Word Class

Recognising Word Classes

Word Classes

English Grade 6

​2023/2024

What are the Word Classes?

Words are divided into different kinds or classes according to their use in a sentence. These different kinds/classes of words are called as Word Classes

There are 8 Word Classes

​​1. Noun 2. Adjective 3. Pronoun 4. Verb

5. ​Adverb 6. Preposition 7. Conjunction 8. Interjection

1. Akbar was a great king.

2. The sun shines brightly.

3. The courage won him honour.

Examples

A word used as the name of a person, place, thing, or animal.

The word thing: all ​objects that

-we can see, hear, smell, taste, or touch​

-something that we can think of​, but cannot perceive by senses.

​1. What is a Noun?

1. Hyder is a brave boy.

2. She is an ordinary girl.

Examples

A word that adds something to the meaning of a noun/ pronoun.

​2. What is an Adjective?

1. John is absent, because he is ill.

2. The books are exactly where you left them.

Examples

A word used in place of a noun.

​3. What is a pronoun?

1. The boy wrote a letter to his grandpa.

2. You are a student.

3. Oxygen and Hydrogen make water.

Examples

A word used to express an action, event or state.

​4. What is a Verb?

1. He quickly walked towards his house.

2. The bird is very beautiful.

3. It was quite calm in the park.

Examples

A word used to add something to the meaning of a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

​5. What is an Adverb?

1. There is a cat under the chair.

2. I am fond of music.

3. There is a butterfly in the garden.

Examples

A word used with a noun/pronoun to show how the person or thing denoted by the noun/pronoun stands in relation to something else.

​6. What is a Preposition?

1. Hyder and Ali are brothers.​

2. ​I woke up early, but missed the bus.​

3. Three or ​four?

Examples

A word used to join words or sentences.

​7. What is a Conjunction?

1. Hurrah! They won the match.

2. ​Alas! She's absent.

Examples

A word used to express some sudden feelings.

​8. What is an Interjection?

a/an, the, ​this, that, these, those, every, each, some, any, my, his, one, two, etc.

Examples

A word which determines or limits the meaning of the nouns that follow.

Some modern grammar books ​include determiners among the parts of speech, but in traditional grammar all determiners (except a/an, the) are classed among adjectives.

​9. What is a Determiner?

1. They arrived soon after. (Adverb)​

2. ​They arrived after us. (Preposition)

3. ​They arrived after we had left. (Conjunction)

Examples

As words are divided into different classes according to the work they do in a sentence, the word class they belong to is determined by their place in a sentence.

​Point to remember...

Multiple Choice

There was an old cabin next to the lake.

• noun

• verb

• adjective

• adverb

Multiple Choice

I had to run for the bus.

• noun

• verb

• adjective

• adverb

Multiple Choice

I'm going to visit Spain in the summer.

• noun

• verb

• adjective

• adverb

Multiple Choice

I quietly crept down the stairs.

• noun

• verb

• adjective

• adverb

Multiple Choice

She placed the books back on the desk.

• noun

• verb

• adjective

• adverb

Multiple Choice

There was an old cabin next to the lake.

• preposition

• determiner

• adverb

• verb

Multiple Choice

Following a successful performance, the cast members bowed.

• noun

• verb

• determiner

• preposition

Multiple Choice

Do you think that she is really going to eat that?

• noun

• pronoun

• verb

• determiner

Multiple Choice

The artist smiled; happy that the painting was finally finished.

• noun

• determiner

• adverb

• pronoun

Multiple Choice

This strange cat has been following me all week!

• determiner

• pronoun

• adverb

• preposition

Multiple Choice

I can’t believe that the concert is happening this week!

• noun

• preposition

• determiner

• adjective

Multiple Choice

The gargantuan sign reading ‘Warning! Trolls sighted in this area!’ was enough to put anyone off.

• noun

• determiner

• preposition

• adjective

Multiple Choice

The zookeeper slowly crept towards the opened cage.

• noun

• verb

• adjective

• adverb

Multiple Choice

Class 6’s window had been ‘decorated’ by the local seagulls.

• noun

• verb

• determiner

• preposition

Multiple Choice

The cupboard beneath the stairs was the best hiding place in the whole house.

• determiner

• adverb

• preposition

• adjective