The Parts of Speech

Across the Disciplines

THE PARTS OF SPEECH

Traditional grammar classifies words into one of eight categories that are based on the parts of speech: the noun, the pronoun, the adjective, the verb, the interjection, the adverb, the preposition, and the conjunction. Each part of speech explains not what the word is, but how the word is used.

Noun A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, idea, or quality.

Examples: boy, city, freeway, tree, planet, joy, freedom

Pronoun A pronoun takes the place of a noun.

Examples: I, you, he/she, it, we, they, them, us, him/her, it, his, yours, ours, nobody, who, whom, what

Adjective An adjective describes or limits a noun.

Example: Here are two smart, tall, green men from Mars.
(adjectives)

Verb A verb expresses action or being (existence).

Examples of verbs of action: jump, sing, think, imitate.

Examples of verbs of being: am, is, are, was, were, be, being

Interjection An interjection is a word added to a sentence to convey emotion. It is not grammatically related to any other part of the sentence.

Example: Ouch, that hurts! Hey, put that down!

Adverb An adverb can describe or modify:

1) a verb, telling how, when, or to what degree an action is performed.

Example: John enjoyed the concert immensely.
(verb) (adverb)

2) an adjective

Example: Because she is highly intelligent, the child understood the book.
(adverb) (adjective)

3) another adverb

Example: The pedestrian ran across the street very rapidly.
(verb) (adverb)

(The adverb"rapidly" modifies the verb"ran," and the adverb"very" modifies the adverb "rapidly.")

Preposition A word that shows the relation of a noun or pronoun to some other word in the sentence.

Example: I am running over, under, around, and through the laundry.
(prepositions) (preposition)

Conjunctions A conjunction connects words, phrases, or clauses.

Examples of coordinating conjunctions: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so (aka FANBOYS)

Examples of correlative conjunctions: both...and, either...or, neither...nor, not...but, not only...but also

Examples of subordinating conjunctions: when, while, because, as, since, after, although, as if, as though, before, even though, if, so that, though, unless, until, whenever, where, whereas, wherever, whether.

Comparatives and Superlatives These are special forms of adjectives. They are used to compare two or more things. Generally, comparatives are formed using -er and superlatives are formed using -est.

Adjectives
Adjective form	Comparative	Superlative
hot	hotter	hottest
cute	cuter	cutest
These are irregular Adjective forms:
good	better	best
bad	worse	worst

Be sure to distinguish between good and well:

Good is an adjective, so you do not do good or live good, but you do well and live well. Remember, though, that an adjective follows sense-verbs and be-verbs, so you also feel good, look good, smell good, are good, have been good, etc.

Confusion can occur because well can function either as an adverb or an adjective. When well is used as an adjective, it means "not sick" or "in good health." For this specific sense of well, it's OK to say you feel well or are well; for example, after recovering from an illness, you can say ,"I feel well." When not used in this health-related sense, however, well functions as an adverb; for example, "I did well on my exam."

Exercise:

In the following paragraph, label the part of speech of each italicized word. Use these codes: noun (N), pronoun (PN), verb (V), adjective (ADJ), preposition (P), conjunction (C ). The first four have been marked for you.

The somewhat(ADV) formal (ADJ) words of our Declaration of Independence contain a declaration and a promise(N). The final lines of that decision ring out like the Liberty Bell itself:

We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America. . . do, in the name and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare that these United Colonies are. . . free, and independent states. . . And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

(Hacker 345)

This handout is based on the following texts:

Fawcett, Susan, and Alan Sandberg. Evergreen With Readings. 4th ed.