In the English language, words can be
considered as the smallest elements that have distinctive meanings. Based on
their use and functions, words are categorised into several types or parts of
speech.
The 8 major parts of speech in English grammar:
Noun, Pronoun, Verb, Adverb, Adjective, Conjunction,
Preposition, and interjection
1. Noun:
This part of a speech refers to words
that are used to name persons, things, animals, places, ideas, or events. Nouns
are the simplest among the 8 parts of speech, which is why they are the first
ones taught to students in primary school.
There are different types of nouns
namely:
- Proper
– proper nouns
always start with a capital letter and refer to specific names of persons,
places, or things.
- Examples: Volkswagen Beetle, Shakey’s Pizza, Game of
Thrones
- Common– common nouns are the opposite
of proper nouns. These are just generic names of persons, things, or
places.
- Examples: car, pizza parlor, TV series
- Concrete– this kind refers to nouns
which you can perceive through your five senses.
- Examples: folder, sand, board
- Abstract- unlike concrete nouns,
abstract nouns are those which you can’t perceive through your five
senses.
- Examples: happiness, grudge, bravery
- Count– it refers to anything that is
countable, and has a singular and plural form.
- Examples: kitten, video, ball
- Mass– this is the opposite of count
nouns. Mass nouns are also called non-countable nouns, and they need to
have “counters” to quantify them.
- Examples of Counters: kilo, cup, meter
- Examples of Mass Nouns: rice, flour, garter
- Collective– refers to a group of persons,
animals, or things.
- Example: faculty (group of teachers), class (group of
students), pride (group of lions)
2. Pronoun:
A pronoun is a part of a speech which
functions as a replacement for a noun. Some examples of pronouns are: I, it,
he, she, mine, his, hers, we, they, theirs, and ours.
Sample Sentences:
- Janice
is a very stubborn child. She just stared at me and when
I told her to stop.
- The
largest slice is mine.
- We are number one.
The italicized words in the sentences
above are the pronouns in the sentence.
3. Adjective
This part of a speech is used
to describe a noun or a pronoun. Adjectives can specify the quality, the size,
and the number of nouns or pronouns.
Sample Sentences:
- The
carvings are intricate.
- The
italicized word describes the appearance of the noun “carvings.”
- I
have two hamsters.
- The
italicized word “two,” is an adjective which describes the number of the
noun “hamsters.”
- Wow!
That doughnut is huge!
- The
italicized word is an adjective which describes the size of the noun
“doughnut.”
4. Verb
This is the most important part of a
speech, for without a verb, a sentence would not exist. Simply put, this is a
word that shows an action (physical or mental) or state of being of the subject
in a sentence.
Examples of “State of Being Verbs” : am, is, was, are,
and were
Sample Sentences:
- As
usual, the Stormtroopers missed their shot.
- The
italicized word expresses the action of the subject “Stormtroopers.”
- They
are always prepared in emergencies.
- The
verb “are” refers to the state of being of the pronoun “they,” which is
the subject in the sentence.
5. Adverb
Just like adjectives, adverbs are
also used to describe words, but the difference is that adverbs describe
adjectives, verbs, or another adverb.
The different types of adverbs are:
- Adverb
of Manner– this
refers to how something happens or how an action is done.
- Example: Annie danced gracefully.
- The word “gracefully” tells how Annie danced.
- Adverb
of Time- this
states “when” something happens or “when” it is done.
- Example: She came yesterday.
- The italicized word tells when she “came.”
- Adverb
of Place– this
tells something about “where” something happens or ”where” something is
done.
- Example: Of course, I looked everywhere!
- The adverb “everywhere” tells where I “looked.”
- Adverb
of Degree– this
states the intensity or the degree to which a specific thing happens or is
done.
- Example: The child is very talented.
- The italicized adverb answers the question, “To what
degree is the child talented?”
6. Preposition
This part of a speech basically
refers to words that specify location or a location in time.
Examples of Prepositions: above,
below, throughout, outside, before, near, and since
Sample Sentences:
- Micah
is hiding under the bed.
- The
italicized preposition introduces the prepositional phrase “under the
bed,” and tells where Micah is hiding.
- During the game, the audience
never stopped cheering for their team.
- The
italicized preposition introduces the prepositional phrase “during the
game,” and tells when the audience cheered.
7. Conjunction
The conjunction is a part of a speech
which joins words, phrases, or clauses together.
Examples of Conjunctions: and,
yet, but, for, nor, or, and so
Sample Sentences:
- This
cup of tea is delicious and very soothing.
- Kiyoko
has to start all over again because she didn’t follow the
professor’s instructions.
- Homer
always wanted to join the play, but he didn’t have the
guts to audition.
The italicized words in the sentences
above are some examples of conjunctions.
8. Interjection
This part of a speech refers to words
which express emotions. Since interjections are commonly used to convey strong
emotions, they are usually followed by an exclamation point.
