Part of Speech Overview

In the English language, words can be considered as the smallest elements that have
distinctive meanings. Based on their use and functions, words are categorized into several
types or parts of speech. This article will offer definitions and examples for the 8 major parts
of speech in English.

grammar: noun, pronoun, verb, adverb, adjective, conjunction, preposition, and interjection.

1. Noun
This part of a speech refers to words that are used to name persons, things, animals,
places, ideas, or events. Nouns are the simplest among the 8 parts of speech, which is why
they are the first ones taught to students in primary school.

Examples:
  Tom Hanks is very versatile.
 The italicized noun refers to a name of a person.
 Dogs can be extremely cute.
 In this example, the italicized word is considered a noun because it names an animal.
 It is my birthday.
 The word “birthday” is a noun which refers to an event.

There are different types of nouns namely:

 Proper– proper nouns always start with a capital letter and refers to specific names of
persons, places, or things.
 Examples: Volkswagen Beetle, Shakey’s Pizza, Game of Thrones
 Common– common nouns are the opposite of proper nouns. These are just generic
names of persons, things, or places.
 Examples: car, pizza parlor, TV series
 Concrete– this kind refers to nouns which you can perceive through your five senses.
 Examples: folder, sand, board
 Abstract- unlike concrete nouns, abstract nouns are those which you can’t perceive
through your five senses.
 Examples: happiness, grudge, bravery
 Count– it refers to anything that is countable, and has a singular and plural form.
 Examples: kitten, video, ball
 Mass– this is the opposite of count nouns. Mass nouns are also called non-countable
nouns, and they need to have “counters” to quantify them.
 Examples of Counters: kilo, cup, meter
 Examples of Mass Nouns: rice, flour, garter
 Collective– refers to a group of persons, animals, or things.
 Example: faculty (group of teachers), class (group of students), pride (group of lions)
This great list of nouns can help you explore more nouns.

2. Pronoun

A pronoun is a part of a speech which functions as a replacement for a noun. Some

examples of pronouns are: I, it, he, she, mine, his, hers, we, they, theirs, and ours.

Sample Sentences:
 Janice is a very stubborn child. She just stared at me and when I told her to stop.
 The largest slice is mine.
 We are number one.

The italicized words in the sentences above are the pronouns in the sentence.

3. Adjective
This part of a speech is used to describe a noun or a pronoun. Adjectives can specify the
quality, the size, and the number of nouns or pronouns.

Use this link to get a list of adjectives.

Sample Sentences:

 The carvings are intricate.

 The italicized word describes the appearance of the noun “carvings.”
 I have two hamsters.
 The italicized word “two,” is an adjective which describes the number of the noun
“hamsters.”
 Wow! That doughnut is huge!
 The italicized word is an adjective which describes the size of the noun “doughnut.”

4. Verb

This is the most important part of a speech, for without a verb, a sentence would not exist.
Simply put, this is a word that shows an action (physical or mental) or state of being of the
subject in a sentence.

Examples of “State of Being Verbs” : am, is, was, are, and were
Sample Sentences:

 As usual, the Stormtroopers missed their shot.

 The italicized word expresses the action of the subject “Stormtroopers.”
 They are always prepared in emergencies.
 The verb “are” refers to the state of being of the pronoun “they,” which is the subject in
the sentence.

5. Adverb
Just like adjectives, adverbs are also used to describe words, but the difference is that
adverbs describe adjectives, verbs, or another adverb.

The different types of adverbs are:

 Adverb of Manner– this refers to how something happens or how an action is done.
 Example: Annie danced gracefully.
 The word “gracefully” tells how Annie danced.
 Adverb of Time- this states “when” something happens or “when” it is done.
 Example: She came yesterday.
 The italicized word tells when she “came.”
 Adverb of Place– this tells something about “where” something happens or ”where”
something is done.
  Example: Of course, I looked everywhere!
 The adverb “everywhere” tells where I “looked.”
 Adverb of Degree– this states the intensity or the degree to which a specific thing
happens or is done.
 Example: The child is very talented.
 The italicized adverb answers the question, “To what degree is the child talented?”

6. Preposition
This part of a speech basically refers to words that specify location or a location in time.

Examples of Prepositions: above, below, throughout, outside, before, near, and since

Sample Sentences:

 Micah is hiding under the bed.

 The italicized preposition introduces the prepositional phrase “under the bed,” and
tells where Micah is hiding.
 During the game, the audience never stopped cheering for their team.
 The italicized preposition introduces the prepositional phrase “during the game,” and
tells when the audience cheered.

7. Conjunction
The conjunction is a part of a speech which joins words, phrases, or clauses together.

Examples of Conjunctions: and, yet, but, for, nor, or, and so

Sample Sentences:

 This cup of tea is delicious and very soothing.

 Kiyoko has to start all over again because she didn’t follow the professor’s instructions.
 Homer always wanted to join the play, but he didn’t have the guts to audition.

The italicized words in the sentences above are some examples of conjunctions.

8. Interjection
This part of a speech refers to words which express emotions. Since interjections are
commonly used to convey strong emotions, they are usually followed by an exclamation
point.

Examples of Interjections:
Sample Sentences:

 Ouch! That must have hurt.

 Hurray, we won!
 Hey! I said enough!
The bold words attached to the main sentences above are some examples of interjections.

Final Thoughts
You must familiarize yourself with the different parts of speech discussed in this article
because they are among the most fundamental concepts that you will encounter throughout
your study of grammar. An in-depth knowledge of this topic will not only make you a better
writer, but an effective communicator as well.
Verb: Definition and Examples
4Simpan
It is in primary school that students are formally given their first glimpse into the field of
grammar. At this educational level, the different parts of speech such
as nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, interjections, and
verbs are all introduced.
Since you have learned these word types at your mother’s knee, it is understandable if you
need a little review to refresh your knowledge of basic grammar. This article will focus on
answering the question, “What is a verb?” and discuss its kinds and tenses.

What is a Verb?
A verb can be considered as one of the most important parts of a sentence. You probably
already know that a sentence must be composed of a subject and a predicate, so what
makes a verb so important? Well, the verb is the main component of a predicate. Without it,
there won’t be a sentence, just a bunch of words with an incomplete thought. Simply
defined, the verb is a part of speech which is used to demonstrate an action or a state of
being.
What are the Different Kinds of Verbs?
Your primary school teachers must have defined verb as an “action word.” That is right,
however, verbs are more than just words that express an action done physically like:

run, jump, dance, write, kick, etc.

In reality, verbs may also refer to an action done mentally such as:

think, ponder, guess, imagine, wonder, etc.

1. Normal Verbs and Non-Continuous Verbs
The first type of verb used to express physical action is called a Normal Verb, while the
second one, which refers to an action you can’t see someone do, is called a Non-
Continuous Verb.
Sample Sentences:
 Jesse Pinkman laughed hysterically.
 The verb in this sentence is laughed and the subject who does the action is Jessie
Pinkman.
 Aegon Targaryen and his sisters conquered the Seven Kingdoms.
 The verb is conquered, while the subject in this sentence is Aegon Targaryen and his
sisters.
 Darth Vader thought of an evil plan to get rid of Darth Sidious.
 Thought is the mental action word done by the subject Darth Vader in the sentence
above.
 I wonder what will happen on the next episode.
 The pronoun, I, is the subject in the last sentence and the verb is wonder.
2. Linking Verb
Aside from the Normal Verbs and Non-Continuous Verbs, there is another type which is
called the Linking Verb.

As the name suggests, a linking verb is a kind of verb that links a subject to the
complement. A complement is the part of a sentence which modifies or provides more
information about the subject. Examples of linking verbs are:

am, is, was, are, were, has been, might have been, become, etc.
The words listed above are just some of the “true linking verbs.” They are called that way
because they have no other functions but to serve as linking verbs. However, just like some
people, certain verbs also have dual personalities. Take a look at the two sentences below:

 Irine tasted the exotic food.

 The exotic food tasted great!
In the first sentence, you can easily say that the italicized word is an action word done by
Irine. However, in the second sentence, the same word has a different function. It serves as
a linking verb that connects exotic food with the word, great.
What are Multi-Part Verbs?
Do not assume that verbs are limited to a single word. Sometimes, they come in two to four
words. The basic formula for verbs with multiple parts is:

The auxiliary verbs, also called “helping verbs,” allow you to write in various verb tenses
and voices when combined with a base or main verb.

Take a look at the examples below:

 I was given a two-week notice by the sales agent.

 The sentence above is written in the passive voice. Was is the auxiliary verb
and given is the main verb.
 It must have been raining very hard.
 The main verb is raining and the auxiliary verbs are must have been.
What are the Different Forms of Verbs?
In order to be able to construct a grammatically correct sentence, it is very important that
you know how to write in the proper verb tense. The three basic forms of verbs
are past, present, and future. The first one obviously refers to an action that was already
done, the second is for present action, and the third is for an action that will be done.
Examples:

Past Present Future

 aimed aim/s will aim

counted count/s will count

marched march/es will march

picked pick/s will pick

walked walk/s will walk

You will notice that:

1. The present form is just the basic form of the verb (add –s or –es for a singular subject)
 Example: He marches; Soldiers march
2. The past tense is the basic form plus –ed.
 *Note: The past tense of a verb pertaining to a singular subject and a plural subject is
the same.
 Example: She walked; They walked
3. The future tense is the word will plus the basic form of the verb.
 *Note: The future tense of a verb pertaining to a singular subject and a plural subject is
the same.
 Example: Andrea will count; The teachers will count
Although most verbs follow these rules, there are still some exceptions. Take a look at the
examples below:

Past Present Future

drove drive/s will drive

read read/s will read

 felt feel/s will feel

taught teach/es will teach

thought think/s will think

The verbs presented in the table above are called irregular verbs. There are actually no
specific rules on how to form this kind of verb. But don’t worry because you can easily find a
complete list on the internet.

Final Thoughts
Verbs are very easy to spot. What can be challenging is deciding which correct verb tense
to use. However, this can be easily solved by reading a lot and practicing your writing skills.
Other people might find grammar a trivial thing, but the truth is that a considerable amount
of knowledge in proper grammar can take you a long way.
Adjective: Definition and Examples
5Simpan
One of the most important components of a sentence is the adjective. This part of speech
is so common that people use it almost automatically, both in speech and in writing. For you
to understand the concept of adjectives better this article will answer the following
questions:

 What is an adjective?
 What are the functions of adjectives?
 What are the different kinds of adjectives?
 What are the degrees of adjectives?
Aside from answering the basic questions and defining the related terms, various examples
will also be included in this short write-up.

What is an Adjective and its Functions?

An adjective is a part of speech which describes, identifies, or quantifies a noun or a
pronoun. So basically, the main function of an adjective is to modify a noun or a pronoun so
that it will become more specific and interesting. Instead of just one word, a group of words
with a subject and a verb, can also function as an adjective. When this happens, the group
of words is called an adjective clause.
For example:

 For example: My brother, who is much older than I am, is an astronaut.

In the example above, the underlined clause modifies the noun ”brother.” But what if the
group of words doesn’t have a subject and a verb? What do you think the resulting group of
words will be called?

If you think it’s called an adjective phrase, you are right. As you might recall, phrases and
clauses are both groups of words and the main difference is that clauses
have subjects and verbs, while phrases don’t.
 For example: She is prettier than you.
What are the Different Kinds of Adjectives?
Now that you already know the answer to the question, “What is an adjective?” you should
know that not all adjectives are the same. They modify nouns and pronouns differently, and
just like the other parts of speech, there are different kinds of adjectives. These are:
1. Descriptive Adjectives
Among the different kinds of adjectives, descriptive adjectives are probably the most
common ones. They simply say something about the quality or the kind of the noun or
pronoun they’re referring to.

Examples:
 Erika is witty.
 She is tired.
 Adrian’s reflexes are amazing.
2. Adjectives of Number or Adjectives of Quantity
As the name suggests, this kind of adjective answers the question, “How many?” or “How
much?”

Examples:
 Twenty-one students failed the exam.
 The plants need more water.
3. Demonstrative Adjectives
Demonstrative adjectives point out pronouns and nouns, and always come before the words
they are referring to.

Examples:
 I used to buy this kind of shirts.
 When the old man tripped over that wire, he dropped a whole bag of groceries.
4. Possessive Adjectives
Obviously, this kind of adjectives shows ownership or possession. Aside from that,
possessive adjectives always come before the noun.

Examples:
 I can’t answer my seatwork because I don’t have a calculator.
 Trisha sold his dog.
5. Interrogative Adjectives
Interrogative adjectives ask questions and are always followed by a noun.

Examples:
 What movie are you watching?
 Which plants should be placed over here?
What are the Degrees of Adjectives?
There are only three degrees or levels of adjectives (also known as degrees of comparison)
namely, positive, comparative, and superlative. When you talk about or describe only a
single person, place, or thing, you should use the positive degree.
Examples:
  She is a beautiful lady.
 It was a memorable trip.
If on the other hand, you are comparing two persons, places, or things, it is appropriate to
use the comparative degree of the word. Normally, you will need to add “-er” to transform
the word into its comparative form or add the word “more.” Also, the word “than” should be
added after the adjective in the comparative degree.
Examples:

 This swimming pool is bigger than that one.

 Ashley is more intelligent than Aldrin.
*Note: For words ending in “y,” you should first change the “y” into “i,” and then add “-er”
(e.g., lovely-lovelier; pretty- prettier; tasty- tastier)
Lastly, if you are comparing more than two things, the superlative form of the adjectives
should be used and the word “the” should be added before the adjective. In order to
transform the adjective into its superlative form, you just have to add the suffix “-est” or the
word “most.”
Examples:

 That is by far, the tallest tree I have ever seen in my entire life.
 This is the most crucial match of the season.
*Note: For words ending in “y,” you should first change the “y” into “i,” and then add “-est”
(e.g., lovely-loveliest; pretty- prettiest; tasty- tastiest)
Final Thoughts
This article entitled “Basic Grammar: What is an Adjective?” can be very helpful for
beginners who want to improve their grammar skills and ace the English subject. If you
really have a deep understanding of what is an adjective, you will surely be able to apply
this concept to your compositions properly. Just remember that although adjectives seem a
little trivial, an effective use of this part of speech can actually strengthen your writing.
Pronoun: Definition and Examples
2Simpan
One of the eight parts of speech in the English language is the pronoun. In order to be able
to write great compositions and communicate well, you must learn how to use this type of
word properly.

So, what exactly is a pronoun?

For you to understand the concept easily, you can look at nouns as actors and pronouns as
stuntmen in movies. When a stuntman takes the place of an actor for a particular scene, he
represents the same character. Just the same, a pronoun replaces a noun in a particular
sentence, but it still refers to the same noun.
For example:
 Mr. White was a high school teacher turned race car driver. He was able to win 99.1%
of the races because of hisextensive knowledge in racing.
 In the sentence, the person is Walter White. Instead of repeating his name in the next
sentence, the pronouns “he“ and “his” were used to refer to him.
What would happen if there were no pronouns?

The previous example would look like this:

 Mr. White is a high school teacher turned race car driver. Mr. White was able to win
99.1% of the races because of Mr. White’s extensive knowledge in racing.
It sounds awkward, right?

So you see, pronouns are very important in written and verbal communication because they
avoid repetitiveness and ensure a good flow of words. They serve as stuntmen that are
always ready to replace the real actors when the actors start to wear out.

Below is a list of the most common pronouns that you can use to replace different kinds of
nouns.

The Antecedent
As previously mentioned, a pronoun is used to replace a noun. This noun is called
the antecedent.
The prefix “ante” means before, so for example:
The police officers rushed into their headquarters.
In this example, the pronoun “their” refers back to the police officers. The underlined noun is
therefore, the antecedent of “their.”
In a simple sentence such as that stated above, it is very easy to identify the antecedent
that the pronoun is referring to. However, you should be very careful with the use of
pronouns in writing complicated sentences or paragraphs. If not used properly, these can
confuse readers as to what you’re talking about. Make sure that your antecedent will not get
lost to avoid this confusion.

Kinds of Pronouns
There are six kinds of pronouns with different functions:

1. Personal pronouns
This kind of pronoun refers to a particular person or thing. The form of the personal pronoun
that is appropriate to use for a specific sentence depends on the gender and number of
persons or things that serve as the antecedents.

For example, you are referring to a female subject in the sentence, the pronouns that are
appropriate to use are: she, her, and hers. If you are referring to a male, you can use: he,
him, and his. For a group of persons, not including yourself, the appropriate pronouns are:
they, them, and theirs.
Personal pronouns can serve as the subjects, objects of the verb or preposition, and can
also show possession. They are formally classified into: subjective personal pronouns,
objective personal pronouns, and possessive personal pronouns.
Examples:
 You are definitely the biggest science nerd I’ve ever met.
 In the example above, the underlined pronoun serves as the subject.
 Harry persuaded her to come with him.
 The pronoun “her” is the object of the verb persuaded. Him, on the other hand, is the
object of the preposition with.
 Ours is the one on the left.
 The pronoun “ours” signifies possession.
2. Demonstrative pronouns
The function of this kind of pronoun is to point to a noun. Examples are: this, these, that,
and those. The pronouns “this” and “these” points to things that are nearby while the other
two are for things that are far. Aside from proximity, you must also consider the number of
things you are pointing out. For singular nouns, “this” and “that” should be used, while for
plural nouns “these” and “those” are appropriate.

Examples:
 That is the car that I’ll buy for my birthday.
 The speaker is pointing out to a singular noun that is far from him/her.
 She said she wanted these.
 The underlined pronoun refers to a plural noun and also serve as the object of the
verb wanted.
3. Indefinite pronouns
This kind of pronoun refers to unspecified things. Some examples are: any, all, another,
each, anyone, anything, anybody, nobody, everyone, everybody, someone, somebody, few,
and many.

Examples:
 Many were called for the interview but only 3 were hired.
 He’s ready to give up everything for his family’s safety.
4. Intensive pronouns
The function of intensive pronouns is to give emphasis to the antecedent. Examples of this
kind of pronoun are: myself, itself, himself, herself, yourself, yourselves, themselves, and
ourselves.

Examples:
 The president himself said that it was a terrorist attack.
 I myself knew that it was a mistake.
5. Interrogative pronouns
As the title implies, the function of this kind of pronoun is to ask questions. Examples of
interrogative pronouns are: who, what, which, whom, whoever, whatever, whichever, and
whomever.

Examples:
 Who wrote the book 1984?
  What did the doctors say?
6. Relative pronouns
This kind of pronoun links one clause or phrase to another. Some of the most common
relative pronouns are: who, whoever, whomever, that, and which.

Examples:
 The contestant who gets the highest score wins the million dollar jackpot.
 In this sentence, the underlined pronoun is the subject of the verb gets. The
subordinate clause, “who gets the highest score wins the million dollar jackpot,”
describes the noun contestant.
 He will accept whichever project comes first.
 The subordinate clause, ”whichever project comes first,” serves as the object of the
verb “will accept.”
7. Reflexive pronouns
This kind of pronoun is used to refer back to the subject. Some of the reflexive pronouns
are: yourself, myself, ourselves, himself, herself, themselves, and itself.

Example:
 Sandra never forgets to send a copy of the email to herself.
 The pronoun “herself” refers back to the subject of the sentence, which is Sandra.
 He promised to repair the broken fence, however, we ended up fixing it ourselves.
 The underlined reflexive pronoun refers back to the subject we.
Final Thoughts
An in-depth understanding of pronouns and their functions is very important in creating well-
constructed compositions. Pronouns make the flow of words and thoughts smoother and
this should definitely engage your readers.
Noun: Definition and Examples
4Simpan
Words can be considered as the smallest independent elements in language and
communication. In the English language, words can be classified under 8 major word types
or parts of speech namely, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs,
adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections. In this article, you will learn more
about the most common and simplest word type, which is the noun.
What is a Noun?
In the simplest sense, a noun is any word that names people, things, animals, places,
events, or ideas. Take a look at the sentences below:

 Jack Gleeson, the actor who plays as Joffrey in Game of Thrones, was the boy saved
by Batman in Batman Begins.
 Beatrice and Carla will meet at the coffee shop on Tuesday.
 For me, birthdays are just ordinary days.
All of the underlined words in the sample sentences above are nouns. Now that you already
know the answer to the question, “What is a noun?” it’s time to discuss the different
functions, genders, and plural forms of nouns.

What are the Functions of a Noun?

A noun can function as a subject, an object (object of the preposition, direct object, indirect
object), and a subject complement in a sentence.
Examples:

 Arya Stark is really cool.

 In this example, the underlined noun serves as the subject in the sentence.
 They were supposed to meet at noon.
 The noun in this sentence functions as an object of the preposition. (at is the
preposition)
 Jeremy is a swimmer.
 This sample sentence has two nouns, “Jeremy” and “swimmer”. “Jeremy” is a noun
that serves as the subject, while the underlined noun acts as the subject complement.
 The beavers built a dam.
 In this sentence, “beavers” is the subject, the word “built” is the verb, and the
underlined word is the noun that serves as the direct object (the thing that is acted
upon).
 He gave Maria a love letter.
 This example has two nouns, “Maria” and “love letter.” The thing that is acted upon
(direct object) is the “love letter,” while the indirect object is “Maria.” Simply put, an
indirect object refers to the recipient or the one who gets the direct object.
What are the Different Genders of Nouns?
Aside from providing the answer to the question, “What is a noun?” and discussing the
various functions, this article will also explore noun genders. Basically, there are four
genders of nouns, and these are: masculine, feminine, common, and neuter.
 1. Neuter – this gender simply refers to nouns that have no sex.
 Examples: computer, city, pizza, bus, brownies, oven

2. Common– is the gender of nouns which can refer to either the male or female sex.
 Examples: student, driver, lawyer, criminal, leader, visitor

3. Masculine– this refers to nouns of the male sex

 Examples: sorcerer, actor, tiger, rooster, prince, fox, stag, bull, ram

4.Feminine– this denotes nouns of the female sex.

 Examples: sorceress, actress, tigress, hen, princess, vixen, doe, cow, ewe
What are the Different Forms of Nouns?
Nouns normally come in their singular form, however, if these nouns name more than one
person, place, thing, animal, event, or idea, it is necessary for you to transform them into
their plural form.
These are most common ways of pluralizing nouns:

1. Add “s”
Examples:

 bike- bikes
 trap- traps
 coin- coins
 game- games
 swimming pool- swimming pools
2. Add “es”
Examples:

 beach- beaches
 potato- potatoes
 hero- heroes
 box- boxes
 torch- torches
3. Change “y” to “i,” and then add “es”
Examples:

 butterfly- butterflies
 party- parties
 reply- replies
 factory- factories
 baby- babies
Note: Sometimes, you just have to add “s” without changing “y” to “i” (e.g., chimney-
chimneys; trolley- trolleys)
4. Change “f” to “v,” and then add “s” or “es”
Examples:

 wife- wives (“s” only)

 thief- thieves (“es”)
 loaf- loaves (“es”)
 knife- knives (“s” only)
 wolf- wolves (“es”)
Note: Sometimes, you only need to add “s” without changing “f” to “v” (e.g., cliff- cliffs; chef-
chefs).
Other ways of pluralizing nouns:

1. For some nouns ending in “um,” change “um” to “a”

Examples:

 medium- media
 curriculum- curricula
 bacterium- bacteria
 ovum- ova
 datum- data
2. For some nouns ending in “is,” change “is” to “es”
Examples:

 crisis- crises
 analysis- analyses
 thesis- theses
 axis- axes
 oasis- oases
3. For some nouns ending in “us” change “us” to “i”
Examples:

 radius- radii
 nucleus- nuclei
 fungus- fungi
 stimulus- stimuli
 bacillus- bacilli
4. Some nouns have the same singular and plural form

Examples:

 sheep
 deer
 moose
Final Thoughts
This article entitled “Parts of Speech: What is a Noun?” can be a good starting point in your
exploration of the different types of words that can be regarded as the building blocks of
grammar. If you want to have great grammar skills and improve your writing, you really
need to have a good grasp of what is a noun, as well as the other parts of speech. These
things can be considered among the most basic yet essential concepts in grammar, so it’s
really important for you to be well acquainted with these before moving on to the more
advanced topics.
Adverb: Definition and Examples
7Simpan
Since adjectives are more common compared to adverbs, this article will focus on
explaining the concept of adverbs. It will answer the most basic questions like:
 What is an adverb?
 What are the different kinds of adverbs?
 What are the most important tips for using adverbs?

Question 1: What is an Adverb?

An adverb is a part of speech used to describe a verb, adjective, clause, or another adverb.
It simply tells the readers how, where, when, or the degree at which something was done.
Examples:

1. The manager accepted the challenge very nicely.

The italicized word is an adverb that describes nicely, which is another adverb.
2. Tears began to fall as he saw the completely lifeless body of his wife.

The adverb in this sentence is completely, which describes the adjective lifeless.

3. Surprisingly, the cubicles of the public restroom are clean.

Surprisingly is the adverb in this sentence. It modifies the clause that comes right after it.
Even though all of the sample sentences above have one-word adverbs, adverbs are not
limited to a single word. Sometimes, adverbs come in phrases. Take a look at the example
below.

At 4 a.m., a stray cat jumped into the open window.

The italicized part is a prepositional phrase with an adverbial function. It tells when the
event occurred.
Question 2: What are the Different Kinds of Adverbs?
Aside from answering the main question “What is an adverb?” it is also important to explore
the different kinds of this part of speech. Basically, there are four kinds of adverbs:
  Adverbs of Manner

This kind of adverb describes the manner by which something was done or something
happened. Adverbs of manner answer the question “How?”

Examples:
 1. The students measured the volume of the chemicals accurately.

The italicized adverb describes the verb “measured.”

2. She walks gracefully.

Gracefully modifies the verb “walks.”

 Adverbs of Place

Adverbs of place simply answer the question “Where?” Here are some examples:

1. Heisenberg looked away from the dead body.

The adverb away answers the question, “Where did Heisenberg look?”

2. They built a huge toy factory nearby.

The adverb nearby answers the question, “Where did they build the huge toy factory?”
You will notice based on these examples that adverbs of place can be placed right after the
verb or after the object of the verb.

 Adverbs of Time

Aside from answering when an event occurred, adverbs of time also answer questions like,
“How long?” and “How often?”

Examples:
 1. Syndra lived in Germany for a year.

For a year tells how long something happened (how long Syndra lived in Germany).

2. I’m going to the dentist tomorrow.

The adverb tomorrow indicates when something will be done.
 Adverbs of Degree

This kind of adverb indicates the degree at which something will be done. It tells something
about the intensity.

Examples:

1. You didn’t try hard enough.

Hard enough is an adverb pertaining to the verb, “try.”

2. The temperature of the room was extremely

Extremely describes the adjective, “high.”

Question 3: What are the Most Important Tips for Using Adverbs?
Sometimes, students know what adverbs are but don’t know how to use them properly. So
here are the most useful tips that you should keep in mind:

1. In writing an adverb of manner, you must never write the adverb in between the verb
and the object of the verb.

Example (from above):

The students measured accurately the volume of the chemicals. (wrong)

The students measured the volume of the chemicals accurately. (correct)
The first sentence is wrong because the adverb is located somewhere between “measured”
(verb) and “volume” (object of the verb).
 2. Know when to use the comparative or superlative forms of adverbs. Words
like more or less are added to the main adverb when comparing two
things. Most or least are used if there are three or more things to compare.

Examples: most often; more frequently

3. Not all words ending in –ly are adverbs. This is pretty obvious, but some students
assume that a word is an adverb just because it ends in –ly.

4. Do not overly use adverbs. If there are single alternative words, you can use those.

Examples:

Instead of walk heavily –> trudge

Instead of ate hurriedly –> gobbled
Final Thoughts
After providing simplified answers to questions like “What is an adverb?” and “What are the
different kinds of adverbs?” this article will surely help you understand the concept better.
However, how you apply this knowledge and make use of it to your advantage still depends
on you. Keep on reading and practicing your writing in order to hone your grammar skills.
Preposition: Definition and Examples
4Simpan
Among the 8 parts of speech, the preposition is one of the most important parts of a
sentence. In its simplest sense, the preposition can be regarded as a locator not only of
place, but also of time. In order for you to better understand, please refer to the examples
provided below.

The jelly beans are in the jar.

The cat is on the roof.

 Jake is beside Finn.

All of the blue italicized words (in, on, and beside) above are examples of prepositions
which say something about the location (place) of the nouns contained in the sample
sentences.
As mentioned earlier, prepositions can also indicate the location in time of nouns
or pronouns. Take a look at the sentences below:
 During the summer, I always spend my time playing video games or reading sci-fi
books at home.
 At noon, I went to my wife’s office to surprise her.
 In the winter, plants somehow “hibernate” just like animals.
During the summer, at noon, and in the winter describe a particular time (location in
time).
What is the Function of Prepositions?
Aside from providing information about the location in place and time, this part of speech
usually comes before a noun or a pronoun to describe its relationship to another word or
part of the sentence.

Examples:

 I think it’s a vessel for

The italicized word “for” is a preposition which describes the relationship between the words
“vessel” and “weapons.”

 The child quickly hid under the thick covers.

The word “under” is a preposition which links the nouns “child” and “covers,” and shows the
relationship between the two.
  My kite soared above the building.

In this sample sentence, the preposition “above” shows the relationship between the kite
and the building.

What is a Prepositional Phrase?

A prepositional phrase is simply a group of words which contains a preposition at the
beginning and a noun or a pronoun at the end. It usually follows this formula:

Preposition + Modifiers (not required) + Noun or Pronoun (object of the preposition)

Some Examples of Prepositional Phrases:

 Above the dark skies

Above= preposition; the and dark= modifiers; skies= noun
 In New York
In= preposition; New York= noun
 From my father
From= preposition; my= modifier; father= noun
Examples of Prepositions
Since there are so many possible relationships and locations in time and place that need to
be indicated, there is actually a long list of prepositions that can be used in sentences.
Listed below are most common prepositions in the English language:

 on
 off
 up to
 along
 across
 as for
 next
 through
 of
 as
 along with
 apart from
 about
 around
 according to
 against
 after
 to
 up
 within
 in spite of
 at
 out
 behind
 past
 out of
 by means of
 between
 before
 beneath
 beyond
 beside
 during
 except for
 under
 down
 below
 by
 over
 inside
 underneath
 except
 round
 from
 outside
 toward
 without
 in addition to
 in
 into
 until
 unlike
 in back of
 like
 because of
 with
 concerning
 for
 near
 instead of
 in front of
 in
 since
 despite
 on top of
 throughout
 in place of
 onto
 upon
Remember:
(Time)

 The preposition ”at” is used to indicate a specific time. (Example: at 9:30 am)
 In is used for unspecific times during a year, a season, a month, or a day. (Example: in
1984)
 The preposition “on” is used to state the date or the day of the week. (Example: on
Saturday)
 In measuring time, whether you are talking about seconds, hours, days, or years, the
preposition “for” should be used. (Example: We’ve been together for two years now.)
(Place)

 The preposition ”at” is used to state a specific address. (Example: at Block 22- Lot 71,
Dahlia Street, Angeles City)
 In is used for names of countries, cities, towns, villages, states, or continents.
(Example: in Sarajevo)
 For names of streets or avenues, the preposition “on” is appropriate to use. (Example:
on 24th Avenue)
Final Thoughts
Aside from the fact that prepositions can make your written works more detailed and
compelling, they can also help in making the readers understand the relationships among
the various parts of the sentence. With this, it can be said that learning about this word type
and knowing how to use it can be a very good way to improve your overall writing style, as
well as your grammar in general.
Conjunction: Definition and Examples
198Simpan
The conjunction is the part of speech used as a “joiner” for words, phrases, or clauses in a
particular sentence. It links these words or groups of words together, in such a way that
certain relationships among these different parts of the sentence will be established, and
the thoughts that all of these convey will be connected.

What are the Different Types of Conjunctions?

In the English language, conjunctions come in three basic types: the coordinating
conjunctions, the subordinating conjunctions, and the correlative conjunctions.
1. Coordinating Conjunction
Among the three types of conjunctions, this is probably the most common one. The main
function of coordinating conjunctions is to join words, phrases, and clauses together, which
are usually grammatically equal. Aside from that, this type of conjunctions is placed in
between the words or groups of words that it links together, and not at the beginning or at
the end.

Examples:

 Pizza and burgers are my favorite snacks.

In the sample sentence above, the underlined word serves as a coordinating conjunction
that links two words together (pizza + burgers).

 The treasure was hidden in the cave or in the underground lagoon.

The example above shows how coordinating conjunctions can join together two (or more)
phrases. The coordinating conjunction “or” in the sentence above links “in the cave” and “in
the underground lagoon.”

 What those girls say and what they actually do are completely different.
In this sentence, you’ll see how the same coordinating conjunction ”and” from the first
sample sentence can be used to link clauses together (“what those girls say” and “what they
actually do”), instead of just single words.
How to Punctuate Coordinating Conjunctions

 In joining two words, phrases, or dependent clauses together, a comma is not required
before the coordinating conjunction.Examples:
 aliens and predators
 by the beach or on the hill
 what you see and what you get
 If, on the other hand, you are linking more than two words, phrases, and dependent
clauses together, a series of commas must be placed in between the distinct elements.
Examples:
  spiders, snakes, and scorpions
 in the bedroom, in the garage, or at the garden
 Lastly, for joining together two independent clauses, a comma must be used before
placing the coordinating conjunction.
Examples:

 Cassandra fell asleep, so Joaquin just went home.

 I don’t really like spaghetti, but I can eat lasagna any day.
For you to easily recall the different coordinating conjunctions that you can use, you can just
remember the word “FANBOYS,” which stands for:

2. Subordinating Conjunction
This type of conjunctions is used in linking two clauses together. Aside from the fact that
they introduce a dependent clause, subordinating conjunctions also describe the
relationship between the dependent clause and the independent clause in the sentence.

List of Common Subordinating Conjunctions:

 while
 as soon as
 although
 before
 even if
 because
 no matter how
 whether
 wherever
 when
 until
  after
 as if
 how
 if
 provided
 in that
 once
 supposing
 while
 unless
 in case
 as far as
 now that
 as
 so that
 though
 since
Sample Sentences:

 It is so cold outside, so I brought you a jacket.

 Because it is so cold outside, I brought you a jacket.
By looking at the sentences above, you will easily notice that a subordinating conjunction
can be found either at the beginning of the sentence or between the clauses that it links
together. Aside from that, a comma should also be placed in between the two clauses
(independent clause and dependent clause) of the sentence.

3. Correlative Conjunction
The correlative conjunctions are simply pairs of conjunctions which are used to join equal
sentence elements together.

List of Common Correlative Conjunctions:

 either… or
 neither… nor
 not only… but also
 both… and
 whether… or
 so… as
Sample Sentences:

 Both my brother and my father are lawyers.

 I can’t decide whether I’ll take Chemical Engineering or take Medical Technology in
college.
What is a Conjunctive Adverb?
Although a conjunctive adverb is not a real conjunction, this kind of words functions as
conjunctions in a sentence. Some examples of conjunctive adverbs are:
  in addition
 for example
 however
 therefore
 on the contrary
 hence
 in fact
 otherwise
 as a result
 indeed
 still
 thus
 on the other hand
 furthermore
 instead
 incidentally
 after all
 finally
 likewise
 meanwhile
 consequently

Final Thoughts
Conjunctions are very essential in speech and in writing. They improve the cohesion
between the different parts of the text and enable you to construct long sentences without
sounding awkward. Although the concept of conjunctions may seem too simple, you should
still take time and make sure that you place the punctuations properly, choose the
appropriate conjunctions, and see to it that you adhere to the standard rules of grammar.
Interjection: Definition and Examples
4Simpan
The interjection is a part of speech which is more commonly used in informal language than
in formal writing or speech. Basically, the function of interjections is to express emotions or
sudden bursts of feelings. They can express a wide variety of emotions such as:
excitement, joy, surprise, or disgust.

What are the Structures and Importance of Interjections?

Interjections can come in the form of a single word, a phrase, or even a short clause. Aside
from that, they are usually (but not always) placed at the beginning of a sentence. The
importance of interjections lies in the fact that they can convey feelings that may sometimes
be neglected in the sentence.

Take for example, the sentence “That book is about vampires.”

One person can write it as:

1. That book is about vampires.

Or

2. That book is about vampires.

But then again, another person might use an interjection to show the same feeling of
disgust (as in sentence number 2):

3. Eww! That book is about vampires.

So you see from the sentence above that the word “eww” conveys the emotional response
to what is said in the sentence. It can act as a replacement for emoticons and are more
appropriate to use in writing, especially in character dialogues.

What are the Different Kinds of Interjections?

Below are the different kinds of interjections:

 Adjectives that are used as interjections.

Examples:

 Nice! You got a Monster Kill in your first game!

 Sweet! I got a PS4 for my birthday!
 Good! Now we can move on to the next lesson.
The italicized words in the sample sentences above are just some of the adjectives that can
be used as interjections.

 Nouns or noun phrases that are used as interjections.

Examples:
  Congratulations, you won the match.
 Hello! How are you?
 Holy cow! I forgot my keys!
The italicized parts of the sentences above are just some of the nouns that can be used as
interjections.

 Short clauses that are used as interjections.

Example:

 Shawie is our chemistry teacher. Oh, the horror!

The short clause that is italicized in the example above functions as an interjection.

 Some interjections are sounds.

Examples:

 Ugh! I’m never doing that again!

 Whew! That was really close!
 Uh-oh! Dude, I think we’re in serious trouble.
How do You Punctuate Interjections?
Since interjections convey different kinds of emotions, there are also different ways to
punctuate them.

 Exclamation point
The exclamation point is the most commonly used punctuation mark for interjections.
Obviously, it is used to communicate strong emotions such as surprise, excitement, or
anger.

Examples:

 I just replaced your sugar with salt. Bazinga!

 Hooray! I got the job!
 Hey! Stop messing with me!
 Ouch! That must’ve hurt really bad!
 Oh! They’re here!
 Boo-yah! This is the bomb!
 Are you still going to eat that? Yuck!
 Yahoo! I got my Christmas bonus!
 Eek! There’s a flying cockroach!
 Period or comma
For weaker emotions, a period or a comma will suffice.

Examples:

 What’s the answer to number 24?

 Meh, who cares?
  Ah, that feels great!
 Oh well, what’s done is done.
 Well, what did your mom say?
 Um… I don’t think so.
 Hmm, your house always smells like freshly brewed coffee.
 Question mark
If you intend to use interjections to express uncertainty or disbelief, it is more appropriate to
use a question mark.

Examples:

 Huh? What did you just say?

 What? You still haven’t submitted your project?
 Oh, really? I never thought he’s that kind of guy.
What are Other Examples of Interjections?
 Duh
 Oh
 Oops
 Ha
 Yikes
 Whoa
 Geez
 Yum
 Oy
 Eh
 Wow
 Yo
 Yippee
 Alas
 Dear
 Oh
 Uh-huh
 Phew
 Indeed
 Cool
 Wicked

Final Thoughts
Although interjections may seem trivial, the reality is that this part of speech is very
important because it can sometimes be difficult to express emotions in written language.
Emoticons may not be appropriate or possible under certain circumstances, so using
interjections proves to be a more viable option. Just remember all the substantial
information provided in this article, especially when it comes to using the proper punctuation
marks to convey intensity, and you will surely be able to use this part of speech effectively
in your own written text.