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part of speech

noun phrase

Definition of part of speech, examples of part of speech in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'part of speech.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1517, in the meaning defined above

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Cite this Entry

“Part of speech.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/part%20of%20speech. Accessed 21 Oct. 2024.

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Conjunctions

Prepositions, interjections, categorizing the parts of speech.

part of speech

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• Table Of Contents

part of speech , lexical category to which a word is assigned based on its function in a sentence.

There are eight parts of speech in traditional English grammar: noun, pronoun , verb , adjective , adverb , conjunction, preposition , and interjection . In linguistics , parts of speech are more typically called word classes .

A noun names a person, place, thing, or idea. There are many subcategories of nouns, including common nouns, proper nouns, collective nouns, and abstract nouns.

Common nouns name basic things that can be seen and touched. Examples of common nouns include dog , banana , table , and book .

• The dog ate a banana .
• The book was on the table .

Proper nouns name specific people, places, and things, and they begin with a capital letter . Examples of proper nouns include George, New York City , Empire State Building , and Atlantic Ocean .

• George sailed the Atlantic Ocean .
• The Empire State Building is in New York City .

Collective nouns name groups of people or things. Examples of collective nouns include team , flock , litter , and batch .

• The team won the game.
• The flock flew south for the winter.

Abstract nouns name things that cannot be seen or touched. Examples of abstract nouns include happiness , truth , friendship , and beauty .

• He brings her so much happiness .
• The friendship is a strong one.

A pronoun is used in place of a noun. There are many subcategories of pronouns, including but not limited to personal pronouns, possessive pronouns, and reflexive pronouns.

Personal pronouns replace names of people, places, things, and ideas. Examples of personal pronouns include she , he , it , and they .

• They enjoyed the party.
• Mikey likes it .

Possessive pronouns replace nouns and indicate ownership. Because they modify nouns, they are also frequently categorized as adjectives. Examples of possessive pronouns include his , its , mine , and theirs .

• The house is theirs .
• The parrot knows its name.

Reflexive pronouns replace nouns when the subject and object in a sentence are the same. Examples of reflexive pronouns include myself , herself , themselves , and oneself .

• She baked a cake all by herself .
• They prepared themselves for the adventure.

A verb indicates a state of doing, being, or having. There are three main subcategories of verbs: doing verbs, being verbs, and having verbs.

Doing verbs indicate actions. Examples of doing verbs include run , wash , explain , and wonder .

• Oliver washed the windows.
• I wonder where the cat is hiding.

Being and having verbs do not indicate action and are considered relating (or linking) verbs because they connect one piece of information to another. Examples of being and having verbs include am , are , has , and own .

• We are at the store.
• John has a red baseball cap.

An adjective describes or modifies a noun or pronoun.

Adjectives provide information about the qualities or classifications of a person or thing. Examples of adjectives include tall , purple , funny , and antique .

• The Willis Tower is a tall building.
• There were several antique cars in the parade.

An adverb describes or modifies verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

Adverbs provide information about the manner in which things are done, as well as when, where, and why they are done. Examples of adverbs include quickly , extremely , fiercely , and yesterday .

• The boy ran quickly through the rainstorm.
• That was a fiercely competitive game yesterday.

A conjunction links words, phrases, and clauses. There are two main subcategories of conjunctions: coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions.

Coordinating conjunctions link words, phrases, and clauses that are equally important in a sentence. Examples of coordinating conjunctions include and , but , or , and so .

• The students read short stories and novels.
• Liz went to the movies but not to dinner.

Subordinating conjunctions link subordinate clauses to a sentence. Examples of subordinating conjunctions include because , although , before , and since .

• The team is cheering because it is excited.
• Henry had Swiss cheese on his burger although he preferred cheddar.

A preposition provides information about the relative position of a noun or pronoun. Prepositions can indicate direction, time, place, location, and spatial relationships of objects. Examples of prepositions include on , in , across , and after .

• The cat ran across the road.
• The pencil is in the drawer.

An interjection acts as an exclamation. Interjections typically express emotional reactions to information in an adjoining sentence. Examples of interjections include eek , wow , oops , and phew .

• Eek ! That was a huge spider.
• Oops ! I didn’t mean to slam the door.

Although the number of parts of speech is traditionally fixed at eight, some grammarians consider there to be additional parts of speech. For example, determiners (also called determinatives) modify nouns and are therefore generally considered to be adjectives, but they differ from other adjectives in that their exact meaning is supplied by context . They include articles, demonstrative pronouns, possessive pronouns, and quantifiers. Examples of determiners include the , an , that , your , and many .

Over the years grammarians have also proposed changes in how parts of speech are categorized. The 2002 edition of the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language , for example, placed pronouns as a subcategory of nouns.

The Parts of Speech | Definition & Examples

Understanding the eight parts of speech will lead you to good mastery over language. Whether student, author, or improvement seeker in how you relate your expressions to others, these basic elements help your clarity and expression.

Each piece uniquely serves to shape meaningful sentences. Dive into what they are and how to use them correctly in everyday conversations and writing!

Table of Contents

Parts of Speech: 8 Parts of Speech | Chart, Definition & Examples

The eight parts of speech are the basic building blocks of the English language. They empower us to know how words function in sentences, thus communicating ideas clearly and effectively.

• preposition
• conjunction
• interjection

Each word has a different purpose-to name objects for nouns and to tell us about some action being performed for verbs. Knowing all these classification can make your writing and communication skills much better because you can write more complex sentences easily.

Parts of Speech Definition

Categories known as parts of speech describe the functions of words in a sentence. Understanding what the categories are can give insight into the way that a sentence uses words to convey meaning.

There are eight parts of speech. These parts include nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections. Each has a unique role in language structure, and an understanding of these helps with both writing and speaking and broadening a reader’s or listener’s comprehension.

Different Parts of Speech with Examples

There are eight kinds of parts in the English language and each has a distinct function.

There are pronouns to replace the noun, such as “he,” “they.”  Then there are adjectives describing a noun such as “ beauty ” or “ quick .”

Adverbs : They modify adjectives and verbs, and most of them are written with -ly; for example, “quickly” or “very.”

Prepositions : These words show the relationship between words, like “in,” “on,” or “under.”

Conjunctions : These words join phrases and clauses. Examples include “and,” “but,” “so,” or “while.”

Interjections : They express sudden feelings. Consider words that can put into expression sudden feelings, such as “wow!” or “ouch!” Each part, though tiny, plays a very crucial role in sentence structure.

A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea. Nouns can be common, like “city” or “dog,” or proper, like “New York” or “Fido.” They can also be countable, like “book,” or uncountable, like “water.” For example, in the sentence “The cat chased the mouse,” both “cat” and “mouse” are nouns.

A pronoun is a word that can replace nouns in any sentence so as to avoid repetition. Examples of pronouns include “he,” “she,” “it,” and “they.” They replace people, animals, and things in a sentence without necessarily naming them.

Using pronouns makes a sentence flow better. For instance, instead of writing “ Sarah loves Sarah’s cat, ” you could write “ She loves her cat. ” That simple change makes writing better in terms of clarity and keeps the reader interested.

Pronouns come in the forms of personal, possessive, reflexive, and relative. Each one has a specific use in communication.

A verb is a word that indicates an action, event, or state of being. Verbs can tell what someone or something does-for example, “run” or “sing”-or they can tell a state for example, “is” or “seem.”

For example, in the sentence “ She dances beautifully ,” the verb is “dances,” which is an action the subject performs. Verbs are imperceptible in sentence formation and also carry a meaning. A grammar checker can ensure that a verb will agree with the subject and also ensure that the right verb is used in any text to ensure effective communication.

Descriptive words that modify nouns . Provide details on quality, quantity, or state. Thus, in all of the following examples, “happy,” “blue,” and “three” add special characteristic qualities to the noun to explain a particular meaning:.

Using adjectives will enliven your writing. Instead of “ the car ,” you can say, “ the shiny red car. ” Such a slight change can create a provocative picture before the eyes of your reader. Adverbs are used to express feelings and moods, making them an essential part of all communication.

Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives and other adverbs , which happen to be words with versatility, pointing out the manner, time, place, and degree to which an action takes place. For example, in the sentence “ She runs quickly ,” “ quickly ” describes how she runs.

These words make your writing so rich and clear. They are slowly, very, yesterday, and other words. The process of using adverbs makes your sentences vivid and interesting to the readers.

Prepositions

They serve as words that indicate the relationship of a noun or pronoun to other elements of the sentence. Often they reflect direction, time, place, or manner. For example, the use of phrases such as “ under the bed ” or “ before dinner ” employs a preposition to further detail where and or when an action occurs.

Probably, the most frequently used preposition is “ in ,” followed by “ on ,” “ at ,” “ by ,” and “ with .” They can be seen as the bridges connecting thoughts within a sentence. Knowing exactly how to use them can really help to create clarity and precision with your writing.

Conjunctions

Conjunctions are almost like the mortar of language because they connect words , phrases, or clauses to make complicated sentences. Among the most common conjunctions are “and,” “but,” and “or.” Each plays a specific role in describing the relation between ideas.

For example, “ I wanted to run, but it started raining. ” In this sentence, “ but ” is a conjunction that denotes contrast between ideas. Conjunctions make your writing clearer and more fluid while making it easier for readers to follow your message. In fact, it is of great importance in any piece of writing as a means of effective communication.

Interjections

Interjections are words that convey sudden feelings or emotions . Most of them are used alone but may become excited, surprised, or hesitant. Examples are “ Wow !”, “ Oops !”, and “ Hey !”. They add flavor in our conversations.

You’ll find interjections sprinkled everywhere in ordinary speech and writing. Although they have no grammatical connection to the other parts of the sentence, they seem to do a great job at capturing moments of spontaneity. The next time you feel an emotion arising within you, use an interjection for that extra punch in your expression!

Other Parts of Speech

While the eight basic parts of speech can account for the majority of words, other categories fill out language. These include determiners and articles, showing more about the noun that comes before them. In indicating information that is either about quantity or definiteness: for example, “ a ,” “ the ,” or “ some “-.

Another important category is interjections: these express emotion or reaction. Words like “ wow “, “ ouch “, and “ yay ” reveal emotions without requiring a complete sentence. Other parts give you insight into how language really works.

Frequently Asked Questions on Parts of Speech

Understanding the parts of speech is an essential ingredient for effective communication. A list of frequently asked questions has been compiled to answer common questions in this regard.

The eight parts of speech are nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.

They help structure sentences and convey meaning clearly. Knowing them in detail improves the art of writing and speaking.

Yes! For example, "run" can be a verb as in "I run daily while He went for a run.".

Look at how words behave in context. A noun typically identifies or names; an adjective tells more about

Although these eight encompass most categories used in English grammar, sometimes there can be subcategories or variations based on usage.

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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.

Key Takeaways

What are parts of speech.

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.”

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

Conjunctions, 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

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:

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:

Preposition

Conjunction, 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:

Examples of Each Part of Speech

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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part of speech

[ pahrt uh v speech ]

• any of the classes into which words in some languages, as Latin and English, have traditionally been divided on the basis of their meaning, form, or syntactic function, as, in English, noun, pronoun, verb, adverb, adjective, preposition, conjunction, and interjection.
• a class of words sharing important syntactic or semantic features; a group of words in a language that may occur in similar positions or fulfil similar functions in a sentence. The chief parts of speech in English are noun, pronoun, adjective, determiner, adverb, verb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection POS

Word History and Origins

Origin of part of speech 1

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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.

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.)

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.

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). 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 , parts of speech are generally referred to as word classes or syntactic categories. The main difference is that word classes are classified according to more strict linguistic criteria. 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 practice 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, and they're 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. Many adjectives can be turned into adjectives by adding the suffix - ly . Examples:  softly, quickly, lazily, often, only, hopefully, sometimes.

Preposition

Prepositions  show spatial, 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.

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 of articles:  a, an, the ; examples of 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:

• Bosco showed up for  work  two hours late.
• The noun  work  is the thing Bosco shows up for.
• He will have to  work  until midnight.
• The verb  work  is the action he must perform.
• His  work  permit expires next month.
• 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 verb command with an understood "you" noun.

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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