In our universe, everything is made out of building blocks or atoms. This principle extends to everything we humans have decided to make. Writing is a big part of our civilized learning and has its building blocks. The smallest yet most meaningful thing in writing is a sentence, also made up of small atoms called parts of speech.
According to conventional grammar manuals and guides, 8 parts of speech make a collection of words a sentence.
We will cover the coveted 8 parts of speech, their types, examples, and usage. As a bonus, we have two parts of speech to help us better learn and understand English grammar.
The most common of the 8 parts of speech is a noun. You need nouns to describe persons, objects, places, and ideas in a sentence. Nouns act as either the performer or subject in a sentence or the objects, or both.
There are three common types of nouns:
Here are some examples of how nouns are used in sentences:
Writers capitalize proper nouns anywhere in the sentence. Compared to this, common nouns can only be capitalized if they are at the beginning of a sentence.
If the name is any indication, you will have a feeling that pronouns have something to do with nouns, and you are right. In the same way as a noun, a pronoun is used for people, places, ideas, and things.
Pronouns also have three common types used in sentences:
Here are some examples to understand the usage of pronouns in a sentence:
If you want to describe the change happening in a sentence, you need a verb. For instance, something went through a process to become something else. Verbs are integral to writing a complete sentence because one is incomplete without at least a verb.
There are two types of verbs commonly used in sentences:
Here are some examples of the usage of verbs in a simple sentence:
If you need to describe a noun or a pronoun, you need to use adjectives to convey the meanings. Adjectives are attributive where they precede the noun or predicative where they appear after the noun using a linking verb, in a sentence.
There are two common types of adjectives used in simple sentences:
As you progress through classes, you will come to operate other adjectives as well, such as coordinate adjectives, participle adjectives, and denominal adjectives.
Here are some examples to show you how adjectives play out in a sentence:
There is a unique quality about adverbs because they can change the nature of a verb, noun, and even a complete sentence. A common practice of making adverbs is to add “-ly” at the end of an adjective. But there are outliers to this rule, such as “hard” becomes “hardly” but the meanings take a 180 degree turn.
There are various types of adverbs in the grammar but the most common ones are:
Just like other parts of the speech, there are many types of adverbs in addition to the most common ones. These are adverbs of frequency, adverbs of purpose, focusing adverbs, and adverbial phrases.
Here are some examples to show you different types of adverbs in play:
Prepositions are often based on a single word but there are also complete phrases that are used as such. They show the measure of space, time, and position of nouns.
Let us show you how prepositions play out in a sentence:
The place of a preposition in a sentence is important as the meanings can change drastically with position. You can see many examples of prepositions in writing where the same preposition has different meanings.
These are one of the most versatile of the 8 parts of speech because they connect different parts of sentences. Whether it is a phrase, a term, or even a clause, you will need the right conjunction to make sense of your message.
Here are some of the most common conjunctions used in simple sentences:
Here are some examples of different types of conjunctions in sentences:
If you want to convey an emotion, greet someone, or express a feeling, you need interjections in a sentence. That’s why you can have a complete sentence without one. However, you will lose precious context.
These are the most common types of interjections used in sentences:
Here are some examples to show you the usage of interjections in sentences:
The 8 parts of speech we covered in the previous sections are the only ones. Depending on who you ask and the modern structure of language, there are other important parts of speech that you must understand, identify, and learn how to use in your sentences. Let us cover these bonus parts of speech, excluding the common 8, so you can have a fuller picture to make complex sentences with ease.
The types of determiners used in sentences are:
The types of determiners used in sentences are:
Let us cover some examples of how determiners play out in sentences:
An article is important in speech because it provides identity to a noun, especially whether it is a common noun or a proper one. From the point of view of usage, we can say that all complex sentences contain at least one article in them. You must keep in mind that articles are considered a distinct part of speech in some circles.
There are two types of articles used in sentences:
Let us take a look at some of the examples of definite and indefinite articles in sentences:
Whether you are a student or a professional writer, there are times when you realize that you cannot identify which part of speech you are dealing with. To help you in such calamities, here is a quick guide on how to know which part of speech is which. Again, this is not a pet rule but just common tips.
We have gone through the definition, types, and usage of adverbs, so here is a quick way to find out one. If you have an adjective and you add “-ly” in the end, it becomes an adverb.
You know from a large piece of text that pronouns make it easier to comb through, but they can also make it confusing for the reader. If you want to spot a pronoun, all you have to do is replace it with a noun.
That’s it for the guide on the 8 parts of speech and how they play out in sentences. When you need to write an essay or a paper for school, you do not need to master them all. Eduwriter.ai has got your back! It does not matter if you want a narrative essay or an argumentative one, our tool will churn it out with ease. All you have to do is provide the details of the essay and the tool will cover the rest. So, what are you waiting for? Head to our amazing tool and take your academic writing to the next level!
The 8 parts of speech are:
For their definitions, types, and usage, go through the guide as we have covered them all there.
One of the best ways to memorize all the 8 parts of speech is by going through our guide. We have explained all the definitions, types, examples, and use cases of these so that you can hone your grammar and writing skills.
Yes, you can! Although there are other parts of speech we normally use only these 8. That’s why they are important in learning and understanding language and sentence structure.
Here are some interesting ways you can teach the 8 parts of speech to primary school children: