Parts of Speech
Links and learning materials covering parts of speech in EnglishParts of speech is the term used for the basic categories of words in a language. In English, the eight primary parts of speech are nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections. Other subcategories include articles and determiners.
Parts of Speech: Brief Definitions
The terms defined below are the eight primary parts of speech, along with articles. For a more comprehensive list of grammar terms, see the Grammar and Usage main page.
adjective: a word that modifies a noun or pronoun
adverb: a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb
article: a type of adjective that shows if a noun is specific or non-specific (a, an, the)
conjunction: a word or phrase that connects words, phrases, clauses, or sentences
interjection: a word or phrase that expresses an emotion or reaction
noun: a word that names something (person, place, thing, idea, or action)
preposition: a word that connects a noun or pronoun to another word by showing direction, location, position, or relation
pronoun: a word that stands for or refers to a noun
verb: a word that shows an action or state of being
Parts of Speech Pages
For detailed information about each part of speech, visit the pages below. More will be added in the near future.
OWL Resources
Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) has many helpful resources covering parts of speech. Exercises can be found on this page.
- Parts of Speech Overview: Definitions and examples of parts of speech, links to more handouts and exercises on particular parts of speech
- Count and Noncount Nouns: Explanations and examples of the differences between count nouns, which can be counted, and noncount nouns (mass nouns), which cannot
- Verbals: A detailed overview of gerunds, participles, and infinitives (verb forms that act as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs)
- A versus an: An explanation of when to use each indefinite article
- Using articles: An explanation of the difference between the definite article the and the indefinite articles a and an
- The Difference between Adjectives and Adverbs: How to distinguish between (and correctly use) adjectives, which modify nouns or pronouns, and adverbs, which modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs (see also Adjective or Adverb?)
- Adjectives with Countable and Uncountable Nouns: How to use adjectives such as much (with noncount nouns) and many (with count nouns)
- Several pages on prepositions: Prepositions for Time, Place, and Introducing Objects; Prepositions of Direction; Prepositions of Location; Prepositions of Spatial Relationship
Parts of Speech Exercises
The links below are browser-based grammar exercises and quizzes covering parts of speech. More will be added in the near future.
Articles Exercise 1: Indefinite Articles
Articles Exercise 2: Indefinite Articles
Articles Exercise 3: Indefinite Articles
Pronoun Categorization Exercise 1