Unit 7 Parts of Speech Overview

Here is an overview of the nine parts of speech (NB: grammar books might site eight parts of speech, as “Determiners” are often caregorised as “Adjectives”.

Part of Speech Function Examples A few subcategories

Adjectives To describe a noun, a pronoun or part of a Tall, intelligent Comparatives (taller), superlatives (the
sentence tallest)
Adverbs To describe a verb, adjective or another adverb Quickly, finally, sometimes, yesterday Frequency (sometimes), time (yesterday),
by giving more information about how or when manner (angrily), degree (completely),
something happens quantity (few), attitude markers
(apparently)
Conjunctions To connect a clause, sentence or word But, and, so Addition (and), condition (since), contrast
(yet), purpose (so that), reason (because),
result (therefore), time (before)
Determiners To clarify which noun is being referred to This, my, both Articles (the), demonstrative adjectives
(that), possessive adjectives (his),
quantifiers (both)
Interjections To express a strong feeling (informal, spoken Wow, oh no Doubt (erm), pain (ouch)
language)
Nouns To name things, people, places, concepts Milk, parents, beauty Abstract (hope), countable (people),
uncountable (sugar), proper (Liverpool),
collective (army)
Prepositions To link a noun / noun phrase / pronoun to At, until, throughout Cause / effect (due to), contrast (unlike),
another word or phrase dependent (wait for), movement
(towards), place (under), time (during)
Pronouns To replace / refer to a noun or noun phrase I, him, ours, herself Personal (subject and object pronouns),
possessive (mine), reflexive (himself),
relative (whose)
Verbs To show an action or state Walk, believe, try Transitive (bring), intransitive (smile),
state (understand)

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