THE PARTS OF SPEECH

In grammar, a part of speech (also a word class, a lexical class, or a lexical category) is a
linguistic category of words (or more precisely lexical items), which is generally defined by
the syntactic or morphological behaviour of the lexical item in question. Common linguistic
categories include noun and verb, among others. There are open word classes, which
constantly acquire new members, and closed word classes, which acquire new members
infrequently if at all.
A. THE NOUN
Comes from the Latin nomen meaning "name". Noun is the part of speech that is used to
name a person, place, thing, quality, or action.
1. The Types of Noun
Proper Noun
This is used to denote a particular person, place or a thing. Examples: English is a
global language.
Common Noun
This is used to refer to a class. Examples: The cat loves comfort.
Collective Nouns
This is used to refer to a group or a collection of things. Examples: I saw a herd of
sheep nearby.
Concrete nouns
You can experience this group of nouns with your five senses. These nouns can all
be touched, smelt, tasted or seen. Examples: The cute rabbit hops around.
Countable Nouns
To linguists, these count nouns can occur in both single and plural forms, can be
modified by numerals, and can co-occur with quantificational determiners like
many, most, more, several, etc. Examples: There were so many bikes on sale.
Material Nouns
This is used to tell the substance by which the things are made. Examples: The chair
is made of bamboo.
Pronouns
These nouns can take the place of a noun when referring to people places or things.
In English the personal pronouns are I, you, he, she, it and they. Depending on their
function within a sentence these nouns can take on their possessive forms or their
objective case.
Examples: Suzy will let her hair grow longer. possessive personal He jumped on
the bed. singular personal
Abstract Noun
It is used to indicate the quality possessed by a person or thing. Examples: I
appreciate your sincerity.

Uncountable Nouns
These nouns cannot be counted they are often referred to as mass nouns. These
nouns cannot be used in a plural form. Examples: The pool was full of water. The
uncountable noun in this sentence is water.

2. The Functions of Noun

a) Nouns may function not only in the central core of the sentence, but also in
structures of modification. These functions will be listed here along with their
structural significance.
Function in Central Core
Subject of verb
Example: The girl is resting.
The girls are resting
b) Complement of Verb
A direct object---Who or what the action of the verb
Example : We need some money
An indirect object. A second object to or for which the action of the verb is
directed. The indirect object precedes the direct object.
Example : please give that man some money
The indirect object may also be expressed in a to or for phrase after the direct
object. Some verbs that take indirect objects are---bring, buy, give, make,
owe, pay, sell, send, teach, write.
Subjective complement (Predicate Noun)
Example: Wanghiston was the first President of the United States.
The subjective complement is often referred to merely as a complement, in
spite of the fact that, strictly speaking, a complement is any structure that
completes a predication after a verb.
Objective Complement
Example: The country elected Wanghiston President.
The objective complement may be preceded asThe country elected
Wanghiston as President.
3. The Positions of Noun
Positions of the noun in the sentence :
1) At the beginning of a sentence as a subject. Subject (noun) + Verb
Tourism increases the national income.
2) After the verb as an object Subject + Verb + Object (noun)
3) After articles. a / an / the ( Noun )
The declaration of Independence was adopted unanimously.
A volunteer saved the old lady from falling.
4) After prepositions. in , on , of , at etc
She lives in Amman . I am fond of fortitude. .
5) After Demonstratives. this, thus .these ,that
This decision was wise.

6) After quantifiers. ( much, many, some, few, little, other , another , a lot of etc )
A lot of competence is needed for this job.
7) After possessive pronouns (my , his, her, our , their, its) + apostrophe 's
She was sad during her childhood . Jamal's bravery is unique.
8) After adjectives
Edison was a great inventor.
9) After numbers
Tom has three mobiles. She visited Canada ten times last years .
4. The Derivational of Noun
Only nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs have derivational forms. These forms may
express some degree of lexical meaning, or they may be little more than part-of-speech
indicators. Derivational form consist chiefly of special endings that may :
1) Change one part of speech to another. This kind of ending is attached to a word
that already exist ( engage + ment = engagement ), perhaps with some charge in
the original word (destroy + tion = destruction). Sometimes the original word has
several derivations endings, the last one of which determines the part of speech
( Nation + al + ize + ation = nationalization, a noun)
2) Distinguish one part of speech from another, without being added to an already
existing word ( distancenoun, distant---adjective)
The derivational forms of suffixes.
Suffixes changing verb to nouns : - ence may have alternate
Suffixes indicating the state of____________-ing : -age al, -ance or ence*,
-(e)ry, -ment, -t, -tion or sion, -ure .
Some nouns ending in ance or ence may have alternate forms in ancy or
ency :
Consistence or consistency (more common) ; permanence (more common) or
permanency ; hesitance or hesitancy.
Example: marriage, arrival, allowance, persistence, bribery, arrangement,
weight, deviation, enclosure.
Suffixes indicating a person_______________-s, or a person who is active in
________, or a person who comes from ________________(agent suffixes) :
-ant or ent, -er, -or or eer, -(i)an or arian , -ist(agent suffixes) : -ant or
-ent, -er or or, eer, -(i)an or arian, -ist.
Example : defendant attendant, manager, governor, auctioneer, new Yorker,
antiquarian, Bostonian, librarian, typist.
The suffix ing, which expresses some of the verbal force of the word to
which it is attached. Nouns with -ing derivational suffixes often, refer to
fields of endeavor, or recreational activities (fishing, mining, dancing
engineering) , or are used as adjuncts in compounds (swimming pool, ironing
board). Some of these ing words have become so much like other nouns that
they may take adjective modification ( a good cleaning, excellent hunting ) or
they may be used the plural ( blessings, weddings ).
5. The Markers of Noun

A marker, as we have already explained, is a structure word that signals the part of
speech of a world following it. While markers also point to verbs, adjectives or
adverbs the follow, heir gratest usefulness is in signaling nouns.
a. Determiners
1. Articles:
(a) Indefinite aan (a pencil, an eraser)
(b) Definite the (the pen)
2. Possessives (my aunt, johns book)
3. Demonstratives (this child, those boy)
4. Numbers (four girl, the fifth girl)
5. Words of indefinite quantity (some people, more books).
b. Prepositions (in this house, after the storm)
In the addiction, descriptive adjective help to mark the nouns that follow them
(the beautiful painting, a long speech)
c. Endings distinguishing nouns from verbs :
Verb
Nouns
believe
belief
prove
proof
live
life
defend
defense
receive
receipt
descend
descent
advise
advice
d. Suffixes changing adjectives to nouns to indicate the state of being_________ :
-ity, -ness, th.
Activity, sterility, happyness, usefulness, warmth, strength.
e. Suffixes distinguishing nouns from adjectives : -ant or ent adjective ance or
ence noun.
Intelligent-intelligence, distance-distance
Brilliant-brilliance, radiantradiance
f. Suffixes changing concrete nouns to abstract nouns to indicate the state of being
a___________: -hood, -ism, -ship brotherhood, childhood, heroism, despotism,
fellowship, statesmanship
g. Suffixes changing nouns to other nouns, to indicate (1) a doctrine, theory, or
school of belief ___ism ; (2) a follower or advocated of such a doctrine, theory, or
school of belief_____ist capitalism-capitalist, communism-communist
impressionism-impressionist, terrorism-terrorist
In a few cases these suffixes are added to adjectives rather than nouns---realismrealist, idealism-idealist, socialism-socialist. Sometimes what precedes these
suffixes is not a full word---pessimism-pessimist, baptism-baptist, chauvinismchauvinist.
h. The suffix ess, to distinguish a female person from a male person--- waiterwaitress, actor-actress, host-hostess, steward-stewardess. Other less frequently
used suffixes denoting a female person are ine (hero-heroine), -ix (aviatoraviatrix), and ette (suffragist-sufragette). Only by the use of this type of
derivational suffix does he English noun make a distinction for gender. Other

distinctions between the sexes have to be made entirely through the vocabulary
(boygirluncleaunt ; a woman doctor, a man servant). .
B. THE VERB
Verb is the word that uses to indicate an action or state of being from the subject.
1. The Types of Verb
The types of verbs described here differ according to the kind of complement they
may have. Because these types may cut across each other, a verb may belong to more
than one type.
a. Linking Verbs ( copulative verbs)
A linking verb is a verb of incomplete predication; it merely announces that the
real predicate follows. The important word in the complement is usually an
adjective (The girl is pretty) or a noun (she is a pretty girl). The ly adverbs of
manner (quickly, angrily) are not used with linking verbs. The more common
linking verbs are, appear, be, become, get ( in the sense of become ), look, remain,
seem.
Also functioning as linking verbs of perceptionfeel, taste, smell, sound.
The milk tastes sour
The rose smells sweet
Included among the linking verbs are certain verbadjective combinations that
express a state. Some of these combinations that express a state. Some of these
combinations are actually little more than idioms. Many of these verbs have the
force of becomeblow (open), blush (red), break (loose), grow (worse), fall (ill),
prove (wrong), stand (quiet), turn (pale), wax (eloquent).
b. Transitive or Intransitive Verbs
A transitive verb takes a direct object (he is a reading a book) ; an intransitive verb
does not require an object (He is walking in the park). Only transitive verbs may
be used in the passive voice (the books was returned by him quickly). All linking
verbs are intransitive.
Transitive verbs may take more than one object:
Indirect object and indirect object
He gave his wife a present
Direct object and objective complement
They elected Mr. Smith President
Other intransitive verbs have different forms for transitive use
Intransitive
Transitive
Lie

Lay

Rise

Raise

Sit

Set

The book is lying on the table.

He laid the book o the table
The sun rises in the east
The student raised his hand
Please sit down
She set the chair in the corner\

c. Reflexive verbs
A reflexive verb requires one of the compounds with -self (reflexive pronoun) as it
objectexpress oneself, wash oneself, pride oneself, avail oneself. Some verb

may be used with or without the reflexive pronoun objectHe washed (himself)
and dressed (himself) quickly. Reflexive verbs often have a non-reflexive use also,
and can take objects that do not refer back to the subjectShe washed the child
and then dressed him quickly.
2. The Functions of Verb
The verb functions as the grammatical center for the predication about the subject. As
we have seen, it may be grammatical center expressing mere linkage, or it may be the
strongest predicating word in the central core of the sentence. The verb is so basic that
other functions (subject, object, complement) are determined in relation to it.
3. The Positions of Verb
The verb is used after a subject, or before an object or complement. The verb appears
before the subject in most questions, and in sentences or clauses that begin with
certain types of negative adverbs. (see the section on the position of nouns for more
information about the position of verbs).
4. The Derivational of Verb
The number of derivational forms that mark verbs is quite small. Such derivational
forms consist chiefly of the suffixes en, -ize, -fy, -ate, and the prefixes en- and be-.
The prefixes en- and be- sometimes function merely as verb intensifiersenliven,
entangle, bedeck, besmear.
We have already seen that many verbs have the same form as nounsthe answer, to
answer ; a desire, to desire ; an experiment, to experiment. Often such verbs are
interchangeable with phrases consisting of make, give, or have plus the nouns of the
same formto promise or to give a promise ; to make an attempt or to attempt ; to
quarrel or to have a quarrel.
A number of two-syllable verbs differ from the nouns of the same form only in the
position of the accent, the nouns of the same form only in the position of the accent,
the nouns being stressed on the first syllable, the verbs on the second.
Noun
Verb
The insult
to insult
The Object
to object
The Progress
to progress
5. The Markers of Verb
Modal marker verb power rules. Modal marker verb always shows the speakers
opinion in the here and now. Modal marker verbs always come first in a series of
verb. Modal markers verb always are followed by a do verb form . example: I do
believe, I do know.
C. THE ADVERB
An adverb is a part of speech that changes the meaning of verbs or any part of speech
other than nouns (modifiers of nouns are primarily adjectives and determiners). Adverbs
can modify verbs, adjectives (including numbers), clauses, sentences, and other adverbs.
1. The Types of Adverb
a) Adverbs of Manner

b)

c)

d)

e)

f)

g)
h)
i)

Adverbs of manner provide information on how someone does something.

For example: Jack drives very carefully. Adverbs are one of the eight parts of
speech.
Adverbs of Time
Adverbs of time provide information on when something happens.
For example: We'll let you know our decision next week.
Adverbs of Frequency
Adverbs of frequency provide information on how often something happens.
For example: They usually get to work at eight o'clock.
Once you have studied adverbs of frequency, try this adverbs of frequency quiz
to test your knowledge. To review the rules of adverbs of frequency this
complete guide will help.
Adverbs of Degree
Adverbs of degree provide information concerning how much of something is
done.
For example: They like playing golf a lot.
Adverbs of Comment
Adverbs of comment provide a comment, or opinion about a situation.
For example: Fortunately, there were enough seats left for the concert.
Adverb Formation
Adverbs are usually formed by adding '-ly' to an adjective.
For example: quiet - quietly, careful - carefully, careless - carelessly
Adjectives ending in '-le' change to '-ly'.
For example: possible - possibly, probable - probably, incredible - incredibly
Adjectives ending in '-y' change to '-ily'.
For example: lucky - luckily, happy - happily, angry angrily
Adjectives ending in '-ic' change to '-ically'.
For example: basic - basically, ironic - ironically, scientific - scientifically Some
adjectives are irregular. The most common irregular adverbs are: good - well,
hard - hard, fast fast.

2. The Functions of Adverb

a) an adverb modifies other verbs

The thief acts stupidly. (answers the question : how?)

The thief never shoots, because he has no gun.(answers the question: when?)

The thief robs locally. (answers the question : where?)

b) an adverb modifies other adjectives

The thief is extremely stupid.

This very dumb thief is now in jail.

c) an adverb modifies other adverbs

The thief walks incredibly clumsily.

The thief acts really stupidly.

Adverbs also have other functions. You may see them modify a prepositional
phrase:

The thief was arrested just outside the apartment.

You may find an adverb modifying an entire sentence:

Certainly, the thief chose the wrong profession.

3. The Positions of Adverb
We can put adverbs in different positions in sentences. There are three main positions
but also a lot of exceptions. In English we never put an adverb between the verb and
the object.
The three main positions of adverbs in English sentences
a. Adverb at the beginning of a sentence
Example : Unfortunately, we could not see Mount Snowdon.
b. Adverb in the middle of a sentence
Example : The children often ride their bikes.
c. Adverb at the end of a sentence
Example : Andy reads a comic every afternoon.
More than one adverb at the end of a sentence
If there are more adverbs at the end of a sentence, the word order is normally:
Manner - Place - Time
Peter sang the song happily in the bathroom yesterday evening.
4. The Derivational of Adverb
Based on the kinds of adverb above, so adverb has form like these :
1) Simple adverb is adverb that has one phrase or word, for example: slowly, very,
usually, well and etc.
2) Compound adverb or derived adverb is adverb that has the union of two words or
more than it to form one meaning. For example: else, where, wherever,
heretofore, herein and etc.
3) Phrase adverb is adverb that has two words or more than it idiomatically to form
become the unity. This adverb is divided become four parts, that are:
a. Prepositional phrase, is adverb that has two words or more than it that
marked by preposition and object of preposition.
Example : jenny will arrive before noon
b. Infinitive phrase, is adverb that emanate from infinitive.
Example : the basketball team played eagerly to win.
c. Phrase with verb that has a suffix ing.
Example : seeing the black cloud, I took out an umbrella from my bag.
d. Phrase with verb that has a suffix ed.
Example : urged on by determination, he finished his work
5. The Markers of Adverb
a) Time
: after, before, when, whenever , as, as soon as, until, while,
once, since
b) Place:
: where, wherever .
c) Manner:
: as, as if
d) Cause (reason): : because, since, as, for
e) Purpose (result) : so, so that, in order that, such that, enough that

f) Concession:
: though, although, even though, while, nevertheless,
even if, (Inspite of .. phrase, despite clause)
g) Condition
: if, unless, as long as , on condition that.
D. THE ADJECTIVE
In grammar, an adjective is a 'describing' word; the main syntactic role of which is to
qualify a noun or noun phrase, giving more information about the object signified.
Adjectives are one of the traditional eight English parts of speech, though linguists today
distinguish adjectives from words such as determiners that were formerly considered to
be adjectives. In this paragraph, "traditional" is an adjective, and in the preceding
paragraph, "main" and "more" are.
1. The Types of Adjective
When identifying types of adjectives, you'll need to determine what function the
adjective performs in the sentence. An adjective is a word that modifies a noun.
Teaching adjectives can be tricky, since children often mistake adverbs for adjectives
and vice versa. Remind your child that an adjective describes or modifies a person,
place or thing, while an adverb modifies a verb, or something that is being done.
Here are the different types of adjectives kids should know :
a) Descriptive Adjectives
These colorful adjectives are words that describe a noun. For example, the
following bolded words are common descriptive adjectives: a short boy, a scary
story or a spooky cat.
b) Limiting Adjectives
Limiting adjectives quantify a noun. They tell us how much or how many, giving
us an idea of how much of the noun is being described. For example: the three
girls played hopscotch, that paper is soiled or the doctor's office is under
construction. In each of these examples, the noun described is limited, either to a
specific group of girls, a specific paper or a particular office.
c) Predicate Adjectives
Some adjectives can be really tricky. Predicate adjectives follow a linking verb,
but ultimately they describe the noun. The following bolded words are predicate
adjectives: playing the game was exciting; the two girls look familiar. In the first
example, exciting describes a noun that is a gerund of a verb. In the second
example, familiar describes the girls.
d) Verbal Adjective
In some cases, verbal is also adjective. For example, a participle ending in -en,
-ed or -ing is always an adjective. For example, "My son is driven to perform
well academically." Another verbal that can function as an adjective is an
infinitive adjective, as in, "To sing beautifully is desirable." Beautifully modifies
"to sing," but "to sing" is an infinitive, making "beautifully" an infinitive
adjective instead of an adverb.
2. The Functions of Adjective
Adjectives tell us more about a noun. They can:

a. Describe feelings or qualities

Examples : He is a lonely man , they are honest people
b. Give nationality or origin
Examples : Pierre is French, this clock is German, our house is Victorian
c. Tell more about a thing's characteristics
Examples : A wooden table, the knife is sharp.
d. Tell us about age
Examples : He's a young man, my coat is very old
e. Tell us about size and measurement
Examples : John is a tall man, this is a very long film.
f. Tell us about color
Examples : Paul wore a red shirt, the sunset was crimson and gold.
g. Tell us about material/what something is made of:
Examples : It was a wooden table, she wore a cotton dress
h. Tell us about shape
Examples : A rectangular box, a square envelope
i. Express a judgment or a value
Examples : A fantastic film, grammar is boring.
3. The Positions of Adjective
a) Adjectives are usually used before the nouns they qualify.
Examples : An honest boy, a clever fox, a beautiful girl, an old woman, a wise
man
b) When two or more adjectives come before a noun, they are not usually separated
by and.
Examples : A large, round vase (NOT A large and round vase), a fat old lady
(NOT A fat and old lady), three green leaves, Red German riding boots
Note that when the last two are adjectives of color they are usually separated by
and.
Examples : A black and white photo, a blue and red sparrow
c) Numbers go before adjectives
Examples : Six large tables (NOT Large six tables), Five beautiful women
(NOT Beautiful five women)
Note that commas are sometimes used to separate adjectives used before a noun.
This is common in long sequences. Commas are, however, dropped before short
common adjectives.
d) Adjectives can be placed after be and other copular verbs like seem, appear,
become, look etc.
Examples : She seemed upset, we were surprised, he was angry, she looked
beautiful.
e) When two adjectives come after a verb, they are separated by and. When more
than two adjectives come after a verb, the last two are separated by and.
Examples : The boy was handsome, polite and lovable, It was hot and sultry,
The clouds appeared white and fluffy, She looked smart and charming.
f) Adjectives are sometimes placed after nouns for the sake of emphasis.
Examples : There lived an old man strong and quick-witted, He was a great

man, truthful, and fearless.

In phrases such as the following, the adjective always follows the noun:
Time immemorial, Heir apparent, Alexander the Great, God Almighty, President
elect, Notary public
4. The Derivational of Adjective
a. By adding suffix a letter able on the verbs it means be able.
Example : Verb
Adjective
Meaning
Compare

Comparable

Dapat dibandingkan

b. By adding suffix a letter less on the nouns it means contrary from the
meaning of noun.
Example : Verb
Adjective
Meaning
Care
Careless
Ceroboh
c. By adding suffix a letter suffix a letter ious or ous on nouns.
Example : Verb
Adjective
Meaning
Danger
Dangerous
berbahaya
d. By adding suffix a letter suffix a letter ful or iful on nouns it means full of.
Example : Verb
Adjective
Meaning
Beauty
Beautiful
Cantik
e. By adding suffix a letter suffix a letter y or on nouns it means full of.
Example : Verb
Adjective
Meaning
Anger
Angry
Marah
f. By adding suffix a letter suffix a letter ical on nouns it means to be related
with.
Example : Verb
Adjective
Meaning
Botany
Botanical
yang berhubungan
dengan tumbuh-tumbuhan
g. By adding suffix a letter suffix a letter ic or tic on nouns it means to be
related with.
Example : Verb
Adjective
Meaning
Aristocrat
Aristocratic
Aristokratis
h. By adding suffix a letter suffix a letter al or ous on nouns it means to be
related with.
Example : Verb
Adjective
Meaning
Monument
Monumental
Sangat Besar
i. By adding suffix a letter suffix a letter ial on nouns it means to be related
with.
Example : Verb
Adjective
Meaning
Mater
Material
material / bahan
j. By adding suffix a letter suffix a letter ive on noun it means to have a
characteristic.
Example : Verb
Adjective
Meaning
Adapt
Adaptive
Dapat menyesuaiakan diri

k. By adding suffix a letter suffix a letter ish on nouns it means seems.

Example : Verb
Adjective
Meaning
blue
Bluish
Kebirua
l. By adding suffix a letter suffix a letter like or ous on nouns it means as if.
Example : Verb
Adjective
Meaning
God
Godlike
Seperti dewa
m. By adding suffix a letter suffix a letter ly on nouns it means to have
characteristic.
Example : Verb
Adjective
Meaning
Annual
Annualy
Tahunan
n. By adding suffix a letter suffix a letter ory, ary or ar on nouns it means to be
related with.
Example : Verb
Adjective
Meaning
Obligate
Obligatory
Wajib
o. By adding suffix a letter suffix a letter ing on Verbs it means to have
characteristic.
Example : Verb
Adjective
Meaning
Cry
Crying
Menangis
p. By adding suffix a letter suffix a letter ed on verbs it means to have
characteristic.
Example : Verb
Adjective
Meaning
bore
Bored
Bosan
q. By adding suffix a letter suffix a letter en on nouns it means made of.
Example : Verb
Adjective
Meaning
Earth
Earthen
Dari tanah
r. By adding suffix a letter suffix a letter ent or ant on verbs it means to have
characteristic.
Example : Verb
Adjective
Meaning
Absorb
Absorbent
Pengisap
5. The Markers of adjective
An adjective word can be joined with an adverb, lets take an example: a very
charming girl
The example for participle : a very burning house. very is ungrammatical here.
The example for gerund : a very dancing school. very is ungrammatical here.

REFERENCES
Part Three, The English syntax
Rahman, A. Faidhal. 2010. English Grammar. Yogyakarta : Pustaka Widyatama
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_kinds_of_nouns
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/adverbs_position.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Part_of_speech
Frank, Marcella. 1972. Modern English ( a practical reference guide ). New Jersey :
Prentice-Hall, INC.
http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/ADJECTIVES4.cfm
http://www.englishpractice.com/grammar/position-adjectives-general-rules/