Chapter 2 Words are classified into parts of speech depending upon their function in a sentence. There are eight parts of speech.
Note: As we go further in this book, we will understand that only by noticing how a word is used that we can tell what part of speech it is. This aspect is explained in a greater detail with examples in chapter 11. Noun Definition A noun is a naming word. It names a person, animal, place or thing. Examples
Explanation Radha is the name of a girl; Tiger is an animal; Paris is a place; and Table is a thing. We call all of them nouns. Pronoun Definition A pronoun is a word used instead of a noun. Example Hari is intelligent; he got the first rank. Explanation In the above sentence Hari is a noun. The word he is used in the place of the word Hari. He, therefore, is a Pronoun. Adjective Definition An adjective is a word that describes a Noun or a Pronoun. Examples
Explanation The first sentence speaks of Ramesh. The word mischievous describes the boy namely Ramesh. In the second sentence the word sweet says what kind of girl Sachi is. These describing words are called Adjectives. Verb Definition A verb is a word that describes an action or state. Examples
Explanation The word killed says what the hunter did. We call it a verb, because it says something about the hunter. Similarly the word is describes the state of the boy being lazy and is therefore a verb. Adverb Definition An adverb modifies a verb, an adjective or another adverb. Examples
Explanation The first sentence states what the horse does. By adding the word fast, we have framed another sentence- The horse runs fast. The word fast describes how the horse runs. It has made the meaning of the verb runs clearer. In other words, fast modifies the verb runs. So we call it an adverb. Sometimes an adverb modifies an adjective. Example
In this sentence fast describes runs. So fast is an adverb modifying the verb runs; very tells us the degree of fastness. So the word very modifies the adverb fast; very, is therefore, also an adverb. Preposition Definition A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between two things. Examples
Explanation In the first sentence the word under shows the relationship of flows with the bridge. Similarly the word in in the second sentence indicates the relationship of the bird is to the cage and so on. These words that indicate relationship of some kind are called prepositions. Note: The noun or pronoun that follows the preposition is called its object. Thus in the above examples the noun bridge is the object of the preposition under, cage of the preposition in; friend of the preposition with and so on. We may also say that the noun bridge is governed by the preposition under, the noun cage is governed by the preposition in and so on. Conjunction Definition A conjunction is a word that joins two words or groups of words. Examples
Explanation In the first sentence and joins two nouns Rama and Lakshman. In the second sentence but joins He is poor and He is contended. In the third sentence or joins you must run and You will miss the train. These joining words are called conjunctions. They may join two words as in the first sentence or two groups of words as in the second and the third. Interjection Definition An interjection is a word that is used to express sudden feeling or emotion. Examples
Explanation The first word in each of the above sentences indicates a sudden feeling or emotion. It may be a feeling of sorrow, joy or wonder. Such a word is called an interjection. Note: An interjection is not connected, as other words, with the remaining words, in the sentence. It is just thrown into the sentence to express a sudden feeling. It stands by itself. |
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