Chapter 2

Parts Of Speech

Words are the building blocks of a language. They are like the material we use to build a
house. We use concrete for the foundation, brick for the wall, window and door frames,
and cement to join them all together. Each part of the house has its own job. Similarly,
we use different types of words to construct a sentence. Each type has its own function.
Don’t confuse the part of speech with words. Parts of speech are the functions assigned
in a sentence, and any word that fills a particular function will be that particular part of
speech.

The English language comprises over one million words. Different words perform
different functions. Some words express action. Others mean a “thing.” Still others join
one word to another. All words fall into 8 basic types or classes. These classes are called
"parts of speech."

No Part of Speech Function Examples

1 The naming pen, dog, work, This is my dog. He lives in my

word for a thing music, town, house. We live in London.
Noun
or person London, love,
John
2 replaces a noun I, you, he, she, Tara is Indian. She is beautiful.
Pronoun
some
3 action or state of (to) be, have, Wikipedia is a website. I like
Verb some noun do, like, work, Wikipedia.
sing, can, must

4 describes and a/an, the, 25, My dog is big. I like big dogs.

gives more info some, good,
Adjective
about nouns big, red,
friendly, bold
5 describes a verb, quickly, My dog eats quickly. When he is
adjective or silently, well, very hungry, he eats really
Adverb
another adverb badly, very, quickly.
really
6 joins clauses or and, but, when I like dogs and I like cats. I like
Conjunction sentences or cats and dogs. I like dogs but I
words don't like cats.
7 links a noun to to, at, after, on, We went to school on Monday.
Preposition
another word but
8 short oh, ouch, hi, Ouch! That hurts! Hi! How are
exclamation, well, yahoo. you? Well, I don't know.
Interjection sometimes
inserted into a
sentence
Words v/s parts of speech
Note how the word ‘sleeping’ changes parts of speech in the following two sentences.
Raj is sleeping on the couch. [Sleeping is the action/verb here]
Sleeping is good for health. [Sleeping is a noun here because it fills the position of the
subject of the sentence – a position that is for nouns]

***