Parts of Speech Examples

There are many, many words in the English language, but our language is built on only eight parts of speech. This means that all of the words function as only one of these eight. Some words can function as more than one part of speech, so it's important that you understand the eight parts of speech and their functions so that you can recognize them in sentences.

Nouns-Nouns are words that name people, places, things, and ideas. They can be common (generic) or proper (referring to a specific person, place, or thing). They can also be concrete or abstract. Nouns function as subjects and objects or nominatives in sentences.

Examples of Nouns: car, Wal-Mart, father, Mr. Harris, freedom

Pronouns-Pronouns are words that take the place of a noun in a sentence. Pronouns are used to add variety and to simplify speaking or writing so that the writer or speaker doesn't have to continually name the person, place, thing or idea.

Examples of Pronouns: I, me, he, she, it, we, us, them, who, ours

Adjectives-Adjectives are words that describe nouns or pronouns. They give more information about the noun or pronoun, and are often called "descriptive words."

Examples of Adjectives: big, loud, pretty, red, new, expensive

Verbs-There are two types of verbs. Action verbs are words that tell us what the subject of a sentence or clause is doing. Linking verbs link the subject to more information about it-either information that renames it or information that describes it.

Examples of Verbs: run, walk, is, were, seems, cry, yawn

Adverbs-Adverbs are words that give more information about the verb, adjectives or other adverbs. Adverbs answer questions like when, where, why, how, to what extent, and under what condition. Sometimes, adverbs end in "ly" but not all adverbs end in "ly."

Examples of Adverbs: very, when, why, quite, carefully

Prepositions-Prepositions are words that describe the relationship between a noun an another noun. There is an old saying that a preposition is "anything a mouse can do to a stove," because there are many words that could describe the relationship between the mouse and where it is in relation to the stove.

Examples of Prepositions: in, out, beside, above, below, on, under

Conjunctions-Conjunctions are words that link words, phrases, and clauses.

Examples of Conjunctions: and, but, or, nor, so, however, therefore

Interjections-Interjections are words that are exclamations or abrupt remarks that are somewhat of an interruption or an aside.

Examples of Interjections: Ah! Yes! Wow! Cool! Woah!