Parts of speech are categories that describe how words function in a sentence. A word may name something, express an action, describe another word, connect ideas, show a relationship, or perform another grammatical role.
Start with The 8 Parts of Speech for an overview of the main word classes and their functions. You can then explore detailed lessons on nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.
Limiting adjectives are words that tell us which person or thing we mean, whose it is, or how many or how much there is. In traditional grammar, words such as this, my, some, and three belong to this group. Many…
Helping verbs do much of the grammatical work inside English verb phrases. They help us form questions and negatives, build continuous, perfect, and passive constructions, and add meanings such as possibility, ability, necessity, and prediction. In Mila has finished the…
Adjectives of material describe what something is made of, as in a wooden chair or a woollen coat. English also uses material nouns such as cotton, leather, and steel before other nouns, although these words are not always adjectives in…
A Japanese novel, a Brazilian architect, and a Sicilian recipe all use adjectives that connect a noun with a place, region, or culture. These forms can show where something is associated with, but the relationship is not always as simple…
Adjectives of purpose tell us what something is used for, as in a sleeping bag, running shoes, or a dining table. The term is common in traditional grammar lessons, although words expressing purpose are not always adjectives. What Are Adjectives…
Changing one modal verb can change the whole meaning of a sentence. You can leave, you should leave, and you must leave describe the same action, but they express very different ideas about permission, advice, and obligation. Modal verbs also…
Adjectives of opinion describe what someone thinks about something. A garden might be beautiful, a film disappointing, or an idea brilliant. These adjectives express judgments rather than simply stating observable features. For example: The hotel had a beautiful courtyard. The…
Nouns do more than name people, places, or things. They play different roles inside a sentence, shaping meaning and clarity. A noun can act as the subject that performs an action, the object that receives it, or even complete the…
Adjectives of emotion describe how someone feels or the emotional quality of a person’s expression, reaction, or experience. Words such as relieved, anxious, delighted, and frustrated help us describe feelings in English. The passengers were relieved when their delayed flight…
Adjectives of size describe how big or small something is, or a particular dimension such as its height, length, width, or depth. Common examples include huge, tiny, tall, narrow, and shallow. The delivery truck was too wide to pass through…
Some English verbs can connect a subject with two objects in the same clause. In Lena handed the receptionist her passport, the verb handed is followed by the receptionist and her passport. The first identifies the person receiving something, while…
In Maya knows the answer, knows presents Maya’s knowledge as a state. In This coat belongs to Daniel, belongs expresses a relationship rather than something Daniel or the coat is actively doing. These are stative uses of verbs. Stative verbs…