Word Classes

Word classes (also called parts of speech) are categories of words based on their function in a sentence. Below is a breakdown of the major ones, with explanations, examples of words, and a sentence for each:

1. Noun

What it is: A word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.

Examples:

  • Common: cat, teacher, city
  • Abstract: love, freedom, happiness
  • Proper: London, Maria, Google

Example sentence: The teacher gave the students homework.

2. Verb

What it is: A word that expresses an action or a state of being.

Examples:

  • Action: run, eat, write
  • State: be, seem, feel

Example sentence: She runs every morning before work.

3. Adjective

What it is: A word that describes or modifies a noun.

Examples:

  • Colors: red, blue
  • Qualities: beautiful, heavy, kind
  • Quantities: several, few

Example sentence: He wore a bright yellow shirt.

4. Adverb

What it is: A word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb—often tells how, when, where, or to what extent.

Examples:

  • Manner: quickly, slowly
  • Time: now, yesterday
  • Degree: very, quite, almost

Example sentence: She sings beautifully.

5. Pronoun

What it is: A word that replaces a noun to avoid repetition.

Examples:

  • Personal: I, you, he, she, they
  • Possessive: mine, yours, hers
  • Reflexive: myself, himself

Example sentence: They went to the store instead of John and Mary.

6. Preposition

What it is: A word that shows the relationship between a noun/pronoun and another word in the sentence (often location, time, or direction).

Examples: in, on, under, after, between, during

Example sentence: The book is on the table.

7. Conjunction

What it is: A word that connects words, phrases, or clauses.

Examples: and, but, or, because, although

Example sentence: She wanted to go out, but it was raining.

8. Interjection

What it is: A word or phrase that expresses emotion or sudden reaction. Often stands alone.

Examples: wow, oh no, ouch, hey, huh

Example sentence: Wow! That was an amazing performance.

9. Determiner

What it is: A word that comes before a noun to show which one, how many, or whose.

Examples:

  • Articles: the, a, an
  • Demonstratives: this, those
  • Quantifiers: some, many, seven
  • Possessives: my, her, their

Example sentence: Those apples look fresh.