Parts of Speech in English | An overview on 8 important sections

Parts of speech in English | Why are they important?

English is the world’s most widely-spoken language, with as many as 1.5 billion speakers across the globe. However, an unusual fact is that many English speakers are not native. Statistics show that less than 400 million people speak English as a first language. 

Proficiency in English is one of the essential requirements for academic and professional opportunities abroad. If you are entering a new phase of your career overseas, knowing the rules of spoken English can help you communicate effectively. 

So keep reading to discover everything you need to know about the eight parts of speech in English! 

What are the eight parts of speech in English? 

Every word in a sentence refers to a ‘part of speech’ or a ‘word class’. This phrase refers to the role a specific word plays in the sentence. Combining the roles played by different parts of speech can help create meaningful sentences in English. 

The 8 parts of English speech are as follows-

1. Noun 

• A noun is the name of a person, place, idea, or thing. 
• Nouns are often used with articles such as a, an, and the. 
• Nouns take on several different roles in a sentence and can talk about subjects & objects. This includes direct & indirect objects, subject complements, and objects of prepositions. 
• Nouns classify into two categories – common nouns & proper nouns. 
• Common nouns are general names for places and things. An example is – planets. 
• On the other hand, proper nouns refer specifically to an individual thing. An example is – Saturn. 
• A tip to identifying proper nouns is that they are usually capitalized. 

Example–

This is my cat. She lives in my house in London. 

2. Pronoun 

• A pronoun is a word that is commonly used in the place of a noun. Pronouns substitute for a specific noun (referred to as its antecedent). 
• Pronouns are used when a reader or listener is aware of the specific noun being referenced. 
• In sentences that refer to nouns more than once, replacing them with pronouns helps ensure your sentence is concise and grammatically correct. 

Example–

Sarah is always early. She has a habit of making sure she reaches her destination well before time. I will have to ask her to start a little late from her home today. 

3. Verb

• Verbs are parts of speech in English that express a state of being and action. 
• Verbs always need to agree with the subject they refer to in numbers (if the subject is singular, the verb should be singular – and vice-versa). 
• Perhaps, Verbs also take on the role of expressing the tense of a sentence. 
• It is important to note that verbs do not always refer to literal actions. They can also refer to states of being and feelings. 

Example–

Run as fast as you can! You will win the race! 

4. Adjective 

• An adjective is used to modify or describe a noun or pronoun. 
• Adjectives commonly answer questions such as – what kind, how many, and which one. 
• These parts of speech in English specify the why, when, where, and how of an event. 

Example–

She entered the room as quietly as she could. 

5. Adverb 

• Adverbs are parts of speech in English that modify or describe adjectives, verbs, or other adverbs. 
• Adverbs commonly answer questions such as – why, where, how, and when. 
• A key to identifying adverbs is that they usually end with ‘ly’. 

Example–

My dog eats very quickly when she is hungry. 

6. Preposition 

• Prepositions are parts of speech in English that are usually placed before a noun or pronoun to form a phrase. They serve as the link between nouns and other words in a sentence. 
• Prepositions describe the temporal, role, and spatial relations between words in a sentence. 

Example–

My children went to school on Saturday as well! 

7. Conjunction 

• Conjunctions help build complex sentences that can express multiple kinds of ideas. 
• This word-class joins clauses, phrases, and words to indicate the relationship between the elements combined. 

Example–

I like oranges and pineapples, but I don’t like pineapples on pizza. 

8. Interjection 

• Interjections are word classes that express emotion. 
• These parts of speech in English can either stand by themselves or are usually contained within a sentence. 
• Exclamation points commonly follow interjections. 

Example–

Oh my! That noise startled me. 

Key takeaways 

• English is the most commonly spoken language in the world. If you are considering pursuing academic or professional interests overseas, proficiency in English is a must. 
• Understanding the different rules of spoken English can help you communicate as clearly and effectively as possible. 
• There are 8 parts of speech in the language: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, & interjections. 
• Understanding the role taken by each of these word classes can help you structure coherent and meaningful English sentences. 

We hope you found this blog informative. Don’t forget to comment below and share your thoughts! You can also get in touch with us if you have any doubts. 

Liked this blog? Read: Top 5 motivational stories every student should know | Get inspired today!

FAQ

Q1. What is an example of the main verb and a helping verb in a sentence? 

Answer – Here is an example – He can sing very well. 

In this sentence, can is the helping verb, and sing is the main verb. 

Q2. What are possessive pronouns? 

Answer – A specific kind of pronoun, possessive pronouns, commonly indicate ownership. 

Example – That bag is mine. 

Q3. Can nouns be used to show possession? 

Answer – Yes! Adding ‘s to a noun is the best way for this word class to show possession. Example – This is Sean’s book.