what is a speech verb example

Words for Speaking: 30 Speech Verbs in English (With Audio)

Speaking is amazing, don’t you think?

Words and phrases come out of our mouths — they communicate meaning, and we humans understand each other (well, sometimes)!

But there are countless different ways of speaking.

Sometimes, we express ourselves by speaking quietly, loudly, angrily, unclearly or enthusiastically.

And sometimes, we can express ourselves really well without using any words at all — just sounds.

When we describe what someone said, of course we can say, “He said …” or “She said …”

But there are so many alternatives to “say” that describe the many different WAYS of speaking.

Here are some of the most common ones.

Words for talking loudly in English

Shout / yell / scream.

Sometimes you just need to say something LOUDLY!

Maybe you’re shouting at your kids to get off the climbing frame and come inside before the storm starts.

Or perhaps you’re just one of those people who just shout a lot of the time when you speak. And that’s fine. I’ve got a friend like that. He says it’s because he’s the youngest kid in a family full of brothers and sisters — he had to shout to make sure people heard him. And he still shouts.

Yelling is a bit different. When you yell, you’re probably angry or surprised or even in pain. Yelling is a bit shorter and more “in-the-moment.”

Screaming is similar but usually higher in pitch and full of fear or pain or total fury, like when you’ve just seen a ghost or when you’ve dropped a box of bricks on your foot.

“Stop yelling at me! I’m sorry! I made a mistake, but there’s no need to shout!”

Bark / Bellow / Roar

When I hear these words, I always imagine something like this:

These verbs all feel rather masculine, and you imagine them in a deep voice.

I always think of an army general walking around the room telling people what to do.

That’s probably why we have the phrase “to bark orders at someone,” which means to tell people what to do in an authoritative, loud and aggressive way.

“I can’t stand that William guy. He’s always barking orders at everyone!”

Shriek / Squeal / Screech

Ooooohhh …. These do not sound nice.

These are the sounds of a car stopping suddenly.

Or the sound a cat makes when you tread on her tail.

Or very overexcited kids at a birthday party after eating too much sugar.

These verbs are high pitched and sometimes painful to hear.

“When I heard her shriek , I ran to the kitchen to see what it was. Turned out it was just a mouse.”

“As soon as she opened the box and saw the present, she let out a squeal of delight!”

Wailing is also high pitched, but not so full of energy.

It’s usually full of sadness or even anger.

When I think of someone wailing, I imagine someone completely devastated — very sad — after losing someone they love.

You get a lot of wailing at funerals.

“It’s such a mess!” she wailed desperately. “It’ll take ages to clear up!”

Words for speaking quietly in English

When we talk about people speaking in quiet ways, for some reason, we often use words that we also use for animals.

In a way, this is useful, because we can immediately get a feel for the sound of the word.

This is the sound that snakes make.

Sometimes you want to be both quiet AND angry.

Maybe someone in the theatre is talking and you can’t hear what Hamlet’s saying, so you hiss at them to shut up.

Or maybe you’re hanging out with Barry and Naomi when Barry starts talking about Naomi’s husband, who she split up with last week.

Then you might want to hiss this information to Barry so that Naomi doesn’t hear.

But Naomi wasn’t listening anyway — she was miles away staring into the distance.

“You’ll regret this!” he hissed , pointing his finger in my face.

To be fair, this one’s a little complicated.

Whimpering is a kind of traumatised, uncomfortable sound.

If you think of a frightened animal, you might hear it make some kind of quiet, weak sound that shows it’s in pain or unhappy.

Or if you think of a kid who’s just been told she can’t have an ice cream.

Those sounds might be whimpers.

“Please! Don’t shoot me!” he whimpered , shielding his head with his arms.

Whispering is when you speak, but you bypass your vocal cords so that your words sound like wind.

In a way, it’s like you’re speaking air.

Which is a pretty cool way to look at it.

This is a really useful way of speaking if you’re into gossiping.

“Hey! What are you whispering about? Come on! Tell us! We’ll have no secrets here!”

Words for speaking negatively in English

Ranting means to speak at length about a particular topic.

However, there’s a bit more to it than that.

Ranting is lively, full of passion and usually about something important — at least important to the person speaking.

Sometimes it’s even quite angry.

We probably see rants most commonly on social media — especially by PEOPLE WHO LOVE USING CAPS LOCK AND LOTS OF EXCLAMATION MARKS!!!!!!

Ranting always sounds a little mad, whether you’re ranting about something reasonable, like the fact that there’s too much traffic in the city, or whether you’re ranting about something weird, like why the world is going to hell and it’s all because of people who like owning small, brown dogs.

“I tried to talk to George, but he just started ranting about the tax hike.”

“Did you see Jemima’s most recent Facebook rant ? All about how squirrels are trying to influence the election results with memes about Macaulay Culkin.”

Babble / Blabber / Blather / Drone / Prattle / Ramble

These words all have very similar meanings.

First of all, when someone babbles (or blabbers or blathers or drones or prattles or rambles), it means they are talking for a long time.

And probably not letting other people speak.

And, importantly, about nothing particularly interesting or important.

You know the type of person, right?

You run into a friend or someone you know.

All you do is ask, “How’s life?” and five minutes later, you’re still listening to them talking about their dog’s toilet problems.

They just ramble on about it for ages.

These verbs are often used with the preposition “on.”

That’s because “on” often means “continuously” in phrasal verbs .

So when someone “drones on,” it means they just talk for ages about nothing in particular.

“You’re meeting Aunt Thelma this evening? Oh, good luck! Have fun listening to her drone on and on about her horses.”

Groan / Grumble / Moan

These words simply mean “complain.”

There are some small differences, though.

When you groan , you probably don’t even say any words. Instead, you just complain with a sound.

When you grumble , you complain in a sort of angry or impatient way. It’s not a good way to get people to like you.

Finally, moaning is complaining, but without much direction.

You know the feeling, right?

Things are unfair, and stuff isn’t working, and it’s all making life more difficult than it should be.

We might not plan to do anything about it, but it definitely does feel good to just … complain about it.

Just to express your frustration about how unfair it all is and how you’ve been victimised and how you should be CEO by now and how you don’t get the respect you deserve and …

Well, you get the idea.

If you’re frustrated with things, maybe you just need to find a sympathetic ear and have a good moan.

“Pietor? He’s nice, but he does tend to grumble about the local kids playing football on the street.”

Words for speaking unclearly in English

Mumble / murmur / mutter.

These verbs are all very similar and describe speaking in a low and unclear way, almost like you’re speaking to yourself.

Have you ever been on the metro or the bus and seen someone in the corner just sitting and talking quietly and a little madly to themselves?

That’s mumbling (or murmuring or muttering).

What’s the difference?

Good question!

The differences are just in what type of quiet and unclear speaking you’re doing.

When someone’s mumbling , it means they’re difficult to understand. You might want to ask them to speak more clearly.

Murmuring is more neutral. It might be someone praying quietly to themselves, or you might even hear the murmur of voices behind a closed door.

Finally, muttering is usually quite passive-aggressive and has a feeling of complaining to it.

“I could hear him muttering under his breath after his mum told him off.”

How can you tell if someone’s been drinking too much booze (alcohol)?

Well, apart from the fact that they’re in the middle of trying to climb the traffic lights holding a traffic cone and wearing grass on their head, they’re also slurring — their words are all sort of sliding into each other. Like this .

This can also happen if you’re super tired.

“Get some sleep! You’re slurring your words.”

Stammer / Stutter

Th-th-th-this is wh-wh-when you try to g-g-g-get the words ou-ou-out, but it’s dif-dif-dif-difficu-… hard.

For some people, this is a speech disorder, and the person who’s doing it can’t help it.

If you’ve seen the 2010 film The King’s Speech , you’ll know what I’m talking about.

(Also you can let me know, was it good? I didn’t see it.)

This can also happen when you’re frightened or angry or really, really excited — and especially when you’re nervous.

That’s when you stammer your words.

“No … I mean, yeah … I mean no…” Wendy stammered .

Other words for speaking in English

If you drawl (or if you have a drawl), you speak in a slow way, maaakiiing the voowweeel sounds loooongeer thaan noormaal.

Some people think this sounds lazy, but I think it sounds kind of nice and relaxed.

Some regional accents, like Texan and some Australian accents, have a drawl to them.

“He was the first US President who spoke with that Texan drawl .”

“Welcome to cowboy country,” he drawled .

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

That’s my impression of a dog there.

I was growling.

If you ever go cycling around remote Bulgarian villages, then you’re probably quite familiar with this sound.

There are dogs everywhere, and sometimes they just bark.

But sometimes, before barking, they growl — they make that low, threatening, throaty sound.

And it means “stay away.”

But people can growl, too, especially if they want to be threatening.

“‘Stay away from my family!’ he growled .”

Using speaking verbs as nouns

We can use these speaking verbs in the same way we use “say.”

For example, if someone says “Get out!” loudly, we can say:

“‘Get out!’ he shouted .”

However, most of the verbs we looked at today are also used as nouns. (You might have noticed in some of the examples.)

For example, if we want to focus on the fact that he was angry when he shouted, and not the words he used, we can say:

“He gave a shout of anger.”

We can use these nouns with various verbs, usually “ give ” or “ let out .”

“She gave a shout of surprise.”

“He let out a bellow of laughter.”

“I heard a faint murmur through the door.”

There you have it: 30 alternatives to “say.”

So next time you’re describing your favourite TV show or talking about the dramatic argument you saw the other day, you’ll be able to describe it more colourfully and expressively.

Did you like this post? Then be awesome and share by clicking the blue button below.

8 thoughts on “ Words for Speaking: 30 Speech Verbs in English (With Audio) ”

Always enlighten and fun.. thank you

Great job! Thank you so much for sharing with us. My students love your drawing and teaching very much. So do I of course.

Good news: I found more than 30 verbs for “speaking”. Bad news, only four of them were in your list. That is to say “Good news I’m only 50 I still have plenty of time to learn new things, bad news I’m already 50 and still have so much learn. Thanks for your posts, they’re so interesting and useful!

Excellent. Can I print it?

Thanks Iris.

And yes — Feel free to print it! :)

Thanks so much! It was very interesting and helpful❤

Great words, shouts and barks, Gabriel. I’m already writing them down, so I can practise with them bit by bit. Thanks for the lesson!

Thank you so much for sharing with us. .It is very useful

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Learn New Words 5 Times Faster

Subscribe to our newsletter to get the eBook free!

Instantly enhance your writing in real-time while you type. With LanguageTool

Get started for free

Understanding the Parts of Speech in English

Yes, the parts of speech in English are extensive and complex. But we’ve made it easy for you to start learning them by gathering the most basic and essential information in this easy-to-follow and comprehensive guide.

Parts of Speech: Quick Summary

Parts of speech assign words to different categories. There are eight different types in English. Keep in mind that a word can belong to more than one part of speech.

Learn About:

• Parts of Speech
• Prepositions
• Conjunctions
• Interjections

Using the Parts of Speech Correctly In Your Writing

Knowing the parts of speech is vital when learning a new language.

When it comes to learning a new language, there are several components you should understand to truly get a grasp of the language and speak it fluently.

It’s not enough to become an expert in just one area. For instance, you can learn and memorize all the intricate grammar rules, but if you don’t practice speaking or writing colloquially, you will find it challenging to use that language in real time.

Conversely, if you don’t spend time trying to learn the rules and technicalities of a language, you’ll also find yourself struggling to use it correctly.

Think of it this way: Language is a tasty, colorful, and nutritious salad. If you fill your bowl with nothing but lettuce, your fluency will be bland, boring, and tasteless. But if you spend time cultivating other ingredients for your salad—like style, word choice, and vocabulary— then it will become a wholesome meal you can share with others.

In this blog post, we’re going to cover one of the many ingredients you’ll need to build a nourishing salad of the English language—the parts of speech.

Let’s get choppin’!

What Are the Parts of Speech in English?

The parts of speech refer to categories to which a word belongs. In English, there are eight of them : verbs , nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.

Many English words fall into more than one part of speech category. Take the word light as an example. It can function as a verb, noun, or adjective.

Verb: Can you please light the candles?

Noun: The room was filled with a dim, warm light .

Adjective: She wore a light jacket in the cool weather.

The parts of speech in English are extensive. There’s a lot to cover in each category—much more than we can in this blog post. The information below is simply a brief overview of the basics of the parts of speech. Nevertheless, the concise explanations and accompanying example sentences will help you gain an understanding of how to use them correctly.

What Are Verbs?

Verbs are the most essential parts of speech because they move the meaning of sentences along.

A verb can show actions of the body and mind ( jump and think ), occurrences ( happen or occur ), and states of being ( be and exist ). Put differently, verbs breathe life into sentences by describing actions or indicating existence. These parts of speech can also change form to express time , person , number , voice , and mood .

There are several verb categories. A few of them are:

• Regular and irregular verbs
• Transitive and intransitive verbs
• Auxiliary verbs

A few examples of verbs include sing (an irregular action verb), have (which can be a main verb or auxiliary verb), be , which is a state of being verb, and would (another auxiliary verb).

My little sister loves to sing .

I have a dog and her name is Sweet Pea.

I will be there at 5 P.M.

I would like to travel the world someday.

Again, these are just the very basics of English verbs. There’s a lot more that you should learn to be well-versed in this part of speech, but the information above is a good place to start.

What Are Nouns?

Nouns refer to people ( John and child ), places ( store and Italy ), things ( firetruck and pen ), and ideas or concepts ( love and balance ). There are also many categories within nouns. For example, proper nouns name a specific person, place, thing, or idea. These types of nouns are always capitalized.

Olivia is turning five in a few days.

My dream is to visit Tokyo .

The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States.

Some argue that Buddhism is a way of life, not a religion.

On the other hand, common nouns are not specific to any particular entity and are used to refer to any member of a general category.

My teacher is the smartest, most caring person I know!

I love roaming around a city I’ve never been to before.

This is my favorite book , which was recommended to me by my father.

There’s nothing more important to me than love .

Nouns can be either singular or plural. Singular nouns refer to a single entity, while plural nouns refer to multiple entities.

Can you move that chair out of the way, please? (Singular)

Can you move those chairs out of the way, please? (Plural)

While many plural nouns are formed by adding an “–s” or “–es,” others have irregular plural forms, meaning they don’t follow the typical pattern.

There was one woman waiting in line.

There were several women waiting in line.

Nouns can also be countable or uncountable . Those that are countable refer to nouns that can be counted as individual units. For example, there can be one book, two books, three books, or more. Uncountable nouns cannot be counted as individual units. Take the word water as an example. You could say I drank some water, but it would be incorrect to say I drank waters. Instead, you would say something like I drank several bottles of water.

What Are Pronouns?

A pronoun is a word that can take the place of other nouns or noun phrases. Pronouns serve the purpose of referring to nouns without having to repeat the word each time. A word (or group of words) that a pronoun refers to is called the antecedent .

Jessica went to the store, and she bought some blueberries.

In the sentence above, Jessica is the antecedent, and she is the referring pronoun. Here’s the same sentence without the proper use of a pronoun:

Jessica went to the store, and Jessica bought some blueberries.

Do you see how the use of a pronoun improves the sentence by avoiding repetitiveness?

Like all the other parts of speech we have covered, pronouns also have various categories.

Personal pronouns replace specific people or things: I, me, you, he, she, him, her, it, we, us, they, them.

When I saw them at the airport, I waved my hands up in the air so they could see me .

Possessive pronouns indicate ownership : mine, ours, yours, his, hers, theirs, whose.

I think that phone is hers .

Reflexive pronouns refer to the subject of a sentence or clause. They are used when the subject and the object of a sentence refer to the same person or thing: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.

The iguanas sunned themselves on the roof of my car.

Intensive pronouns have the same form as reflexive pronouns and are used to emphasize or intensify the subject of a sentence.

I will take care of this situation myself .

Indefinite pronouns do not refer to specific individuals or objects but rather to a general or unspecified person, thing, or group. Some examples include someone, everybody, anything, nobody, each, something, and all.

Everybody enjoyed the party. Someone even said it was the best party they had ever attended.

Demonstrative pronouns are used to identify or point to specific pronouns: this, that, these, those.

Can you pick up those pens off the floor?

Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions and seek information: who, whom, whose, which, what.

Who can help move these heavy boxes?

Relative pronouns connect a clause or a phrase to a noun or pronoun: who, whom, whose, which, that, what, whoever, whichever, whatever.

Christina, who is the hiring manager, is the person whom you should get in touch with.

Reciprocal pronouns are used to refer to individual parts of a plural antecedent. They indicate a mutual or reciprocal relationship between two or more people or things: each other or one another.

The cousins always giggle and share secrets with one another .  

What Are Adjectives?

Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns, usually by describing, identifying, or quantifying them. They play a vital role in adding detail, precision, and imagery to English, allowing us to depict and differentiate the qualities of people, objects, places, and ideas.

The blue house sticks out compared to the other neutral-colored ones. (Describes)

That house is pretty, but I don’t like the color. (Identifies)

There were several houses I liked, but the blue one was unique. (Quantifies)

We should note that identifying or quantifying adjectives are also referred to as determiners. Additionally, articles ( a, an, the ) and numerals ( four or third ) are also used to quantify and identify adjectives.

Descriptive adjectives have other forms (known as comparative and superlative adjectives ) that allow for comparisons. For example, the comparative of the word small is smaller, while the superlative is smallest.

Proper adjectives (which are derived from proper nouns) describe specific nouns. They usually retain the same spelling or are slightly modified, but they’re always capitalized. For example, the proper noun France can be turned into the proper adjective French.

What Are Adverbs?

Adverbs are words that modify or describe verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, or entire clauses. Although many adverbs end in “–ly,” not all of them do. Also, some words that end in “–ly” are adjectives, not adverbs ( lovely ).

She dances beautifully .

In the sentence above, beautifully modifies the verb dances.

We visited an extremely tall building.

Here, the adverb extremely modifies the adjective tall.

He had to run very quickly to not miss the train.

The adverb very modifies the adverb quickly.

Interestingly , the experiment yielded unexpected results that left us baffled.

In this example, the word interestingly modifies the independent clause that comprises the rest of the sentence (which is why they’re called sentence adverbs ).

Like adjectives, adverbs can also have other forms when making comparisons. For example:

strongly, more strongly, most strongly, less strongly, least strongly

What Are Prepositions?

Prepositions provide context and establish relationships between nouns, pronouns, and other words in a sentence. They indicate time, location, direction, manner, and other vital information. Prepositions can fall into several subcategories. For instance, on can indicate physical location, but it can also be used to express time.

Place the bouquet of roses on the table.

We will meet on Monday.

There are many prepositions. A few examples include: about, above, across, after, before, behind, beneath, beside, during, except, for, from, in, inside, into, like, near, of, off, onto, past, regarding, since, through, toward, under, until, with, without.

Prepositions can contain more than one word, like according to and with regard to.

What Are Conjunctions?

Conjunctions are words that join words, phrases, or clauses together within a sentence and provide information about the relationship between those words. There are different types of conjunctions.

Coordinating conjunctions connect words, phrases, or clauses of equal importance: and, but, for, not, or, so, yet.

I like to sing, and she likes to dance.

Correlative conjunctions come in pairs and join balanced elements of a sentence: both…and, just as…so, not only…but also, either…or, neither…nor, whether…or.

You can either come with us and have fun, or stay at home and be bored.

Subordinating conjunctions connect dependent clauses to independent clauses. A few examples include: after, although, even though, since, unless, until, when , and while.

They had a great time on their stroll, even though it started raining and they got soaked.

Conjunctive adverbs are adverbs that function as conjunctions, connecting independent clauses or sentences. Examples of conjunctive adverbs are also, anyway, besides, however, meanwhile, nevertheless, otherwise, similarly, and therefore .

I really wanted to go to the party. However , I was feeling sick and decided to stay in.

I really wanted to go to the party; however , I was feeling sick and decided to stay in.

What Are Interjections?

Interjections are words that express strong emotions, sudden reactions, or exclamations. This part of speech is usually a standalone word or phrase, but even when it is  part of a sentence, it does not relate grammatically to the rest of .

There are several interjections. Examples include: ahh, alas, bravo, eww, hello, please, thanks, and oops.

Ahh ! I couldn’t believe what was happening.

When it comes to improving your writing skills, understanding the parts of speech is as important as adding other ingredients besides lettuce to a salad.

The information provided above is indeed extensive, but it’s critical to learn if you want to write effectively and confidently. LanguageTool—a multilingual writing assistant—makes comprehending the parts of speech easy by detecting errors as you write.

Give it a try—it’s free!

Unleash the Professional Writer in You With LanguageTool

Go well beyond grammar and spell checking. Impress with clear, precise, and stylistically flawless writing instead.

Works on All Your Favorite Services

• Thunderbird
• Google Docs
• Microsoft Word
• Open Office
• Libre Office

We Value Your Feedback

We’ve made a mistake, forgotten about an important detail, or haven’t managed to get the point across? Let’s help each other to perfect our writing.

• Page Content
• Sidebar Content
• Main Navigation
• Quick links
• All TIP Sheets

The Eight Parts of Speech

• Prepositions
• Conjunctions
• Interjections
• Basic Sentence Structure
• Sentence Fragments
• Run-on Sentences and Comma Splices
• Sentence Type and Purpose
• Independent and Dependent Clauses: Coordination and Subordination
• Subject Verb Agreement
• Consistent Verb Tense
• Other Phrases: Verbal, Appositive, Absolute
• Pronoun Reference
• Relative Pronouns: Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clauses
• Avoiding Modifier Problems
• Transitions
• Would, Should, Could
• Achieving Parallelism
• Definite and Indefinite Articles
• Two-Word Verbs

TIP Sheet THE EIGHT PARTS OF SPEECH

There are eight parts of speech in the English language: noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection. The part of speech indicates how the word functions in meaning as well as grammatically within the sentence. An individual word can function as more than one part of speech when used in different circumstances. Understanding parts of speech is essential for determining the correct definition of a word when using the dictionary.

1. NOUN

• A noun is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea.

man... Butte College... house... happiness

A noun is a word for a person, place, thing, or idea. Nouns are often used with an article ( the , a , an ), but not always. Proper nouns always start with a capital letter; common nouns do not. Nouns can be singular or plural, concrete or abstract. Nouns show possession by adding 's . Nouns can function in different roles within a sentence; for example, a noun can be a subject, direct object, indirect object, subject complement, or object of a preposition.

The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher , and then she quickly disappeared. Oh my!

See the TIP Sheet on "Nouns" for further information.

2. PRONOUN

• A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun.

She... we... they... it

A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun. A pronoun is usually substituted for a specific noun, which is called its antecedent. In the sentence above, the antecedent for the pronoun she is the girl. Pronouns are further defined by type: personal pronouns refer to specific persons or things; possessive pronouns indicate ownership; reflexive pronouns are used to emphasize another noun or pronoun; relative pronouns introduce a subordinate clause; and demonstrative pronouns identify, point to, or refer to nouns.

The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher, and then she quickly disappeared. Oh my!

See the TIP Sheet on "Pronouns" for further information.

3. VERB

• A verb expresses action or being.

jump... is... write... become

The verb in a sentence expresses action or being. There is a main verb and sometimes one or more helping verbs. (" She can sing." Sing is the main verb; can is the helping verb.) A verb must agree with its subject in number (both are singular or both are plural). Verbs also take different forms to express tense.

The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher, and then she quickly disappeared . Oh my!

See the TIP Sheet on "Verbs" for more information.

4. ADJECTIVE

• An adjective modifies or describes a noun or pronoun.

pretty... old... blue... smart

An adjective is a word used to modify or describe a noun or a pronoun. It usually answers the question of which one, what kind, or how many. (Articles [a, an, the] are usually classified as adjectives.)

See the TIP Sheet on "Adjectives" for more information.

5. ADVERB

• An adverb modifies or describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

gently... extremely... carefully... well

An adverb describes or modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb, but never a noun. It usually answers the questions of when, where, how, why, under what conditions, or to what degree. Adverbs often end in -ly.

See the TIP Sheet on "Adverbs" for more information.

6. PREPOSITION

• A preposition is a word placed before a noun or pronoun to form a phrase modifying another word in the sentence.

by... with.... about... until

(by the tree, with our friends, about the book, until tomorrow)

A preposition is a word placed before a noun or pronoun to form a phrase modifying another word in the sentence. Therefore a preposition is always part of a prepositional phrase. The prepositional phrase almost always functions as an adjective or as an adverb. The following list includes the most common prepositions:

See the TIP Sheet on "Prepositions" for more information.

7. CONJUNCTION

• A conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses.

and... but... or... while... because

A conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses, and indicates the relationship between the elements joined. Coordinating conjunctions connect grammatically equal elements: and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet. Subordinating conjunctions connect clauses that are not equal: because, although, while, since, etc. There are other types of conjunctions as well.

The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher, and then she quickly disappeared. Oh my!

See the TIP Sheet on "Conjunctions" for more information.

8. INTERJECTION

• An interjection is a word used to express emotion.

Oh!... Wow!... Oops!

An interjection is a word used to express emotion. It is often followed by an exclamation point.

The young girl brought me a very long letter from the teacher, and then she quickly disappeared. Oh my !

See the TIP Sheet on "Interjections" for more information.

Home | Calendars | Library | Bookstore | Directory | Apply Now | Search for Classes | Register | Online Classes  | MyBC Portal MyBC -->

Butte College | 3536 Butte Campus Drive, Oroville CA 95965 | General Information (530) 895-2511

Basic English Grammar

Helping People Understand the Eight Parts of Speech!

8 Parts of Speech Definitions With Examples

The 8 parts of speech definitions with examples include nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions and interjections.

By using proper grammar in your writing and speaking, you will communicate clearly and effectively with your subject or audience! Moreover, by learning and understanding the 8 parts of speech, you will be able to master proper grammar in your writing and speaking. Below are the 8 parts of speech definitions with examples!

TOC – 8 Parts of Speech Definitions With Examples

• Prepositions
• Conjunctions
• Interjections

Definition of Parts of Speech: A part of speech is a category to which a word is assigned in accordance with its syntactic functions.

To put it very simply, a part of speech identifies a word in accordance with its function in a sentence such as: a noun, a verb, an adjective, a pronoun, an adverb, a preposition, a conjunction and an interjection.

Some Examples of Parts of Speech:

• The driver died in the car accident. (Noun)
• The prisoner escaped from the moving van. (Verb)
• The violent criminal changed his ways in prison. (Adjective)
• The students were late so they ran to class. (Pronoun)
• The bus will leave soon. (Adverb)
• He left his computer in the house. (Preposition)
• David and Jonathan fished all day with no success. (Conjunction)
• Wow! What a magnificent photograph! (Interjection)

Definition of Nouns: Nouns are naming words and they name persons, places, things, animals, qualities, feelings, actions or ideas.

Examples of Nouns:

• Jonathan and Rachel are excellent workers (Naming a Person).
• Australia and New Zealand are island continents in the South Pacific (Naming a Place).
• The boat sank in the river (Naming a Thing).
• The dog jumped the fence (Naming an Animal).
• Courage and bravery are two heroic qualities (Naming a Quality).
• Candice experienced both happiness and sadness at her mother’s funeral (Naming a Feeling).
• He demanded justice for all (Naming an Idea).

Examples of Types of Nouns:

• Jennifer is my best friend (Proper Noun).
• I read several books a week (Common Noun).
• Emma parked her vehicle in the driveway (Concrete Noun).
• His joy overwhelmed the crowd (Abstract Noun).
• I gave my brother a pack of cards for his birthday (Collective Noun).
• My mother-in-law drives a new car (Compound Noun).
• The photographer took a variety of photographs at the school picnic (Countable Noun).
• The jogger brought his water with him (Non-Countable Noun).
• Jonathan’s pickup is being repaired (Possessive Noun).
• His return was a complete surprise (Verbal Noun).

You can learn more about the types of nouns in English grammar by checking out 10 Types of Nouns With Examples. You will find each type of noun explained with several examples so that your skill levels to recognize nouns will increase.

Examples of Functions of Nouns:

• David arrived late to the party (Noun Functions as Subject).
• Rebekah washed the dishes before she went to school (Noun Functions as Direct Object).
• Jonathan taught the students public speaking in class (Noun Functions as Indirect Object).
• Scott is the minister of the local church (Noun Functions as Predicate Nominative).
• The traffic stopped at the lights (Noun Functions as Object of Preposition).
• My assistant, Brad, shared the message on Sunday (Noun Functions as an Appositive).
• Rebekah named her dog Bailey (Noun Functions as Objective Complement).
• Class, it is time for fire drill (Noun Functions as Noun of Direct Address).

You can learn more about the functions of Nouns in English grammar by clicking on The 8 Noun Functions With Examples. You will find each function explained with examples to help you develop your skills in recognizing the different ways nouns function.

Definition of Verbs: Verbs show action or state-of-being.

Examples of Verb Types:

• The dog jumped the fence (Action Verb).
• Rachel is beautiful (State-of-Being Verb).
• Brad hits the ball over the fence (Action Verb).
• The song sounds awful (State-of-Being).
• Emma walked the dog in the park (Action Verb).

Examples of Verb Functions:

• Candice writes a letter to her friend (Transitive Verb).
• Candice writes beautifully (Intransitive Verb).
• David walked the dog in the park (Transitive Verb).
• David walked in the park in the rain (Intransitive Verb).
• Emma became an apprentice hairdresser (Intransitive Verb).

Examples of Verb Voices:

• John rode the bike to school (Active Voice).
• The bike was ridden by John (Passive Voice).
• Jennifer led the worship service (Active Voice).
• The worship service was led by Jennifer (Passive Voice).
• The criminal was punished by the courts (Passive Voice).

You can learn more about how to identify types, functions and voices of verbs by clicking on How To Identify Verbs With Examples. This will help you develop your writing and speaking gifts.

3. Adjectives

Definition of Adjectives: Adjectives are words that describe or modify other words in a sentence thus making your writing and speaking more specific and interesting.

Examples of Several Types Adjectives:

• English grammar will help you develop your writing and speaking skills (Proper Adjective).
• Rachel had beautiful hair (Descriptive Adjective).
• My son bought an expensive car (Qualitative Adjective).
• The black cat ran in front of the car (Attributive Adjective).
• The cat is black (Predicative Adjective).
• My husband has a single focus for life (Quantitative Adjective).
• I can get twenty-four hours of service in our location (Numeral Adjective).
• I want those people charged for robbery (Demonstrative Adjective).
• David wants every person evacuated safely (Distributive Adjective).
• What time will you arrived home from the game (Interrogative Adjective)?
• The students will submit their assignments on time (Possessive Adjective).
• It is a long, narrow, winding road to the mountain top (Sequence Adjectives).
• Emma is a happy and lively person (Coordinate Adjectives).
• That was one nasty old man who drove the school bus this morning (Cumulative Adjectives).
• The murderer is a cold-blooded person (Compound Adjective).
• The builder bought a house in the country (Article Adjectives).
• Jonathan wants a few minutes of your time (Indefinite Adjective).
• The first person in the line collapsed onto the floor (Ordinal Adjective).
• The two men were jailed for life (Cardinal Adjective).

Learning to recognize the different types of adjectives will help you develop your speaking and writing skills so that you can be more specific, interesting and colorful in the way you express yourself.

4. Pronouns

Definition of Pronouns: Pronouns are words that replace nouns in sentence in order to avoid repeating the same noun over and over again.

Examples of Several Types of Pronouns :

• Dad, will you help me with my assignment (Personal Pronoun)?
• These books are mine (Possessive Pronoun).
• Give me that (Demonstrative Pronoun)!
• Some made thousands from the market collapse (Indefinite Pronoun).
• The player who was warmed about his behavior lost his spot on the team (Relative Pronoun).
• Candice saw herself in the mirror (Reflective Pronoun).
• David repairs the car himself (Emphatic Pronoun).

You can learn more about the different types of pronouns in English grammar with examples by clicking on Types of Pronouns With Examples. You will find a brief explanation of each type of pronoun with some examples. This will help you understand how pronouns work in English sentences.

Definition of Adverbs: Adverbs are words or a group of words that modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs. They usually tell when, where, how or to what extent an action is performed or it may indicate the quality or degree of the action.

Examples of Different Types of Adverbs:

• She worked slowly and carefully on the building site (Adverb of Manner).
• David will be home soon (Adverb of Time).
• Candice put her book there (Adverb of Place).
• We are extremely hungry (Adverb of Degree).
• She never cleans her room (Adverb of Frequency).
• He gave little to charity (Adverb of Quantity).
• He fell forward on the parade ground (Adverb of Direction).
• Hopefully, I will be able to attend class today (Adverb of Uncertainty).
• Rachel went shopping; however, she didn’t buy anything (Conjunctive Adverb).
• Yes, I will be coming to the game tomorrow (Adverb of Affirmation).

You can learn more about adverbs and how they are used in English sentences by clicking on What is an Adverb? Adverb can be confusing at times because they perform differently roles and they can be inserted at different place in English sentences. By learning to recognize the types of adverbs and how they function in sentences, you will certainly increase your ability to write and speak with interesting to your audiences.

6. Prepositions

Definition of Prepositions: Prepositions consist of words or groups of words that show the relationship between nouns or pronouns with other words in sentences.

Examples of Several Types of Prepositions:

• Emma arrived on Saturday afternoon (Preposition of Time).
• The book is on the table (Preposition of Place).
• David will ride his bike to the game on Saturday (Preposition of Movement).
• Rebekah goes to work by bus (Preposition of Manner).
• Jonathan is sawing the timber with his new saw (Preposition of Agent).
• The hardware store sells electrical cord by the meter (Preposition of Measure).
• Candace received her weekly wage from her workplace (Preposition of Source).
• This is the property of my late wife (Preposition of Possession).

You can learn more about the 8 types of prepositions with examples by clicking on 8 types of prepositions with examples. Once you identify the 8 types of preposition and how they function in sentence, you will become more creative in your writing and speaking skills.

7. Conjunctions

Definition of Conjunctions: Conjunctions are words or groups of words that show how ideas are related to each other in English sentences.

Examples of Several Types of Conjunctions:

• Rachel and Darcy traveled to the zoo during the holidays (Coordinating Conjunction).
• Unless the drought breaks soon, many farmers will find it very difficult to continue farming (Subordinating Conjunction).
• David is both discreet and considerate (Correlative Conjunctions).
• We have been good friends; however, I think at times you take me for granted (Conjunctive Adverb).
• The stray dog not only destroyed the chicken pen but also killed the chickens (Correlative Conjunctions).

You can learn more about the 4 types of conjunctions with examples by clicking on 4 Types of Conjunctions With Examples. By learning these 4 types of conjunctions with examples, you will be able to identify how words, phrases and clauses relate to each other in English sentences.

8. Interjections

Definition of Interjections: Interjections are used to express feelings and emotions in English sentences.

Examples of Interjections:

• Oh, you can’t be serious!
• Wow! That’s was excellent.
• Ah, I needed that cuppa!
• I won the lottery, wahoo!
• It stinks, hey, I will never do that again!

You can learn more about interjections by clicking on What is an Interjection?

The more you understand the 8 parts of speech in English grammar with examples, the better you will be able to write and speak to your designated audience. Enjoy!

Master comma placement by learning the 8 simple comma rules with examples.

8 Parts of Speech Definitions For Kids!

Articles of Interest

What are the 7 Subjective Pronouns?

Possessive Adjectives vs Possessive Pronouns

What are the 7 Possessive Adjectives?

What is a Simple Sentence With Examples?

Predicate Nominative Vs Predicate Adjective

4 Types of Sentence Structures With Examples

Understanding the 8 Parts of Speech: Definitions and Examples

Are you trying to master the grammatical rules of English? If so, understanding the 8 parts of speech is crucial. But what exactly are the parts of speech? How many are there? And how do you know which words fall into each category? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In this comprehensive guide, we will break down the definitions and examples of the 8 parts of speech, making it easier for you to navigate the intricacies of the English language.

Key Takeaways

What are parts of speech.

Pronouns are words used in place of nouns to avoid repetition. They can refer to individuals or groups. Examples of pronouns include “he,” “she,” “it,” and “they.”

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, providing information on how, when, where, or to what extent. They often end in “-ly.” Examples of adverbs include “quickly,” “happily,” and “very.”

Prepositions

Conjunctions, interjections.

Interjections are short exclamations used to express emotions or surprise. They are often followed by exclamation marks. Examples of interjections include “Wow,” “Yay,” and “Ouch!”

Parts of Speech

Pronouns are words that are used to replace nouns in a sentence. They help avoid repetitive use of nouns and add fluency to our language. Personal pronouns, such as “he,” “she,” or “they,” refer to specific individuals or groups of people. Here are some examples of pronouns used in sentences:

Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They provide information about how, when, where, or to what extent an action is performed. Adverbs enhance the meaning of a sentence and add precision to our language. Here are some examples of adverbs used in sentences:

Preposition

Conjunction, interjection.

Interjections are words or phrases used to convey strong emotions or reactions. They are often standalone expressions and can add emphasis or express surprise, joy, or frustration. Interjections bring life and emotion to our language. Here are some examples of interjections used in sentences:

Examples of Each Part of Speech

Pronouns, on the other hand, replace nouns to avoid repetition. Here are a few examples for better understanding:

Verbs express actions, feelings, or states of being. Check out these verb examples:

Adjectives add descriptions to nouns. Here are a few examples:

Adverbs add meaning to verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Take a look at these examples:

Prepositions express the relationship between nouns, pronouns, and other words. Here are some examples:

Conjunctions connect words, phrases, or clauses within a sentence. Check out these examples:

Interjections convey strong emotions or sudden reactions. Here are a few examples:

Remember, understanding the different parts of speech and their functions is crucial in constructing meaningful sentences. Keep practicing and exploring the various examples to strengthen your language skills.

By practicing and exploring the functions of these parts of speech, you will become a confident English speaker and writer. Remember to apply this knowledge in your daily conversations and written communication to enhance your language skills.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Choose Your Test

• Search Blogs By Category
• College Admissions
• AP and IB Exams
• GPA and Coursework

Understanding the 8 Parts of Speech: Definitions and Examples

General Education

If you’re trying to learn the grammatical rules of English, you’ve probably been asked to learn the parts of speech. But what are parts of speech and how many are there? How do you know which words are classified in each part of speech?

The answers to these questions can be a bit complicated—English is a difficult language to learn and understand. Don’t fret, though! We’re going to answer each of these questions for you with a full guide to the parts of speech that explains the following:

• What the parts of speech are, including a comprehensive parts of speech list
• Parts of speech definitions for the individual parts of speech. (If you’re looking for information on a specific part of speech, you can search for it by pressing Command + F, then typing in the part of speech you’re interested in.) 
• Parts of speech examples
• A ten question quiz covering parts of speech definitions and parts of speech examples

We’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s begin!

Feature Image: (Gavina S / Wikimedia Commons)

What Are Parts of Speech? 

The parts of speech definitions in English can vary, but here’s a widely accepted one: a part of speech is a category of words that serve a similar grammatical purpose in sentences.  

To make that definition even simpler, a part of speech is just a category for similar types of words . All of the types of words included under a single part of speech function in similar ways when they’re used properly in sentences.

In the English language, it’s commonly accepted that there are 8 parts of speech: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, conjunctions, interjections, and prepositions. Each of these categories plays a different role in communicating meaning in the English language. Each of the eight parts of speech—which we might also call the “main classes” of speech—also have subclasses. In other words, we can think of each of the eight parts of speech as being general categories for different types within their part of speech . There are different types of nouns, different types of verbs, different types of adjectives, adverbs, pronouns...you get the idea. 

And that’s an overview of what a part of speech is! Next, we’ll explain each of the 8 parts of speech—definitions and examples included for each category. 

There are tons of nouns in this picture. Can you find them all? 

Nouns are a class of words that refer, generally, to people and living creatures, objects, events, ideas, states of being, places, and actions. You’ve probably heard English nouns referred to as “persons, places, or things.” That definition is a little simplistic, though—while nouns do include people, places, and things, “things” is kind of a vague term. I t’s important to recognize that “things” can include physical things—like objects or belongings—and nonphysical, abstract things—like ideas, states of existence, and actions. 

Since there are many different types of nouns, we’ll include several examples of nouns used in a sentence while we break down the subclasses of nouns next!

Subclasses of Nouns, Including Examples

As an open class of words, the category of “nouns” has a lot of subclasses. The most common and important subclasses of nouns are common nouns, proper nouns, concrete nouns, abstract nouns, collective nouns, and count and mass nouns. Let’s break down each of these subclasses!

Common Nouns and Proper Nouns

Common nouns are generic nouns—they don’t name specific items. They refer to people (the man, the woman), living creatures (cat, bird), objects (pen, computer, car), events (party, work), ideas (culture, freedom), states of being (beauty, integrity), and places (home, neighborhood, country) in a general way. 

Proper nouns are sort of the counterpart to common nouns. Proper nouns refer to specific people, places, events, or ideas. Names are the most obvious example of proper nouns, like in these two examples: 

Common noun: What state are you from?

Proper noun: I’m from Arizona .

Whereas “state” is a common noun, Arizona is a proper noun since it refers to a specific state. Whereas “the election” is a common noun, “Election Day” is a proper noun. Another way to pick out proper nouns: the first letter is often capitalized. If you’d capitalize the word in a sentence, it’s almost always a proper noun. 

Concrete Nouns and Abstract Nouns

Concrete nouns are nouns that can be identified through the five senses. Concrete nouns include people, living creatures, objects, and places, since these things can be sensed in the physical world. In contrast to concrete nouns, abstract nouns are nouns that identify ideas, qualities, concepts, experiences, or states of being. Abstract nouns cannot be detected by the five senses. Here’s an example of concrete and abstract nouns used in a sentence: 

Concrete noun: Could you please fix the weedeater and mow the lawn ?

Abstract noun: Aliyah was delighted to have the freedom to enjoy the art show in peace .

See the difference? A weedeater and the lawn are physical objects or things, and freedom and peace are not physical objects, though they’re “things” people experience! Despite those differences, they all count as nouns. 

Collective Nouns, Count Nouns, and Mass Nouns

Nouns are often categorized based on number and amount. Collective nouns are nouns that refer to a group of something—often groups of people or a type of animal. Team , crowd , and herd are all examples of collective nouns. 

Count nouns are nouns that can appear in the singular or plural form, can be modified by numbers, and can be described by quantifying determiners (e.g. many, most, more, several). For example, “bug” is a count noun. It can occur in singular form if you say, “There is a bug in the kitchen,” but it can also occur in the plural form if you say, “There are many bugs in the kitchen.” (In the case of the latter, you’d call an exterminator...which is an example of a common noun!) Any noun that can accurately occur in one of these singular or plural forms is a count noun. 

Mass nouns are another type of noun that involve numbers and amount. Mass nouns are nouns that usually can’t be pluralized, counted, or quantified and still make sense grammatically. “Charisma” is an example of a mass noun (and an abstract noun!). For example, you could say, “They’ve got charisma, ” which doesn’t imply a specific amount. You couldn’t say, “They’ve got six charismas, ” or, “They’ve got several charismas .” It just doesn’t make sense! 

Verbs are all about action...just like these runners. 

A verb is a part of speech that, when used in a sentence, communicates an action, an occurrence, or a state of being . In sentences, verbs are the most important part of the predicate, which explains or describes what the subject of the sentence is doing or how they are being. And, guess what? All sentences contain verbs!

There are many words in the English language that are classified as verbs. A few common verbs include the words run, sing, cook, talk, and clean. These words are all verbs because they communicate an action performed by a living being. We’ll look at more specific examples of verbs as we discuss the subclasses of verbs next!

Subclasses of Verbs, Including Examples

Like nouns, verbs have several subclasses. The subclasses of verbs include copular or linking verbs, intransitive verbs, transitive verbs, and ditransitive or double transitive verbs. Let’s dive into these subclasses of verbs!

Copular or Linking Verbs

Copular verbs, or linking verbs, are verbs that link a subject with its complement in a sentence. The most familiar linking verb is probably be. Here’s a list of other common copular verbs in English: act, be, become, feel, grow, seem, smell, and taste. 

So how do copular verbs work? Well, in a sentence, if we said, “Michi is ,” and left it at that, it wouldn’t make any sense. “Michi,” the subject, needs to be connected to a complement by the copular verb “is.” Instead, we could say, “Michi is leaving.” In that instance, is links the subject of the sentence to its complement. 

Transitive Verbs, Intransitive Verbs, and Ditransitive Verbs

Transitive verbs are verbs that affect or act upon an object. When unattached to an object in a sentence, a transitive verb does not make sense. Here’s an example of a transitive verb attached to (and appearing before) an object in a sentence: 

Please take the clothes to the dry cleaners.

In this example, “take” is a transitive verb because it requires an object—”the clothes”—to make sense. “The clothes” are the objects being taken. “Please take” wouldn’t make sense by itself, would it? That’s because the transitive verb “take,” like all transitive verbs, transfers its action onto another being or object. 

Conversely, intransitive verbs don’t require an object to act upon in order to make sense in a sentence. These verbs make sense all on their own! For instance, “They ran ,” “We arrived ,” and, “The car stopped ” are all examples of sentences that contain intransitive verbs. 

Finally, ditransitive verbs, or double transitive verbs, are a bit more complicated. Ditransitive verbs are verbs that are followed by two objects in a sentence . One of the objects has the action of the ditransitive verb done to it, and the other object has the action of the ditransitive verb directed towards it. Here’s an example of what that means in a sentence: 

I cooked Nathan a meal.

In this example, “cooked” is a ditransitive verb because it modifies two objects: Nathan and meal . The meal has the action of “cooked” done to it, and “Nathan” has the action of the verb directed towards him. 

Adjectives are descriptors that help us better understand a sentence. A common adjective type is color.

#3: Adjectives

Here’s the simplest definition of adjectives: adjectives are words that describe other words . Specifically, adjectives modify nouns and noun phrases. In sentences, adjectives appear before nouns and pronouns (they have to appear before the words they describe!). 

Adjectives give more detail to nouns and pronouns by describing how a noun looks, smells, tastes, sounds, or feels, or its state of being or existence. . For example, you could say, “The girl rode her bike.” That sentence doesn’t have any adjectives in it, but you could add an adjective before both of the nouns in the sentence—”girl” and “bike”—to give more detail to the sentence. It might read like this: “The young girl rode her red bike.”   You can pick out adjectives in a sentence by asking the following questions: 

• Which one? 
• What kind? 
• How many? 
• Whose’s? 

We’ll look at more examples of adjectives as we explore the subclasses of adjectives next!

Subclasses of Adjectives, Including Examples

Subclasses of adjectives include adjective phrases, comparative adjectives, superlative adjectives, and determiners (which include articles, possessive adjectives, and demonstratives). 

Adjective Phrases

An adjective phrase is a group of words that describe a noun or noun phrase in a sentence. Adjective phrases can appear before the noun or noun phrase in a sentence, like in this example: 

The extremely fragile vase somehow did not break during the move.

In this case, extremely fragile describes the vase. On the other hand, adjective phrases can appear after the noun or noun phrase in a sentence as well: 

The museum was somewhat boring. 

Again, the phrase somewhat boring describes the museum. The takeaway is this: adjective phrases describe the subject of a sentence with greater detail than an individual adjective. 

Comparative Adjectives and Superlative Adjectives

Comparative adjectives are used in sentences where two nouns are compared. They function to compare the differences between the two nouns that they modify. In sentences, comparative adjectives often appear in this pattern and typically end with -er. If we were to describe how comparative adjectives function as a formula, it might look something like this: 

Noun (subject) + verb + comparative adjective + than + noun (object).

Here’s an example of how a comparative adjective would work in that type of sentence: 

The horse was faster than the dog.

The adjective faster compares the speed of the horse to the speed of the dog. Other common comparative adjectives include words that compare distance ( higher, lower, farther ), age ( younger, older ), size and dimensions ( bigger, smaller, wider, taller, shorter ), and quality or feeling ( better, cleaner, happier, angrier ). 

Superlative adjectives are adjectives that describe the extremes of a quality that applies to a subject being compared to a group of objects . Put more simply, superlative adjectives help show how extreme something is. In sentences, superlative adjectives usually appear in this structure and end in -est : 

Noun (subject) + verb + the + superlative adjective + noun (object).

Here’s an example of a superlative adjective that appears in that type of sentence: 

Their story was the funniest story. 

In this example, the subject— story —is being compared to a group of objects—other stories. The superlative adjective “funniest” implies that this particular story is the funniest out of all the stories ever, period. Other common superlative adjectives are best, worst, craziest, and happiest... though there are many more than that! 

It’s also important to know that you can often omit the object from the end of the sentence when using superlative adjectives, like this: “Their story was the funniest.” We still know that “their story” is being compared to other stories without the object at the end of the sentence.

Determiners

The last subclass of adjectives we want to look at are determiners. Determiners are words that determine what kind of reference a noun or noun phrase makes. These words are placed in front of nouns to make it clear what the noun is referring to. Determiners are an example of a part of speech subclass that contains a lot of subclasses of its own. Here is a list of the different types of determiners: 

• Definite article: the
• Indefinite articles : a, an 
• Demonstratives: this, that, these, those
• Pronouns and possessive determiners: my, your, his, her, its, our, their
• Quantifiers : a little, a few, many, much, most, some, any, enough
• Numbers: one, twenty, fifty
• Distributives: all, both, half, either, neither, each, every
• Difference words : other, another
• Pre-determiners: such, what, rather, quite

Here are some examples of how determiners can be used in sentences: 

Definite article: Get in the car.  

Demonstrative: Could you hand me that magazine?  

Possessive determiner: Please put away your clothes. 

Distributive: He ate all of the pie. 

Though some of the words above might not seem descriptive, they actually do describe the specificity and definiteness, relationship, and quantity or amount of a noun or noun phrase. For example, the definite article “the” (a type of determiner) indicates that a noun refers to a specific thing or entity. The indefinite article “an,” on the other hand, indicates that a noun refers to a nonspecific entity. 

One quick note, since English is always more complicated than it seems: while articles are most commonly classified as adjectives, they can also function as adverbs in specific situations, too. Not only that, some people are taught that determiners are their own part of speech...which means that some people are taught there are 9 parts of speech instead of 8! 

It can be a little confusing, which is why we have a whole article explaining how articles function as a part of speech to help clear things up . 

Adverbs can be used to answer questions like "when?" and "how long?"

Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives (including determiners), clauses, prepositions, and sentences. Adverbs typically answer the questions how?, in what way?, when?, where?, and to what extent? In answering these questions, adverbs function to express frequency, degree, manner, time, place, and level of certainty . Adverbs can answer these questions in the form of single words, or in the form of adverbial phrases or adverbial clauses. 

Adverbs are commonly known for being words that end in -ly, but there’s actually a bit more to adverbs than that, which we’ll dive into while we look at the subclasses of adverbs!

Subclasses Of Adverbs, Including Examples

There are many types of adverbs, but the main subclasses we’ll look at are conjunctive adverbs, and adverbs of place, time, manner, degree, and frequency. 

Conjunctive Adverbs

Conjunctive adverbs look like coordinating conjunctions (which we’ll talk about later!), but they are actually their own category: conjunctive adverbs are words that connect independent clauses into a single sentence . These adverbs appear after a semicolon and before a comma in sentences, like in these two examples: 

She was exhausted; nevertheless , she went for a five mile run. 

They didn’t call; instead , they texted.  

Though conjunctive adverbs are frequently used to create shorter sentences using a semicolon and comma, they can also appear at the beginning of sentences, like this: 

He chopped the vegetables. Meanwhile, I boiled the pasta.  

One thing to keep in mind is that conjunctive adverbs come with a comma. When you use them, be sure to include a comma afterward! 

There are a lot of conjunctive adverbs, but some common ones include also, anyway, besides, finally, further, however, indeed, instead, meanwhile, nevertheless, next, nonetheless, now, otherwise, similarly, then, therefore, and thus.  

Adverbs of Place, Time, Manner, Degree, and Frequency

There are also adverbs of place, time, manner, degree, and frequency. Each of these types of adverbs express a different kind of meaning. 

Adverbs of place express where an action is done or where an event occurs. These are used after the verb, direct object, or at the end of a sentence. A sentence like “She walked outside to watch the sunset” uses outside as an adverb of place. 

Adverbs of time explain when something happens. These adverbs are used at the beginning or at the end of sentences. In a sentence like “The game should be over soon,” soon functions as an adverb of time. 

Adverbs of manner describe the way in which something is done or how something happens. These are the adverbs that usually end in the familiar -ly.  If we were to write “She quickly finished her homework,” quickly is an adverb of manner. 

Adverbs of degree tell us the extent to which something happens or occurs. If we were to say “The play was quite interesting,” quite tells us the extent of how interesting the play was. Thus, quite is an adverb of degree.  

Finally, adverbs of frequency express how often something happens . In a sentence like “They never know what to do with themselves,” never is an adverb of frequency. 

Five subclasses of adverbs is a lot, so we’ve organized the words that fall under each category in a nifty table for you here: 

It’s important to know about these subclasses of adverbs because many of them don’t follow the old adage that adverbs end in -ly. 

Here's a helpful list of pronouns. (Attanata / Flickr )

#5: Pronouns

Pronouns are words that can be substituted for a noun or noun phrase in a sentence . Pronouns function to make sentences less clunky by allowing people to avoid repeating nouns over and over. For example, if you were telling someone a story about your friend Destiny, you wouldn’t keep repeating their name over and over again every time you referred to them. Instead, you’d use a pronoun—like they or them—to refer to Destiny throughout the story. 

Pronouns are typically short words, often only two or three letters long. The most familiar pronouns in the English language are they, she, and he. But these aren’t the only pronouns. There are many more pronouns in English that fall under different subclasses!

Subclasses of Pronouns, Including Examples

There are many subclasses of pronouns, but the most commonly used subclasses are personal pronouns, possessive pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, indefinite pronouns, and interrogative pronouns. 

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns are probably the most familiar type of pronoun. Personal pronouns include I, me, you, she, her, him, he, we, us, they, and them. These are called personal pronouns because they refer to a person! Personal pronouns can replace specific nouns in sentences, like a person’s name, or refer to specific groups of people, like in these examples: 

Did you see Gia pole vault at the track meet? Her form was incredible!

The Cycling Club is meeting up at six. They said they would be at the park. 

In both of the examples above, a pronoun stands in for a proper noun to avoid repetitiveness. Her replaces Gia in the first example, and they replaces the Cycling Club in the second example. 

(It’s also worth noting that personal pronouns are one of the easiest ways to determine what point of view a writer is using.) 

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns are used to indicate that something belongs to or is the possession of someone. The possessive pronouns fall into two categories: limiting and absolute. In a sentence, absolute possessive pronouns can be substituted for the thing that belongs to a person, and limiting pronouns cannot. 

The limiting pronouns are my, your, its, his, her, our, their, and whose, and the absolute pronouns are mine, yours, his, hers, ours, and theirs . Here are examples of a limiting possessive pronoun and absolute possessive pronoun used in a sentence: 

Limiting possessive pronoun: Juan is fixing his car. 

In the example above, the car belongs to Juan, and his is the limiting possessive pronoun that shows the car belongs to Juan. Now, here’s an example of an absolute pronoun in a sentence: 

Absolute possessive pronoun: Did you buy your tickets ? We already bought ours . 

In this example, the tickets belong to whoever we is, and in the second sentence, ours is the absolute possessive pronoun standing in for the thing that “we” possess—the tickets. 

Demonstrative Pronouns, Interrogative Pronouns, and Indefinite Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns include the words that, this, these, and those. These pronouns stand in for a noun or noun phrase that has already been mentioned in a sentence or conversation. This and these are typically used to refer to objects or entities that are nearby distance-wise, and that and those usually refer to objects or entities that are farther away. Here’s an example of a demonstrative pronoun used in a sentence: 

The books are stacked up in the garage. Can you put those away? 

The books have already been mentioned, and those is the demonstrative pronoun that stands in to refer to them in the second sentence above. The use of those indicates that the books aren’t nearby—they’re out in the garage. Here’s another example: 

Do you need shoes? Here...you can borrow these. 

In this sentence, these refers to the noun shoes. Using the word these tells readers that the shoes are nearby...maybe even on the speaker’s feet! 

Indefinite pronouns are used when it isn’t necessary to identify a specific person or thing . The indefinite pronouns are one, other, none, some, anybody, everybody, and no one. Here’s one example of an indefinite pronoun used in a sentence: 

Promise you can keep a secret? 

Of course. I won’t tell anyone. 

In this example, the person speaking in the second two sentences isn’t referring to any particular people who they won’t tell the secret to. They’re saying that, in general, they won’t tell anyone . That doesn’t specify a specific number, type, or category of people who they won’t tell the secret to, which is what makes the pronoun indefinite. 

Finally, interrogative pronouns are used in questions, and these pronouns include who, what, which, and whose. These pronouns are simply used to gather information about specific nouns—persons, places, and ideas. Let’s look at two examples of interrogative pronouns used in sentences: 

Do you remember which glass was mine? 

What time are they arriving? 

In the first glass, the speaker wants to know more about which glass belongs to whom. In the second sentence, the speaker is asking for more clarity about a specific time. 

Conjunctions hook phrases and clauses together so they fit like pieces of a puzzle.

#6: Conjunctions

Conjunctions are words that are used to connect words, phrases, clauses, and sentences in the English language. This function allows conjunctions to connect actions, ideas, and thoughts as well. Conjunctions are also used to make lists within sentences. (Conjunctions are also probably the most famous part of speech, since they were immortalized in the famous “Conjunction Junction” song from Schoolhouse Rock .) 

You’re probably familiar with and, but, and or as conjunctions, but let’s look into some subclasses of conjunctions so you can learn about the array of conjunctions that are out there!

Subclasses of Conjunctions, Including Examples

Coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, and correlative conjunctions are three subclasses of conjunctions. Each of these types of conjunctions functions in a different way in sentences!

Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions are probably the most familiar type of conjunction. These conjunctions include the words for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so (people often recommend using the acronym FANBOYS to remember the seven coordinating conjunctions!). 

Coordinating conjunctions are responsible for connecting two independent clauses in sentences, but can also be used to connect two words in a sentence. Here are two examples of coordinating conjunctions that connect two independent clauses in a sentence: 

He wanted to go to the movies, but he couldn’t find his car keys. 

They put on sunscreen, and they went to the beach. 

Next, here are two examples of coordinating conjunctions that connect two words: 

Would you like to cook or order in for dinner? 

The storm was loud yet refreshing. 

The two examples above show that coordinating conjunctions can connect different types of words as well. In the first example, the coordinating conjunction “or” connects two verbs; in the second example, the coordinating conjunction “yet” connects two adjectives. 

But wait! Why does the first set of sentences have commas while the second set of sentences doesn’t? When using a coordinating conjunction, put a comma before the conjunction when it’s connecting two complete sentences . Otherwise, there’s no comma necessary. 

Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions are used to link an independent clause to a dependent clause in a sentence. This type of conjunction always appears at the beginning of a dependent clause, which means that subordinating conjunctions can appear at the beginning of a sentence or in the middle of a sentence following an independent clause. (If you’re unsure about what independent and dependent clauses are, be sure to check out our guide to compound sentences.) 

Here is an example of a subordinating conjunction that appears at the beginning of a sentence: 

Because we were hungry, we ordered way too much food. 

Now, here’s an example of a subordinating conjunction that appears in the middle of a sentence, following an independent clause and a comma: 

Rakim was scared after the power went out. 

See? In the example above, the subordinating conjunction after connects the independent clause Rakim was scared to the dependent clause after the power went out. Subordinating conjunctions include (but are not limited to!) the following words: after, as, because, before, even though, one, since, unless, until, whenever, and while. 

Correlative Conjunctions

Finally, correlative conjunctions are conjunctions that come in pairs, like both/and, either/or, and neither/nor. The two correlative conjunctions that come in a pair must appear in different parts of a sentence to make sense— they correlate the meaning in one part of the sentence with the meaning in another part of the sentence . Makes sense, right? 

Here are two examples of correlative conjunctions used in a sentence: 

We’re either going to the Farmer’s Market or the Natural Grocer’s for our shopping today. 

They’re going to have to get dog treats for both Piper and Fudge. 

Other pairs of correlative conjunctions include as many/as, not/but, not only/but also, rather/than, such/that, and whether/or. 

Interjections are single words that express emotions that end in an exclamation point. Cool!

#7: Interjections 

Interjections are words that often appear at the beginning of sentences or between sentences to express emotions or sentiments such as excitement, surprise, joy, disgust, anger, or even pain. Commonly used interjections include wow!, yikes!, ouch!, or ugh! One clue that an interjection is being used is when an exclamation point appears after a single word (but interjections don’t have to be followed by an exclamation point). And, since interjections usually express emotion or feeling, they’re often referred to as being exclamatory. Wow! 

Interjections don’t come together with other parts of speech to form bigger grammatical units, like phrases or clauses. There also aren’t strict rules about where interjections should appear in relation to other sentences . While it’s common for interjections to appear before sentences that describe an action or event that the interjection helps explain, interjections can appear after sentences that contain the action they’re describing as well. 

Subclasses of Interjections, Including Examples

There are two main subclasses of interjections: primary interjections and secondary interjections. Let’s take a look at these two types of interjections!

Primary Interjections  

Primary interjections are single words, like oh!, wow!, or ouch! that don’t enter into the actual structure of a sentence but add to the meaning of a sentence. Here’s an example of how a primary interjection can be used before a sentence to add to the meaning of the sentence that follows it: 

Ouch ! I just burned myself on that pan!

While someone who hears, I just burned myself on that pan might assume that the person who said that is now in pain, the interjection Ouch! makes it clear that burning oneself on the pan definitely was painful. 

Secondary Interjections

Secondary interjections are words that have other meanings but have evolved to be used like interjections in the English language and are often exclamatory. Secondary interjections can be mixed with greetings, oaths, or swear words. In many cases, the use of secondary interjections negates the original meaning of the word that is being used as an interjection. Let’s look at a couple of examples of secondary interjections here: 

Well , look what the cat dragged in!

Heck, I’d help if I could, but I’ve got to get to work. 

You probably know that the words well and heck weren’t originally used as interjections in the English language. Well originally meant that something was done in a good or satisfactory way, or that a person was in good health. Over time and through repeated usage, it’s come to be used as a way to express emotion, such as surprise, anger, relief, or resignation, like in the example above. 

This is a handy list of common prepositional phrases. (attanatta / Flickr) 

#8: Prepositions

The last part of speech we’re going to define is the preposition. Prepositions are words that are used to connect other words in a sentence—typically nouns and verbs—and show the relationship between those words. Prepositions convey concepts such as comparison, position, place, direction, movement, time, possession, and how an action is completed. 

Subclasses of Prepositions, Including Examples

The subclasses of prepositions are simple prepositions, double prepositions, participle prepositions, and prepositional phrases. 

Simple Prepositions

Simple prepositions appear before and between nouns, adjectives, or adverbs in sentences to convey relationships between people, living creatures, things, or places . Here are a couple of examples of simple prepositions used in sentences: 

I’ll order more ink before we run out. 

Your phone was beside your wallet. 

In the first example, the preposition before appears between the noun ink and the personal pronoun we to convey a relationship. In the second example, the preposition beside appears between the verb was and the possessive pronoun your.

In both examples, though, the prepositions help us understand how elements in the sentence are related to one another. In the first sentence, we know that the speaker currently has ink but needs more before it’s gone. In the second sentence, the preposition beside helps us understand how the wallet and the phone are positioned relative to one another! 

Double Prepositions

Double prepositions are exactly what they sound like: two prepositions joined together into one unit to connect phrases, nouns, and pronouns with other words in a sentence. Common examples of double prepositions include outside of, because of, according to, next to, across from, and on top of. Here is an example of a double preposition in a sentence: 

I thought you were sitting across from me. 

You see? Across and from both function as prepositions individually. When combined together in a sentence, they create a double preposition. (Also note that the prepositions help us understand how two people— you and I— are positioned with one another through spacial relationship.)  

Prepositional Phrases

Finally, prepositional phrases are groups of words that include a preposition and a noun or pronoun. Typically, the noun or pronoun that appears after the preposition in a prepositional phrase is called the object of the preposition. The object always appears at the end of the prepositional phrase. Additionally, prepositional phrases never include a verb or a subject. Here are two examples of prepositional phrases: 

The cat sat under the chair . 

In the example above, “under” is the preposition, and “the chair” is the noun, which functions as the object of the preposition. Here’s one more example: 

We walked through the overgrown field . 

Now, this example demonstrates one more thing you need to know about prepositional phrases: they can include an adjective before the object. In this example, “through” is the preposition, and “field” is the object. “Overgrown” is an adjective that modifies “the field,” and it’s quite common for adjectives to appear in prepositional phrases like the one above. 

While that might sound confusing, don’t worry: the key is identifying the preposition in the first place! Once you can find the preposition, you can start looking at the words around it to see if it forms a compound preposition, a double preposition of a prepositional phrase. 

10 Question Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of Parts of Speech Definitions and Examples

Since we’ve covered a lot of material about the 8 parts of speech with examples ( a lot of them!), we want to give you an opportunity to review and see what you’ve learned! While it might seem easier to just use a parts of speech finder instead of learning all this stuff, our parts of speech quiz can help you continue building your knowledge of the 8 parts of speech and master each one. 

Are you ready? Here we go:  

1) What are the 8 parts of speech? 

a) Noun, article, adverb, antecedent, verb, adjective, conjunction, interjection b) Noun, pronoun, verb, adverb, determiner, clause, adjective, preposition c) Noun, verb, adjective, adverb, pronoun, conjunction, interjection, preposition

2) Which parts of speech have subclasses?

a) Nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs b) Nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositions c) All of them! There are many types of words within each part of speech.

3) What is the difference between common nouns and proper nouns?

a) Common nouns don’t refer to specific people, places, or entities, but proper nouns do refer to specific people, places, or entities.  b) Common nouns refer to regular, everyday people, places, or entities, but proper nouns refer to famous people, places, or entities.  c) Common nouns refer to physical entities, like people, places, and objects, but proper nouns refer to nonphysical entities, like feelings, ideas, and experiences.

4) In which of the following sentences is the emboldened word a verb?

a) He was frightened by the horror film .   b) He adjusted his expectations after the first plan fell through.  c) She walked briskly to get there on time.

5) Which of the following is a correct definition of adjectives, and what other part of speech do adjectives modify?

a) Adjectives are describing words, and they modify nouns and noun phrases.  b) Adjectives are describing words, and they modify verbs and adverbs.  c) Adjectives are describing words, and they modify nouns, verbs, and adverbs.

6) Which of the following describes the function of adverbs in sentences?

a) Adverbs express frequency, degree, manner, time, place, and level of certainty. b) Adverbs express an action performed by a subject.  c) Adverbs describe nouns and noun phrases.

7) Which of the following answers contains a list of personal pronouns?

a) This, that, these, those b) I, you, me, we, he, she, him, her, they, them c) Who, what, which, whose

8) Where do interjections typically appear in a sentence?

a) Interjections can appear at the beginning of or in between sentences. b) Interjections appear at the end of sentences.  c) Interjections appear in prepositional phrases.

9) Which of the following sentences contains a prepositional phrase?

a) The dog happily wagged his tail.  b) The cow jumped over the moon.  c) She glared, angry that he forgot the flowers.

10) Which of the following is an accurate definition of a “part of speech”?

a) A category of words that serve a similar grammatical purpose in sentences. b) A category of words that are of similar length and spelling. c) A category of words that mean the same thing.

So, how did you do? If you got 1C, 2C, 3A, 4B, 5A, 6A, 7B, 8A, 9B, and 10A, you came out on top! There’s a lot to remember where the parts of speech are concerned, and if you’re looking for more practice like our quiz, try looking around for parts of speech games or parts of speech worksheets online!

What’s Next?

You might be brushing up on your grammar so you can ace the verbal portions of the SAT or ACT. Be sure you check out our guides to the grammar you need to know before you tackle those tests! Here’s our expert guide to the grammar rules you need to know for the SAT , and this article teaches you the 14 grammar rules you’ll definitely see on the ACT.

When you have a good handle on parts of speech, it can make writing essays tons easier. Learn how knowing parts of speech can help you get a perfect 12 on the ACT Essay (or an 8/8/8 on the SAT Essay ).

While we’re on the topic of grammar: keep in mind that knowing grammar rules is only part of the battle when it comes to the verbal and written portions of the SAT and ACT. Having a good vocabulary is also important to making the perfect score ! Here are 262 vocabulary words you need to know before you tackle your standardized tests.

Trending Now

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

ACT vs. SAT: Which Test Should You Take?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Get Your Free

Find Your Target SAT Score

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect SAT Score, by an Expert Full Scorer

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading and Writing

How to Improve Your Low SAT Score

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading and Writing

Find Your Target ACT Score

Complete Official Free ACT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect ACT Score, by a 36 Full Scorer

Get a 36 on ACT English

Get a 36 on ACT Math

Get a 36 on ACT Reading

Get a 36 on ACT Science

How to Improve Your Low ACT Score

Get a 24 on ACT English

Get a 24 on ACT Math

Get a 24 on ACT Reading

Get a 24 on ACT Science

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Parts of Speech

What are the parts of speech, a formal definition.

Table of Contents

The Part of Speech Is Determined by the Word's Function

Are there 8 or 9 parts of speech, the nine parts of speech, (1) adjective, (3) conjunction, (4) determiner, (5) interjection, (7) preposition, (8) pronoun, why the parts of speech are important, video lesson.

• You need to dig a well . (noun)
• You look well . (adjective)
• You dance well . (adverb)
• Well , I agree. (interjection)
• My eyes will well up. (verb)
• red, happy, enormous
• Ask the boy in the red jumper.
• I live in a happy place.
• I caught a fish this morning! I mean an enormous one.
• happily, loosely, often
• They skipped happily to the counter.
• Tie the knot loosely so they can escape.
• I often walk to work.
• It is an intriguingly magic setting.
• He plays the piano extremely well.
• and, or, but
• it is a large and important city.
• Shall we run to the hills or hide in the bushes?
• I know you are lying, but I cannot prove it.
• my, those, two, many
• My dog is fine with those cats.
• There are two dogs but many cats.
• ouch, oops, eek
• Ouch , that hurt.
• Oops , it's broken.
• Eek! A mouse just ran past my foot!
• leader, town, apple
• Take me to your leader .
• I will see you in town later.
• An apple fell on his head .
• in, near, on, with
• Sarah is hiding in the box.
• I live near the train station.
• Put your hands on your head.
• She yelled with enthusiasm.
• she, we, they, that
• Joanne is smart. She is also funny.
• Our team has studied the evidence. We know the truth.
• Jack and Jill went up the hill, but they never returned.
• That is clever!
• work, be, write, exist
• Tony works down the pit now. He was unemployed.
• I will write a song for you.
• I think aliens exist .

Are you a visual learner? Do you prefer video to text? Here is a list of all our grammar videos .

Video for Each Part of Speech

The Most Important Writing Issues

The top issue related to adjectives.

The Top Issue Related to Adverbs

• Extremely annoyed, she stared menacingly at her rival.
• Infuriated, she glared at her rival.

The Top Issue Related to Conjunctions

• Burger, Fries, and a shake
• Fish, chips and peas

The Top Issue Related to Determiners

The Top Issue Related to Interjections

The top issue related to nouns, the top issue related to prepositions, the top issue related to pronouns, the top issue related to verbs.

• Crack the parts of speech to help with learning a foreign language or to take your writing to the next level.

This page was written by Craig Shrives .

You might also like...

Help us improve....

Was something wrong with this page?

Use #gm to find us quicker .

Create a QR code for this, or any, page.

mailing list

grammar forum

teachers' zone

Confirmatory test.

This test is printable and sendable

expand to full page

show as slides

download as .doc

print as handout

send as homework

display QR code

16 Speaking Verbs In English

• Post author: Harry
• Post last modified: 28/03/2023
• Post category: English Vocabulary
• Reading time: 11 mins read

Learn speaking verbs in English.

Learn 16 important verbs to use for “speak” in English. These words will help you build your vocabulary and be more descriptive with powerful alternative verbs to use for ‘speak’ in English, including common synonyms of speak. 

Listen to the podcast Speak Better English with Harry or watch it on YouTube at Learn English with Harry . englishclass101

list of speaking verbs in English

16 speaking verbs in english.

So in this particular lesson, we’re going to look at advanced English speaking verbs.

The verbs we use to describe how somebody speaks, or how we hear them speaking, or the sounds they make.

So lots of them are very strange and maybe a little bit unusual for you, but I’ll explain them to you and I’ll give you plenty of examples.

English Club – Advanced English Course

Review English Grammar Rules Course

So we’re going to talk first of all when people are talking loudly .

So when we’re talking loudly, here are the verbs we can use:

Meaning: to speak with a strong, loud, clear sound; to shout (often when angry or in pain)

I saw my friends on the other side of the park, and I yelled to get their attention.

Meaning: to say something in a loud angry voice (we usually bark orders)

Somebody from behind the counter barked (out) a few orders to the staff and left.

Meaning: usually speak or shout in a high-pitched voice; for example, if you get a shock

She screeched out loud when she the size of the spider in the bath.

Meaning: to say or cry something in a loud and high voice (because of pain, surprise, etc)

If you go to a pop concert, then you’ll hear people screaming out the music.

The bartender couldn’t hear John, so he had to scream to get their attention.

Then the opposite then is to speak quietly .

And the type of verbs that are used for speaking quietly will be:

Meaning: to speak in a very, very, very low voice (like a mouse)

People are asked not to make noise in a library, so they have to whisper.

Meaning: to speak in a low, barely audible voice (often in irritation)

My mother always encouraged me to speak clearly and not to mutter.

book your trial English Lesson

Now, if we talk about verbs connected with speaking negatively , let’s look at a few of those.

• babble (on)

Meaning: to complain in a way that is unreasonable (usually in a loud manner)

He’s been ranting on about the service in that restaurant for days, I wish he would just go and complain.

He always has something to rant about. Now he is going on complaining about the weather.

Meaning: to talk at length in a confused way, without any structure

Meaning: to talk continuously in a foolish, incomprehensible way 

He rambles on. He’s been babbling on about that for ages.

Meaning: to complain about something over a longer period of time

He grumbled angrily from behind his paper that he had had enough.

Meaning: complain about something in an annoying way 

I kept moaning all the way through the movie about how ridiculous it was but still watched it.

Meaning: to speak in an unfriendly and aggressive way

He came into the office with water dripping from everywhere, his colleague asked him if it was raining he growled back in an annoyed tone, ‘What do you think?’

Meaning: to speak about something in a very enthusiastic way 

He’s been raving about that hotel since he got back from his holiday. You’d think it was the only hotel in the world!

It depends on how you use “rave,” it could be both positive and negative.

Meaning: to say something in a way that is not clear enough and difficult to understand

If you’re doing a speaking test, don’t mumble. Speak clearly. The inspector must hear everything you say.

Meaning: to speak with difficulty, it can also be a medical condition

King George VI stuttered all his life. It was hard for him to give speeches to the British public.

Meaning: to speak in a slow way and focus too much on the vowels 

‘Good morning, folks and welcome to Texas,’ he drawled in a southern American accent.

Okay, so we’re talking here about different verbs in connection with speaking and talking.

Let me give these speaking verbs in English to you one more time.

Speaking loudly:

Speaking quietly:

Speaking negatively:

• rave – this is more positive than negative

Speaking unclearly:

And one more without a category:

Okay, so they’re all advanced ways of speaking in English.

I hope you enjoyed those. You can practice them and practice your American drawl if you really wish to.

I always enjoy it when you listen to and watch my English lessons, I’m very grateful.

If you need anything you can write to me at englishlessonviaskype.com .

And as always, join me again soon, Harry signing off.

speak better English with Harry podcast- episode 401

More information.

For more information on English grammar rules, English collocations and English idioms, check out the links below:

C1 English verbs to improve fluency

15 Phrasal verbs with AWAY

You can always study English advanced level at Learning English with the BBC  and British Council Learn English .

Personal Finance English Collocations

Learn personal finance English collocations. To keep afloat. To spend a fortune. To cut down on luxuries. Listen to Speak

Useful Speaking Phrases For Job Interviews

Learn useful speaking phrases for job interviews in English. Even in your native language, job interviews can be nerve-wracking; now,

English Idioms About Negotiation

Learn English idioms about negotiation. Improve your vocabulary and start speaking like a native speaker. Listen to the podcast Speak

enrol in a free course

• Phrasal Verbs + Grammar + Funny English Idioms

online english courses from €7.99

• free english mini course
• english grammar refresher
• 73 most common mistakes
• Advanced english workout 1
• advanced english workout 2
• advanced english workout 3
• job interview in english
• how to teach english online

follow me on social media

Advanced english learning course.

Improve English from intermediate to advanced level in my intensive English course.

55 online lessons + 6 online courses + direct contact with Harry

learn english with us

• zoom/skype english lessons prices
• our teachers
• english learning blog
• Odnoklassniki icon Odnoklassniki
• Facebook Messenger
• LiveJournal

How can I advance my English?

Verbs — Definition, Types, and Examples

What is a verb.

A verb is a part of speech that describes an action, state of being, or occurrence that happens externally or internally. They indicate the physical actions or feelings of the subject of the sentence. Every complete sentence needs at least one verb.

Verb tenses

The tense of a verb identifies when the action it describes takes place:

Past tense verbs indicate actions that have already taken place.

Simple past: Details actions that have already happened.

Past perfect: Specifies an action completed before a specific point in the past.

Past progressive: Indicates a continuing action happening in the past.

Past perfect progressive: Conveys the completion of an ongoing past event.

Present tense verbs describe actions that are currently taking place.

Simple present: Indicates an action that takes place right now or regularly/continuously.

Present perfect: Refers to an action that began in the past and finishes or continues in the present.

Present progressive: Identifies an action that is in progress or repeating.

Present perfect progressive: Indicates something started in the past and continues into the present.

Future tense verbs designate that an action will happen.

Simple future: Details an action that has yet to happen.

Future perfect: Indicates an action that is expected to be completed in the future.

Future progressive: Identifies something that will happen in the future and continue for a length of time.

Future perfect progressive: Refers to an action that will continue until a certain point.

Verb categories

Verbs fall into one of the following categories depending upon their use:

Transitive verbs incorporate the use of a direct object (person/thing that receives a sentence's action).

Alicia played the piano at the concert.

Intransitive verbs do not include the use of a direct object.

Stephanie worked all night.

Ditransitive verbs can use a subject (who/what performs the action), an indirect object, and a direct object; however, the direct object is not always required.

Sam gave Paula the newspaper.

Direct Object: newspaper

Indirect Object: Paula

Ambitransitive verbs can be either transitive or intransitive depending upon their use.

Intransitive: He already ate.

Transitive: He already ate a cookie.

Regular: Regular verbs are those whose past tense form ends in -ed , -d , and sometimes -t .

walked, pushed, slept

Irregular verbs do not end with -ed or -d in the past tense.

become → \to → became

bring → \to → brought

go → \to → went

Types of verbs

The following list outlines the different types of verbs:

Action verbs, also known as dynamic verbs, describe an action.

John jumped into the lake and swam to the other side.

Auxiliary verbs , a lso known as helping verbs, (conjugations of the infinitive verbs to be, to have, and to do) are coupled with a sentence's main verb to indicate its tense, mood, or voice.

Their new puppy is sleeping through the night.

Modal verbs are a type of auxiliary verb that indicate concepts such as ability, necessity, or permission. As with helping verbs, modal verbs connect to the main verb.

You can go outside after you clean your room.

Linking verbs join the subject of a sentence to a word or phrase that modifies it.

Beth felt horrible that she couldn't attend the party.

Stative verbs describe a state or situation rather than an action or process.

agree, believe, dislike, remember

Phrasal verbs combine a verb with another word, typically an adverb or preposition, to create a new verb phrase. The new phrase is usually idiomatic, meaning it cannot be defined based on each word; therefore, they are easier for native English speakers to understand.

back down, check on, drop off, give up, hang on

Verb examples

The following chart identifies some of the most common English verbs associated with each type:

Verb sentences

The following example sentences incorporate the use of each main type of verb:

Terry is too exhausted to play soccer today.

You can cook the vegetables while I grill the hamburgers.

It's difficult to sleep when you snore all night.

Auxiliary/Modal

Ryan has followed the team for as long as he can remember .

Frank was baking when he heard a knock at the door.

Susan decided she would leave once the movie ended.

My dad said he would give me his motorcycle after graduation.

Will was laughing so hard at his own jokes.

I was starting to become tired of working all day and night.

Lisa wished she could stay at the beach all summer.

Ian and Uma preferred skiing over snowboarding.

I think an Alaskan cruise is a great idea.

Try not to bring up Troy's birthday party.

Lucas came across some old pictures when cleaning the attic.

Marty wants to tag along on the road trip.

Helen invited everyone she knew to her 16th birthday party.

I think Rita looked online to see if the dress was cheaper.

It looks like Tim and Wendy fixed their broken window.

Do you remember who bought the lottery ticket?

We thought the weather was perfect for sailing.

They saw two musicals when visiting New York.

Jan sent a postcard from Hawaii to her mom.

My dog ate the cookies I left on the counter.

Wendel hit the ball out of the park.

The 9 Parts of Speech: Definitions and Examples

• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

A part of speech is a term used in traditional grammar for one of the nine main categories into which words are classified according to their functions in sentences, such as nouns or verbs. Also known as word classes, these are the building blocks of grammar.

Every sentence you write or speak in English includes words that fall into some of the nine parts of speech. These include nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, articles/determiners, and interjections. (Some sources include only eight parts of speech and leave interjections in their own category.)

Parts of Speech

• Word types can be divided into nine parts of speech:
• prepositions
• conjunctions
• articles/determiners
• interjections
• Some words can be considered more than one part of speech, depending on context and usage.
• Interjections can form complete sentences on their own.

Learning the names of the parts of speech probably won't make you witty, healthy, wealthy, or wise. In fact, learning just the names of the parts of speech won't even make you a better writer. However, you will gain a basic understanding of sentence structure  and the  English language by familiarizing yourself with these labels.

Open and Closed Word Classes

The parts of speech are commonly divided into  open classes  (nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs) and  closed classes  (pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, articles/determiners, and interjections). Open classes can be altered and added to as language develops, and closed classes are pretty much set in stone. For example, new nouns are created every day, but conjunctions never change.

In contemporary linguistics , parts of speech are generally referred to as word classes or syntactic categories. The main difference is that word classes are classified according to more strict linguistic criteria. Within word classes, there is the lexical, or open class, and the function, or closed class.

The 9 Parts of Speech

Read about each part of speech below, and practice identifying each.

Nouns are a person, place, thing, or idea. They can take on a myriad of roles in a sentence, from the subject of it all to the object of an action. They are capitalized when they're the official name of something or someone, and they're called proper nouns in these cases. Examples: pirate, Caribbean, ship, freedom, Captain Jack Sparrow.

Pronouns stand in for nouns in a sentence . They are more generic versions of nouns that refer only to people. Examples:​  I, you, he, she, it, ours, them, who, which, anybody, ourselves.

Verbs are action words that tell what happens in a sentence. They can also show a sentence subject's state of being ( is , was ). Verbs change form based on tense (present, past) and count distinction (singular or plural). Examples:  sing, dance, believes, seemed, finish, eat, drink, be, became.

Adjectives describe nouns and pronouns. They specify which one, how much, what kind, and more. Adjectives allow readers and listeners to use their senses to imagine something more clearly. Examples:  hot, lazy, funny, unique, bright, beautiful, poor, smooth.

Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, and even other adverbs. They specify when, where, how, and why something happened and to what extent or how often. Many adjectives can be turned into adjectives by adding the suffix - ly . Examples:  softly, quickly, lazily, often, only, hopefully, sometimes.

Preposition

Prepositions  show spatial, temporal, and role relations between a noun or pronoun and the other words in a sentence. They come at the start of a prepositional phrase , which contains a preposition and its object. Examples:  up, over, against, by, for, into, close to, out of, apart from.

Conjunction

Conjunctions join words, phrases, and clauses in a sentence. There are coordinating, subordinating, and correlative conjunctions. Examples:  and, but, or, so, yet.

Articles and Determiners

Articles and determiners function like adjectives by modifying nouns, but they are different than adjectives in that they are necessary for a sentence to have proper syntax. Articles and determiners specify and identify nouns, and there are indefinite and definite articles. Examples of articles:  a, an, the ; examples of determiners:  these, that, those, enough, much, few, which, what.

Some traditional grammars have treated articles  as a distinct part of speech. Modern grammars, however, more often include articles in the category of determiners , which identify or quantify a noun. Even though they modify nouns like adjectives, articles are different in that they are essential to the proper syntax of a sentence, just as determiners are necessary to convey the meaning of a sentence, while adjectives are optional.

Interjection

Interjections are expressions that can stand on their own or be contained within sentences. These words and phrases often carry strong emotions and convey reactions. Examples:  ah, whoops, ouch, yabba dabba do!

How to Determine the Part of Speech

Only interjections ( Hooray! ) have a habit of standing alone; every other part of speech must be contained within a sentence and some are even required in sentences (nouns and verbs). Other parts of speech come in many varieties and may appear just about anywhere in a sentence.

To know for sure what part of speech a word falls into, look not only at the word itself but also at its meaning, position, and use in a sentence.

For example, in the first sentence below,  work  functions as a noun; in the second sentence, a verb; and in the third sentence, an adjective:

• Bosco showed up for  work  two hours late.
• The noun  work  is the thing Bosco shows up for.
• He will have to  work  until midnight.
• The verb  work  is the action he must perform.
• His  work  permit expires next month.
• The  attributive noun  (or converted adjective) work  modifies the noun  permit .

Learning the names and uses of the basic parts of speech is just one way to understand how sentences are constructed.

Dissecting Basic Sentences

To form a basic complete sentence, you only need two elements: a noun (or pronoun standing in for a noun) and a verb. The noun acts as a subject, and the verb, by telling what action the subject is taking, acts as the predicate. 

In the short sentence above,  birds  is the noun and  fly  is the verb. The sentence makes sense and gets the point across.

You can have a sentence with just one word without breaking any sentence formation rules. The short sentence below is complete because it's a verb command with an understood "you" noun.

Here, the pronoun, standing in for a noun, is implied and acts as the subject. The sentence is really saying, "(You) go!"

Constructing More Complex Sentences

Use more parts of speech to add additional information about what's happening in a sentence to make it more complex. Take the first sentence from above, for example, and incorporate more information about how and why birds fly.

• Birds fly when migrating before winter.

Birds and fly remain the noun and the verb, but now there is more description. 

When  is an adverb that modifies the verb fly.  The word before  is a little tricky because it can be either a conjunction, preposition, or adverb depending on the context. In this case, it's a preposition because it's followed by a noun. This preposition begins an adverbial phrase of time ( before winter ) that answers the question of when the birds migrate . Before is not a conjunction because it does not connect two clauses.

• What Are Word Blends?
• Figure of Speech: Definition and Examples
• Definition and Examples of Adjectives
• Subjects, Verbs, and Objects
• What Is a Rhetorical Device? Definition, List, Examples
• What Is The Speech Act Theory: Definition and Examples
• A List of Exclamations and Interjections in English
• What Is Nonverbal Communication?
• Definition and Examples of Ambiguity
• Examples and Usage of Conjunctions in English Grammar
• Linguistic Variation
• Definition and Examples of Interjections in English
• Definition and Examples of Jargon
• Understanding the Types of Verbs in English Grammar
• Complementary vs. Complimentary: How to Choose the Right Word
• Basic Grammar: What Is a Diphthong?

Parts of Speech

What is a Part of Speech?

We can categorize English words into 9 basic types called "parts of speech" or "word classes". It's quite important to recognize parts of speech. This helps you to analyze sentences and understand them. It also helps you to construct good sentences.

Parts of Speech Table

Parts of speech examples.

• Parts of Speech Quiz

This is a summary of the 9 parts of speech*. You can find more detail if you click on each part of speech.

• lexical Verbs ( work, like, run )
• auxiliary Verbs ( be, have, must )
• Determiners may be treated as adjectives, instead of being a separate part of speech.

Here are some examples of sentences made with different English parts of speech:

Here is a sentence that contains every part of speech:

Words with More Than One Job

Many words in English can have more than one job, or be more than one part of speech. For example, "work" can be a verb and a noun; "but" can be a conjunction and a preposition; "well" can be an adjective, an adverb and an interjection. In addition, many nouns can act as adjectives.

To analyze the part of speech, ask yourself: "What job is this word doing in this sentence?"

In the table below you can see a few examples. Of course, there are more, even for some of the words in the table. In fact, if you look in a good dictionary you will see that the word " but " has six jobs to do:

• verb, noun, adverb, pronoun, preposition and conjunction!

People often ask

FAQ: frequently asked parts of speech questions

The 8 Parts Of Speech In English

There are eight major  parts of speech .

• Nouns  name persons, places, things, ideas, or qualities, e.g., Franklin, boy, Yangtze River, shoreline, Bible, desk, fear, happiness.
• Pronouns  usually substitute for nouns and function as nouns, e.g., I, you, he, she, it, we, they, myself, this, that, who, which, everyone.
• Verbs  express actions, occurrences, or states of being, e.g., be, become, bunt, inflate, run.
• Adjectives  describe or modify nouns or pronouns, e.g., gentle, helpful, small.
• Adverbs  describe or modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, e.g., almost, gently, helpfully, someday.
• Prepositions  relate nouns or pronouns to other words in a sentence, e.g., about, at, down, for, of, with.
• Conjunctions  link words, clauses, and phrases. There are coordinating conjunctions that link words, clauses, or phrases of equal importance, and there are subordinating conjunctions that introduce subordinate clauses and link them to main clauses.
• Interjections  express feeling or command attention, either alone or in a sentence, e.g., darn, hey, oh, wow.

Some words ( adjectives ,  adverbs ,  interjections ,  nouns ,  verbs ) are productive classes allowing new members; others, with functional rather than lexical meaning ( articles ,  conjunctions ,  prepositions ) are nonproductive and have a limited number of members.

Some grammarians consider  articles ,  quantifiers , and  numerals  to also be parts of speech.

Language Stories

Hobbies & Passions

Word Origins

Current Events

• By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy policies.
• Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base

What Is a Verb? | Definition, Types & Examples

A verb is a word that describes what the subject of a sentence is doing. Verbs can indicate (physical or mental) actions, occurrences, and states of being.

Anita is thinking about horses.

Every sentence must have at least one verb. At the most basic level, a sentence can consist solely of a single verb in the imperative form (e.g., “Run.”). In this example, the implied subject is “you.”

Scribbr’s grammar checker can help ensure you’re using verbs and other parts of speech correctly.

Table of contents

Verb conjugation, regular vs. irregular verbs, transitive and intransitive verbs, stative and dynamic verbs.

• Linking verbs
• Auxiliary verbs
• Modal verbs
• Phrasal verbs

Other interesting language articles

Frequently asked questions about verbs.

Verbs can change form depending on subject , tense , mood , and voice . This is called conjugation.

There are six subject forms in English:

Verbs and subjects must agree in number. If the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular. Similarly, if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. This is called subject-verb agreement .

• She talks a lot .
• She talk a lot.
• We talk a lot.
• We talks a lot.

Verbs are also conjugated based on tense . There are three main tenses in English:

• Past (an action has taken place)
• Present (an action is taking place)
• Future (an action will take place)

Each tense has a simple , progressive , perfect , and perfect progressive aspect with its own rules for conjugation.

The forms a verb takes in each aspect depend on the subject and on whether the verb is regular or irregular. Below is a table illustrating the various forms the regular verb “look” takes in the first person singular when conjugated.

The mood of a verb indicates the tone and intention of a sentence. There are five grammatical moods in English:

Active and passive voice

Most sentences can use either the active or the passive voice . An active sentence is one in which the subject performs the action.

A passive sentence is one in which the subject is acted upon. Passive sentences are constructed using a form of the auxiliary verb “be” (e.g., “was,” “is,” “were”) followed by the past participle of the main verb (e.g., “eaten,” “taken”).

Passive sentences are useful for emphasizing the outcome of an action rather than the action itself.

Our paraphrasing tool can help you explore both active and passive constructions to better express your meaning.

Participles

Participles are formed from verbs. There are two types of participles:

• Past participles are typically used in combination with an auxiliary verb (e.g., “has,” “have,” “had”) for perfect tenses (connecting a past action or event to a later time). Past participles are typically formed by adding the suffix “-ed” (e.g., “worked”).
• Present participles are used for continuous tenses (describing an action that is ongoing). They are formed by adding the suffix “-ing” (e.g., “reading”).

Participles are often used as adjectives (e.g., “running shoes”).

Check for common mistakes

Use the best grammar checker available to check for common mistakes in your text.

Fix mistakes for free

Regular verbs follow the standard conjugation rules for English verbs—most verbs are regular. A verb is considered regular if its simple past and past participle are formed by adding the suffix “-ed” (or “-d” if the word already ends in the letter “e”).

Claude had finished his dinner when James called.

Jock has finished writing in his journal.

Irregular verbs form their simple past and past participles in some way other than by adding the suffix “-ed.”

I had swum almost a mile when the island came into view.

Melissa has swum every Saturday for the last three years.

A transitive verb is a verb that acts on someone or something and therefore takes a direct object (the thing being acted upon).

Intransitive verbs do not act on someone or something and therefore do not take a direct object.

While an intransitive verb does not take a direct object, it can be used along with an adverb or adverbial phrase (as can a transitive verb).

Rita coughed loudly .

Some verbs are ditransitive , meaning they have two objects: a direct object and an indirect object (usually the person for whom the action is being performed).

Dynamic verbs (also called action verbs ) describe specific, temporary actions or events (e.g., “eat,” “sleep,” “write”).

Stative verbs describe a state of being or perception (e.g., “she is,” “it seems,” “they belong”). They can also be used to describe a mental, emotional, or physical state (e.g., “I believe,” “you hear”).

Stative verbs are typically used for a state of being that is general or unchanging, so they can’t be used in the progressive (continuous) tense.

• Karl believes in himself.
• Karl is believing in himself.

A linking verb (also called a copular verb ) connects the subject of a sentence with a “subject complement” (i.e., a noun or adjective that describes it). Common linking verbs include the verbs “be,” “seem,” “become,” and “feel.”

Most linking verbs can also be used as action verbs, describing a specific action  rather than a state (e.g., “Sofie feels the pillow”).

Auxiliary verbs (also called helping verbs ) include verbs such as “be,” “do,” and “have.” They’re used in combination with another (main) verb to modify its meaning. Auxiliary verbs can be used to indicate tense , mood , and voice . They’re also used to form negative statements when used with words such as “not” and “never.”

Auxiliary verbs must be conjugated for tense and person (e.g., “I am,” “she was”).

Did you enjoy the meal?

The door was locked.

Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that are used along with another (main) verb to express ability, permission, possibility, necessity, or obligation. The main modal verbs are can , could , may , might , must , ought , shall , should , will , and would . Modal verbs do not change form.

Martin should speak a little louder.

A phrasal verb is a phrase made up of two or more words that acts as an individual verb. Phrasal verbs typically combine a verb with an adverb or preposition to create a meaning independent of the original words. For example, the verb “kick” and the preposition “off” combine to form the phrasal verb “kick off,” which means “begin.”

A gerund is a noun that takes the present participle (“-ing”) form of a verb. Gerunds typically describe the same action as the verb from which they are formed.

If you want to know more about nouns , pronouns , verbs, and other parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations and examples.

Nouns & pronouns

• Common nouns
• Proper nouns
• Collective nouns
• Personal pronouns
• Uncountable and countable nouns
• Verb tenses
• Sentence structure
• Active vs passive voice
• Subject-verb agreement
• Interjections
• Determiners
• Prepositions

A verb is a word that indicates a physical action (e.g., “drive”), a mental action (e.g., “think”), or a state of being (e.g., “exist”). Every sentence contains a verb.

Verbs are almost always used along with a noun or pronoun to describe what the noun or pronoun is doing.

There are many ways to categorize verbs into various types. A verb can fall into one or more of these categories depending on how it is used.

Some of the main types of verbs are:

• Regular verbs
• Irregular verbs
• Transitive verbs
• Intransitive verbs
• Dynamic verbs
• Stative verbs

Regular verbs are verbs whose simple past and past participle are formed by adding the suffix “-ed” (e.g., “walked”).

Irregular verbs are verbs that form their simple past and past participles in some way other than by adding the suffix “-ed” (e.g., “sat”).

Is this article helpful?

Other students also liked.

• Verb Tenses in Academic Writing | Rules, Differences & Examples
• Subject-Verb Agreement | Examples, Rules & Use
• Phrasal Verbs | List, Definition, Examples & Tips

More interesting articles

• Action Verbs | Definition, List & Examples
• Conditional Sentences | Examples & Use
• Imperative Mood | Definition, Examples & Use
• Irregular Verbs | Definition, Examples & Worksheet
• Past Perfect Tense | Examples & Exercises
• Past Progressive Tense | Uses, Examples & Worksheet
• Past Tense of Beat | Definition, Use & Example Sentences
• Past Tense of Ride | Definition, Use & Example Sentences
• Present Continuous Tense | Examples & Exercises
• Present Perfect Continuous | Examples & Exercises
• Present Perfect Tense | Examples & Use
• Regular Verbs | Meaning, Examples & List
• Simple Past Tense | Examples & Exercises
• Simple Present Tense | Examples, Use & Worksheet
• Stative Verbs | Definition, List & Examples
• The Past Tense l Explanation, Examples & Worksheet
• The Subjunctive Mood | Definition & Examples
• What Is a Linking Verb? | Definition & Examples
• What Is a Modal Verb? | Definition & Examples
• What Is a Participle? | Definition, Types & Examples
• What Is a Past Participle? | Definition & Examples
• What Is a Present Participle? | Examples & Definition
• What Is a Transitive Verb? | Examples, Definition & Quiz
• What Is an Auxiliary Verb? | Definition & Examples
• What Is an Intransitive Verb? | Examples, Definition & Quiz

"I thought AI Proofreading was useless but.."

I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”

• English Grammar
• Parts of Speech

Parts of Speech - Definition, 8 Types and Examples

In the English language , every word is called a part of speech. The role a word plays in a sentence denotes what part of speech it belongs to. Explore the definition of parts of speech, the different parts of speech and examples in this article.

Table of Contents

Parts of speech definition, different parts of speech with examples.

• Sentences Examples for the 8 Parts of Speech

A Small Exercise to Check Your Understanding of Parts of Speech

Frequently asked questions on parts of speech, what is a part of speech.

Parts of speech are among the first grammar topics we learn when we are in school or when we start our English language learning process. Parts of speech can be defined as words that perform different roles in a sentence. Some parts of speech can perform the functions of other parts of speech too.

• The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines parts of speech as “one of the classes into which words are divided according to their grammar, such as noun, verb, adjective, etc.”
• The Cambridge Dictionary also gives a similar definition – “One of the grammatical groups into which words are divided, such as noun, verb, and adjective”.

Parts of speech include nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions and interjections.

8 Parts of Speech Definitions and Examples:

1. Nouns are words that are used to name people, places, animals, ideas and things. Nouns can be classified into two main categories: Common nouns and Proper nouns . Common nouns are generic like ball, car, stick, etc., and proper nouns are more specific like Charles, The White House, The Sun, etc.

Examples of nouns used in sentences:

• She bought a pair of shoes . (thing)
• I have a pet. (animal)
• Is this your book ? (object)
• Many people have a fear of darkness . (ideas/abstract nouns)
• He is my brother . (person)
• This is my school . (place)

Also, explore Singular Nouns and Plural Nouns .

2. Pronouns are words that are used to substitute a noun in a sentence. There are different types of pronouns. Some of them are reflexive pronouns, possessive pronouns , relative pronouns and indefinite pronouns . I, he, she, it, them, his, yours, anyone, nobody, who, etc., are some of the pronouns.

Examples of pronouns used in sentences:

• I reached home at six in the evening. (1st person singular pronoun)
• Did someone see a red bag on the counter? (Indefinite pronoun)
• Is this the boy who won the first prize? (Relative pronoun)
• That is my mom. (Possessive pronoun)
• I hurt myself yesterday when we were playing cricket. (Reflexive pronoun)

3. Verbs are words that denote an action that is being performed by the noun or the subject in a sentence. They are also called action words. Some examples of verbs are read, sit, run, pick, garnish, come, pitch, etc.

Examples of verbs used in sentences:

• She plays cricket every day.
• Darshana and Arul are going to the movies.
• My friends visited me last week.
• Did you have your breakfast?
• My name is Meenakshi Kishore.

4. Adverbs are words that are used to provide more information about verbs, adjectives and other adverbs used in a sentence. There are five main types of adverbs namely, adverbs of manner , adverbs of degree , adverbs of frequency , adverbs of time and adverbs of place . Some examples of adverbs are today, quickly, randomly, early, 10 a.m. etc.

Examples of adverbs used in sentences:

• Did you come here to buy an umbrella? (Adverb of place)
• I did not go to school yesterday as I was sick. (Adverb of time)
• Savio reads the newspaper everyday . (Adverb of frequency)
• Can you please come quickly ? (Adverb of manner)
• Tony was so sleepy that he could hardly keep his eyes open during the meeting. (Adverb of degree)

5. Adjectives are words that are used to describe or provide more information about the noun or the subject in a sentence. Some examples of adjectives include good, ugly, quick, beautiful, late, etc.

Examples of adjectives used in sentences:

• The place we visited yesterday was serene .
• Did you see how big that dog was?
• The weather is pleasant today.
• The red dress you wore on your birthday was lovely.
• My brother had only one chapati for breakfast.

6. Prepositions are words that are used to link one part of the sentence to another. Prepositions show the position of the object or subject in a sentence. Some examples of prepositions are in, out, besides, in front of, below, opposite, etc.

Examples of prepositions used in sentences:

• The teacher asked the students to draw lines on the paper so that they could write in straight lines.
• The child hid his birthday presents under his bed.
• Mom asked me to go to the store near my school.
• The thieves jumped over the wall and escaped before we could reach home.

7. Conjunctions are a part of speech that is used to connect two different parts of a sentence, phrases and clauses . Some examples of conjunctions are and, or, for, yet, although, because, not only, etc.

Examples of conjunctions used in sentences:

• Meera and Jasmine had come to my birthday party.
• Jane did not go to work as she was sick.
• Unless you work hard, you cannot score good marks.
• I have not finished my project,  yet I went out with my friends.

8. Interjections are words that are used to convey strong emotions or feelings. Some examples of interjections are oh, wow, alas, yippee, etc. It is always followed by an exclamation mark.

Examples of interjections used in sentences:

• Wow ! What a wonderful work of art.
• Alas ! That is really sad.
• Yippee ! We won the match.

Sentence Examples for the 8 Parts of Speech

• Noun – Tom lives in New York .
• Pronoun – Did she find the book she was looking for?
• Verb – I reached home.
• Adverb – The tea is too hot.
• Adjective – The movie was amazing .
• Preposition – The candle was kept under the table.
• Conjunction – I was at home all day, but I am feeling very tired.
• Interjection – Oh ! I forgot to turn off the stove.

Let us find out if you have understood the different parts of speech and their functions. Try identifying which part of speech the highlighted words belong to.

• My brother came home  late .
• I am a good girl.
• This is the book I  was looking for.
• Whoa ! This is amazing .
• The climate  in  Kodaikanal is very pleasant.
• Can you please pick up Dan and me on  your way home?

Now, let us see if you got it right. Check your answers.

• My – Pronoun, Home – Noun, Late – Adverb
• Am – Verb, Good – Adjective
• I – Pronoun, Was looking – Verb
• Whoa – Interjection, Amazing – Adjective
• Climate – Noun, In – Preposition, Kodaikanal – Noun, Very – Adverb
• And – Conjunction, On – Preposition, Your – Pronoun

What are parts of speech?

The term ‘parts of speech’ refers to words that perform different functions in a sentence  in order to give the sentence a proper meaning and structure.

How many parts of speech are there?

There are 8 parts of speech in total.

What are the 8 parts of speech?

Nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions and interjections are the 8 parts of speech.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your Mobile number and Email id will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Request OTP on Voice Call

Post My Comment

Register with BYJU'S & Download Free PDFs

Register with byju's & watch live videos.

What Is a Verb? | Verb Examples & Types

| Danielle McLeod

Danielle McLeod

Danielle McLeod is a highly qualified secondary English Language Arts Instructor who brings a diverse educational background to her classroom. With degrees in science, English, and literacy, she has worked to create cross-curricular materials to bridge learning gaps and help students focus on effective writing and speech techniques. Currently working as a dual credit technical writing instructor at a Career and Technical Education Center, her curriculum development surrounds student focus on effective communication for future career choices.

Verbs are the foundation of every sentence, and there are thousands of verbs you can use. Verbs express actions, connect ideas and create movement. Without verbs, there would be no communication. Verbs can be used to describe physical actions, such as walking or running, or mental actions, such as thinking or feeling.

What Is a Verb? Our Verb Meaning

A verb is a word used to describe the subject’s action, state or occurrence within a sentence.  

Verbs are the heart of every language and are used to describe the action or state of someone or something. A verb can express actions or a state of being. In English, verbs are the only word that changes to show whether they are used in the present, past or future tense.

For example: 

• Paula walked (past) to school every day. 
• Paula walks (present) to school every day. 
• Paula will walk (future) to school every day. 

Types of Verbs and Verb Examples

• Action or Dynamic
• Auxiliary or Helping
• Intransitive
• Ditransitive
• Modal auxiliary

Action or Dynamic Verb Examples

An action verb is a verb that explains what action someone or something is performing, has performed or will perform. They are either transitive or intransitive. To determine whether a verb is transitive or intransitive, ask the question “Whom?” or “What?” after the verb.

Action Verbs in a Sentence Examples 

• Mia danced joyfully under the sparkling disco lights. (intransitive)
• He swiftly solved the tricky puzzle, impressing everyone. (transitive)

Transitive Verb Examples

A transitive verb requires an object to receive the action. The object is almost always a noun or pronoun in the sentence and can answer the question “Whom?” or “What?”.

Transitive Verb Sentences

• I sang for her while we put away laundry.
• He ran a race yesterday. 
• She plays the piano at home each evening. 

Intransitive Verb Examples

An intransitive verb does not have an object and is not directed toward any noun or pronoun in a sentence. You cannot answer the question “Whom?” or “What?” when an intransitive verb is used. 

Intransitive Verbs in a Sentence 

• She plays . 

Ditransitive Verb Examples

Ditransitive verbs, also known as bitransitive verbs, have two objects within the sentence that receive the action. The first object is the indirect object since it is indirectly affected by the action. The second object is called the direct object. 

Ditransitive Verb Examples Sentences

• I gave ( ditransitive ) her ( indirect object ) my study notes ( indirect object ).
• The teacher bought ( ditransitive ) the students ( indirect object ) new textbooks ( direct object ) for the upcoming semester.
• My friend sent ( ditransitive ) me ( indirect object ) a thoughtful gift ( direct object ) for my birthday.

Physical Verb Examples

A physical verb is a type of action verb that describes a specific motion with your body (such as with your senses) or an action completed with the use of a tool. 

Physical Verb Sentence Examples 

• I hear you need help studying.
• She sat in the corner and sulked. 
• Bobby tasted the soup. 

Linking Verb Examples

A linking verb explains the state of a subject to provide details or a description. You must always use a linking verb with a noun, a noun phrase or an adjective. All of the following are linking verbs, but they are not physical verbs. 

• Any other form of the verb “be”

Linking Verb in a Sentence 

• He seems happy to be at school today. 
• I am disappointed with the test results. 

Linking verbs that are also physical verbs include any verb that describes the senses, such as sight, smell or taste. 

• I’m feeling extremely tired.
• The yard looks like a mess. 

Auxiliary or Helping Verb Examples

Auxiliary verbs are also called helping verbs and are usually used in a functional manner alongside the main verb of a clause. They perform in several different ways, including the expression of tense, time, modality, emphasis, and use of voice to determine the relationship between action and subject. 

There are three main helping verbs and all their associated tenses, including the negative form.  

• Be, being, been, am, is, are, was, were
• Do, did, does, done
• Have, has, had

Modal auxiliary verbs never change form. These include the following: 

• May, might, must
• Shall, should
• Will, would

Examples of Helping and Auxiliary Verbs in Sentences 

• She had found the solution to the locked safe; unfortunately, we couldn’t get past the alarms. ( helping verb )
• I have been watching the weather closely as we get closer to our vacation. ( helping verb )
• The team is watching the replay of the last game to see where they can improve. ( helping verb )
• The kindergarten class did not like the magician, and three kids cried during the puppet play. ( helping verb )
• The hockey team should compete in the U.S. Classic Open tournament, but they are short of teammates due to illness. ( modal auxiliary verb )
• We ought to pay more attention to traffic while driving through the city. ( modal auxiliary verb )

Stative Verb Meaning and Examples

Stative verbs express a state or condition, such as an opinion, rather than an action. They are used in a sentence to provide abstract concepts such as:

• Beliefs or opinions: to think, disagree, support, know, etc.
• Emotions: to like, hate, need, wish, desire, etc.
• The senses: to see, hear, look, appear, etc.
• Possession: To possess, control, own, have, etc.
• Condition: To include, involve, weight, etc.

Stative Verb Example Sentences

• Clare hated her hair cut short and couldn’t wait until it grew back. 
• Benjamin disagreed with his professor and told him why. 
• Jaime supports his wife’s decision to open her own clinic. 

Each of the above examples uses stative verbs to express an opinion or belief in reference to the subject. 

Passive Verb Examples

Passive voice verbs allow the subject to be the recipient of the action rather than the one who performs it. They are usually composed of one form of the verb “to be” plus a verb ending in “-ed” or “-en.”

Passive Verb Example Sentences

• Many questions were asked during the job interview. 
• She was denied entrance to the concert.
• Dogs were forbidden on the beach. 

Phrasal Verb Examples

Phrasal verbs number in the thousands and are among the most difficult since they are made of two or more words and act as a completely new verb with a separate meaning from the original words. Sometimes there is more than one meaning depending on the context of the verb’s usage. 

For example, the phrasal verb pick up can mean to grab something or to lift something. Separately, pick and up mean two very different things.

Phrasal Verb Example Sentences

• Could you please pick up the pencil I dropped?
• Could you pick up a gallon of milk on your way home from the office?
• The kids quickly cleaned up their toys after playing in the living room.
• Sarah ran into her old friend at the grocery store yesterday.

Reporting Verb Examples

When you use materials that you did not create in your writing, you need to provide credit to your sources. Reporting verbs, also called referring verbs, are action words that indicate your use of another’s materials. You use them to connect in-text quotes, paraphrases and information to their original source. 

Reporting Verb Example Sentences

• Jennifer’s study indicates that financial changes can be influenced by a deeper political understanding and consequential voting patterns. 
• Watson concluded that further research on the topic was needed. 

Finite Verb Examples

A finite verb is a verb that is conjugated to show agreement with the subject and tense of a sentence.

In English, almost every verb can be used as a finite verb as long as there is a subject, the verb agrees with the subject, and there is a present or past tense. Every sentence has a finite verb; when there is more than one verb, it is almost always defined as the one closest (in order) to the subject.

Finite Verb Example Sentences

• Martin works hard for his family. (Present tense, third-person singular)
• Ryan had a dentist appointment last Thursday. (Past tense, third-person singular)

Infinitive Verb Examples

An infinitive verb allows a word or group of words to work as a noun, adjective, or adverb and serve to describe an action in general rather than a specific use of action. All verbs can be used in the infinitive form, usually through the addition of the word to before the base form of the verb. 

• I need to read chapters six through ten for class tonight. 

In this sentence, to read creates a discussion of the idea of reading rather than working as an actionable verb. 

• Tonight, I’ll read chapters six through ten for class. 

In this sentence, read describes the action of reading and is not an infinitive form. 

There are two types of infinitive verbs: full infinitives and bare infinitives. 

Full infinitive examples

Full infinitives are the infinitives that place the word to before the base form of the verb. They are the most common form of infinitive verbs. You do this to:

• Show purpose: I’m contacting you to let you know your extended car warranty has expired. 
• Modify a noun: Do you need something to drink or eat ?
• Make the action the subject of the sentence: To love another requires a respectful and honest relationship. 
• Add context after adjectives: She was incredibly happy to have passed the exam. 
• Explain why with the words too or enough : We stacked enough wood to last all winter. 
• Introduce a phrase that starts with a relative pronoun: She doesn’t know how to beat the seventh level of her video game. 
• Introduce certain verbs: In order to afford the tuition, she will need to receive a scholarship. 

Bare infinitive examples

Bare infinitive verbs are also called zero infinitives and are formed without the use of to. These are less common than full infinitives. 

Use bare infinitives: 

• After modal auxiliary verbs: We might be late to class.
• After a physical verb: She made him run five laps around the track. 
• With verbs let, make, and do: You can’t make him behave in class.
• With the relative pronoun why : Why wear a jacket on such a hot day?

Expert Tips on Verb Words

As a writer, using verbs to create action and movement in your writing is important. However, there are a few things to avoid when using verbs in your writing.

Use Strong Verbs

First, don’t overuse common verbs such as “to be” or “to have.” These verbs can make your writing sound dull and lifeless.

Second, don’t rely on passive or weak verbs such as “could,” “might” or “should.” These verbs can make your writing sound timid and hesitant.

Third, be careful of using too many -ing verbs. While these verbs can create a sense of forward momentum, they can also make your writing sound choppy and difficult to read.

Finally, don’t forget to use strong verbs that convey emotion and action. Verbs like “scream,” “laugh” and “cry” can add power and impact to your writing.

Use the Active Voice

As a general rule, verbs should be in the active voice. That is, the subject of the sentence should be the one doing the verb. For example, “The cashier counted the money” is in the active voice. “The money was counted by the cashier” is in the passive voice. 

But the passive voice can be useful in certain situations. For example, if you want to put emphasis on the person or thing affected by an action, you can use the passive voice.

Also, being in the active voice, verbs should also agree with their subjects in number. For example, “He writes stories” is correct because the subject “he” is singular. “They write stories” is also correct because the subject “they” is plural.

Use Specific Verbs

Many people struggle with writing and don’t know how to improve their skills.

If you’re one of those people, don’t worry — you can do plenty of things to improve your writing skills. My honest advice is to read as much as possible. This will give you a better grasp of the concepts and make spotting them easier.

You’ll learn how to structure sentences and use language effectively by reading. You can also try writing in a variety of different genres so that you can learn to adapt your style to various audiences. Finally, it’s also essential to get feedback on your writing so that you can identify areas that need improvement.

What Are Verbs? Let’s Review

Verbs are an essential part of writing. They can express action, describe a state of being or link words between sentences. Without verbs, writing would be dull and uninteresting.

In addition to adding interest, verbs also help readers understand what is happening in a piece of writing. They can be used to show the order of events, highlight cause-and-effect relationships, and indicate whether something is happening now or in the past.

FAQs on Verb Grammar

Is “on” a verb.

The word on is not a verb. Instead, it can serve as a preposition, an adverb or an adjective. 

As a preposition, it serves to state a location or a date. When it serves as an adjective, it modifies a noun. When it works as an adverb, it modifies a verb. 

Is “in” a verb?

The word in is not a verb. Instead, it can serve as a noun, a preposition, an adverb or an adjective. 

As a noun, the word in is used to mean leverage or an influential ability. When used as a preposition, it expresses a period of time, shows an object within something, indicates a location or instrumentality, or specifies a particular ratio. When it serves as an adverb, it modifies a verb or adjective; as an adjective, it describes a noun or pronoun. 

Is “with” a verb?

The word with is not a verb. Instead, the only part of speech it serves is as a preposition. 

It is a preposition because it indicates associations and connections between things and people. It also serves to explain where objects are. 

What are the three types of verbs?

The three most important verbs to understand are action, linking and phrasal verbs. Almost all verbs fall into these categories in one way or another. 

What are the four types of verbs?

Action, linking, auxiliary and passive verbs are important to understand. Almost all verbs are either action or linking verbs. Auxiliary verbs are helping verbs and work alongside other verbs to help determine the relationship between the action and the subject. Passive verbs allow the subject to be the recipient of the action rather than the one who performs it.

What are the two kinds of verbs?

Almost all verbs are linking or action verbs and are important to understand. A linking verb explains the state of a subject to provide details or a description. An action verb is a verb that explains what action someone or something is performing, has performed or will perform.

• Auxiliary verbs
• Non-finite verbs
• Participles
• Phrasal verbs

Grammarist is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. When you buy via the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you.

2024 © Grammarist, a Found First Marketing company. All rights reserved.

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Parts of Speech Overview

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

A noun is a word that denotes a person, place, or thing. In a sentence, nouns answer the questions who and what.

In the sentence above, there are two nouns, dog and ball . A noun may be concrete (something you can touch, see, etc.), like the nouns in the example above, or a noun may be abstract, as in the sentences below.

The abstract concepts of integrity and love in the sentences above are both nouns. Nouns may also be proper.

Chicago , Thanksgiving , and November are all proper nouns, and they should be capitalized. (For more information on proper nouns and when to capitalize words, see our handout on Capital Letters .)

You may also visit our handout on Count and Noncount Nouns .

Learn how to spot verbs that act as nouns. Visit our handout on Verbals: Gerunds, Participles, and Infinitives .

A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun in a sentence.

In the sentence above, she is the pronoun. Like nouns, pronouns may be used either as subjects or as objects in a sentence.

In the example above, both she and him are pronouns; she is the subject of the sentence while him is the object. Every subject pronoun has a corresponding object form, as shown in the table below.

For more information on pronouns, go to our handout on Pronouns .

To find out what part of speech are that , which , and whom ? Visit our handout on Relative Pronouns .

Articles include a , an , and the . They precede a noun or a noun phrase in a sentence.

In example 1, the article a precedes the noun house , and a also precedes the noun phrase big porch , which consists of an adjective (big) and the noun it describes (porch). In example 2, the article the precedes the noun phrase blue sweater , in which sweater is the noun and blue, the adjective.

For more information, go to our handouts on Articles: A vs. An and How to Use Articles (a/an/the) .

An adjective is a word that modifies, or describes, a noun or pronoun. Adjectives may precede nouns, or they may appear after a form of the reflexive verb to be (am, are, is, was, etc.).

In example 1, two consecutive adjectives, red and brick , both describe the noun house. In example 2, the adjective tall appears after the reflexive verb is and describes the subject, she .

For more on adjectives, go to our handouts Adjective or Adverb and How to Use Adjectives and Adverbs .

A verb is a word that denotes action, or a state of being, in a sentence.

In example 1, rides is the verb; it describes what the subject, Beth, does. In example 2, was describes Paul’s state of being and is therefore the verb.

There may be multiple verbs in a sentence, or there may be a verb phrase consisting of a verb plus a helping verb.

In example 1, the subject she performs two actions in the sentence, turned and opened . In example 2, the verb phrase is was studying .

Some words in a sentence may look like verbs but act as something else, like a noun; these are called verbals. For more information on verbs that masquerade as other parts of speech, go to our handout on Verbals: Gerunds, Participles, and Infinitives .

To learn more about conjugating verbs, visit our handouts on Verb Tenses , Irregular Verbs , and Two-Part (Phrasal) Verbs (Idioms) .

Just as adjectives modify nouns, adverbs modify, or further describe, verbs. Adverbs may also modify adjectives. (Many, though not all, adverbs end in - ly .)

In the first example, the adverb wildly modifies the verb waved . In the second example, the adverb extremely modifies the adjective bright , which describes the noun shirt . While nouns answer the questions who and what , adverbs answer the questions how , when , why , and where .

For a more detailed discussion of adverbs, visit our handout Adjective or Adverb and become an expert.

Conjunctions

A conjunction is a word that joins two independent clauses, or sentences, together.

In the examples above, both but and so are conjunctions. They join two complete sentences with the help of a comma. And, but, for, or, nor, so, and yet can all act as conjunctions.

Prepositions

Prepositions work in combination with a noun or pronoun to create phrases that modify verbs, nouns/pronouns, or adjectives. Prepositional phrases convey a spatial, temporal, or directional meaning.

There are two prepositional phrases in the example above: up the brick wall and of the house . The first prepositional phrase is an adverbial phrase, since it modifies the verb by describing where the ivy climbed. The second phrase further modifies the noun wall (the object of the first prepositional phrase) and describes which wall the ivy climbs.

For a more detailed discussion on this part of speech and its functions, click on Prepositions .

Below is a list of prepositions in the English language:

Aboard, about, above, across, after, against, along, amid, among, around, at, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, beyond, by, down, during, except, for, from, in, into, like, near, of, off, on, onto, out, over, past, since, through, throughout, to, toward, under, underneath, until, unto, up, upon, with, within, without.

• Additional Resources
• A List of Writing Contests in 2022 | Exciting Prizes!
• Em Dash vs. En Dash vs. Hyphen: When to Use Which
• Book Proofreading 101: The Beginner’s Guide
• Screenplay Editing: Importance, Cost, & Self-Editing Tips
• Screenplay Proofreading: Importance, Process, & Cost
• Script Proofreading: Rates, Process, & Proofreading Tips
• Manuscript Proofreading | Definition, Process & Standard Rates
• 14 Punctuation Marks: Examples & Free Guide on How to Use
• Tips to Write Better if English Is Your Second Language
• Novel Proofreading | Definition, Significance & Standard Rates
• The Top 10 Literary Devices: Definitions & Examples
• Top 101 Bone-Chilling Horror Writing Prompts
• Top 10 Must-Try Writing Prompt Generators in 2024
• 100+ Creative Writing Prompts for Masterful Storytelling
• Best 101 Greatest Fictional Characters of All Time
• Top 10 eBook Creator Tools in 2024: Free & Paid
• 50 Timeless and Unforgettable Book Covers of All Time
• What Is Flash Fiction? Definition, Examples & Types
• Discover the Best Book Review Sites of 2024: Top 10 Picks
• 80 Enchanting Christmas Writing Prompts for Your Next Story

Your Guide to the Best eBook Readers in 2024

• Top 10 Book Review Clubs of 2024 to Share Literary Insights
• 2024’s Top 10 Self-Help Books for Better Living
• Writing Contests 2023: Cash Prizes, Free Entries, & More!
• Top 10 Book Writing Apps of 2024: Free & Paid!
• Top 10 Book Marketing Services of 2024: Features and Costs
• 10 Best Book Publishing Companies in 2024
• What Is a Book Teaser and How to Write It: Tips and Examples
• Audiobook vs. EBook vs. Paperback in 2024: (Pros & Cons)
• Top 10 Book Writing Software, Websites, and Tools in 2024
• How to Get a Literary Agent in 2024: The Complete Guide
• An Easy Guide to the Best Fonts & Font Sizes for Your Book
• Top 10 Book Promotion Services for 2024’s Authors
• Alpha Readers: Where to Find Them and Alpha vs. Beta Readers
• Author Branding 101: How to Build a Powerful Author Brand
• How to Write a Book Report | Steps, Examples & Free Template
• A Guide on How to Write a Book Synopsis: Steps and Examples
• How to Write a Book Review (Meaning, Tips & Examples)
• Book Title Generators: Top 10 Book Name Generators of 2024
• 50 Top Literary Agents in the USA for Authors in 2024
• Building an Author Website: The Ultimate Guide with Examples
• Top 10 Book Printing Services for Authors in 2024
• 10 Best Free Online Grammar Checkers: Features and Ratings
• How to Write a Poem: Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Poetry
• What Is a Poem? Poetry Definition, Elements, & Examples
• 2024’s 10 Best Paraphrasing Tools for All (Free & Paid)
• Top 10 AI Detector Tools in 2024 (Free & Paid)
• Top 10 Book Editing Software in 2024 (Free & Paid)
• What Is an Adverb? Definition, Types, Differences & Examples
• What Are Large Language Models and How They Work: Explained!
• What Is an Adjective? Definition, Usage & Examples
• Top 10 Hardcover Book Printing Services [Best of 2024]
• 15 Types of Poems Everyone Should Know About
• 2024’s Top 10 Setting Generators to Create Unique Settings
• Different Types of Characters in Stories That Steal the Show
• Top 10 Screenplay & Scriptwriting Software (Free & Paid)
• 10 Best AI Text Generators of 2024: Pros, Cons, and Prices
• Top 10 Must-Try Character Name Generators in 2024
• How to Track Changes in Google Docs: A 7-Step Guide
• 10 Best AI Text Summarizers in 2024 (Free & Paid)
• 2024’s 10 Best Punctuation Checkers for Error-Free Text
• Top 10 AI Humanizers of 2024 [Free & Paid Tools]
• Top 10 AI Rewriters for Perfect Text in 2024 (Free & Paid)
• 10 Best Plot Generators for Engaging Storytelling in 2024
• 11 Best Story Structures for Writers (+ Examples!)
• How to Write a Book with AI in 2024 (Free & Paid Tools)
• Writing Contests 2024: Cash Prizes & Free Entries!
• Patchwork Plagiarism: Definition, Types, & Examples
• 15 Powerful Writing Techniques for Authors in 2024
• Simple Resume Formats for Maximum Impact With Samples
• What Is a Complement in a Sentence? (Meaning, Types & Examples)

25 Figures of Speech Simplified with Examples – PaperTrue

• Pre-Publishing Steps
• Book Cover Design: An Introduction
• What is a Book Copyright Page?
• 8 Pre-Publishing Steps to Self-Publish Your Book
• 7 Essential Elements of a Book Cover Design
• How to Copyright Your Book in the US, UK, & India
• How to Format a Book in 2024: 7 Tips for Print & EBooks
• Beta Readers: Why You Should Know About Them in 2024
• How to Publish a Book in 2024: Essential Tips for Beginners
• ISBN Guide 2024: What Is an ISBN and How to Get an ISBN
• Self Publishing Guide
• How to Hire a Book Editor in 5 Practical Steps
• Self-Publishing Options for Writers
• How to Promote Your Book Using a Goodreads Author Page
• What Makes Typesetting a Pre-Publishing Essential for Every Author?
• 4 Online Publishing Platforms To Boost Your Readership
• Typesetting: An Introduction
• Quick Guide to Novel Editing (with a Self-Editing Checklist)
• Quick Guide to Book Editing [Complete Process & Standard Rates]
• 10 Best Self-Publishing Companies of 2024: Price & Royalties
• Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing: 2024 Guide
• How to Publish a Book on Amazon: 8 Easy Steps [2024 Update]
• 10 Best Book Cover Design Services of 2024: Price & Ratings
• A Beginner’s Guide to Self-Publishing a Book in 2024
• Learn How Much Does It Cost to Self-Publish a Book in 2024
• What are Print-on-Demand Books? Cost and Process in 2024
• What Are the Standard Book Sizes for Publishing Your Book?
• Top 10 EBook Conversion Services for 2024’s Authors
• How to Copyright a Book in 2024 (Costs + Free Template)
• How to Market Your Book on Amazon to Maximize Sales in 2024
• How to Find an Editor for Your Book in 8 Steps (+ Costs!)
• What Is Amazon Self-Publishing? Pros, Cons & Key Insights
• Manuscript Editing in 2024: Elevating Your Writing for Success
• Know Everything About How to Make an Audiobook
• A Simple 14-Point Self-Publishing Checklist for Authors
• Traditional Publishing
• How to start your own online publishing company?
• 8 Tips To Write Appealing Query Letters
• How to Write a Query Letter (Examples + Free Template)
• Third-person Point of View: Definition, Types, Examples

Writing Tips

• How to Create Depth in Characters
• Starting Your Book With a Bang: Ways to Catch Readers’ Attention
• How to Write a Powerful Plot in 12 Steps
• Research for Fiction Writers: A Complete Guide
• Short stories: Do’s and don’ts
• How to Write Dialogue: 7 Rules, 5 Tips & 65 Examples
• How to Write a Novel in Past Tense? 3 Steps & Examples
• What Are Foil and Stock Characters? Easy Examples from Harry Potter
• How To Write Better Letters In Your Novel
• On Being Tense About Tense: What Verb Tense To Write Your Novel In
• How To Create A Stellar Plot Outline
• How to Punctuate Dialogue in Fiction
• On Being Tense about Tense: Present Tense Narratives in Novels
• The Essential Guide to Worldbuilding [from Book Editors]
• What Is Point of View: 1st, 2nd & 3rd POV with Examples
• How to Create Powerful Conflict in Your Story | Useful Examples
• How to Write a Book: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Write a Short Story: 6 Steps & Examples
• How To Craft a Murder Mystery Story
• How to Write a Novel: 8 Steps to Help You Start Writing
• What Is a Stock Character? 150 Examples from 5 Genres
• How to Write a Children’s Book: An Easy Step-by-Step Guide
• Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey: Worksheet & Examples
• Novel Outline: A Proven Blueprint [+ Free Template!]
• Character Development: 7-Step Guide for Writers
• Foil Character: Definition, History, & Examples
• What Is NaNoWriMo? Top 7 Tips to Ace the Writing Marathon
• What Is the Setting of a Story? Meaning + 7 Expert Tips
• Theme of a Story | Meaning, Common Themes & Examples
• 5 Elements of a Short Story & 6 Stages of a Plot
• What Is a Blurb? Meaning, Examples & 10 Expert Tips
• What Is Show, Don’t Tell? (Meaning, Examples & 6 Tips)
• How to Write a Book Summary: Example, Tips, & Bonus Section
• How to Write a Book Description (Examples + Free Template)
• 10 Best Free AI Resume Builders to Create the Perfect CV
• A Complete Guide on How to Use ChatGPT to Write a Resume
• 10 Best AI Writer Tools Every Writer Should Know About
• 15 Best ATS-Friendly ChatGPT Prompts for Resumes in 2024
• How to Write a Book Title (15 Expert Tips + Examples)
• The 10 Best AI Story Generators: Features, Usage & Benefits
• 100 Novel and Book Ideas to Start Your Book Writing Journey
• Exploring Writing Styles: Meaning, Types, and Examples
• Mastering Professional Email Writing: Steps, Tips & Examples
• How to Write a Screenplay: Expert Tips, Steps, and Examples
• Business Proposal Guide: How to Write, Examples and Template
• Different Types of Resumes: Explained with Tips and Examples
• How to Create a Memorable Protagonist (7 Expert Tips)
• How to Write an Antagonist (Examples & 7 Expert Tips)

Writing for the Web: 7 Expert Tips for Web Content Writing

• What are the Parts of a Sentence? An Easy-to-Learn Guide
• How to Avoid AI Detection in 2024 (6 Proven Techniques!)
• How to Avoid Plagiarism in 2024 (10 Effective Strategies!)
• 10 Best Spell Checkers of 2024: Features, Accuracy & Ranking
• What Is Climax Of A Story & How To Craft A Gripping Climax
• What Is a Subject of a Sentence? Meaning, Examples & Types
• Object of a Sentence: Your Comprehensive Guide
• What Is First-Person Point of View? Tips & Practical Examples
• Second-person Point of View: What Is It and Examples
• 10 Best AI Essay Outline Generators of 2024
• The Importance of Proofreading: A Comprehensive Overview

Still have questions? Leave a comment

Add Comment

Checklist: Dissertation Proposal

Enter your email id to get the downloadable right in your inbox!

Examples: Edited Papers

Need editing and proofreading services.

• Tags: Book Writing , Fiction Writing , Novel Writing

Want to make your writing more exciting? Figures of speech are the answer! They transform ordinary sentences into memorable expressions.  

This article dives into 25 commonly used figures of speech, offering clear explanations and practical examples. So, if you love playing with words, this article is for you! 

Let’s first quickly understand the figure of speech meaning. 

Give your text the professional touch it deserves! Learn more

What is a figure of speech? 

Figures of speech are useful language techniques that convey ideas beyond the actual meaning of words. They make words more fun to read. Whether it is music, books, speaking, or poems , figures of speech are used everywhere! 

Now let’s explore the types of figures of speech in detail! 

1. Metaphor 

A metaphor compares different ideas without using the words “like” and “as”. It shows a shared quality or feature between compared ideas. For example: 

The classroom was a zoo. 

In this example, a classroom full of noisy kids is compared to a zoo full of noisy wild animals. 

2. Simile 

A simile compares ideas using the words “like” and “as”. They help readers understand the thing described by relating it to something they already know. For example: 

The runner was as fast as lightning, racing towards the finish line. 

In this sentence, the runner’s speed is compared to lightning. 

3. Alliteration 

Alliteration is a writing technique where words starting with the same sound are used in the same phrase or sentence together. It’s like a tongue twister that repeats the same letter or sound at the beginning of multiple words. For example: 

The big blue balloon bounced off the boy.

In the above sentence, the “b” sound is repeated at the beginning of multiple words. 

4. Personification

Personification is a figure of speech where human qualities, actions, or emotions are given to non-human things. It is different from anthropomorphism where non-human things are not only given human traits but also act like humans. Here are some examples of personification: 

The sun smiled down on the children playing in the park.

In the above example, the sun is given the human quality of smiling. 

5. Antithesis 

Antithesis is a figure of speech where two opposite ideas are placed together in a sentence to create a contrast. Think of it like a seesaw, with one idea on one side and the opposite idea on the other side. For example: 

It can be used to highlight a point, create a dramatic effect, or make a statement more memorable. For example: 

My brother is tall, but I am short.

In this example, two opposite ideas of tall and short are placed in the same sentence to create a contrast. 

6. Hyperbole 

Hyperbole is a figure of speech that uses exaggeration to make a point. When you use hyperbole, you describe something as being much bigger, better, worse, or more intense than it really is. For example: 

I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse! 

Here, the level of hunger is exaggerated to emphasize it and make a point. 

7. Onomatopoeia 

Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech where sounds are described to create an effect. They help to make the description more engaging. For example: 

The soda fizzed and hissed as it was poured into the glass. 

In this sentence, the words “fizzed” and “hissed” describe the sound soda creates. 

8. Anaphora 

Anaphora is a writing technique where the same word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of multiple sentences. This helps to create an effect. For example: 

He ran through the forest. He ran over the hills. He ran until he couldn’t run anymore.

In the above sentence, the phrase “He ran” is repeated to create an effect. 

9. Allusion 

An allusion is a brief, indirect reference to a famous person, place, event, literary work, or work of art. Allusions can add depth and meaning to a piece of writing. Let’s browse through an example to understand better! 

He was as brave as Superman when he stood up to the bully.

Here, Superman is an allusion to the comic book superhero Superman. 

10. Paradox 

A paradox is a statement that seems contradictory or absurd but may be true in reality. It’s a situation or idea that appears illogical or self-contradictory. Here is an example: 

Less is more.

This paradox suggests that having less of something can actually be better or more effective than having more.  

11. Irony 

Irony is a figure of speech where the words one expresses do not mean what their literal meaning indicates but mean the opposite. Often, irony refers to a situation or fact that is opposite to what you would expect, often in a funny or strange way. It’s like a twist or surprise that goes against what seems logical or normal. For example: 

A dentist has bad teeth.

You would expect a dentist to have good teeth, so it’s ironic when a dentist has bad teeth. 

12. Euphemism 

A euphemism is a mild, indirect way of saying something that might be considered harsh, blunt, or offensive. It’s like using a softer or more pleasant word or phrase to talk about something unpleasant, embarrassing, or taboo. Here is an example of this: 

He passed away on 9th November 2002. 

Here, the word “passed away” is a gentler phrase for death, which can be a sensitive topic for many. 

13. Synecdoche 

Synecdoche is a figure of speech where a part of something is used to represent the whole, or the whole is used to represent a part. It helps to focus on a specific aspect of what is being described. For example: 

The stage was filled with talented faces. 

In the above sentence, the word “faces” (part) represents people (whole). Let’s see another example! 

“England won the World Cup in 1966.”

In this sentence, England (whole) represents the English national football team (part) and not the whole country. 

14. Litotes 

Litotes is a figure of speech where something bad/negative is said to highlight the positive/good. It is usually used in creative writing and in informal speech. For example: 

The party was not bad.

This means the party was actually quite good or enjoyable, but the speaker is understating it. 

15. Oxymoron 

An oxymoron is a figure of speech where two contradictory or opposing words are used to create a new meaning. When put together, two contradictory ideas express a unique or paradoxical meaning. For example: 

There was a deafening silence in the hall. 

Silence is the absence of sound, so it cannot be deafening. Deafening indicates an extremely loud noise. Hence, this is an oxymoron highlighting pin-drop silence. 

16. Apostrophe 

An apostrophe is a literary device in which a person speaks about someone or something that is not there. It could be a person, an object, an abstract idea, or even a deceased individual. This writing technique is often used in poetry and dramatic works to express strong emotions, show closeness, or personify non-living objects.

Here is an example: 

“Oh, moon, why must you shine so brightly on this sad day?”

(In this example, the speaker is directly addressing the moon, even though the moon cannot respond.)

17. Transferred Epithet 

A transferred epithet is a descriptive word or phrase that is used to describe a noun . However, it’s not a word or phrase that would be usually used to describe that specific noun. For example: 

He walked on the lonely streets. 

The phrase “lonely streets” is a transferred epithet as streets can’t be lonely. “Lonely” is a word used to describe people. 

18. Metonymy 

Metonymy is a figure of speech where a word or phrase is used to highlight or focus on something related to it. In other words, it’s when you replace the name of something with a word closely associated with it. For example: 

I love reading Sidney Sheldon. 

In this example, “Sidney Sheldon” is used to represent the books written by him, not the person himself. 

19. Climax 

A climax is a figure of speech where ideas are arranged in the increasing order of their importance (ascending order). This creates a strong impression on the reader. Let’s see an example of this! 

The cricketer trained for months, overcame injuries, and finally performed well in the T20 Cricket World Cup. 

In this example, the ideas of training, overcoming injuries, and performing well are in ascending order. They reflect the cricketer’s journey. 

20. Tautology 

Tautology is a figure of speech in which an idea is repeated using different words that essentially mean the same thing. It’s an unnecessary repetition of a word or a phrase using synonyms and similar words. For example: 

She saw it with her own eyes. 

This sentence is an example of tautology as the word “own” is unnecessary since a person sees with their eyes. 

21. Circumlocution 

Circumlocution is a figure of speech in which a person uses more words than necessary to express an idea. The speaker or writer often uses a longer, more complex phrase or description to convey the same meaning. For example: 

“This particular area appears to be suffering from a notable lack of tidiness and organization.”

In the above example, the writer uses a verbose description instead of saying “The area is messy”. 

22. Understatement 

Understatement is a figure of speech in which a person expresses an idea and makes it seem less important or serious. This is often done by using words or phrases that are mild, neutral, or positive. For example: 

“It’s just a scratch”. (to describe a serious injury.) 

23. Chiasmus 

Chiasmus is a way of writing or speaking where you switch the order of words or phrases. It is often used to create a sense of balance or contrast and can make the sentence more memorable. For example: 

“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” – John F. Kennedy

In the above sentence the order of the words “what your country can do for you” is changed. 

24. Epigram 

An epigram is a short, clever, and memorable statement that often expresses a general truth or observation. Epigrams are typically concise and thought-provoking. For example: 

“Little strokes fell great oaks.” – Benjamin Franklin

This epigram suggests that small, consistent efforts can overcome even the greatest challenges.

The final technique in our figures of speech list is polysyndeton. Let’s explore this technique in detail! 

25. Polysyndeton 

Polysyndeton is a figure of speech in which a writer uses multiple coordinating conjunctions (such as “and,” “or,” “but,” or “nor”), even when they are not grammatically necessary. This creates a rhythmic effect. For example: 

I searched high and low, near and far, over and under, but I still couldn’t find my keys.

In the above sentence the repetition of conjunctions like “and” creates a rhythmic effect. 

Now let’s see some figures of speech examples from well-known books! 

Nine amazing examples of figures of speech  

1. simile .

• “Loving someone is like moving into a house,” Sonja used to say. – A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
• Words are like tiny bombs, Liesel. – The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
• “Her hair was like spun gold.” – Rapunzel by The Brothers Grimm

2. Metaphor 

• “The wind howled through the trees.” – The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame 
• “The flowers danced in the breeze.” – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll 
• “The waves crashed against the shore, as if angry at the land.” – The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
• “Some rules are made to be broken.” – The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton 
• “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” – Animal Farm by George Orwell 
• “You need to spend money to make money.” – Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki 

While these examples show how figures of speech can be used in creative writing, this is not all. Let’s understand how to use figures of speech to improve daily conversations! 

How to use figures of speech to enhance everyday conversations?

The following figures of speech can be used to make daily conversations engaging: 

• Hyperbole: This figure of speech can be used to make conversations fun or convey distress. 

For example, instead of saying: “I have a lot of work to do”, you could say: “I’m drowning in a sea of paperwork!” (conveying distress) 

Another example is the sentence: “My internet is so slow, I could drive faster than it takes to load a webpage!”

• Irony: This involves saying the opposite of what you mean to be witty. If it’s pouring rain and someone says, “Lovely weather we’re having,” the irony adds a touch of humor to the situation.
• Rhetorical question: Asking a question you don’t expect an answer to can make people think. Instead of “This is important,” you could ask “Isn’t this something we should all care about?” You can use this literary device to discuss any sensitive, important issue that needs attention. 
• Allusion: Making a quick reference to a shared culture (a book, movie, song, etc.) can create a sense of connection and understanding. You can use this when you meet friends, family, and acquaintances with whom you share similarities. For example, 

“This situation feels like something out of a Shakespearean tragedy.”  

This allusion to Shakespeare can be used if you and the reader/writer are aware of Shakespearean tragedies. 

To conclude, figures of speech are useful speaking and writing techniques for communication. By using figures of speech while writing, you can make your text more engaging. Save this guide for quick access to the figures of speech definition and examples! 

Once you complete writing, editing the text is crucial. As a trusted provider of editing and proofreading services , PaperTrue can easily help you polish your text. 

What did you think about this article on the different types of figures of speech? Share your thoughts in the comments section! 

Here are some useful resources for you: 

• 10 Most Common Grammar Mistakes & How to Avoid Them
• Structure of an Essay: 5 Tips to Write an Outstanding Essay
• Top 10 Assignment Editing Services of 2024
• How to Write a Short Story: 6 Steps & Examples

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of figure of speech is a pun, which figure of speech uses “like” or “as” for comparison, is an idiom a figure of speech.

Found this article helpful?

Leave a Comment: Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Your vs. You’re: When to Use Your and You’re

Your organization needs a technical editor: here’s why.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Get carefully curated resources about writing, editing, and publishing in the comfort of your inbox.

How to Copyright Your Book?

If you’ve thought about copyrighting your book, you’re on the right path.

© 2024 All rights reserved

• Terms of service
• Privacy policy
• Fiction Writing Tips
• Dissertation Writing Guide
• Essay Writing Guide
• Academic Writing and Publishing
• Citation and Referencing
• Partner with us
• Annual report
• Website content
• Marketing material
• Job Applicant
• Cover letter
• Resource Center
• Case studies