conjunctions are three subclasses of conjunctions. Each of these types of conjunctions functions in a different way in sentences!

Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions are probably the most familiar type of conjunction. These conjunctions include the words for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so (people often recommend using the acronym FANBOYS to remember the seven coordinating conjunctions!).

Coordinating conjunctions are responsible for connecting two independent clauses in sentences, but can also be used to connect two words in a sentence. Here are two examples of coordinating conjunctions that connect two independent clauses in a sentence:

He wanted to go to the movies, but he couldn’t find his car keys.

They put on sunscreen, and they went to the beach.

Next, here are two examples of coordinating conjunctions that connect two words:

Would you like to cook or order in for dinner?

The storm was loud yet refreshing.

The two examples above show that coordinating conjunctions can connect different types of words as well. In the first example, the coordinating conjunction “or” connects two verbs; in the second example, the coordinating conjunction “yet” connects two adjectives.

But wait! Why does the first set of sentences have commas while the second set of sentences doesn’t? When using a coordinating conjunction, put a comma before the conjunction when it’s connecting two complete sentences . Otherwise, there’s no comma necessary.

Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions are used to link an independent clause to a dependent clause in a sentence. This type of conjunction always appears at the beginning of a dependent clause, which means that subordinating conjunctions can appear at the beginning of a sentence or in the middle of a sentence following an independent clause. (If you’re unsure about what independent and dependent clauses are, be sure to check out our guide to compound sentences.)

Here is an example of a subordinating conjunction that appears at the beginning of a sentence:

Because we were hungry, we ordered way too much food.

Now, here’s an example of a subordinating conjunction that appears in the middle of a sentence, following an independent clause and a comma:

Rakim was scared after the power went out.

See? In the example above, the subordinating conjunction after connects the independent clause Rakim was scared to the dependent clause after the power went out. Subordinating conjunctions include (but are not limited to!) the following words: after, as, because, before, even though, one, since, unless, until, whenever, and while.

Correlative Conjunctions

Finally, correlative conjunctions are conjunctions that come in pairs, like both/and, either/or, and neither/nor. The two correlative conjunctions that come in a pair must appear in different parts of a sentence to make sense— they correlate the meaning in one part of the sentence with the meaning in another part of the sentence . Makes sense, right?

Here are two examples of correlative conjunctions used in a sentence:

We’re either going to the Farmer’s Market or the Natural Grocer’s for our shopping today.

They’re going to have to get dog treats for both Piper and Fudge.

Other pairs of correlative conjunctions include as many/as, not/but, not only/but also, rather/than, such/that, and whether/or.

Interjections are single words that express emotions that end in an exclamation point. Cool!

#7: Interjections

Interjections are words that often appear at the beginning of sentences or between sentences to express emotions or sentiments such as excitement, surprise, joy, disgust, anger, or even pain. Commonly used interjections include wow!, yikes!, ouch!, or ugh! One clue that an interjection is being used is when an exclamation point appears after a single word (but interjections don’t have to be followed by an exclamation point). And, since interjections usually express emotion or feeling, they’re often referred to as being exclamatory. Wow!

Interjections don’t come together with other parts of speech to form bigger grammatical units, like phrases or clauses. There also aren’t strict rules about where interjections should appear in relation to other sentences . While it’s common for interjections to appear before sentences that describe an action or event that the interjection helps explain, interjections can appear after sentences that contain the action they’re describing as well.

Subclasses of Interjections, Including Examples

There are two main subclasses of interjections: primary interjections and secondary interjections. Let’s take a look at these two types of interjections!

Primary Interjections

Primary interjections are single words, like oh!, wow!, or ouch! that don’t enter into the actual structure of a sentence but add to the meaning of a sentence. Here’s an example of how a primary interjection can be used before a sentence to add to the meaning of the sentence that follows it:

Ouch ! I just burned myself on that pan!

While someone who hears, I just burned myself on that pan might assume that the person who said that is now in pain, the interjection Ouch! makes it clear that burning oneself on the pan definitely was painful.

Secondary Interjections

Secondary interjections are words that have other meanings but have evolved to be used like interjections in the English language and are often exclamatory. Secondary interjections can be mixed with greetings, oaths, or swear words. In many cases, the use of secondary interjections negates the original meaning of the word that is being used as an interjection. Let’s look at a couple of examples of secondary interjections here:

Well , look what the cat dragged in!

Heck, I’d help if I could, but I’ve got to get to work.

You probably know that the words well and heck weren’t originally used as interjections in the English language. Well originally meant that something was done in a good or satisfactory way, or that a person was in good health. Over time and through repeated usage, it’s come to be used as a way to express emotion, such as surprise, anger, relief, or resignation, like in the example above.

This is a handy list of common prepositional phrases. (attanatta / Flickr)

#8: Prepositions

The last part of speech we’re going to define is the preposition. Prepositions are words that are used to connect other words in a sentence—typically nouns and verbs—and show the relationship between those words. Prepositions convey concepts such as comparison, position, place, direction, movement, time, possession, and how an action is completed.

Subclasses of Prepositions, Including Examples

The subclasses of prepositions are simple prepositions, double prepositions, participle prepositions, and prepositional phrases.

Simple Prepositions

Simple prepositions appear before and between nouns, adjectives, or adverbs in sentences to convey relationships between people, living creatures, things, or places . Here are a couple of examples of simple prepositions used in sentences:

I’ll order more ink before we run out.

Your phone was beside your wallet.

In the first example, the preposition before appears between the noun ink and the personal pronoun we to convey a relationship. In the second example, the preposition beside appears between the verb was and the possessive pronoun your.

In both examples, though, the prepositions help us understand how elements in the sentence are related to one another. In the first sentence, we know that the speaker currently has ink but needs more before it’s gone. In the second sentence, the preposition beside helps us understand how the wallet and the phone are positioned relative to one another!

Double Prepositions

Double prepositions are exactly what they sound like: two prepositions joined together into one unit to connect phrases, nouns, and pronouns with other words in a sentence. Common examples of double prepositions include outside of, because of, according to, next to, across from, and on top of. Here is an example of a double preposition in a sentence:

I thought you were sitting across from me.

You see? Across and from both function as prepositions individually. When combined together in a sentence, they create a double preposition. (Also note that the prepositions help us understand how two people— you and I— are positioned with one another through spacial relationship.)

Prepositional Phrases

Finally, prepositional phrases are groups of words that include a preposition and a noun or pronoun. Typically, the noun or pronoun that appears after the preposition in a prepositional phrase is called the object of the preposition. The object always appears at the end of the prepositional phrase. Additionally, prepositional phrases never include a verb or a subject. Here are two examples of prepositional phrases:

The cat sat under the chair .

In the example above, “under” is the preposition, and “the chair” is the noun, which functions as the object of the preposition. Here’s one more example:

We walked through the overgrown field .

Now, this example demonstrates one more thing you need to know about prepositional phrases: they can include an adjective before the object. In this example, “through” is the preposition, and “field” is the object. “Overgrown” is an adjective that modifies “the field,” and it’s quite common for adjectives to appear in prepositional phrases like the one above.

While that might sound confusing, don’t worry: the key is identifying the preposition in the first place! Once you can find the preposition, you can start looking at the words around it to see if it forms a compound preposition, a double preposition of a prepositional phrase.

10 Question Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of Parts of Speech Definitions and Examples

Since we’ve covered a lot of material about the 8 parts of speech with examples ( a lot of them!), we want to give you an opportunity to review and see what you’ve learned! While it might seem easier to just use a parts of speech finder instead of learning all this stuff, our parts of speech quiz can help you continue building your knowledge of the 8 parts of speech and master each one.

Are you ready? Here we go:

1) What are the 8 parts of speech?

a) Noun, article, adverb, antecedent, verb, adjective, conjunction, interjection b) Noun, pronoun, verb, adverb, determiner, clause, adjective, preposition c) Noun, verb, adjective, adverb, pronoun, conjunction, interjection, preposition

2) Which parts of speech have subclasses?

a) Nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs b) Nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositions c) All of them! There are many types of words within each part of speech.

3) What is the difference between common nouns and proper nouns?

a) Common nouns don’t refer to specific people, places, or entities, but proper nouns do refer to specific people, places, or entities. b) Common nouns refer to regular, everyday people, places, or entities, but proper nouns refer to famous people, places, or entities. c) Common nouns refer to physical entities, like people, places, and objects, but proper nouns refer to nonphysical entities, like feelings, ideas, and experiences.

4) In which of the following sentences is the emboldened word a verb?

a) He was frightened by the horror film . b) He adjusted his expectations after the first plan fell through. c) She walked briskly to get there on time.

5) Which of the following is a correct definition of adjectives, and what other part of speech do adjectives modify?

a) Adjectives are describing words, and they modify nouns and noun phrases. b) Adjectives are describing words, and they modify verbs and adverbs. c) Adjectives are describing words, and they modify nouns, verbs, and adverbs.

6) Which of the following describes the function of adverbs in sentences?

a) Adverbs express frequency, degree, manner, time, place, and level of certainty. b) Adverbs express an action performed by a subject. c) Adverbs describe nouns and noun phrases.

7) Which of the following answers contains a list of personal pronouns?

a) This, that, these, those b) I, you, me, we, he, she, him, her, they, them c) Who, what, which, whose

8) Where do interjections typically appear in a sentence?

a) Interjections can appear at the beginning of or in between sentences. b) Interjections appear at the end of sentences. c) Interjections appear in prepositional phrases.

9) Which of the following sentences contains a prepositional phrase?

a) The dog happily wagged his tail. b) The cow jumped over the moon. c) She glared, angry that he forgot the flowers.

10) Which of the following is an accurate definition of a “part of speech”?

a) A category of words that serve a similar grammatical purpose in sentences. b) A category of words that are of similar length and spelling. c) A category of words that mean the same thing.

So, how did you do? If you got 1C, 2C, 3A, 4B, 5A, 6A, 7B, 8A, 9B, and 10A, you came out on top! There’s a lot to remember where the parts of speech are concerned, and if you’re looking for more practice like our quiz, try looking around for parts of speech games or parts of speech worksheets online!

What’s Next?

You might be brushing up on your grammar so you can ace the verbal portions of the SAT or ACT. Be sure you check out our guides to the grammar you need to know before you tackle those tests! Here’s our expert guide to the grammar rules you need to know for the SAT , and this article teaches you the 14 grammar rules you’ll definitely see on the ACT.

When you have a good handle on parts of speech, it can make writing essays tons easier. Learn how knowing parts of speech can help you get a perfect 12 on the ACT Essay (or an 8/8/8 on the SAT Essay ).

While we’re on the topic of grammar: keep in mind that knowing grammar rules is only part of the battle when it comes to the verbal and written portions of the SAT and ACT. Having a good vocabulary is also important to making the perfect score ! Here are 262 vocabulary words you need to know before you tackle your standardized tests.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Knowledge Base
Parts of speech

The 8 Parts of Speech | 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 analyse how words function in a sentence and improve your writing.

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’).

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Prepositions, conjunctions, interjections, other parts of speech, frequently asked questions.

Ella lives in France .

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

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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., past simple ), 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.

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).

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

Ouch ! I hurt my arm.

I’m, um , not sure.

Determiners

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

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.

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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What Is an Adjective? | Definition, Types & Examples

Understanding Parts of Speech (9 Types With Examples)

What are parts of speech? In the American English language, parts-of-speech is a category to which a word is assigned in accordance with its syntactic functions. They exist under the verb , noun, pronoun, interjection , adjective , conjunction, adverb, and preposition forms.

Learn more about parts of the speech in this comprehensive worksheet…

What are parts of speech?

“Parts of speech” refers to the essential words used in sentence formation in the English language.

Every word used in a sentence structure plays an important role in defining the sentence’s meaning. These words use and placement give proper intentions in sentence structures.

Parts of speech are the basic grammar lessons taught during the primary phases of learning English.

Any word used in sentence formation falls into one of these categories for proper sentence structure.

Some of those words can be a part of one or more parts of speech. This topic further explores the essential parts of speech used in the English language.

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In total, there are nine categories of parts of speech

These nine parts of speech are namely: Verbs, Nouns , Adjectives, Determiners, Adverbs , Pronouns, Prepositions , Conjunctions, and Interjections.

Another additional classification is used as a part of speech, i.e. , Articles, a subprogram of determiners.

To comprehend the meaning and use of each word in the English language, it is essential to clearly understand the various parts of speech and select the right parts of speech form at the appropriate place in the sentence.

What are the 9 parts of speech with their functions?

Here are the nine parts of speech and how they impact the English language.

‘Verbs’ are the words used in a sentence to define the action/state of action being performed. Most of the sentences in sentence formation require the inclusion of verbs.

Some examples of verbs used in the English language are Love, Break, Fall , and Cry . These are the basic forms of verbs and are known as infinitives .

Most of the verbs used have two other major forms called participles . The use of these participles is for the formation of various verb-tense combinations.

These participles define the forms of verbs concerning the time of action/performance. These verb-tense combinations can be used in two types: Active voice and passive voice .

A ‘noun’ are words used in a sentence to give recognition or the name of an object, individual, or animal.

Nouns can be sub-classified into two major categories: Common nouns , which give generic descriptor names to things, and common items, such as a bat, a bicycle , etc. The other category of nouns is Proper nouns , which have specific descriptor names to refer to a specialized object, place, or individual, such as Charley, The Empire State Building, The Telegraph , etc.

Additionally, nouns can be classified as singular nouns and plural nouns based on the number of individuals/objects.

Singular Nouns

The definition of a Singular Noun is the same as that of a noun when used commonly. It carries the same definition as the noun: “A word referring towards an individual/object/event/material/place.”

Plural Nouns

The word plural relates to “more than one in certain languages or more than two in certain languages.”

Thus singular nouns can be converted to their plural noun format when there is an implication of more than one or two objects/individuals/places.

A general Singular/Common Noun can be turned into the appropriate form of a Plural Noun by adding a ‘s’/’es’/’ ies’/’ves.’ It is also initiated by changing ‘us’ to ‘i’, ‘is’ to ‘es’ , or ‘on’ to ‘a’ .

Some common nouns do not change when interchanged between their singular and plural noun forms. Some other common nouns do not fall under plural nouns and are called irregular nouns, which are made plural by changing the spelling or adding a suffix to the word.

‘Adjectives’ are words that give a description or modify the scope of nouns/pronouns by being specific. For example, adjectives used to define a noun can be red, small, hot, common, etc.

An adjective is usually placed before a noun or after the verb that it modifies. Three forms of adjectives are used to compare similar characteristics of different individuals/objects. These three degrees of comparison are:

Positive/Absolute form

This comparison of adjectives defines the original form of the adjective as stated in English. For example, “this candy is tasty .” This degree of comparison states that no relative subject is available for comparison.

Comparative form

This form of the adjective gives a relative comparison between two objects performing similar actions with identical characteristics. For example, “the candy we had today is tastier than the one we received yesterday.”

Superlative form

This form of the adjective gives the superiority declaration of one object over similar objects possessing similar characteristics. For example, “this candy is the tastiest I have ever had in the last two years .”

Adjectives can be sub-classified based on their function in sentence formation. This sub-classification is:

Possessive Adjectives

These adjectives show/represent the possessiveness of an object. For example, mine, my, his/her, their, its, etc.

Interrogative Adjectives

These adjectives modify the noun/pronoun by interrogation. Only a select few adjectives are available in this form. For example, whose, which, what, and where.

Demonstrative Adjectives

These adjectives describe the current state/position of the noun/pronoun concerning space/time. For example, this, these, those, that.

Compound Adjectives

These adjectives are a result of the combination of two or more adjectives. The resulting adjective modifies the subject in the sentence. For example, hand-dried, heavy-weighted, spike-haired, etc.

‘Determiners’ are the words placed before a noun/pronoun group terms to refer to a single/multiple things. Some commonly used determiners in English are ‘a’, ‘the’, ‘some’, ‘any’, and ‘this.’ Determiners are generally placed before descriptive adjectives . It tells the reader more about the description of the noun being referred to.

Determiners are classified into sub-categories, articles, and demonstratives.

An ‘Article’ can be either definite or indefinite. An article modifies a noun/pronoun without specifying any description of the object. In English, an example of a ‘definite article’ is the , whereas examples of two ‘indefinite articles’ are a and an .

Here, the refers to specific things or things that are identified beforehand. A or a refer to non-specific things that have not been identified beforehand.

Demonstratives

A ‘Demonstrative’ is defined as a demonstrative adjective/pronoun based on its usage in the sentence. Some examples of demonstratives are ‘this’, ‘that’, and ‘those’ .

A determiner has the same rules of use as in the case of adjectives in sentence formation. Thus, confusion takes place when carefully choosing the type of parts of speech to assign when given a choice of either a determiner or adjective.

An ‘Adverb’ defines essential information about the verb, similar to what an adjective is to a noun. It provides a descriptor for a verb used in a sentence and some cases, can also describe an adjective or another adverb.

Some adverbs used in sentences with verbs are ‘slowly’, ‘hastily’, ‘unfortunately’, and ‘angrily’.

Adverbs are further sub-classified into various types based on their application in a sentence.

Adverbs of Time (to inform about the occurrence of a verb), For example, ‘now’, ‘tomorrow’, and ‘soon’.
Adverbs of Manner (to describe the action of a verb), For example, ‘hastily’, ‘slowly’, and ‘minutely’.
Adverbs of Place (to indicate the place of action of the verb),
Adverbs of Frequency (to describe the frequency of a verb action),
Adverbs of Degree (to describe the intensity of an action),
Conjunctive Adverbs (are used to link/act as a conjunction to two sentences).

A ‘Pronoun’ is a word used in specifically providing an alternate name for a non/noun phrase. They are alternate words for referring to an object/individual when the requirement of a noun is unnecessary, as the noun has been mentioned previously in some parts of the sentence.

Some examples of pronouns are ‘it’, ‘he/she’, and ‘himself/herself’.

Pronouns are sub-classified into different categories based on their use in the sentence.

Some of these sub-categories are:

Relative Pronouns (to relate a part of a sentence with the other)
Possessive Pronouns (to show possessiveness)
Reflexive Pronouns (to refer back to the subject of discussion)
Demonstrative Pronouns (to refer to specific objects/individuals)
Interrogative Pronouns (to ask questions)
Indefinite Pronouns (to avoid reference to any specific object/individual/place)
Personal Pronouns (to use as substitutes for proper names)
Subject Pronouns (to assign acting on an object)
Object Pronouns (to assign receiving action towards an object)
Reciprocal Pronouns (to express two-way/mutual relationship)
Preposition

A ‘Preposition’ is a word used as a connective between a noun, a noun phrase, or a pronoun with another word.

Prepositions are used in sentence formations to convey these meanings:

To show the direction towards/of something/someone
To refer to the period of an action taking place
To specify the location/position of an object
To present the space and time relationship between objects

Based on their use and function, prepositions are classified into four subtypes:

Prepositions of Time (to indicate the happening of an action/event)
Preposition of Place (to indicate the location of an object)
Preposition of Direction (to indicate the direction/orientation of an object)
Prepositions of Spatial Relationship (to indicate an object moving away/towards a source)
Conjunction

A ‘Conjunction’ is a word that combines two/more objects and behaves as connectives in a sentence. These can appear in the beginning/middle/end of the sentence following the location of the objects.

There are three types of conjunctions used in sentence formation:

Coordinate conjunction (to combine two independent clauses )
Subordinate conjunction (to combine an independent with a dependent clause)
Correlation conjunction (to combine two phrases having equal weightage)

Interjection

An ‘Interjection’ is a word to convey the expression of a variety of emotions/feelings. As such, there is no specific rule for the use of interjection and where it is to be placed.

However, in most cases, it is placed at the beginning of the sentence. For example, some of the most commonly used interjections are ‘ouch’, ‘phew’, and ‘well’.

Parts of speech examples

Here are some examples of the parts of speech used in sentences. Note the placement and its relation with other parts of speech present in the sentence format.

John is cutting a pipe.
John intends to come to the office this Monday .
Jogging regularly is good for health.
Drinking and driving put other motorists in danger.
Would you want to wear a suit?
I love to sing in between classes.

See another example in the image below.

Juno ran towards the classroom.
The janitor requested the students to clear their lockers.
The monkey was caged after being sedated.
I gifted my brother a phone .
Why did you purchase the book ?
I misplaced the manuscript .
Do you want to eat some ice cream ?
Mum loved my new car .
Daniel gifted his brother a Porsche.

I purchased a blue suit for the reception.
Mary purchased two oranges from the fruit seller.
The curry is tasty .
Juno’s brother is arrogant .
The documentary that premiered on television was fascinating .
Giovanni Giorgio is a great music composer.

My house is currently under lease.
This novel is lengthy.
I purchased some fruits and vegetables.
She sent me an expensive watch.
Velma loved the dress gifted by her parents.
Joyce and Jill watched a movie together.
Grandma gave us materials to prepare the dessert.

Typically , we visit Mom on Mondays.
Don’t you taste the coffee to be too bitter?
Do not be nervous. You will eventually get the hang of it.
The movie I watched was very scientific.
It is scorching hot inside the workshop.
Can I visit the office today ?

His aunt will be staying at the apartment for a while .
He is the man I was referring to.
I found my missing luggage outside the airport.

I won’t be coming to the office in the afternoon.
He arranged the cutlery on the table.
Bhaskar made the dog hide under its bed.
I enjoy strolling by the lake in the mornings.

James and I trekked to the hilltop today.
I stayed back home because I felt uneasy.
He did not enjoy the yogurt , yet he finished it.

Interjection
Hurray! We got the funding.
Ouch! That wound looks severe.
Wow! You look great in the wedding gown.
Oh my God ! I hope he is safe.

See an example in the image below.

Words with more than one job

Many parts of speech can have more than one function/job in the sentence. This improves the versatility of the words being used and makes the use more situational in its placement and conveyance of meaning.

Myers can shift for herself (Preposition)
Give prayers to the Almighty; for He is the one above all (Conjunction)
We require more women to have the same vigor. (Adjective)
More of the women died in the operating room than in the cabin. (Pronoun)
Agatha needs to shut the gossiping and work more (Adverb)

To see how all the objects work together, see the table below.

Here is a chart showing the parts of speech:

How to identify parts of speech

In sentence formation, it often becomes difficult to ascertain the parts of speech represented by each word. To help out and to make the process of identification easier, follow these steps:

Identify any word which names an object/individual/place in a generalized form as a noun .
To identify a specific noun, use pronouns .
Any words which describe/identify actions/performance are verbs .
Any word that modifies or gives a greater definition to nouns is an adjective.
Any word that modifies or gives meaning to the actions of verbs, are adverbs.
It is easy to pick out prepositions as they describe relationships between a noun/pronoun with other nouns/pronouns.
Any joiner used to join two clauses is a conjunction .
Exclamations generally follow any interjections in the text.

Parts of speech

More parts of speech:

Conjunctions
Prepositions
Possessive nouns
Irregular plural nouns
Proper nouns
Concrete nouns
Collective nouns
Possessive and plural nouns
Verbs: The Definitive Guide
Nouns | Explore Definition, Examples & Types with Examples
What Are Pronouns? Definitions and Examples
What Are Adverbs? (with Examples)
Interjections – Explore Meaning, Definition, Usage and Examples
What Is A Conjunction? Types & Examples
The 9 Parts of Speech: Definitions and Examples
What Is a Determiner?
The 8 Parts of Speech: Examples and Rules
Adverbs – What is It? Explore the Meaning, Definition, Types, Usage and Examples

Inside this article

Fact checked: Content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. Learn more.

About the author

Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. She covers English, ESL, and all things grammar on GrammarBrain.

Core lessons

Abstract Noun
Accusative Case
Active Sentence
Alliteration
Adjective Clause
Adjective Phrase
Adverbial Clause
Appositive Phrase
Body Paragraph
Compound Adjective
Complex Sentence
Compound Words
Compound Predicate
Common Noun
Comparative Adjective
Comparative and Superlative
Compound Noun
Compound Subject
Compound Sentence
Copular Verb
Collective Noun
Colloquialism
Conciseness
Conditional
Concrete Noun
Conjugation
Conditional Sentence
Comma Splice
Correlative Conjunction
Coordinating Conjunction
Coordinate Adjective
Cumulative Adjective
Dative Case
Declarative Statement
Direct Object Pronoun
Direct Object
Dangling Modifier
Demonstrative Pronoun
Demonstrative Adjective
Direct Characterization
Definite Article
Doublespeak
Equivocation Fallacy
Future Perfect Progressive
Future Simple
Future Perfect Continuous
Future Perfect
First Conditional
Gerund Phrase
Genitive Case
Helping Verb
Irregular Adjective
Irregular Verb
Imperative Sentence
Indefinite Article
Intransitive Verb
Introductory Phrase
Indefinite Pronoun
Indirect Characterization
Interrogative Sentence
Intensive Pronoun
Inanimate Object
Indefinite Tense
Infinitive Phrase
Intensifier
Indicative Mood
Juxtaposition
Linking Verb
Misplaced Modifier
Nominative Case
Noun Adjective
Object Pronoun
Object Complement
Order of Adjectives
Parallelism
Prepositional Phrase
Past Simple Tense
Past Continuous Tense
Past Perfect Tense
Past Progressive Tense
Present Simple Tense
Present Perfect Tense
Personal Pronoun
Personification
Persuasive Writing
Parallel Structure
Phrasal Verb
Predicate Adjective
Predicate Nominative
Phonetic Language
Plural Noun
Punctuation
Punctuation Marks
Preposition of Place
Parts of Speech
Possessive Adjective
Possessive Determiner
Possessive Case
Possessive Noun
Proper Adjective
Proper Noun
Present Participle
Quotation Marks
Relative Pronoun
Reflexive Pronoun
Reciprocal Pronoun
Subordinating Conjunction
Simple Future Tense
Stative Verb
Subjunctive
Subject Complement
Subject of a Sentence
Sentence Variety
Second Conditional
Superlative Adjective
Slash Symbol
Topic Sentence
Types of Nouns
Types of Sentences
Uncountable Noun
Vowels and Consonants

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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.

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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Your Guide to the 9 Parts of Speech

Grammarians categorize English words into groups, which we call Parts of Speech. Most guides will tell you that there are eight or nine parts of speech, depending on a few factors, like whether they include interjections. Each part of speech serves a particular function, which I will describe below.

The parts of speech we will cover are:

noun,
pronoun,
verb,
adjective,
adverb,
preposition,
conjunction,
determiner, and
interjection.

I’ve also put together a table with all the parts of speech and examples of their use in sentences. Below the table, you’ll find a breakdown of each part of speech with further examples.

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Parts of Speech Cheat Sheet

Nouns are things. Stuff. People. Places. Ideas. (Yeah, things, stuff, people, places, and ideas are all nouns.)

Common and Proper Nouns

Nouns can be common, like city, park, and building , or proper, like New York City, Central Park, and The Chrysler Building. Proper nouns are names. Michael and Mr. Blackwood , for example, are proper nouns.

Singular or Plural Nouns

Nouns can be singular or plural. A singular noun is when there’s only one. One man , one dog, one person . Plural nouns occur when there’s more than one. Two men , ten dogs , a million people .

Possessive Nouns

Nouns can also be possessive, which means a noun “owns,” belongs to, or is otherwise attached to another noun. In English, we use the apostrophe to denote possession. In the phrase “the man’s dog,” for example, man’s is possessive. Man owns (or belongs to) dog .

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Pronouns substitute for nouns. Pronouns include he, she, they, you, it, and many more.

Plural, Possessive, and Plural–Possessive, Oh My

Pronouns can be possessive, like my, your, his, and her . Pronouns can also be plural like we and they. And pronouns can be plural and possessive, like our and their .

Words like that and which do double (or triple!) duty. That can be a determiner (see below), as in the phrase “ I ate that apple,” but can also become a pronoun, as in the phrase, “I ate that ” — where that substitutes for a noun, like apple.

To be or not to be, that is the…ultimate verb. Verbs show actions and states of being. This includes to be and its derivatives: is, are, were, will be, have been, etc. Verbs show all the things you can do . Crawl. Walk. Run. Sit, watch, enjoy, laugh, cry, and eat.

Verb Tense & Aspect

Verbs have a tense , which refers to when the thing is being done. There are three main tenses: Past, present, and future . In the past tense, I wrote. In the present tense, I write. In the future, I will write (which enlists the help of the “helping verb” will ) .

Furthermore, the tenses all have an aspect , which demonstrates further details, like whether an action is ongoing. The aspects are simple, perfect, continuous , and perfect continuous . So you can have any combination of aspects with tense; for example, simple past or perfect continuous future .

The subject of tenses and aspects is pretty complicated — it deserves its own article. But for now, here’s a simple chart that breaks down the tenses and aspects with examples.

Verb Tense and Aspect Chart

This information is pretty esoteric, so don’t get too distracted by it. The main thing to remember is that verbs show action and states of being.

Adjectives describe nouns.

When you’re telling someone about your favorite English language blog, you would use adjectives to describe it. Smart, witty, clever, helpful, accessible, and concise are all adjectives.

And were you to describe the writer of that blog you would continue to use adjectives. Smart, witty, clever, helpful, handsome, kind, approachable, and single are also adjectives.

Adverbs are like adjectives, except that they don’t describe nouns, they describe other parts of speech: verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Adverbs often end in -ly , but not always. They can come before verbs, as in, “she quickly ran,” or after, as in “she ran quickly. ”

Here are some examples of adverbs in a sentence:

Modifying a verb : He quietly tip-toed through the dark hallway.

( Quietly modifies the verb tip-toed. )

Modifying an adjective : He quietly tip-toed through the eerily dark hallway.

( Eerily modifies the adjective dark. )

Modifying another adverb : He totally quietly tip-toed through the eerily dark hallway.

( Totally modifies the other adverb quietly. )

Prepositions

Prepositions link nouns to other words, showing us the relationship between them. They show location or time. For example, “We will meet on the bridge during sunset.”

Prepositions can also be used to show purpose, as in, “I am walking for my heart.”

Prepositions include in, on, toward, with, through, at, upon, toward, via, and many more.

Conjunctions

Conjunctions join words, phrases, and clauses together , so we can create complex sentences and express multiple ideas at once.

Conjunctions include and, but, or, yet, although, because, and others.

In this sentence, the conjunction joins two clauses: “I don’t like apples but I do like oranges.” And in this sentence, the conjunction joins just two words: “I like apples and oranges.”

One group of conjunctions (called correlative conjunctions) comes in pairs, like either/or, if/then, not only/but also . Here’s an example:

“ Either you will peel the oranges for me, or I won’t eat them.”

Determiners (Includes Articles)

Back in the day, your English teacher, like mine, may have taught you about articles: the , a , and an .

Grammarians more and more frequently include these in a group of words called determiners , words that limit or “determine” nouns, which, in addition to articles include that, this, these, those , and others — showing exactly which noun or nouns are being talked about. This includes possessive pronouns like my, your, their, her, and his.

Think of it this way: determiners often answer the questions What?, Which?, or Whose? For example, “Which article?” “ This article.” “Whose blog?” “ Our blog.”

Interjections (!)

Consult more than one English grammar guide, and you’re likely to see that there are eight or nine parts of speech. Why the difference? Well, some sources don’t include the interjection as its own part of speech. But some sources do, so you ought to know about it.

Interjections can be, um, tricky to define. They are spontaneous, sometimes emotional, and they come before or between complete thoughts . Sometimes they interrupt a sentence right in its tracks. They include exclamations like Wow!, Yikes!, and Oh! They also include curses ( damn! ), greetings (like hi ) , and filler words (like um ).

Some examples of interjections:

Wow! Look at that sunset.
Let’s go to the, um, store.
I don’t understand why you would— oh! Now I get it.

Sometimes, other parts of speech can be interjections.

Fantastic ! Let’s do it! (Here the adjective fantastic serves as an interjection.)
I’m just going to open the blinds and— snow! It’s snowing now! (The noun snow serves as an interjection.)

The Parts of Speech in Sum

There you have it — the nine parts of speech. Noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, determiner, and interjection.

Got an exam coming up? Working on your writing? Consult this guide anytime you need a refresher.

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What Are the Parts of Speech? (with Examples)

Marcus Froland

March 28, 2024

Understanding the building blocks of language is crucial if you want to master it. Think of a house. Without bricks, wood, or concrete, it’s just an idea, not something you can actually live in. The same goes for language. The parts of speech are like those essential materials, each playing a unique role in constructing sentences that make sense.

But here’s the thing: while it might sound simple, there’s a lot more to it than just memorizing definitions. Knowing how these parts work together opens up a whole new world of effective communication. And just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, we’ll show you why there’s always a little more to learn.

The parts of speech are the building blocks of language. They help us form sentences and express our thoughts clearly. There are eight main parts of speech : nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections. Nouns name people, places, things, or ideas. Pronouns stand in for nouns to avoid repetition. Verbs show action or a state of being. Adjectives describe or modify nouns. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, often telling how, when, where, or to what extent. Prepositions show the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence. Conjunctions join words, phrases, or clauses. Finally, interjections express emotion or surprise.

Understanding the Essentials of English Grammar: Parts of Speech

Parts of speech are the foundational components of English grammar , playing crucial roles in providing structure and meaning to sentences. When learning or teaching English, understanding these components is one of the first steps towards mastering the language. Let’s explore the importance of these components and how they influence the structure of the English language .

Based on their usage in a sentence, words can be categorized into one of the eight traditional parts of speech , which serve as the building blocks of English language syntax and structure. Developing a solid understanding of these parts of speech is key to mastering English grammar essentials and crafting grammatically correct sentences. The table below provides an overview of the eight parts of speech, their basic definitions, and examples of words under each category.

Each of these parts of speech assumes unique grammatical roles that help further refine the language structure . For instance, nouns and pronouns serve as the foundation from which other parts of speech like adjectives , verbs , and adverbs can extend and enrich the meaning of sentences. Prepositions and conjunctions, on the other hand, help to link and organize sentence components into coherent, logical structures. Lastly, articles give subtle yet important context to nouns in terms of their specificity.

Mastering the eight parts of speech – nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, prepositions , conjunctions, and articles – is fundamental for understanding and perfecting English grammar . It is only through continued practice, study, and application of these language components that one can truly comprehend and navigate the intricacies of this complex and fascinating language.

Defining Nouns: The Building Blocks of Language

Nouns are the words that name people, places, concepts, or objects—basically anything that can be considered a “thing.” They are essential components of any language, providing the foundation for constructing coherent sentences. In this section, we’ll learn the two main categories of nouns: common nouns and proper nouns, and learn how to identify them within sentences.

Common Vs. Proper Nouns

Common nouns are general names for things like game show or planet , while proper nouns refer to specific names or titles like Jupiter or Jeopardy! . The key difference between the two lies in their capitalization rules. Proper nouns always begin with a capital letter, regardless of their placement in a sentence. On the other hand, common nouns only require capitalization when they are the first word of a sentence.

Proper nouns: United States, Barack Obama, Apple Inc. Common nouns: country, president, company

Identifying Nouns in Sentences

Being able to identify nouns within sentences is crucial for understanding and constructing proper sentence structures. Nouns can play various roles in a sentence, such as:

Direct objects
Objects of prepositions

Nouns also have the ability to demonstrate possession with the addition of an apostrophe and an ‘s’ (e.g., John’s book). Furthermore, nouns are often used with articles like a , an , and the . Given their versatility and pivotal role in English grammar , it’s essential to recognize and properly use nouns when crafting sentences.

In summary, understanding the distinction between common and proper nouns , as well as recognizing their roles in sentences, is fundamental for mastering English grammar. By sharpening your skills in identifying and using nouns accurately, you can greatly improve your writing and communication abilities.

Pronouns: Simplifying Language and Avoiding Repetition

Pronouns play a crucial role in efficient communication by replacing specific nouns, thereby avoiding repetition and simplifying language . The primary function of pronouns is to substitute nouns that have been previously mentioned or are evident from the context.

There are different forms of pronouns that serve various purposes in sentences:

Personal pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
Possessive pronouns: my, your, his, her, its, our, their
Reflexive pronouns: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, themselves
Relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, which, that
Demonstrative pronouns: this, that, these, those

For a pronoun to function effectively, it must agree in number with its antecedent, which is the noun it is replacing. When using pronouns, ensure to maintain clarity and avoid pronoun-antecedent disagreement. Consistency in pronoun usage contributes to the readability and coherence of your text.

“She gave her friend the book that she borrowed.”

In the example above, it is unclear which “she” borrowed the book. Rephrasing the sentence using proper nouns can help eliminate confusion:

“Samantha gave her friend the book that Maria borrowed.”

Pronouns are essential not only for avoiding repetition but also for simplifying language . By using pronouns, shorter sentences can be formed, enhancing the flow and clarity of written or spoken communication.

Mastering pronoun usage will help you write more effective, concise, and coherent sentences, thereby improving your overall communication skills in English.

Verbs: The Action Heroes of Any Sentence

Verbs hold a powerful position in English sentences as they primarily describe actions, events, or states of being. They can be action verbs , which illustrate physical or mental activities, or nonaction verbs , also known as state-of-being verbs like ‘to be’ or ‘to love.’ No matter their nature, verbs establish the core of a sentence, providing crucial information about the subject.

“To be or not to be, that is the question.” – William Shakespeare

As dynamic components of language, verbs are versatile in their functions. They adjust to express different tenses, which allow us to indicate if an action occurs in the past, present, or future. Additionally, they must match the subject in number – singular or plural – for grammatically accurate sentences. To better grasp the importance of verbs, let’s explore various examples:

It’s important to remember that some verbs can serve both as action verbs and nonaction verbs, depending on the context. For example, “think” might refer to the act of pondering or a person’s opinion in different scenarios.

She thinks about her decision carefully. (action)
I think this is the right choice. (nonaction)

Understanding and using verbs accurately is essential for constructing clear, meaningful sentences and effectively conveying your thoughts. So, next time you’re crafting a text, ensure that your verbs are the true action heroes of your sentences!

Adjectives and Adverbs: Adding Flavor to Sentences

Adjectives and adverbs are essential elements of the English language that add flavor and richness to sentences. By describing nouns and modifying verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs, these parts of speech enhance the overall meaning and impact of a statement.

How Adjectives Describe and Enhance Nouns

Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns and pronouns, providing more details about them, like their color, size, shape, or quantity. These words often answer questions, such as which one, what kind, and how many. They can appear before the noun they modify, as in “a large dog,” or after linking words like ‘to be,’ as in “the dog is happy .” Including adjectives in your writing helps clarify and provide more context to your descriptions, resulting in a more vivid and engaging language.

Adverbs: Modifying Verbs, Adjectives, and Other Adverbs

Adverbs are important language components that modify or describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs in a sentence. They add more detail by expressing how, when, where, why, and to what extent an action is carried out. Many adverbs are easily recognizable by their suffix -ly, such as ‘quickly’ or ‘peacefully,’ though not all adverbs follow this pattern. By using adverbs, you offer readers a deeper understanding of how an action unfolds and add depth to your writing.

“The extremely tired dog quickly jumped over the tall fence.”

In the example above, “extremely” is an adverb modifying the adjective “tired” to emphasize the dog’s exhaustion. “Quickly” is also an adverb, modifying the verb “jumped” to describe the speed of the action. Together, these adverbs paint a more detailed and vivid picture for the reader.

Here are some examples of adjectives and adverbs:

Incorporating adjectives and adverbs into your writing allows you to paint a more vibrant and detailed picture for your readers. Combined with other parts of speech, these elements help create immersive language and powerful communication.

Prepositions and Conjunctions: The Glue of Grammar

Understanding prepositions and conjunctions is crucial for forming coherent sentences and effectively conveying ideas. In this section, we will explore the roles of these essential relationship words and grammar connections in detail.

The Role of Prepositions in Showing Relationships

Prepositions are words that indicate relationships among other words in a sentence, often in terms of place or time. They form prepositional phrases which act as adjectives or adverbs, modifying nouns, pronouns, or verbs. Common prepositions include ‘by,’ ‘with,’ ‘about,’ and ‘until.’ The table below exemplifies some prevalent prepositions and their respective functions.

Conjunctions: Connecting Clauses and Thoughts

Conjunctions link words, phrases, or clauses and denote the relationship between the joined elements. They come in various forms, including coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.

She practiced every day, and she became an excellent pianist.

Tom reads every day because he wants to expand his knowledge.

Prepositions and conjunctions are indispensable components of English grammar, acting as the glue that holds sentences together. By mastering their usage, you will significantly enhance your ability to form meaningful, coherent sentences, and effectively communicate your thoughts.

Articles: The Subtle Yet Important Part of Speech

When it comes to mastering English grammar, one small yet significant component to consider is the role of articles. Articles, such as ‘a,’ ‘an,’ and ‘the,’ are important to include before nouns as they can clarify whether a noun is specific or general.

There are two main categories of articles: definite and indefinite articles . Definite articles, like ‘the,’ are used to refer to particular items, whereas indefinite articles, such as ‘a’ or ‘an,’ are used when referencing nonspecific items. This subtle difference plays a vital role in sentence specificity and the overall meaning a sentence conveys.

Another essential aspect of articles is that they belong to a closed word class, meaning they do not readily accept new words. This differentiates them from open classes like nouns or verbs, which regularly add new words to their respective categories. By understanding the critical role articles play in English grammar, you will improve your ability to communicate clearly and effectively.

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

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:

Parallelism Grammar Rules (Parallel Structure)

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Direct and Indirect Objects: The Differences

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Subject Complements: Predicate Adjectives and Predicate Nominatives

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Examples of Parallelism in English Grammar

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

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

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

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Home » 8 Parts of Speech | 8 Types, Definition and Examples

8 Parts of Speech | 8 Types, Definition and Examples

Are you curious to Speak or Learn the English Language? well, Every word in the English language is referred to as a component of speech. A word’s function in a sentence indicates the portion of speech to which it belongs. The “8 Parts of Speech,” which have distinct roles in sentence formation, are some of these building elements. To assist you in understanding the fundamentals of grammar, we will go over the various parts of speech in this tutorial, along with their definitions, types, and instances. This article explains the various parts of speech and provides examples and a definition.

The parts of speech are the conventional grammatical categories to which words are assigned based on their syntactic roles, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and so forth. Stated differently, they talk about the varied roles that words might play in a sentence and the connections that words have to one another as defined by syntax and grammar.

Every single English word can be classified into one of the eight components of speech. A word’s part of speech is the purpose it fulfills in a sentence. These jobs were also designed to work as a team, much like any workplace or ensemble cast television series.

Table of Contents

What Is a Part of Speech?

Before delving into the specifics, let’s clarify what we mean by a “Part of speech.” In grammar, a part of speech is a category of words with similar grammatical properties. These categories help us understand how words function within sentences.

8 Parts of Speech:

Preposition
Conjunction
Interjection

Let us now dissect each of the 8 parts of speech:

Noun: the foundation of sentences.

Types: Common nouns, proper nouns, abstract nouns, concrete nouns. See more…
Definition: A noun is a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea.
Example: cat , London , happiness , desk

Pronoun: Substitutes for Nouns

Types: Personal pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, indefinite pronouns.
Definition: A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun to avoid repetition.
Example: he , she , it , they

Verb: The Action Words

Types: Action verbs, linking verbs, helping verbs.
Definition: A verb expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being.
Example: She runs every morning. The flowers smell delightful.

Adjective: Describing Words

Types: Descriptive adjectives, limiting adjectives.
Definition: An adjective describes or modifies a noun or pronoun.
Example: The blue sky, tall trees, delicious food.

Adverb: Modifiers of Verbs

Types: Adverbs of manner, place, time, degree.
Definition: An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb
Example: He ran quickly , She sings beautifully .

Preposition: Indicators of Position or Relationship

Types: Simple prepositions, compound prepositions.
Definition: A preposition shows the relationship between its object and another word in the sentence.
Example: The book is on the table. She walked across the bridge.

Conjunction: Joining Words

Types: Coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions.
Definition: A conjunction connects words, phrases, or clauses.
Example: She likes tea and coffee. He went to the store because he needed groceries.

Interjection: Expressions of Emotion

Types: Expressive interjections, introductory interjections.
Definition: An interjection expresses strong emotions or sudden bursts of feeling.
Example: Wow! That was amazing! Ouch! That hurt.

Past indefinite Tense Example Sentences in English

Example Sentences of Present Continuous Tense

Present indefinite Tense Examples Sentences in English

Abstract Nouns List A to Z in English | 500+ Abstract...

Proper Nouns List A to Z | 500+ Proper Nouns

Common Nouns List A to Z | 500+ Common Nouns

About the author.

mrmrsenglish.com

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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Parts of Speech Definition (8)Types and Examples

Parts of Speech in English refer to words that are into eight categories according to their use and function in sentences. Explore Parts of Speech: Definition, (8)Types, Examples, and Explanation to get a clear idea.

Parts of Speech

Parts of Speech are words used in sentences to make different functions and meanings. Without parts of speech, a sentence can not be expressed.

Parts of Speech Definition

Words are divided into different kinds or classes according to the purpose that they are used for. The different kinds of words are called Parts of Speech. – J.C. Nesfield

Different Parts of Speech with Examples

Parts of Speech can be divided into eight classes the function they perform in sentences.

1. Noun: The Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders.

2. Pronoun: He can make it easier.

3. Adjective: She is as beautiful as a rose.

4. Verb: Mother cooks food.

5. Adverb: Barking dog seldom bites.

6. Preposition: The book is on the table.

7. Conjunction: Do or die

8. Interjection: Hurrah! we have won the match.

(8)Types of Parts of Speech Definitions and Examples:

1. noun: .

A noun is a word that names a thing, person, or place.

(a) Ram is a good boy .

(b) India is our motherland .

(d) kindness is a great quality .

(e) The committee has approved the decision.

All the above italic words in sentences are nouns .

2. Pronoun:

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

(a) Vinod is studying. He has a test tomorrow.

(b) It is going to rain. I don’t have an umbrella.

(d) That is a nice sari! you look very pretty in it .

(e) Nilima is a good girl. She reads in a college.

3. Adjective:

An adjective is a word that adds something to the meaning of a Noun or Pronoun.

(a) This is a pretty house.

(b) The small boy is crying.

(d) There are four candles on the table.

(e) Many men were present.

All the above italic words in sentences are Adjectives .

4. Verb:

A verb is doing a word. It is used to express an action or state about people, animals, or things.

(a) I am angry.

(b) Mr ram drives a motorcycle.

(d) The Rose smells sweet.

(e) Iron and copper are useful metals.

All the above italic words in sentences are Verbs .

5. Adverb:

An adverb is a word that tells us more about verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

a) He walks fast .

(b) He is very clever.

(d) Some people spell badly .

(e) They asked me to wait here .

All the above italic words in sentences are Adverbs .

6. Preposition:

A preposition is a word placed before a Noun or a noun-equivalent or a pronoun to show its relation to some other word in the sentence.

(a) The book is on the table.

(b) He came to me.

(d) The girl is fond of music.

(e) The little girl sat under a tree.

All the above italic words in sentences are Prepositions .

7. Conjunction:

A conjunction is a word that is used to join words, phrases, clauses, and sentences.

(a) It is very hot, and everybody is sweating.

(b) We can go to a film or we can go to the beach.

(d) As he was ill, he did not go to his school.

(e) Ram as well as Karim went there.

All the above italic words in sentences are Conjunctions .

8. Interjection :

An interjection is a word that is used to show a strong or sudden feeling of happiness, sadness, surprise, or hurt.

(a) Hurrah! I did very well in maths.

(b) Alas! we lost the battle.

(d) Ouch! you stepped on my toe.

(e) Goodness! He should not have said that.

All the above italic words in sentences are Interjections .

Some Examples of Parts of Speech in Sentences

1. The sun shines bright. ( Noun )

2. He is a brave boy. ( Pronoun )

3. She is absent because she is ill. ( Pronoun )

4. The girl wrote a letter to her father. ( Verb )

5. Kolkata is a big city. ( Adjective )

6. He worked the sum quickly . ( Adverb )

7. This flower is very beautiful. ( Adverb )

8. There is a cow in the garden. ( Preposition )

9. Rama and Hari are cousins. ( Conjunction )

10. Two and two make four. ( Conjunction )

11. Alas! He is dead. ( Interjection )

12. I can run fast, but miss the train. ( Conjunction )

13. Iron and copper are useful metals. ( Adjective )

14. His courage won him honour. ( Noun )

15. She pronounced the word quiet correctly. ( Adverb )

16. The girl is fond of music. ( Preposition )

Same Word used as different Parts of Speech

Frequently asked questions on parts of speech.

Q1 What are parts of speech? Ans: Parts of Speech are words used in a sentence. Those words make a sentence meaningful.

Q2 How many parts of speech are there? Ans: There are 8 parts of speech according to function and meaning in sentences..

Q3 W hat are the 8 parts of speech grammar?

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

Nouns for Class 6: Types Examples and Exercises

School Guide
English Grammar Free Course
English Grammar Tutorial
Parts of Speech
Figure of Speech
Tenses Chart
Essay Writing
Email Writing
NCERT English Solutions
English Difference Between
SSC CGL English Syllabus
SBI PO English Syllabus
SBI Clerk English Syllabus
IBPS PO English Syllabus
IBPS CLERK English Syllabus
English Grammar : Learn Rules of Grammar and Basics
Parts of Speech: Definitions, Examples & 8 Types
What is a Noun? Types, Definitions and Examples (List)
Proper Noun - Definition, Examples, & Rules
Common Noun - Definition, Examples, List & Usage
Plural Noun - Rules and Examples
Possessive Noun - Meaning, Usage, Rules and Examples
What is Collective Noun? List of Examples, Uses and Exercises
Abstract Nouns - Definition, Examples, List, Usage
What is a Compound Noun? Definition, Types & Examples
What are Countable Noun?
What are Uncountable Noun - How to use them?
Material Noun: Definition, Examples, Rules & Exercises
Pronoun Definition - Rules and Types of Pronouns
Reflexive Pronoun
Subject Pronouns - Definition, Example and Exercise
Relative Pronouns - Definition, Uses and Examples
Demonstrative Pronouns - Definition and Examples
Possessive Pronouns - Definition, Usage and Examples
Indefinite Pronoun
Personal Pronoun - Definition, Rules and Examples
Interrogative Pronoun
Reciprocal Pronouns - Definition, Examples & Uses
What is a Verb? Types, Uses, Examples
Main Verbs - Meaning, Types and Examples
Helping Verb: Definition, Types and Examples
Auxiliary Verbs: Definition, Examples & List
Irregular Verbs
What Are Modal Verbs? – Definition, Usage & Examples
What is A Gerund? Definition and Examples
Adjective - Definition, List, Types, Uses and Examples
Proper Adjectives Definition and Examples
Possessive Adjectives - Definition, Example and List
Interrogative Adjective - Meaning, Definition and Examples
What Is an Adverb? Definition, List & Examples
Conjunctive Adverbs - Meaning, Examples and Exercises
Adverbs of Time - Examples, Meaning, and Definition
Adverbs of Frequency - Definition, Examples, and Usage
Adverbs of Place - Definition, List and Examples
What are Adverbs of Degree? Definition, List and Examples
Adverbs of Manner - Meaning, Definition and Examples

Conjunction

What is a Conjunction - Meaning, Definition, Types & Exercises
Subordinating Conjunction - Meaning, Definition, Types and Examples

Preposition

Interjection.

Interjections - Definition, Types, Rules and Examples
Definite and Indefinite Articles ( A, An, The)
Subject-Verb Agreement Rules: Examples & Exercises
Active and Passive Voice Rules for Competitive Exams
What is Tense? Types, Definitions & Examples
Tense Chart in English - Rules, Examples, Types & Mind map

Parts of Speech: Definitions, Examples & 8 Types

Every word is a part of speech playing a specific role in sentences or paragraphs. Parts of speech provide an organized way to align words and phrases, it is a fundamental meaning for a language to become more understandable and serve a specific purpose. Here, in this article, we will see what is Part of Speech, its types, and its uses. So let us dive in deeper to learn more about it!

Table of Content

What is Part of Speech?

Parts of speech chart.

Different Types of Parts of Speech :
Parts of Speech Examples Using Sentences
Quiz to practice Parts of Speech

Parts of Speech – FAQs

The English language has thousands of words and every word has some function to perform. Some words are there to show action, some to join, and some to name something. There are 8 different parts of speech including nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, prepositions, conjunction, and interjection. And together, all the functions performed by words in the English language fall under Parts of speech.

Parts of Speech Definition

The parts of speech are the “traditional grammatical categories to which words are assigned in accordance with their syntactic functions, such as noun, verb, adjective, adverb, and so on.” In other words, they refer to the different roles that words can play in a sentence and how they relate to one another based on grammar and syntax.

All Parts of Speech with Examples

There are 8 different types of parts of speech i.e., Nouns, Pronouns, Adjectives, Verbs, Adverb, prepositions, Conjunction, and Interjection.

Noun –

A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, state, or quality. It can be singular or plural. Nouns are a part of speech.

Function: Refers to Things or person
Examples: Pen, Chair, Ram, Honesty
Sentences: Cars are expensive, This chair is made of wood, and Ram is a topper, Honesty is the best policy.

Pronoun –

The word used in place of a noun or a noun phrase is known as a pronoun. A pronoun is used in place of a noun to avoid the repetition of the noun.

Function: Replaces a noun
Examples: I, you, he, she, it, they
Sentences: They are expensive, It is of wood, He is a topper, It is the best policy

Adjective –

A word that modifies a noun or a pronoun is an adjective. Generally, an adjective’s function is to further define and quantify a noun or pronoun.

Function: Describes a noun
Examples: Super, Red, Our, Big, Great, class
Sentences: Supercars are expensive, The red chair is for kids, Ram is a class topper, and Great things take time.

Verb –

A word or a group of words that describes an action, a state, or an event is called a verb. A verb is a word that says what happens to somebody or what somebody or something does.

Function: Describes action or state
Sentences: I play football, I will be a doctor, I like to work, I love writing poems.

Adverb –

A verb, adjective, another adverb, determiner, clause, preposition, or sentence is typically modified by an adverb . Adverbs often answer questions like “how,” “in what way,” “when,” “where,” and “to what extent” by expressing things like method, place, time, frequency, degree, level of certainty, etc

Function: Describes a verb, adjective, or adverb
Examples: Silently, too, very
Sentences: I love reading silently, It is too tough to handle, He can speak very fast.

Preposition –

A preposition is called a connector or linking word which has a very close relationship with the noun, pronoun or adjective that follows it . Prepositions show position in space, movement, direction, etc.

Function: Links a noun to another word
Examples: at, in, of, after, under,
Sentences: The ball is under the table, I am at a restaurant, she is in trouble, I am going after her, It is so nice of him

Conjunction –

A conjunction is a word that connects clauses, sentences, or other words. Conjunctions can be used alone or in groups of two.

Function: Joins clauses and sentences
Examples: and, but, though, after
Sentences: First, I will go to college and then I may go to Fest, I don’t have a car but I know how to drive, She failed the exam though she worked hard, He will come after he finishes his match.

Interjection –

An interjection is a word or phrase expressing some sudden feelings of sadness or emotions.

Function: Shows exclamation
Examples: oh! wow!, alas! Hurray!
Sentences: Oh! I got fail again, Wow! I got the job, Alas! She is no more, Hurray! We are going to a party.

These are the main parts of speech, but there are additional subcategories and variations within each. Understanding the different parts of speech can help construct grammatically correct sentences and express ideas clearly.

Sentence Examples for the 8 Parts of Speech

Examples: Luggage, Cattle.
Sentence: Never leave your luggage unattended.
In some places, cattle are fed barely.
Examples: who, either, themselves
Sentence: I know a man who plays the guitar very well.
Either of the two cars is for sale.
They enjoyed themselves at the party.
Examples: kind, moving, wounder.
Sentence:
She is a kind person.
Boarding a moving bus can be dangerous.
Never poke a wounded animal.
Examples: Praise, Hate, Punish
Sentence: She always praises her friends.
I don’t hate anybody.
The boy has been punished by his teacher
Examples: Always, enough, immediately
Sentence: we should always help each other.
We should be wise enough to understand what is good for us.
We should leave bad habits immediately.
Examples: Off, Below, From. to
He plunged off the cliff
I live below the 9th floor.
I travel daily from Delhi to Noida.
Examples: whereas, as well as, so,
Sentence: The new software is fairly simple whereas the old one was a bit complicated.
The finance company is not performing well as well as some of its competitors.
He was ready so he may come.
Examples: oops! whoa! phew!
Sentence: Oops! I forgot to mention her name.
Whoa! you drive fast.
Phew! That was a close call, we had a narrow escape.

Parts of Speech Exercise – Test your Knowledge of Part of speech

Choose the correct Parts of Speech of the BOLD word from the following questions.

1. Let us play, Shall We?

a. Conjunction b. Pronoun c. Verb

2. I t is a good practice to arrange books on shelves.

a. Verb b. Noun c. Adjective

3. Whose books are these?

a. Pronoun b. Preposition c. verb

4. Father, please get me that toy.

a. Pronoun b. Adverb c. Adjective

5. His mentality is rather obnoxious.

a. Adverb b. Adjective c. Noun

6. He is the guy whose money got stolen.

a. Pronoun b. Conjunction c. Adjective

7. I will have finished my semester by the end of this year.

a. Interjection b. Conjunction c. Preposition

8. Bingo! That’s the one I have been looking for

a. Interjection b. Conjunctio c. Preposition

Quiz Answers:

1. c, 2. b, 3. a, 4. c, 5. a, 6. b, 7. c, 8. a

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English Grammar
Figures of Speech
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Difference Between Adjective and Verb

Q1. What are Parts of Speech?

A word is assigned to a category as per its function, and those categories are together known as Parts of Speech.

Q2. What are the 8 Parts of Speech?

Noun, Pronoun, Adjective, Verb, Adverb, Preposition, Conjunction, Interjection.

Q3. How many Parts of Speech are there?

There are a total of 8 parts of Speech.

Q4. What Part of Speech is “our”?

“Our” is a adjective type of Part of Speech. Eg. Our car.

Q5. What Part of Speech is “Quickly”?

Adverb. let us understand it with this example – Milk sours quickly in warm weather.

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20 Types of Figures of Speech, With Definitions and Examples

Writing is a craft. If you think of yourself as a craftsperson, then words are your raw materials, and figures of speech are one of your tools. A figure of speech is a creative use of language to generate an effect. Some figures of speech, like metaphor, simile, and metonymy, are found in everyday language. Others, like antithesis, circumlocution, and puns take more practice to implement in writing. Below are some common figures of speech with examples, so you can recognize them and use them in your writing.

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What is a figure of speech?

Language that uses figures of speech is known collectively as figurative language . You will find examples of figurative language in novels, poems, essays, and plays. The opposite of figurative language is literal language . Literal language is the type of straightforward writing you’ll find on road signs, in office memos , and in research papers .

20 types of figures of speech

1 alliteration.

Alliteration is the repeating of consonant sounds right next to each other, which creates a memorable or melodic effect.

Example: She sells seashells by the seashore.

2 Antithesis

Antithesis is a literary technique that places opposite things or ideas next to one another in order to draw out their contrast.

Example: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . .” —Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

3 Apostrophe

Apostrophe as a figure of speech is when a character addresses someone or something that isn’t present or cannot respond. The character might speak to someone deceased, an inanimate object, or a concept.

Example: “O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” — William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

4 Circumlocution

Circumlocution is the use of a purposely wordy description. You can think of it as talking in circles.

Example: In the Harry Potter series, most characters don’t say Lord Voldemort’s name; instead, they use this circumlocution: “He Who Must Not Be Named.”

An epigram is a clever and memorable statement. You will find epigrams in speeches , poetry , and at the front of a book.

Example: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” —Eleanor Roosevelt

6 Euphemism

A euphemism is a way to say something in an understated manner, often to avoid difficult topics—like money, death, or sex.

Example: Death can be an uncomfortable subject, so we’ve developed many euphemisms to avoid confronting it head-on. Rather than telling a friend that a relative died, you might say they “kicked the bucket,” “passed away,” or are “no longer with us.”

7 Hyperbole

Hyperbole is a deliberate exaggeration that adds emphasis, urgency, or excitement to a statement.

Example: If I don’t eat soon, I’m going to die of hunger.

Irony is a situation that subverts a reader’s expectations.

Example: One of the characters in your story is a hypochondriac, always convinced that they have an exotic and uncurable disease. An ironic ending for that character would be if they died of a common cold.

Litotes use a double negative to create a positive.

Example: You’re not wrong.

10 Metaphor

A metaphor is the direct comparison of dissimilar things to create more vivid imagery or understanding.

Example: He was an onion; to understand him, she had to peel back the layers.

11 Metonymy

Metonymy is a literary device in which a word or object stands in for a closely related word or object. Metonymy gives a writer more variability with descriptions.

Example: I thought his movies were better when they weren’t so Hollywood.

12 Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is a word that sounds like what it means.

Example: When a character is exasperated, they might exclaim, “Sheesh!” That’s both a word to show exasperation and a sound that happens when you sigh loudly.

13 Oxymoron

An oxymoron is a phrase that uses two contradictory words to create a new meaning.

Example: That strawberry cake was awfully good.

A paradox is a statement that appears to contradict itself but contains some truth, theme, or humor.

Example: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” —George Orwell, Animal Farm

15 Personification

Personification is assigning human attributes to nonhuman things.

Example: The floorboards groaned under the weight of each step.

16 Pleonasm

Pleonasm is the use of more words than necessary to convey meaning. A writer might use pleonasm for humor or emphasis, or they might not realize they’re using extra words at all.

Example: The burning fire warmed the whole house.

A pun is a form of wordplay that purposely substitutes words that sound similar but have different meanings.

Example: “‘Mine is a long and a sad tale!’ said the Mouse, turning to Alice and sighing. ‘It is a long tail, certainly,’ said Alice, looking down with wonder at the Mouse’s tail; ‘but why do you call it sad?’” —Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

A simile compares two dissimilar things using “like” or “as.” The goal of simile is to give the reader a more vivid understanding of something.

Example: It was the first real day of summer, and by the time she came back indoors, she was as red as a tomato.

19 Synecdoche

Synecdoche is when a smaller unit is used to signify a larger unit or vice versa.

Example: New England won the game by a touchdown. (Here, New England means New England’s football team.)

20 Understatement

Understatement is the intentional downplaying of a situation. This can create a humorous or deadpan effect in writing.

Example: “I have to have this operation. It isn’t very serious. I have this tiny little tumor on the brain.” —J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

Figures of speech examples in literature

Figures of speech are around us all the time (and that’s not hyperbole!), but it’s the deliberate deployment of them that makes writing stand out (did you catch that alliteration?). Below are examples of figures of speech in literature and poetry.

Metaphor in “Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou

The caged bird sings

with a fearful trill

of things unknown

but longed for still

and his tune is heard

on the distant hill

for the caged bird

sings of freedom

In her poem “Caged Bird,” Maya Angelou uses the extended metaphor of caged and free birds to display the difference between Black and White Americans.

Antithesis in Beloved by Toni Morrison

“Sethe,” he says, “me and you, we got more yesterday than anybody. We need some kind of tomorrow.”

In this passage, Paul D. speaks to Sethe and insists she quit dwelling on her past. Morrison uses antithesis to contrast yesterday and tomorrow, which is much more effective than simply saying Sethe should stop focusing on the past.

Personification in “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death

He kindly stopped for me.

By writing that death “kindly stopped” for her, Emily Dickinson uses personification to make the concept of death more vivid and tangible. The thought of death stopping by gives it an ominous but cordial tone, as if Dickinson treats it as an acquaintance.

Figures of speech FAQs

A figure of speech is a deliberate manipulation of ordinary language in order to create a literary effect.

What are the different kinds of figures of speech?

There are hundreds of figures of speech, which can be divided into schemes and tropes . Schemes are figures of speech that rearrange word order for a certain effect, while tropes use words in a way that differs from their literal meaning.

How are figures of speech used in writing?

Figures of speech are used in every type of writing to achieve different effects. Which figure of speech you use depends on what effect you want to have on the reader. For example, if you want to create more vivid imagery, you might use simile, metaphor, or antithesis. If you want to give them a laugh, you might try using a pun.

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The 8 Parts of Speech | Chart, Definition & Examples

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The 9 Parts of Speech: Definitions and Examples

Parts of Speech

Open and Closed Word Classes

The 9 Parts of Speech

Preposition

Conjunction

Articles and Determiners

Interjection

How to Determine the Part of Speech

Dissecting Basic Sentences

Constructing More Complex Sentences

Parts of Speech

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

Video for Each Part of Speech

The Most Important Writing Issues

The Top Issue Related to Conjunctions

The Top Issue Related to Determiners

The Top Issue Related to Interjections

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Understanding the 8 Parts of Speech: Definitions and Examples

Key Takeaways

What Are Parts of Speech?

Prepositions

Conjunctions

Interjections

Parts of Speech

Preposition

Conjunction

Interjection

Examples of Each Part of Speech

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What Are Parts of Speech?

Subclasses of Nouns, Including Examples

Common Nouns and Proper Nouns

Concrete Nouns and Abstract Nouns

Collective Nouns, Count Nouns, and Mass Nouns

Subclasses of Verbs, Including Examples

Copular or Linking Verbs

Transitive Verbs, Intransitive Verbs, and Ditransitive Verbs

#3: Adjectives

Subclasses of Adjectives, Including Examples

Adjective Phrases

Comparative Adjectives and Superlative Adjectives

Determiners

Subclasses Of Adverbs, Including Examples

Conjunctive Adverbs

Adverbs of Place, Time, Manner, Degree, and Frequency

#5: Pronouns

Subclasses of Pronouns, Including Examples

Personal Pronouns

Possessive Pronouns

Demonstrative Pronouns, Interrogative Pronouns, and Indefinite Pronouns

#6: Conjunctions

Subclasses of Conjunctions, Including Examples

Coordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating Conjunctions

Correlative Conjunctions

#7: Interjections

Subclasses of Interjections, Including Examples

Primary Interjections

Secondary Interjections

#8: Prepositions

Subclasses of Prepositions, Including Examples

Simple Prepositions

Double Prepositions

Prepositional Phrases

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