THE EIGHT PARTS OF SPEECH
Each word is a component of speech. The term "part of speech" refers to the function of a word in a sentence. These roles, like any workplace or TV show with an ensemble cast, were created to complement one another.
Continue reading to learn about the different parts of speech that the words we use every day belong to, and how we use them together to clearly communicate ideas.
1. NOUN
A noun is a word that describes a person, place, idea, or object. Essentially, anything that refers to a "thing" is a noun, whether it's a basketball court, San Francisco, Cleopatra, or self-preservation.
Nouns are classified into two types: common nouns and proper nouns. Common nouns are broad terms for things such as planet and game show. Proper nouns are unique names for specific things, such as Jupiter and Jeopardy!
See the TIP Sheet on "Nouns" for further information.
2. PRONOUN
When the reader or listener knows which specific noun you're referring to, you use pronouns to replace it.
"Jennifer was supposed to be here at eight," you might say, then add, "she's always late; next time I'll tell her to come a half-hour earlier."
You kept your sentences grammatically correct by substituting she and her for Jennifer's name three times in a row. There are several types of pronouns, and we cover them all in our pronouns guide:
See the TIP Sheet on "Pronouns" for further information.
3. VERB
Go! Be incredible! Run as fast as you possibly can! Take the victory! Congratulations to everyone who worked hard and competed!
These words in bold are verbs. Verbs are words that describe specific actions, such as running, winning, or being incredible.
However, not all verbs refer to literal actions. Nonaction verbs are those that refer to feelings or states of being, such as love and be. Action verbs, on the other hand, refer to verbs that refer to literal actions.
See the TIP Sheet on "Verbs" for more information.
4. ADJECTIVE
Adjectives are words used to describe nouns. Consider your favorite film. What would you say to a friend who hasn't seen it?
The film could be described as amusing, engaging, well-written, or suspenseful. You're using adjectives when you describe the movie with these words. An adjective can, but does not have to, come before the noun it describes (I have a black dog). Adjectives are sometimes found at the end of a sentence (my dog is black).
See the TIP Sheet on "Adjectives" for more information.
5. ADVERB
An adverb is a word that describes another adverb, an adjective, or a verb. Consider the following examples:
Here's an illustration: I walked into the room quietly. Quietly describes how you entered the room (verb).
Here's another one: A cheetah will always outrun a lion. Always refers to how often a cheetah is faster (adjective) than a lion.
See the TIP Sheet on "Adverbs" for more information.
6. PREPOSITION
Prepositions describe the relationship between words in a sentence.
Here's an illustration: My bike was leaning against the garage. The preposition against is used in this sentence because it tells us where I left my bike.
Here's another one: She inserted the pizza into the oven. We don't know where the pizza is without the preposition in.
See the TIP Sheet on "Prepositions" for more information.
7. CONJUNCTION
Conjunctions allow you to construct complex sentences that express multiple ideas.
I enjoy marinara sauce. I enjoy alfredo sauce. Puttanesca sauce does not appeal to me. Each of these three sentences conveys a distinct idea. There's nothing wrong with listing your preferences in this manner, but it's not the most efficient.
Consider this: I enjoy marinara and alfredo sauces, but not puttanesca sauce.
The two conjunctions that connect your ideas in this sentence are and and but.
See the TIP Sheet on "Conjunctions" for more information.
8. INTERJECTION
An interjection is a word used to express emotion.
Oh!... Wow!... Oops!
An interjection is a word used to express emotion. It is often followed by an exclamation point.
The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher, and then she quickly disappeared. Oh my!
See the TIP Sheet on "Interjections" for more information.
