Parts of Speech: Definitions, Examples & 8 Types

Welcome! In this lesson, you'll learn everything you need to know about parts of speech in English grammar. We'll explain what they are, why they matter, and how to use them in real sentences. You'll also find examples, tips, and a quick quiz to help you master these essential grammar basics.

What are the Parts of Speech?

Parts of speech are the basic categories that every word in English belongs to. Think of them as the building blocks of sentences. There are 8 parts of speech in English grammar: noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection.

Learning the parts of speech is essential for building correct sentences and understanding how English works. Mastering these basics will make your writing and speaking clearer, more accurate, and more confident.

Noun

Noun names a person, place, thing, or idea. Nouns are often the subject or object in a sentence. Types include common, proper, abstract, and collective nouns.

• Common noun: general name (e.g., city, dog)
• Proper noun: specific name (e.g., London, Sarah)
• Abstract noun: idea or feeling (e.g., happiness, freedom)
• Collective noun: group (e.g., team, family)

• Maria loves to travel.
• The cat is sleeping.
• We value honesty in our team.

Pronoun

Pronoun replaces a noun to avoid repetition. Types include personal, possessive, demonstrative, and reflexive pronouns.

• Personal: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
• Possessive: my, your, his, her, our, their
• Demonstrative: this, that, these, those
• Reflexive: myself, yourself, themselves

• She is reading a book. (She replaces a girl's name.)
• They went to the park.
• This is my bag.

Verb

Verb shows an action or a state of being. Types include action, linking, and helping verbs.

• Action: run, eat, write
• Linking: is, seem, become
• Helping: am, have, will

• The dog barks loudly.
• She is a teacher.
• We have finished our homework.

Adjective

Adjective describes a noun or pronoun. Types include descriptive, quantitative, and demonstrative adjectives.

• Descriptive: happy, blue, tall
• Quantitative: some, many, few
• Demonstrative: this, those, that

• She wore a beautiful dress.
• The old house was empty.
• He has many friends.

Adverb

Adverb describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb. Types include manner, time, and frequency adverbs.

• Manner: quickly, slowly, well
• Time: now, yesterday, soon
• Frequency: always, never, often

• She ran quickly to the bus stop.
• He always finishes his homework.
• The baby slept peacefully.

Preposition

Preposition shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and another word in the sentence. Common prepositions include in, on, at, by, with, about, and more.

• in, on, at, by, with, about, against, between, into, through, during, before, after, above, below, to, from, up, down, for, off, over, under

• The cat is under the table.
• We will meet at 5 o'clock.
• She walked to the park.

Conjunction

Conjunction connects words, phrases, or clauses. Types include coordinating, subordinating, and correlative conjunctions.

• Coordinating: and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet
• Subordinating: because, although, since, unless
• Correlative: either...or, neither...nor, not only...but also

• I like tea and coffee.
• She is tired but happy.
• He didn't come because he was sick.

Interjection

Interjection expresses a strong feeling or sudden emotion. Common interjections include wow, ouch, hurray, oh, well, hey, alas.

• Wow! That's amazing.
• Ouch! That hurt.
• Oh no! I forgot my keys.

• Wow!, Ouch!, Hurray!, Oh!, Well!, Hey!, Alas!

Conclusion

Understanding the parts of speech is the first step to mastering English grammar for beginners. When you know how nouns, verbs, adjectives, and the other parts work, you can build better sentences and express yourself clearly. Try to spot the parts of speech with examples in everything you read or write. The more you practice, the easier it gets!