Stanford CoreNLP doesn’t seem to have an interface to WordNet, but it’s pretty easy to do this with one of the other small Java WordNet libraries. For this example, I used JWI 2.3.3.
Besides JWI, you’ll need to download a copy of the WordNet database. For example, you can download WordNet-3.0.tar.gz from Princeton. Untar the dictionary.
The following code includes a function that returns a list of the possible parts of speech for a word:
import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Collection;
import edu.mit.jwi.Dictionary;
import edu.mit.jwi.item.POS;
import edu.mit.jwi.item.IIndexWord;
import edu.mit.jwi.morph.WordnetStemmer;
public class WNDemo {
/**
* Given a dictionary and a word, find all the parts of speech the
* word can be.
*/
public static Collection getPartsOfSpeech(Dictionary dict, String word) {
ArrayList<POS> parts = new ArrayList<POS>();
WordnetStemmer stemmer = new WordnetStemmer(dict);
// Check every part of speech.
for (POS pos : POS.values()) {
// Check every stem, because WordNet doesn't have every surface
// form in its database.
for (String stem : stemmer.findStems(word, pos)) {
IIndexWord iw = dict.getIndexWord(stem, pos);
if (iw != null) {
parts.add(pos);
}
}
}
return parts;
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
try {
Dictionary dict = new Dictionary(new File("WordNet-3.0/dict"));
dict.open();
System.out.println("'like' is a " + getPartsOfSpeech(dict, "like"));
} catch (IOException e) {
System.err.println("Error: " + e);
}
}
}
And the output:
'like' is a [noun, verb, adjective]
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HOME
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QUIZZES
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PARTS OF SPEECH
IDENTIFYING PART OF SPEECH FOR A GIVEN WORD PART 1
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The job, or function, of a word is what gives the label for its part of speech. English has eight parts of speech which are:
1. Noun
2. Pronoun
3. Verb
4. Adjective
5. Adverb
6. Preposition
7. Conjunction
8. Interjection
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Help
The correct answer is 21,23,27
Remember :
The smallest number is the one that comes first while counting.
Solution :
To arrange the given numbers in order from smallest to greatest, find the smallest number among all the given numbers.
21,27,23
21 is the smallest number.
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You are likely facing a school homework assignment where you have to find the parts of speech in a text. Learning how to identify the parts of speech in a sentence will help you better understand how the English language works. Doing parts of speech exercises will give you a stronger grasp on proper grammar, a more developed vocabulary, and the skills needed to compose a correct sentence.
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1
Identify the two basic parts of speech in a sentence. There are two basic parts of speech that will appear in a sentence: a noun and a verb.[1]
- A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea. For example: “woman”, “Montana”, “pen”, “sadness”. A noun often appears after an article, such as “the”, “a”, or “an”, in a sentence. Nouns can also be singular or plural and can function differently within one sentence.
- For example: “The young man gave me a rare gift from Montana and then calmly told me he valued happiness above all else.” In this sentence, the nouns are: “man”, “gift” “Montana”, and “happiness”.
- A verb expresses an action, or “to be”. For example: “run”, “swim”, “jump”, “sit”, “think”. In one sentence, there is a main verb and sometimes one or more verbs that help in the sentence. The verb in the sentence must agree with its subject, so if the subject is singular, the verb must be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. Verbs can also appear in different tenses (past, present, future).
- For example: “The young man gave me a rare gift from Montana and then calmly told me he valued happiness above all else.” In this sentence, the verbs are: “gave” “told” and “valued”.
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Learn about adjectives and adverbs in a sentence. Once you understand the two basic parts of speech, expand your knowledge to more complex parts of speech: adjectives and adverbs.[2]
- An adjective describes or modifies a noun or a pronoun. For example: “cute”, “new”, “red”, “strong”. An adjective will answer the questions: which one, what kind, or how many. Keep in mind articles, such as “a”, “an”, “the”, are classified as adjectives.
- For example: “The young man gave me a rare gift from Montana and then calmly told me he valued happiness above all else.” In this sentence, the adjectives are: “young” and “rare”.
- An adverb describes or modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. However, adverbs never modify a noun. Adverbs usually end in “ly”. For example: “calmly”, “deeply”, “carefully”, “clearly”.
- In the example sentence: “The young man gave me a rare gift from Montana and then calmly told me he valued happiness above all else,” the adverb is: “calmly”.
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Identify the role of the pronoun in a sentence. A pronoun is a word that is used instead of a noun in a sentence.[3]
For example: “she”, “her”, “we”, “they”, “it”.- In the example sentence: “The young man gave me a rare gift from Montana and then calmly told me he valued happiness above all else,” the pronouns are “me” and “he”. “He” replaces “man” in the sentence.
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4
Understand the role of the preposition and the conjunction in a sentence. The preposition and the conjunction in a sentence are the smaller terms that frame the main parts of the sentence (the noun, the verb, and the adjective).[4]
- A preposition appears before a noun or a pronoun. It will modify the noun or the pronoun in a sentence. For example: “by”, “with”, “without”, “about”, “until”, “from”.
- In the example sentence: “The young man gave me a rare gift from Montana and then calmly told me he valued happiness above all else,” the preposition in the sentence is “from”.
- A conjunction connects words, phrases, or clauses. It also tells the reader about the relationship between two words, phrases, or clauses. For example: “and”, “but”, “or”, “because”, “although”.
- In the example sentence: “The young man gave me a rare gift from Montana and then calmly told me he valued happiness above all else,” the conjunction is “then”.
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Use practice sentences. Test your knowledge of the parts of speech in a text by practicing with example sentences. Type the sentence on your computer or write it down. Then, use highlighters, colored pens, or the highlight tool on your computer to identify each part of speech.
- There are several example sentences you can access online, and practice parts of speech test sheets that you can use to test your knowledge. You can try using simple sentences to identify basic parts of speech, like the noun or the verb, and longer, more complex sentences to identify more complex parts of speech, like the adverb or the preposition.[5]
- There are several example sentences you can access online, and practice parts of speech test sheets that you can use to test your knowledge. You can try using simple sentences to identify basic parts of speech, like the noun or the verb, and longer, more complex sentences to identify more complex parts of speech, like the adverb or the preposition.[5]
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Identify the noun in the sentence. Choose a highlighter color for nouns and try to locate it the noun in a simple sentence, such as: “I went to the store.” In this sentence, the noun is the object, “store”. “He eats to fight off his anxiety.” In this sentence, the noun is the feeling, “anxiety”.
- After you feel comfortable with locating the noun in a simple sentence, try a more complex sentence: “The little girl suddenly dropped her new doll and raced by me to the store.”
- Use your highlighter to find all the nouns in this sentence: “girl”, “doll”, “store”.
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Find the verb in the sentence. Choose another highlighter color for verbs and find the verb in a simple sentence, such as: “I walk to the station.” In this sentence, the verb is the action word, “walk”. “She drank all the juice.” In this sentence, the verb is the action word, “drank”.
- Try to find the verbs in a more complex, and much longer sentence: “The little girl suddenly dropped her new doll and raced by me to the store.”
- Use your highlighter to find all the verbs in this sentence: “dropped”, “raced”.
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Locate the adjective in the sentence. Pick another highlighter color for adjectives and highlight the adjectives in a simple sentence, such as: “My mother dropped the blue vase.” In this sentence, the adjective is the descriptor “blue”. “My father sings Italian operas in the shower”. In this sentence, the adjective is the descriptor “Italian”.
- Look for the adjectives in a more complex, and much longer sentence: “The little girl suddenly dropped her new doll and raced by me to the store.”
- Use your highlighter to find all the adjectives in this sentence: “little”, “new”.
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Note any adverbs and pronouns in the sentence. Choose a highlighter color for adverbs and find the adverbs in a short, simple sentence, such as: “I spoke to him calmly.” In this sentence, the adverb, “calmly” is the modifying the verb “spoke”.
- Identify the adverbs in a longer sentence: “The little girl suddenly dropped her new doll and raced by me to the store.”
- Highlight the adverb in this sentence, “suddenly”.
- Pick another highlighter color for pronouns and identify the pronouns in a simple sentence: “I picked him up at noon.” In this sentence, the pronoun is “him”.
- Locate the pronouns in a longer sentence: “The little girl suddenly dropped her new doll and raced by me to the store.”
- Highlight the pronouns in the this sentence: “her” and “me”.
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Identify the prepositions and conjunctions in the sentence. Practice identifying prepositions in a simple sentence: “I went with her to the store.” In this sentence, the preposition is “with”.
- Practice finding the prepositions in a more complex sentence: “The little girl suddenly dropped her new doll and raced by me to the store.” The preposition in this sentence is “by” as it modifies “to the store”.
- Try to find the conjunctions in a simple sentence: “We ate pizza and ice cream”. The conjunction in this sentence is “and” as it connects two nouns together, “pizza” and “ice cream”.
- Try to identify the conjunction in a more complex sentence: “I didn’t want to go to the show that night because I knew she would be there.” In this sentence, the conjunction is “because” as it connects the first half of the sentence to the second half of the sentence.
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Practice with other example sentences and questions. Once you have ran through several example sentences, simple and complex, use your highlighter colors to identify the parts of speech in one sentence or question.
- For example: “Why did you go to the late show without me?” Use your highlighter colors to find the noun, the verb, the adjective, the pronouns, and the preposition in this sentence.
- You may want to try highlighting the parts of speech of practice sentences and questions with a partner so you can quiz each other on the parts of speech.
Add New Question
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Question
How do I identify parts of speech when the sentence is, «I could NEVER do that hard work at my age»?
Work and age are nouns. I is a pronoun. Could is an auxiliary (helping) verb. Never is an adverb. Do is a verb. That, hard and my are adjectives. At is a preposition.
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Question
In the sentence: «Give them too much water», are «too» and «much» both adverbs?
«Much» is an adjective modifying «water.» «Too» is an adverb modifying «much.»
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Question
What part of speech is «bit»?
«Bit» can be a verb («the dog bit my hand») or a noun («I ate every bit of the food»).
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Article SummaryX
Identifying the different parts of speech is important for understanding text. A noun is the name of a person, thing, or idea, like “woman,” “pen,” and “sadness.” A verb is an action, like “run,” “jump,” “think,” and “be.” Adjectives, like “red,” “happy,” and “short” describe nouns, while adverbs like “quickly,” “gently,” and “calmly” describe verbs. To find these parts in a text, start with short, simple sentences. Try highlighting the different parts in different colors so you can easily see the nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. For example, in the sentence “The man walked quickly out of the store,” “man” and “store” are nouns, “walk” is a verb, and “quickly” is an adverb. Once you understand these, look for conjunctions, which are words like “and” and “however” that link sentences together. For more tips from our Writing co-author, including how to learn pronouns and prepositions, read on!
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If you’ve ever found yourself wondering what part of speech a word is, you’re not alone. In this lesson, we’ll explore how to answer that question as well as why that answer can seem a bit confusing. You’ll also find a quiz at the bottom of the page so that you can test yourself, along with a free PDF download. Jackpot!
Would you like to make this lesson more interactive?
Download the free ebook.
If you’d like to fill out your answers as you move through this lesson, download the guide before you watch the video.
If you’d like to print it out and you’re serious about conserving the ink in your printer, print only pages 4, 9, 10, and 11.
Pop quiz, hot shot! Let’s say you’re at the grocery store deciding between chunky and creamy peanut butter (tough choice) when someone walks up to you and asks, «What part of speech is the word love?»
Obviously, the first thing to do is run away from this person. But then, your mind might linger on that question, and you might start to wonder Hmm … what part of speech is the word love anyway?
At that point, you would probably think of some example sentences to figure it out.
I love peanut butter.
From this sentence, you might conclude that love is a verb since you know that verbs express action, and love is showing an action in this sentence.
You wouldn’t be wrong, but then you might think of this sentence:
Love for peanut butter brought me to the store today.
Wait a minute! Here, love is a noun. It’s an idea, and it’s the subject of the sentence. What’s the deal? How can love be a verb and a noun?
Here’s a secret about the parts of speech that many people don’t realize:
Many words can function as more than one part of speech.
They will only be doing one part-of-speech job at a time, though. In our example sentences above, we can see that love can be a verb and a noun, and we can also see that it’s doing just one of those jobs in each sentence.
How can you figure out what part(s) of speech a word can be, and how will you know what the word is acting as in any given sentence?
The first thing to do is to study the parts of speech and understand how they work.
Here’s what you can do after you have a sense of what the parts of speech are and how they work:
What part(s) of speech can this word be?
Look up the word in a dictionary. Dictionaries will show you the possible parts of speech that a word can function as. You can use a dictionary that’s an actual book, an online dictionary, or your device’s built-in dictionary. The dictionary will list each word’s possible part of speech, and it will give you definitions for all of the meanings of a word within each part of speech.
What part of speech is this word in this sentence?
In order to figure out how a word is functioning, we need to look at the word within the context of a sentence. Look over your sentence, and then open up your dictionary. Match the meaning of the word in your sentence with the most fitting dictionary definition. Then you’ll be able to tell what part of speech it is in your sentence.
Let’s look at two examples of words acting as different parts of speech.
We’ll look at the words for and iron, and we’ll see them acting as different parts of speech. We’ll also take a peek at what the dictionary says for each word.
What part of speech are the words in bold?
I asked for pie.
I cried, for I knew that the pie was gone.
Where is the iron?
Please iron my shirt.
For
I asked for pie. (preposition)
1. Just below the word that you look up, you’ll find a listing for a part of speech. The first listing is usually the most common way that the word is used. For is most commonly used as a preposition.
2. Next, you’ll find definitions of the word for each part of speech. If there is more than one definition, they’ll be numbered. There are many definitions for for as a preposition, and here you can see two.
3. After the definition, you’ll often find an example of how to use the word as that part of speech and definition. You can see the examples in italics.
I cried, for I knew that the pie was gone. (conjunction)
1. Below all of the definitions for for as a preposition, we can see a listing for another part of speech. It’s here that we see that for can also be a conjunction.
2. Here’s the definition. It’s not numbered because there is only one entry for for as a conjunction.
3. Here is an example sentence for us. (It’s strange, though, that they also used for as a preposition in this example as well as a conjunction!)
Iron
Where is the iron? (noun)
1. The first part of speech listed under iron is noun.
2. The first two definitions of iron as a noun weren’t the ones used in the sentence above, but the third entry was what I was looking for.
3. They don’t give us an example sentence. Boohoo!
Please iron my shirt. (verb)
1. Underneath all of the definitions for iron as a noun, I came here which let me know that iron can also be used as a verb.
2. There’s only one definition for iron as a verb, so they didn’t number this entry.
3. Again, there’s no example sentence. Perhaps everyone at the dictionary company called in sick on the day that they had to write example sentences for iron.
Test Yourself
I. Label the Parts of Speech
Directions: Name the part of speech for the underlined word in each sentence. Use a dictionary if you need one. For extra credit, diagram the sentences. 
Scroll down to see the answers.
1. LIGHT
a) I will light the fire.
b) Can you see that red light?
c) This light jacket isn’t warm enough.
2. FAST
a) Hadley is a fast runner.
b) The 12-hour fast cleared my mind.
c) He drives fast!
3. GENERAL
a) I had a general sense of how it works.
b) The general sank low in his chair.
4. BEFORE
a) Practice piano before you play with your friends.
b) Practice piano before dinner.
5. ROLL
a) Roll the dice.
b) I will eat the soup with a roll.
6. LIKE
a) I like old books.
b) They acted like old friends.
c) The boys had like interests.
7. TILL
a) The kids were awake till midnight.
b) Open the till and count the money.
c) My grandpa, a farmer, would till his soil in the spring.
8. CUP
a) Cup your hands around your mouth and yell.
b) I’ll use the red cup.
9. DRIVE
a) The long drive through the countryside lifted my spirits.
b) I always drive within the speed limit.
10. BLUE
a) Everyone in the family photo wore blue.
b) Jackie lives in the blue house.
Would you like to download this lesson?
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- Includes all of the instructions and exercises on this page
- 4 pages with blank space to write answers
- 7 pages of answers (All 24 sentence diagrams included)
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- If you only want to print out the pages where you’ll be writing (I’m looking at you, expensive ink cartridges.), print pages 4, 9, 10, and 11.
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II. Write Your Own Sentences
Directions: Write your own sentences using the words below. Make sure the word is being used as the part of speech indicated on the left side. Underline the word in your sentence. The first one is done for you. Feel free to use a dictionary!
1. Drive
Noun: The long drive through the countryside lifted my spirits.
Verb: I always drive within the speed limit.
2. Baby
Noun: ___________________________________
Adjective: ________________________________
Verb: ___________________________________
3. Up
Preposition: ________________________________
Adverb: ___________________________________
Answers
I. Label the Parts of Speech
1. LIGHT
a) I will light the fire. VERB
b) Can you see that red light? NOUN
c) This light jacket isn’t warm enough. ADJECTIVE
6. LIKE
a) I like old books. VERB
b) They acted like old friends. PREPOSITION
c) The boys had like interests. ADJECTIVE
2. FAST
a) Hadley is a fast runner. ADJECTIVE
b) The 12-hour fast cleared my mind. NOUN
c) He drives fast! ADVERB
7. TILL
a) The kids were awake till midnight. PREPOSITION
b) Open the till and count the money. NOUN
c) My grandpa, a farmer, would till his soil in the spring. VERB
3. ABOVE
a) I had a general sense of how it works. ADJECTIVE
b) The general sank low in his chair. NOUN
8. CUP
a) Cup your hands around your mouth and yell. VERB
b) I’ll use the red cup. NOUN
4. BEFORE
a) Practice piano before you play with your friends. CONJUNCTION
b) Practice piano before dinner. PREPOSITION
9. DRIVE
a) The long drive through the countryside lifted my spirits. NOUN
b) I always drive within the speed limit. VERB
5. ROLL
a) Roll the dice. VERB
b) I will eat the soup with a roll. NOUN
10. BLUE
a) Everyone in the family photo wore blue. NOUN
b) Jackie lives in the blue house. ADJECTIVE
* The sentence diagrams for 4, 5, 9, and 10 are available in the downloadable version of this lesson.
Answers for II. Write Your Own Sentences are also available in the free, downloadable version of this lesson.
Would you like to download this lesson?
- 20 Pages
- Includes all of the instructions and exercises on this page
- 4 pages with blank space to write answers
- 7 pages of answers (All 24 sentence diagrams included)
- Printable
- If you only want to print out the pages where you’ll be writing (I’m looking at you, expensive ink cartridges.), print pages 4, 9, 10, and 11.
- FREE
Would you like to see another example of this concept? Let’s look at how the word balance can be a noun or a verb, and how it can help you think about your life.
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Parts of speech are categories that are used to describe each word’s function in a sentence. The best way to identify a word’s part of speech is to think about what role the word plays in the sentence, but there are also a few clues that can help you figure out the part of speech if you are unsure about the word’s function.
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1
Identify naming words as nouns. A noun is any word that names a person, place, thing, or idea. Nouns can be concrete (Alice, dog, table, etc.) or abstract (beauty, independence, cycle, etc.).[1]
- Proper nouns are used to name a specific person, place, or thing, and the main words are always capitalized (Fred, New York, the Declaration of Independence).
- Nouns can be either singular or plural.
- Nouns can be possessive, in which case they typically end in ‘s or s’.
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2
Know that pronouns stand in for nouns. Sometimes, a noun is not always named. Words that do not directly name a person, place, thing, or idea, but take the place of a word that does, are pronouns.[2]
- Some pronouns stand in for people’s names (he, our, they, hers, etc.).
- Other pronouns represent an object or idea (it, these, this, etc.).
- Pronouns may also stand in for very indefinite nouns that may be difficult to name without the use of a pronoun (everyone, no one, something, etc).
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3
Recognize action words as verbs. A verb is any word that is used to express an action (run, cleaned, driven, etc) or being (is, was, been, etc). Verbs have multiple tenses that express when the action took place.[3]
- Auxiliary verbs (also known as helping verbs) are words that are used to change the tense of the main verb (will, did, would, etc.). These are still considered verbs.
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4
Learn that adjectives modify nouns and pronouns. An adjective is any word that is used to modify or describe a noun or pronoun (blue, many, smart, etc.). Adjectives typically answer questions like «how many?», «what kind?», or «which one?»[4]
- Numbers are considered adjectives when they are used to answer the question «how many?»
- Articles (a, an, and the) are considered adjectives by many because they answer the question «which one?» However, some people consider articles to be a separate part of speech.
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Know that adjective and verb modifiers are adverbs. An adverb is similar to an adjective in that it is used to describe or modify. Instead of modifying a noun or pronoun, however, an adverb modifies a verb or adjective (happily, extremely, then, etc.). Adverbs typically answer the question «how?», «why», «when?», or «how much?»[5]
- Adverbs may also modify other adverbs. (I ran very quickly.)
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6
Understand that prepositions express relationships. A preposition is a word or phrase that is used to show the relationship between noun or pronoun and another element in the sentence (at, by, in, to, from, with, etc.). Prepositions are typically very short words.[6]
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7
Identify words used to join clauses as conjunctions. A conjunction is a word that connects other words, phrases, or clauses (and, but, or, because, etc).[7]
- Coordinating conjunctions are used to join two clauses that are equally important to the sentence. There are 7 coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, nor, or, so, and yet. (I like cats, but I don’t like dogs.)
- Subordinating conjunctions are used to join a main clause and a subordinate clause, which is less important to the sentence. (I went outside, although it was raining.)
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8
Recognize exclamations as interjections. An interjection is a word or phrase used to express an emotion or feeling, such as surprise. (oh, wow, my goodness, etc). Interjections are capable of standing alone and are not grammatically related to the rest of the sentence. However, they can also be included in a sentence, separated by parenthesis, dashes, or comas on either side of the interjection.[8]
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1
Learn the Subject-Verb-Object rule. Most sentences in the English language have the same basic structure: the sentence begins with the subject, followed by the verb, and then the object (if the sentence has an object). There are exceptions to this rule, but understanding the norm can help you identify the parts of speech in most sentences.[9]
- Both the subject and object of a sentence will contain a noun or pronoun. This means that a sentence that has both a subject and an object will contain a noun or pronoun both before and after the verb. (I ate the apple.)
- The subject and object may contain modifiers such as adjectives as well.
- When the sentence has a direct object, it will come directly after the verb. (I like cookies.) When the sentence has an indirect object, it will come after a preposition. (I gave the card to Frank.)
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2
Understand correct adjective and adverb placement. Although there are certainly exceptions to the rules, the placement of adjectives and adverbs is usually very predictable. Understanding where these words are most often found can help you identify them in sentences.
- Adjectives are almost always found before nouns and pronouns (We look at a red dress.) or after the linking verb «to be» (The dress is red.)[10]
- When adverbs are used to modify adjectives, they are almost always found right before the adjective. (The meal was truly delicious.)[11]
- When adverbs are used to modify verbs, they may be found before the subject (Later I will walk to school.), directly before the verb (I will carefully clean the artifacts .), or directly after the verb. (I go to the park frequently.)
- Adjectives are almost always found before nouns and pronouns (We look at a red dress.) or after the linking verb «to be» (The dress is red.)[10]
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3
Identify clauses and phrases to find conjunctions. Because conjunctions are typically found between two clauses or phrases, you should be able to identify one by looking for the clauses or phrases that it joins together. If the word comes between the two clauses or phrases and seems to join them, it is likely a conjunction.
- Conjunctions like «and» and «but» are sometimes used at the beginning of a sentence, although this is more rare. When it is done, you should be able to identify the other clause or phrase in the previous sentence.
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4
Use exclamation points to identify interjections. Some interjection are followed by exclamation points because they express emotional responses.[12]
If you see an exclamation point, the word proceeding it may be an interjection, although exclamation points are used after other types of words as well.- Not all interjections are marked by exclamation points. Don’t rely on exclamations as the only way to recognize interjections.
- Another clue that a word might be an interjection is that it is used alone. If there are other words in the sentence, it is less likely to be an interjection.
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5
Look for nouns and pronouns to identify prepositions. Prepositions are typically found before noun or pronoun phrases. (I went to the store.) This is because the preposition expresses the relationship of the noun or the pronoun to the previous part of the sentence.
- Keep in mind there may be an adjective, adverb, and/or article between the preposition and the noun or pronoun. These modifiers are all considered to be part of the noun or pronoun phrase. (We paid for the very expensive jeans.)
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1
Recognize suffixes that are common in nouns. Although not all nouns contain one of these suffixes, many do. Understanding that they are most common in nouns can help you identify the part of speech of a word, even if you do not know its meaning. Look for the following suffixes to help identify nouns:[13]
- -ion (population)
- -sion (tension)
- -tion (attention)
- -acy (accuracy)
- -age (image)
- -ance (allegiance)
- -ence (permanence)
- -hood (childhood)
- -ar (scholar)
- -or (editor)
- -ism (idealism)
- -ist (realist)
- -ment (government)
- -ness (sadness)
- -y (beauty)
- -ity (capacity)
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Know which suffixes are common in adjectives. Just as with nouns, there are certain suffixes that are most commonly used with adjectives (although there are exceptions). Committing the following suffixes to memory may help you identify adjectives in sentences more easily:[14]
- -al (clerical)
- -ful (wonderful)
- -ly (friendly)
- -ic (chronic)
- -ish (squeamish)
- -like (childlike)
- -ous (contagious)
- -y (yappy)
- -ate accurate
- -able (laughable)
- -ible (horrible)
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3
Learn which suffixes are common in verbs. There are a few suffixes that are used with verbs more often than any other type of word. If you see one of the following suffixes on a word, it is likely that it is a verb:[15]
- -ify (typify)
- -ate (proliferate)
- -ize (rationalize)
- -en (tighten)
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4
Remember that most adverbs share a common suffix. Adverbs are by far the easiest parts of speech to identify using suffix clues. This is because the majority of adverbs end in the suffix -ly (merrily, wonderfully, quickly, etc.). If you see a word that ends in this suffix, there is a very good chance that it is an adverb.[16]
- There are some words that end in -ly that are not adverbs (butterfly), so be careful not to overgeneralize.
- There are also a few adverbs that do not end in -ly (well, fast, very, etc.).
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Practice Questions and Answers
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Question
What part of speech is the word «has»?
«Has» is a verb because it expresses an action. Depending on the sentence it is used in, it may be a main verb (He has the flu) or an auxiliary verb (She has traveled to Spain), but either way, it is still a verb.
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Question
What part of speech is an article?
Articles (a, an, and the) are considered by some to be adjectives because they modify nouns. Other people consider articles to be a completely separate part of speech.
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Question
In the sentence «Spring flowers are very beautiful» what part of speech is «spring»?
«Spring» is an adjective because it modifies the noun «flowers.»
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Context is key, as some words can act as multiple different parts of speech, depending on their role in a sentence.
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References
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Article SummaryX
To identify different parts of speech, analyze the function that the word plays in a sentence. If the word names a person, place, thing, or idea, it is a noun. Label a word as a pronoun if it takes the place of a noun. If you see a word that expresses an action, that is a verb, and words that modify a verb are adverbs. If a word modifies a noun or pronoun, it is an adjective. To learn how to identify prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections, read on!
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