Have you ever stared at a sentence and thought, “Why does this word go here?” or “What exactly is an adverb anyway?”
You’re not alone.
At Belekarsir’s Academy, we believe grammar shouldn’t feel like a chore, it should feel like unlocking the secret code of the English language. And it all begins with understanding the eight parts of speech: those building blocks that shape every sentence you read, write, or speak.
Whether you’re a student preparing for exams, a teacher looking for clarity, or just someone brushing up on their grammar, this guide is for you. We’ll break down each part of speech with easy definitions, relatable examples, and simple explanations that actually make sense.
By the end, you won’t just memorize the parts of speech, you’ll use them confidently in your own writing and conversations.
Let’s dive in, and learn grammar the easy way.
What Are Parts of Speech? (With Simple Examples)
Have you ever wondered how words come together to form clear, meaningful sentences?
That’s the magic of parts of speech—the basic building blocks of English grammar.
What Are Parts of Speech?
Parts of speech are categories that classify words based on the role they play in a sentence. They help us understand how words function and interact with each other. Once you understand them, grammar becomes much easier to grasp—and even enjoyable to use.
Whether you’re writing essays, speaking fluently, or simply improving your grammar, knowing the parts of speech is essential.
The 8 Parts of Speech in English
Here’s a breakdown of each part of speech with clear definitions, examples, and practical tips.
1. Nouns
A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea. If you can name it, it’s probably a noun!
Examples:
- The dog barked loudly.
- We went to the zoo on Saturday.
- Emily loves to read books.
- Honesty is an important value.
Common vs. Proper Nouns
Nouns can be common or proper.
- Common nouns are general names for people, places, or things:
- The city was crowded.
- I watched a movie last night.
- Proper nouns name specific people, places, or things. They always start with a capital letter:
- Paris is a beautiful city.
- Toy Story is my favorite movie.
Concrete vs. Abstract Nouns
Nouns can also be concrete or abstract.
- Concrete nouns are things you can see, touch, hear, smell, or taste:
- The apple was sweet and juicy.
- I heard a song on the radio.
- Abstract nouns are ideas or feelings you can’t touch:
- Friendship makes life better.
- She showed great bravery during the storm.
Also Read: What Is a Gerund? Definition and Examples
2. Pronouns
A pronoun is a word that replaces a noun. We use pronouns to avoid repeating the same noun over and over.
Example:
Instead of saying:
Alex is my friend. Alex likes to play soccer. Alex is very kind.
We say:
Alex is my friend. He likes to play soccer. He is very kind.
The word he is a pronoun that replaces Alex.
Types of Pronouns
Here are some common types of pronouns:
- Subject pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
She is reading a book. - Object pronouns: me, you, him, her, it, us, the
The teacher called me. - Possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers, theirs, ours
This pen is mine. - Demonstrative pronouns: this, that, these, those
That is my favorite shirt.
Matching Pronouns with Number and Gender
Pronouns need to match the noun they replace in number (singular or plural) and gender (male, female, or neutral).
Example:
- Maria took her books.
(Her matches the singular, female noun Maria.) - The students took their books.
(Their matches the plural noun students.)
If you mix them up, it can sound confusing or incorrect:
- Incorrect: The teacher gave their opinion. (If the teacher is one person and you are using traditional pronouns.)
- Correct: The teacher gave her opinion.
Gender-Neutral Pronouns
Some people prefer they/them/their as singular pronouns to avoid using gendered terms like he or she.
Example:
- Taylor is my classmate. They forgot their notebook.
This use of “they” is common and widely accepted in modern English.
3. Adjectives
Adjectives are words that describe nouns — they tell us more about a person, place, thing, or idea.
Think of your favorite food. How would you tell someone about it?
That pizza was hot, cheesy, and delicious.
The words hot, cheesy, and delicious are adjectives. They describe what the pizza was like.
Where Do Adjectives Go?
- Adjectives can come before the noun:
I saw a colorful bird. - Or after a linking verb (like “is” or “seems”):
The bird is colorful.
Both are correct!
Types of Adjectives
- Descriptive – tell us what something is like:
happy, blue, loud
It was a cold night. - Quantitative – show how much or how many:
some, few, ten
She has three dogs. - Comparative – compare two things:
bigger, faster, more interesting
This book is better than that one. - Superlative – show the highest degree (used when comparing three or more things):
biggest, fastest, most interesting
That was the funniest joke of all.
Order of Adjectives
When you use more than one adjective, there’s a usual order they follow:
Opinion → Size → Age → Shape → Color → Origin → Material → Purpose
Here’s an example:
She has a cute little old round blue French glass vase.
You don’t always need to use this many, but when you do, following the order helps the sentence sound natural.
Also Read: Adjectives to Describe a Friend: 133+ Words That Define True Friendship
4. Verbs
Verbs are words that show action or a state of being. They tell what someone or something does, feels, or is.
Examples:
- Jump, think, eat, believe, is, run
Run as fast as you can!
She feels tired after work.
You are amazing.
Action vs. Nonaction Verbs
- Action verbs show something you can do:
He kicks the ball.
They write stories. - Nonaction verbs show a state, feeling, or condition:
She knows the answer.
He is very smart.
These verbs don’t describe a visible action, but they are still verbs.
Transitive vs. Intransitive Verbs
- A transitive verb needs a direct object (something that receives the action):
She opened the window.
(What did she open? The window.) - An intransitive verb doesn’t need a direct object:
He arrived late.
(There’s no object. “Arrived” stands alone.)
Some verbs can be both, depending on how they’re used:
She reads every night. (Intransitive – no object given)
She reads a book. (Transitive – the book is the object)
5. Adverbs
An adverb is a word that gives more information about a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. It often answers questions like how, when, where, or to what extent.
Many adverbs end in -ly, but not all do.
Examples:
- She sings beautifully.
(Beautifully describes how she sings — a verb.) - The test was very hard.
(Very describes how hard — an adjective.) - He runs really quickly.
(Really describes quickly, which is another adverb.)
Types of Adverbs
- Adverbs of Time – when something happens:
yesterday, now, later, always
We’ll leave soon. - Adverbs of Place – where something happens:
here, there, inside, outside, everywhere
Look outside! It’s snowing. - Adverbs of Manner – how something happens:
quickly, softly, badly, politely
He spoke softly. - Adverbs of Degree – how much or to what extent:
very, almost, too, extremely
She was very tired after the trip.
6. Prepositions
A preposition shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in the sentence. It often tells where, when, or why something happens.
Examples:
- The cat is under the table.
(Under shows the location of the cat.) - We walked to the park.
(To shows direction — where we walked.) - He was late because of traffic.
(Because of shows the reason he was late.)
Types of Prepositions
- Direction – shows movement or direction:
to, into, onto, toward
She ran into the room. - Location – shows where something is:
in, on, under, behind, between
The book is on the shelf. - Time – shows when something happens:
at, during, before, after
We’ll meet at 3 p.m. - Cause/Reason – shows why something happens:
because of, due to
The game was canceled due to rain.
7. Conjunctions
Conjunctions are words that connect other words, phrases, or sentences. They help you join ideas together so your writing flows better.
Example Without Conjunctions:
- I like apples.
- I like bananas.
- I don’t like grapes.
Example With Conjunctions:
- I like apples and bananas, but I don’t like grapes.
The words and and but are conjunctions. They help connect the ideas into one smooth sentence.
Three Types of Conjunctions
- Coordinating Conjunctions
These join words or groups of words that are similar or equal.
Common words: and, but, or, so, for, yet, nor
I want a sandwich or a salad.
She’s smart and funny. - Subordinating Conjunctions
These join a main idea with a related idea that depends on it.
Common words: because, although, if, when, since
He stayed inside because it was raining.
Although she was tired, she finished her homework. - Correlative Conjunctions
These are pairs of words that work together to join ideas.
Common pairs: either/or, neither/nor, both/and, not only/but also
Either we leave now, or we’ll be late.
Not only did he cook dinner, but he also washed the dishes.
8. Interjections
Interjections are short words or phrases that show strong emotions or reactions. They’re often followed by an exclamation mark (!) or a comma (,).
Examples:
- Wow! That cake looks amazing!
- Oops! I dropped my phone.
- Yay! We’re going to the beach.
- Uh-oh, I think we forgot the tickets.
- Well, let’s try it again.
Interjections can stand on their own or be part of a sentence.
When to Use Interjections
- Use them to show surprise, excitement, joy, worry, or other emotions.
- They make your speech or writing feel more expressive and natural.
- But in formal writing (like essays or reports), it’s best to avoid them.
How to Spot Parts of Speech (Without Losing Your Mind!)
Let’s face it — figuring out what part of speech a word is can be a little tricky sometimes. But don’t worry! Here are some quick and fun detective tips to help you crack the case:
1. The -ly Test (Adverbs in Disguise)
Clue: If a word ends in -ly and tells you how, when, or where something happens, it’s probably an adverb!
She danced gracefully.
(How did she dance? Gracefully!)
Hint: Not all adverbs end in -ly, but many do. Words like soon, very, and often also count!
2. The Swap Game (Pronouns)
Clue: Can you switch it out with a name or a noun and the sentence still makes sense? Ding ding ding — it’s a pronoun!
He loves tacos.
Try it: Alex loves tacos. (Still works!)
Pronouns are like nicknames for nouns: he, she, they, it, you, we, I.
3. The Do Trick (Verbs in Action)
Clue: If you can sneak the word do into the sentence and it still makes sense, it’s a verb!
I have a cat. → I do have a cat. ✅
She runs fast. → She does run fast. ✅
If it’s something you can do, it’s probably a verb!
4. The Decorator Test (Adjectives)
Clue: If the word is decorating (describing) a noun, and you can take it out without breaking the sentence, it’s an adjective!
That’s a blue balloon. → That’s a balloon. (Still fine, just less fun.)
🎯 Adjectives make things more colorful, tasty, stinky, fast, tiny… you get the idea!
5. When You’re Totally Stuck…
Just ask your trusty friend — the dictionary! It will tell you exactly what part of speech the word is — and sometimes more than one!
Words That Wear Many Hats
Some words are real multitaskers. They switch jobs depending on how they’re used!
Let’s take a look:
- Work
- Noun: I have to go to work.
- Verb: I work at a bakery.
- Well
- Adverb: She sings well.
- Adjective: He feels well today.
- Noun: They found water in the well.
- But
- Conjunction: I like tea, but I love coffee.
- Preposition: I brought everything but the cookies.
Language is flexible — and words can change roles based on context!
Open vs. Closed Word Classes
Let’s sort parts of speech into two VIP groups:
Open Word Classes = The Cool Kids Who Keep Growing
These word groups are always learning new tricks and adding new members:
- Nouns (e.g., dumbphone, NFT, glamping)
- Verbs (e.g., ghost, adulting, binge-watch)
- Adjectives (e.g., cringe, low-key)
- Adverbs (e.g., lowkey, casually)
They love trends and welcome fresh words into the club!
Closed Word Classes = The Classics
These are the solid, reliable parts of speech. No new members allowed!
- Pronouns (he, she, they — and that’s mostly it)
- Prepositions (under, over, between, etc.)
- Conjunctions (and, but, or, because…)
The cat is under the table.
“Under” is a classic preposition — simple, timeless, and not changing anytime soon!
Quick Recap!
Belekar Sir is the founder and lead instructor at Belekar Sir’s Academy, a trusted name in English language education. With over a decade of teaching experience, he has helped thousands of students—from beginners to advanced learners—develop fluency, confidence, and real-world communication skills. Known for his practical teaching style and deep understanding of learner needs, Belekar Sir is passionate about making English accessible and empowering for everyone. When he’s not teaching, he’s creating resources and guides to support learners on their journey to mastering spoken English.
