THE 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

Combining with words

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)

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

Combining with words

Preceding or following nouns (large room; times immemorial)

Preceding adverb (very large)

Followed by prep.+ noun (free from danger)

Preceding verb (married young)

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

Combining with words

A verb (run quickly)

An adjective (very long)

A noun (the then president)

A phrase (so out of things)

A preceding preposition (from there

The Verb

A process

The categories of tense, aspect, mood, voice, person, number

In the sentence

Predicate or part of it (link verb)

Combining with words

A preceding noun (children play)

A following noun (play games)

Adverbs (write quickly)

An adjective (married young)

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)

Combining with words

A preceding link verb (was asleep)

A preceding noun (man alive)

A preceding adverb (fast asleep)

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.

Combining with words

Practically every part of speech preceding or following it (only there; for advanced students only)

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)

Combining with words

A following noun

A preceding noun (Henry the 8^th)

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)

Combining with words

A preceding noun, adjective, numeral, pronoun

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.)

Combining with words

Connect any two words, phrases or clauses

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

Combining with words

Verbs (he speaks)

A following noun (this room)

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

Combining with words

Usually do not enter any phrases but occasionally they may enter into a phrase with a noun and adjective (he will arrive soon)

The Interjection

The immediate expression of feelings

Invariable

In the sentence

Parenthesis

May also be a sentence themselves

Combining with words

Usually do not enter into phrases. Only in a few cases they combine with a preposition, noun, pronoun(alas for him!)