The 8 Parts of Speech, Explained Simply
There are only eight kinds of word in English. Learn what each one does — noun, verb, adjective and the rest — and every sentence you read starts to make sense.
Meet the 8 parts of speech
Every word in English does one of eight jobs. Open any card for two quick rules and a few real examples, then use the table at the end to see all eight at a glance.
You can usually put the or a in front of a noun.
Nouns can be singular or plural, and many can be counted.
The mountain disappeared into the fog.
Courage matters more than talent. (an idea)
My sister lives in Prague. (a place)
Use a pronoun to avoid repeating the same noun.
It must match what it replaces: he, she, it, they.
Maria lost her keys, so she borrowed mine. (replaces Maria)
They finished the race together.
This one belongs to him.
Every complete sentence needs at least one verb.
Verbs change form to show time: run, ran, will run.
The children ran across the field. (past action)
She seems tired today. (state of being)
We are planning a trip.
An adjective usually comes right before the noun it describes.
It can also follow a linking verb like be, seem, or taste.
A bright moon lit the path.
The soup tastes salty. (after a linking verb)
She wore an elegant dress.
Many adverbs end in -ly and tell you how something happens.
Others tell you when or where: today, here, soon.
He spoke softly. (how he spoke)
She is extremely talented. (describes an adjective)
We will meet tomorrow. (when)
A preposition almost always sits before a noun or pronoun.
It often shows place or time: in, on, at, under, before.
The cat slept under the table.
We met after the concert. (time)
She walked into the room.
Use and, but, or, so to join equal parts of a sentence.
Use because, although, if to link a main idea to a smaller one.
Would you like tea or coffee?
She was tired but happy.
We stayed inside because it rained. (gives a reason)
An interjection stands apart from the grammar of the sentence.
It is usually followed by a comma or an exclamation mark.
Wow, that was incredible!
Ouch! That really hurt.
Hey, wait for me!
| Part of speech | Its job | Common examples |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | Names a person, place, thing, or idea | trail, Prague, courage |
| Pronoun | Stands in for a noun | she, they, it |
| Verb | Shows an action or a state of being | run, seems, climbed |
| Adjective | Describes a noun | bright, steep, ancient |
| Adverb | Describes a verb, adjective, or adverb | quickly, very, softly |
| Preposition | Links a noun to the rest of the sentence | under, before, into |
| Conjunction | Joins words, phrases, or sentences | and, but, because |
| Interjection | Expresses sudden feeling or reaction | wow, ouch, hey |
Name that part of speech
Ten quick questions — six multiple choice, four to fill in. You get instant scoring and a short explanation for every answer.
The one thing to remember
Every word in English is doing a job — naming, describing, acting, or joining. There are only eight of them: noun, verb, adjective, adverb, pronoun, preposition, conjunction, interjection. Learn to name the job each word does and grammar stops being a mystery and starts being a map you can read.