
THE SYSTEM OF PARTS OF SPEECH
.docxTHE SYSTEM OF PARTS OF SPEECH
Part of speech |
Meaning |
Form |
Function |
The Noun |
Thingness |
The category of number and case |
In the sentence |
Subject Predicative Object Attribute Adverbial modifier |
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Combining with words |
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A preceding adj. (a large room) A following adj.(times immemorial) A preceding noun in the common case (iron bar) A preceding noun in the genitive case (father’s room) A following verb (children play) A preceding verb (play games) Following or preceding adverb (the man there; the then president) Preposition (in a house) A preceding article (a dog; the dog) |
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The Adjective |
Temporal or permanent property (a red tie; a face red with excitement) |
Invariable but some form degrees of comparison |
In the sentence |
Attribute Predicative (is large) Objective predicative (painted the door green
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Combining with words |
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Preceding or following nouns (large room; times immemorial) Preceding adverb (very large) Followed by prep.+ noun (free from danger) Preceding verb (married young) |
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The Adverb |
Property of an action or of a property |
Invariable but some have degrees of comparison |
In the sentence |
Adverbial modifier or part of it (from there) Attribute |
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Combining with words |
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A verb (run quickly) An adjective (very long) A noun (the then president) A phrase (so out of things) A preceding preposition (from there |
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The Verb |
A process |
The categories of tense, aspect, mood, voice, person, number |
In the sentence |
Predicate or part of it (link verb)
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Combining with words |
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A preceding noun (children play) A following noun (play games) Adverbs (write quickly) An adjective (married young) |
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The Stative |
A passing state a person or thing happens to be in |
Invariable |
In the sentence |
Predicative (I found him asleep) Attribute (a man asleep in his chair) |
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Combining with words |
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A preceding link verb (was asleep) A preceding noun (man alive) A preceding adverb (fast asleep) |
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The Particle |
Subjective shades of meaning introduced by the speaker or writer and serving to emphasize or limit some point in what he says) |
Invariable |
In the sentence |
Are never a separate part of a sentence. They enter a part of the sentence formed by the word or phrase to which they refer. |
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Combining with words |
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Practically every part of speech preceding or following it (only there; for advanced students only) |
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The Numeral |
Number or place in a series |
Invariable |
In the sentence |
Attribute Subject (three of them…) Predicative (We are seven) Object (I found only four) |
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Combining with words |
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A following noun A preceding noun (Henry the 8th) |
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The Preposition |
Relations between things and phenomena |
Invariable |
In the sentence |
A position never is a separate one. It goes together with the following word to form an object, adverbial modifier, predicative, attribute and in extremely rare cases the subject (There were about a hundred people in the hall) |
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Combining with words |
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A preceding noun, adjective, numeral, pronoun |
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The Conjunction |
Connections between things and phenomenon |
Invariable |
In the sentence |
Are never a special part of the sentence. They either connect homogenious parts of a sentence or homogenious clauses (coordinating conj.) or they join a subordinate clause to its head clause (subordinating conj.) |
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Combining with words |
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Connect any two words, phrases or clauses |
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The Pronoun |
Point to the things and properties without naming them |
Some have the category of number (this – these) Some have the category of case (he – him) |
In the sentence |
Subject (he) Object (him) Attribute (my) Predicatives |
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Combining with words |
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Verbs (he speaks) A following noun (this room) |
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Modal words |
The speaker’s evaluation of the relation between an action and reality |
Invariable |
In the sentence |
Is a matter of controversy. They may form a sentence themselves |
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Combining with words |
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Usually do not enter any phrases but occasionally they may enter into a phrase with a noun and adjective (he will arrive soon) |
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The Interjection |
The immediate expression of feelings |
Invariable |
In the sentence |
Parenthesis May also be a sentence themselves |
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Combining with words |
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Usually do not enter into phrases. Only in a few cases they combine with a preposition, noun, pronoun(alas for him!) |