Grammar: Parts of Speech

English-phrases-and-clauses
A. Parts of Speech are the building blocks of any language. They serve as function or lexical words and help us communicate. Parts of Speech are the classes of words which compose a language.
In Modern English, Parts of Speech are better known as ‘Word Classes‘. There are 10 Parts of Speech in English.

Let’s have a look at them in a table with definition and
examples.
 
Word Class
Example
Use
1
Nouns
It is a
naming word.  It names person, place, thing, idea
Naeem,
Lahore, beauty, pen, hen
2
Pronouns
It is a
substitute word. It replaces nouns
she, she,
I, we
3
Adjectives
It is a
qualifying word. It qualifies nouns and pronouns
good, bad,
new, silent, wise, rich
4
Verbs
It is
action word. It shows show action, state and situations
be, must, work
5
Adverbs
It is a
modifying word. It modifies verbs
easily,
fast, now
6
Prepositions
It is a
directive word. It shows direction, relation or state
in, on, at,
with, behind, above
7
Conjunctions
It is a
connective word. It joins two words or sentences
because,
and, but, therefore
8
Interjections
It is an
emotive word. It shows emotions
yahoo,
well, alas, Well-done,
9
Articles
It is a specifying
word. It particularizes or generalizes nouns
a, an, the
10
Demonstratives
It is an
introductory word. It introduces things and persons
this, that,
these, those


B. Grammar Family

There is a family in London whose surname is Grammar. There is a couple, Mr. Noun and Mrs. Verb. The couple has three children: a son, Pronoun and two daughters, Adverb and Adjective.The son a (pronoun) has to do all the work of his father in his absence. The two daughters love each other but there is a difference in them. Adjective loves her father and brother and keeps praising them. Adverb loves her mother more and she always modifies her when there is a need.There
are two servants in the family. Preposition and Conjunction. The preposition is the chief servant. He is the official servant of his master. Conjunction is the family servant and looks after every member of the family. The lnterjection joins the family in times of joy and sorrow.

C. There are two types of Parts of Speech

Open Parts of Speech: Verb , Noun, Adjective and Adverb while  
Closed Parts of Speech: are Preposition, Articles, Demonstratives, Conjunctions and Interjections.


D. A word is not always one part of speech. It is not the word basically but the function of the word that defines what part of speech it is. For example:

1. The bullet went past shoulder.  (Past is a preposition describing the direction of Bullet)
2. The past indefinite tense is frequently used. (Past is Adjective describing the Tense)
3. People lived in caves in the past. (Past is a Noun showing the name of time)
4. The car ran fast and hit a man. (Fast is the adverb. It is modifying verb, Ran)
5. The fast and easy way to English is practice. (Fast is Adjective describing Easy Way)
6. English language is interesting. (English is working like Adjective describing Language)
7. It is difficult to speak in the above situation. (Above is Adjective describing Situation)
8. The boy was standing above his father. (Above is a Preposition showing direction to Father)

Further, you can turn one word from one part of speech to another part of speech.
For example:

Enjoy‘ is a verb. You can make ‘Enjoyment‘ a noun, and ‘Enjoyable‘ an adjective. Similarly, you can turn ‘Attend‘ a verb into ‘Attendance‘ a noun and ‘Attentive‘ an adjective.

Practise 

Read the poem and supply the names of Parts of Speech.

Three little words you often see
Are ___________ a, an, and the.
A ___________ is the name of anything,
As: school or garden, toy, or swing.
A ____________ replaces any noun:
/ he, she, it, up and you are down
____________ introduce things
Like this, that, these, those rings
______________ tell the kind of noun,
As: great, small, pretty, white, or brown.
___________ tell of something being done:
To read, write, count, sing, jump, or run.
How things are done the ______________ tell,
As: slowly, quickly, badly, well.
___________ join the words together,
As: men and women, wind or weather.
The _______________ stands before
A noun as: in or through a door.
The _____________ shows surprise
As: Oh, how pretty! Ah! how wise!
The whole are called the _____________,
Which reading, writing, speaking teach.

3 thoughts on “Grammar: Parts of Speech”

  1. Three little words you often see
    Are ARTICLE a, an, and the.
    A NOUN is the name of anything,
    As: school or garden, toy, or swing.
    A PRONOUN replaces any noun:
    / he, she, it, up and you are down
    DEMONSTRATIVES introduce things
    Like this, that, these, those rings
    ADJECTIVES tell the kind of noun,
    As: great, small, pretty, white, or brown.
    VERB tells of something being done:
    To read, write, count, sing, jump, or run.
    How things are done the ADVERBS tell,
    As: slowly, quickly, badly, well.
    CONJUNCTIONS join the words together,
    As: men and women, wind or weather.
    The PREPOSITION stands before
    A noun as: in or through a door.
    The INTERJECTIONS show surprise
    As: Oh, how pretty! Ah! how wise!
    The whole are called the PARTS OF SPEECH,
    Which reading, writing, speaking teach.

  2. Three little words you often see
    Are ARTICLE a, an, and the.
    A NOUN is the name of anything,
    As: school or garden, toy, or swing.
    A PRONOUN replaces any noun:
    / he, she, it, up and you are down
    DEMONSTRATIVES introduce things
    Like this, that, these, those rings
    ADJECTIVES tell the kind of noun,
    As: great, small, pretty, white, or brown.
    VERB tells of something being done:
    To read, write, count, sing, jump, or run.
    How things are done the ADVERBS tell,
    As: slowly, quickly, badly, well.
    CONJUNCTIONS join the words together,
    As: men and women, wind or weather.
    The PREPOSITION stands before
    A noun as: in or through a door.
    The INTERJECTIONS show surprise
    As: Oh, how pretty! Ah! how wise!
    The whole are called the PARTS OF SPEECH,
    Which reading, writing, speaking teach.

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