Parts of Speech

Parts of Speech: Brief Definitions

The terms defined below are the eight primary parts of speech, along with articles. For a more comprehensive list of grammar terms, see the Grammar and Usage main page.

adjective: a word that modifies a noun or pronoun

adverb: a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb

article: a type of adjective that shows if a noun is specific or non-specific (a, an, the)

conjunction: a word or phrase that connects words, phrases, clauses, or sentences

interjection: a word or phrase that expresses an emotion or reaction

noun: a word that names something (person, place, thing, idea, or action)

preposition: a word that connects a noun or pronoun to another word by showing direction, location, position, or relation

pronoun: a word that stands for or refers to a noun

verb: a word that shows an action or state of being

OWL Resources

Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) has many helpful resources covering parts of speech. Exercises can be found on this page.

• Parts of Speech Overview: Definitions and examples of parts of speech, links to more handouts and exercises on particular parts of speech
• Count and Noncount Nouns: Explanations and examples of the differences between count nouns, which can be counted, and noncount nouns (mass nouns), which cannot
• Verbals: A detailed overview of gerunds, participles, and infinitives (verb forms that act as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs)
• A versus an: An explanation of when to use each indefinite article
• Using articles: An explanation of the difference between the definite article the and the indefinite articles a and an
• The Difference between Adjectives and Adverbs: How to distinguish between (and correctly use) adjectives, which modify nouns or pronouns, and adverbs, which modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs (see also Adjective or Adverb?)
• Adjectives with Countable and Uncountable Nouns: How to use adjectives such as much (with noncount nouns) and many (with count nouns)
• Several pages on prepositions: Prepositions for Time, Place, and Introducing Objects; Prepositions of Direction; Prepositions of Location; Prepositions of Spatial Relationship