Parts of Speech

A part of speech explains how a word is used. In traditional English grammar, there are eight parts of speech. Knowing about each part of speech will help you use words correctly when speaking and writing. Your communication skills will be enhanced.

Here are the eight parts of speech and their most common meanings:

Noun: A noun is a word that names a person, place, or thing.

Examples:

(person) – Michael Jordan was a great basketball player.

(place) – I left my notebook at school.

(thing) – I enjoy reading a good book.

A noun that names only one person, place, or thing is a singular noun. A noun that names more than one person, place, or thing is a plural noun. For example, automobile is a singular noun, while automobiles is a plural noun.

Pronoun: A pronoun is a word that is used in place of a noun. Pronouns act just like nouns.

Examples:

Bob gave me the best puppy in the litter.

Now that cute puppy is mine.

Adjective: An adjective is a word that describes a noun. It can tell what kind or how many.

Examples:

(what kind) That was a wonderful movie.

(how many) Only several people attended the town meeting.

Verb: A verb is a word that shows action. A present tense verb shows action that is happening now. A past tense verb shows action that has already happened. A future tense verb shows action that will happen.

Examples:

(present tense) Please move the chair away from the wall.

(past tense) I walked home from school yesterday.

(future tense) We are going on vacation in the middle of July.

Adverb: An adverb is a word that describes a verb. It can tell how or when.

Examples:

(how) I try to eat my food slowly.

(when) I like Jamie because he never lies.

Conjunction: A conjunction is a word that connects words in a sentence.

Examples:

Susan and Anna are very close friends.

I will go to the park if you come too.

Preposition: A preposition is a word that links and relates a noun or pronoun to another word in a sentence.

Examples:

I haven’t gone to the gym since Tuesday.

Tom said that he was against Bill’s idea.

Interjection: An interjection is a word that expresses emotion. It is usually an exclamation that is followed by an exclamation point (!). Sometimes, an interjection is followed by a comma (,).

Examples:

Wow! That movie was scary.

Oops, I didn’t mean to do that.

Knowing these eight parts of speech will improve your writing and speaking.

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Using Prefixes to Expand Your Vocabulary

What is a prefix?

You must understand what a root word is in order to understand what a prefix is.

A root word is a word you can change into a new word by adding a beginning and/or an ending.

A prefix is a beginning that is added to a root word.

For example, take the root word “purpose.” By adding the prefix “multi” to “purpose,” the new word “multipurpose” is formed.

Every prefix has its own meaning. When added to a root word, a prefix changes the meaning of the root word to which it is added. The root word “purpose” means “an aim or a goal one wishes to achieve.” The prefix “multi” means “many.” The new word “multipurpose” means “designed or used for many purposes.”

Learning to identify prefixes and knowing their meanings are great ways to expand your vocabulary. An expanded vocabulary will increase your listening and speaking comprehension. It will also help you communicate more effectively when writing or taking tests.

Some Common Prefixes

Here are some common prefixes. The meaning of each prefix is shown, as well as words that can be formed by adding the prefix to root words. Using these prefixes and others will expand your vocabulary.

Prefix	Meaning of Prefix	Words Formed Using the Prefix
re	again	replay, resend, replace
hyper	over	hyperactive, hypersensitive, hyperventilate
un	not	unclear, unsure, undecided
tri	three	triangle, tricycle, triweekly
pre	before	prepay, prepackage, predate
mis	wrong	misconduct, misspell, misunderstand
sub	below	subway, substandard, submarine

Some More Prefixes

Here are some more prefixes and their meanings. You can add these prefixes to many root words to form new words and expand your vocabulary.

Prefix ante bi equi hypo neo poly semi

Meaning before two equal under new many half

Prefix auto circum im inter omni retro trans

Meaning self around not between all backward across

To build your vocabulary using prefixes, do the following:

1. When you see a prefix whose meaning you do not know, look up its meaning in a dictionary.
2. Write the prefix and its meaning where you can refer to it easily and often.
3. Review the meaning of these prefixes from time to time.
4. Form words by adding these prefixes to root words.
5. Use these words when you speak and write.

Watch your vocabulary grow!

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Confusing Pairs of Words

Many pairs of words sound alike or nearly alike, but each has a different meaning. For example, affect means to influence something, while effect means the result of something. Words like these can be easily confused with each other.

You must be careful to use the correct word from a pair of such confusing words when you are writing and speaking. If not, you may express something different than what you mean to express.

For example, suppose you are writing about the importance of a good marriage. You write that martial bliss is a wonderful thing. The word martial refers to war. You should have written that marital bliss is a wonderful thing. The word marital refers to marriage.

You wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself by addressing a letter to the administrator of your school as “Dear Principle.” The word principle means a fundamental truth. You should write “Dear Principal.” The word principal refers to the head of a school.

Here are some word pairs that are commonly confused. Learn the meanings of each of the words so that you use them correctly.

Accept – to take something that is given to you
Except – to leave out

Altar – a raised place used in religious services
Alter – to change

Ascent – to climb
Assent – to agree

Brake – a device for stopping or slowing a vehicle
Break – to come apart

Cite – to document
Site – a place

Coarse – rough
Course – moving from one point to the next

Complement - something that makes a thing whole or perfect
Compliment – to praise

Conscience – a sense of right and wrong
Conscious – state of being awake

Descent – coming from a higher place to a lower one
Dissent – to disagree

Desert – a dry, hot, sandy area
Dessert – the sweet final part of a meal

Device – something made for a certain purpose
Devise – to invent something or develop a plan

Elicit – to bring out
Illicit – illegal

Eminent – famous or well respected
Imminent – about to happen

Faint – weak
Feint – a movement meant to deceive

Forth – forward
Fourth – an ordinal number

Here – at or in a place
Hear – to receive sound through one’s ears

Hoard – to save and store away
Horde – a very large group

Hole – an opening through something
Whole – an entire thing

Loath – reluctant
Loathe – greatly dislike

Palate – the roof of the mouth
Palette – an artist’s board for mixing paints

Peace – absence of fighting
Piece – a portion of something

Plain – clearly seen, heard, or understood
Plane – a flat surface

Pore – a very small opening in the skin
Pour – to cause something to flow

Precede – to come before
Proceed – to go forward

Shear – to cut the wool off a sheep
Sheer – so thin you can see through it

Stationary – to stand still
Stationery – writing paper

Waist – the part of the human body between the ribs and the hips
Waste – to use or spend carelessly

Weak – without strength
Week – a period of seven days

Don’t be CONFUSED! Learn the meanings of these words to use them correctly.

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