Grammar: Fun with

Parts of Speech

By :

Hajra Arif

Parts of speech are the basic types of words

that are used in English. All the words in
English language must belong to one or the
part of speech.
Just as there cannot be a number without 0
to 9 and a melody without the notation Do,
re, mi pa so la ti so also there cannot be
any word in English language that doesnt
come under jurisdiction of parts of speech.

It is important to recognize and

identify the different types of words in
English, so that one can understand
grammar and use the right word form
in the right place.

The word noun is derived from Latin word

nomen which
was
the
translation
of
Greek onoma, which means name.

A noun is a naming word. It names a

person, place, thing, idea, living creature,
quality, or action. Example:

Types of Nouns
1. Proper Nouns
2. Common Nouns
a. Concrete nouns
i. Countable nouns
ii. Uncountable nouns
iii. Collective nouns
b. Abstract nouns

Apropernoun has two distinctive

features:
1) It names a specific [usually a one-of-akind] item.
2) 2) it begins with a capital letter no
matter where it occurs in a sentence.

Common nouns are general names. They are used to

name general persons, animals, places, things or ideas.
They are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence or
are part of a title.

Common Nouns can be further classified

into concrete and abstract nouns.
Examples:

One can experience concrete nouns with

ones five senses: one can
seethem,hearthem,smellthem,tastet
hem, and feelthem.
One cannot feel abstract nouns through
ones five senses.

What is a Concrete Noun?

Objects and substances that can be
experienced through our senses are
referred to as concrete nouns.
That means we can touch, feel, smell,
taste or hear them.

Examples of Concrete Nouns

The vast majority of nouns are concrete
nouns.
Take all animals and people for example.
You can touch, feel, see, and hear them.
You can do the same for objects. We take
in with our eyes all the sights of places we
visit.

Examples:
calf, cow, oxen, cattle, sheep, lamb,
ram, goat, kid, castle, pyramid,
jailhouse, cliff dwellings, igloo,
pagoda, abbey, cathedral, chapel,
apron, tie, belt, petal, sepal, stamen,
pine boughs, bud, branch, blossom,
fruit,

Abstract Nouns:

Abstract Nouns:
A noun that denotes an abstract or intangible concept,
such asenvyorjoy.
An abstract noun is a noun that you cannot sense, it is
the name we give to an emotion, ideal or idea.
They have no physical existence, one can't see, hear,
touch, smell or taste them. The opposite of an abstract
noun is aconcrete noun. Example:

Example
Love, sadness, laughter, hunger, pleasure, poverty,
wisdom, intelligence,

Concrete nouns are further classified into

1. Countable Nouns
2. Uncountable Nouns
3. Collective Nouns

Countable Nouns

Countable nouns are easy to recognize. They are

things that we can count.
For example: "pen". We can count pens. We can
have one, two, three or more pens.
Here are some more countable nouns:
dog, cat, animal, man, person
bottle, box, litre
coin, note, dollar
cup, plate, fork
table, chair, suitcase, bag

Uncountable nouns

Uncountable are substances, concepts etc that

we cannot divide into separate elements.
We cannot "count" them. For example, we
cannot count "milk". We can count "bottles of
milk" or "litres of milk", but we cannot count
"milk" itself.
Here are some more uncountable nouns:
Example: rice, sugar, butter, water, electricity,
gas,

Collective Nouns:
A collective noun is a word for a group of
specific items, animals or people.
For example, a group of ships is called a
fleet, a group of cows is called a herd, a
group of lions is called a pride, a group of
baseball players is called a team, and a
group of ants is called a colony.

Pronouns
Pronouns are words used instead of nouns
or the words that substitute nouns.

Anadjectivemodifies anounor apronounby

describing, identifying, or quantifying words.
An adjective usually precedes the noun or the
pronoun which it modifies.

In the following examples, thehighlightedwords

are adjectives:
Thetruck-shapedballoon floated over the
treetops.
Mrs. Morrison papered herkitchenwalls
withhideouswall paper.
Thesmallboat foundered on thewine darksea.
Thecoalmines aredarkanddank.
Manystores have already begun to
playirritatingmusic.
Abatteredmusicbox sat on
themahoganysideboard.
The back room was filled withlarge,yellowrain
boots.

1. Adjectives of Quality or descriptive:

These adjectives are used to describe the
nature of a noun. They give an idea about
the characteristics of the noun by answering
the question what kind.
Honest, Kind, Large, Bulky, Beautiful, Ugly
etc.
New Delhi is a large city with many
historical monuments.
Sheila is a beautiful woman.

2. Adjectives of Quantity - These adjectives

help to show the amount or the approximate
amount of the noun or pronoun.
These adjectives do not provide exact
numbers; rather they tell us the amount of the
noun in relative or whole terms.
o All, Half, Many, Few, Little, No, Enough,
Great etc.
They have finished most of the rice.
Many people came to visit the fair.

3. Adjectives of Number - These adjectives

are used to show the number of nouns and
their place in an order.
There are three different sections within
adjectives of number; they are -

Definite Numeral Adjective - Those which

clearly denote an exact number of nouns or
the order of the noun.
One, Two, Twenty, Thirty-Three etc. also
known as Cardinals.
First, Second, Third, Seventh etc. also known
as Ordinals.

Indefinite Numeral Adjective - Those

adjectives that do not give an exact
numerical amount but just give a general
idea of the amount.
Some, Many, Few, Any, Several, All etc.
E.g.: There were many people present at
the meeting.

Distributive Numeral Adjective -Those

adjectives that are used to refer to individual
nouns within the whole amount.
Either, Neither, Each, Another, Other etc.
Taxes have to be paid by every employed
citizen.

4. Demonstrative Adjectives - These

adjectives are used to point out or indicate a
particular noun or pronoun using the
adjectives This, That, These and Those.
o
o
o
o

That bag belongs to Neil.

Try using this paintbrush in art class.
I really like those shoes.
These flowers are lovely.

5. Interrogative Adjectives - These

adjectives are used to ask questions about
nouns or in relation to nouns, they are
Where, What, Which and Whose.
o
o
o
o

Where did he say he was going?

What assignment did I miss out on?
Which is your favourite author?
Whose pen is this?

Verbs are doing words. A verb can express a

physical action, a mental action, or a state of
being.

A physical action (e.g.,to swim,to write,to

climb).
A mental action (e.g.,to think,to guess,to
consider).
A state of being (e.g.,to be,to exist,to
appear).

Lots of Verbs Express Physical Actions

Here are some sentences with the verbs highlighted.
(These verbs express physical actions.)
Shesellspegs and lucky heather.
(In this example, the wordsellsis a verb. It expresses
the physical activityto sell.)
The doctorwrotethe prescription.
(In this example, the wordwroteis a verb. It
expresses the physical activityto write.)
Alisonboughta ticket.
(The wordboughtis a verb. It expresses the physical
activityto buy.)

Verbs Express Mental Actions Too

As we covered at the start, verbs do not necessarily express
physical actions like the ones above. They can express mental
actions too:
Example:
Sheconsidersthe job done.
(The wordconsidersis a verb. It expresses the mental
activityto consider.)
Peterguessedthe right number.
(The wordguessedis a verb. It expresses the mental
activityto guess.)
Ithoughtthe same thing.
(The wordthoughtis a verb. It expresses the mental
activityto think.)

Verbs Express a State of Being

A small, but extremely important group of verbs do not
express any activity at all. The most important verb in this
group arguably of all is the verbto be. As already
mentioned, this is seen in forms likeis,are,were,was,will
be, etc.
Some real examples:
Edwinaisthe largest elephant in this area.
(The wordisis a verb from the verbto be.)
Itwasa joke.
(The wordwasis a verb from the verbto be.)
Iam.
(The wordamis a verb from the verbto be.)
(Point of interest:I amis the shortest sentence in English.)

Types of verbs
There are three types of verbs:
action verbs,
linking verbs, and
helping verbs.

ACTION VERBS
Action verbs are words that express action
(ex: give, eat, walk, etc.) or possession
(have, own, etc.).
Action verbs
can be either transitive or intransitive
Johntalksat inappropriate times.
Jenniferwatchedthe pretty birds building
a nest.

TRANSITIVE VERBS
A transitive verb always has a noun that receives the
action of the verb. This noun is called the direct ,
These Action Verbs have a definite object on which,
or for which the action is being performed.
object.
EXAMPLE:
Sheela raises her hand.
(The verb is raises. Her hand is an object receiving
the verbs action. Therefore, raises is a
transitive verb.)
I baked some cookies.
I rode the bicycle.

Transitive verbs sometimes have indirect

objects, which name the object to whom or
for whom the action was done.
EXAMPLE: Jantzen gave Becky the pencil.
(The verb is gave. The direct object is the
pencil. [What did he give? the pencil].
The indirect object is Becky. [To whom did
he give it? to Becky.])

INTRANSITIVE VERBS:
An intransitive verb never has a direct or
indirect object. These verbs also show an
action but here there is no specific object on
which the action is being done
I laughed, I cried.
Although an intransitive verb may be
followed
by an adverb or adverbial phrase, there is no
object to receive its action.
EXAMPLE: Sheela rises slowly from her
seat.
(The verb is the word, rises. The words,

LINKING VERBS
A linking verb connects the subject of a
sentence to a noun or adjective that
renames or describes it.
This noun or adjective is called the subject
complement.
EXAMPLES: Jason became a business
major.
(The verb, became, links the subject,
Jason, to its complement, a business
major.)
Lisa is in love with Jason.
(The verb, is, links the subject, Lisa, to the

The most common linking verb is the verb to be in all

of its forms (am, are, is, was, were, etc.).
This verb may also be used as a helping verb (see
next section). Two other common linking verbs, to
become and to seem, are always used as linking
verbs.
Other verbs may be linking verbs in some cases and
action verbs in others: to appear, to feel, to look, to
remain, to stay, to taste, to continue, to grow, to
prove, to sound, to smell, to turn,
LINKING: Libby appeared happy. (Appeared links
Libby to the subject complement, happy.)
ACTION: Deon suddenly appeared. (Here, appeared is

HELPING VERBS
Helping verbs are used before action or
linking verbs to convey additional
information regarding aspects of
possibility (can, could, etc.) or time (was,
did, has, etc.). They are also called auxiliary
verbs. The main verb with
its accompanying helping verb is called a
verb phrase.
EXAMPLES: Teju is (helping verb) going
(main verb) to Florida.
The trip might (helping verb) be (main
verb) dangerous.

The following words, called modals, always

function as helping verbs:
can may must shall will
could might ought to should would
EXAMPLES: Tanya could learn to fly
helicopters. (Could helps the main verb,
learn.)
Janine will drive to Idaho tomorrow. (Will
helps the main verb, drive.)
In addition, the following forms of the verbs
to be, to do, and to have sometimes serve
as helping verbs.

Note: In other cases, they may serve as

action or linking verbs.) am be being do
had have was are been did does has is
were
HELPING: Jana is moving to a new house.
LINKING: Jana is ready to go.
HELPING: Dustin did eat his vegetables!
ACTION: Dustin did his homework last
night. (transitive verb)
HELPING: Erin has jumped off the cliff.
ACTION: Erin has a good attitude.

Anadverbcan modify averb, anadjective,

another adverb, aphrase, or aclause. An
adverb indicates manner, time, place, cause,
or degree and answers questions such as
"how," "when," "where," "how much".

Types of adverbs
Adverbs of Manner
Adverbs of Manner tell us the manner or
way in which something happens. They
answer the question "how?". Adverbs of
Manner mainly modifyverbs.
Hespeaksslowly. (How does he speak?)
Theyhelpeduscheerfully. (How did they
help us?)
James Bonddriveshis carsfast. (How does
James Bond drive his cars?)

We normally use Adverbs of Manner

withdynamic
(action)verbs,
not
with stative or state verbs.
He ran fast. She came quickly. They
worked happily.

Adverbs of Place
Adverbs of Place tell us the place where
something happens. They answer the
question "where?".
Adverbs of Place mainly modifyverbs.
Pleasesithere. (Where should I sit?)
Theylookedeverywhere. (Where did they
look?)
Two cars wereparkedoutside. (Where
were two cars parked?)

Adverbs of Time
Adverbs of Time tell us something about
the time that something happens. Adverbs
of Time mainly modifyverbs.
They can answer the question "when?":
Hecameyesterday.
(When
did
he
come?)
Iwantitnow. (When do I want it?)
Or they can answer the question "how
often?":
Theydeliverthe newspaperdaily. (How
often do they deliver the newspaper?)
Wesometimeswatcha
movie.
(How
often do we watch a movie?)

Adverbs of Degree
Adverbs of Degree tell us the degree or
extent to which something happens. They
answer the question "how much?" or "to
what degree?". Adverbs of Degree can
modifyverbs,adjectivesand
otheradverbs.
Sheentirelyagreeswith
him.
(How
much does she agree with him?)
Mary isverybeautiful. (To what degree is
Mary beautiful? How beautiful is Mary?)
He drovequitedangerously. (To what
degree did he drive dangerously? How
dangerously did he drive?)

Conjunctions
A conjunction is a word that "joins". A
conjunction joins two parts of a sentence.
Here are some example conjunctions:
Coordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating Conjunctions

and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so

although, because, since, unless

Aprepositionlinksnouns,pronounsandphrasesto
other words in a sentence. The word or phrase that the
preposition introduces is called theobjectof the
preposition.
Prepositions are short words (on, in, to) that usually stand
in front of nouns (sometimes also in front of gerund
verbs).
A preposition usually comes before a noun, pronoun or
noun phrase. It joins the noun to some other part of the
sentence.
Examples:on, in, by, with, under, through, at

Interjections are words or phrases used to exclaim or

protest or command.
An interjection is a word added to a sentence to convey
an emotion or a sentiment such as surprise, disgust, joy,
excitement, or enthusiasm. It is not grammatically
related to any other part of the sentence.
They sometimes stand by themselves, but they are often
contained within larger structures.
Wow! I won the lottery!
Oh, I don't know about that.
I don't know what the heck you're talking about.
No, you shouldn't have done that.