Eight Parts of Speech

 

 

Ancient Greeks divided Greek words into eight categories. They called them parts of speech. Grammar students have used these for centuries.

Noun

Pronoun

Preposition
Words that begin phrases about location or relationship.
The museum exhibit is about American history from 1920 to 1945.

Verbs

Adjectives
Words that are used to modify nouns. , e.g. old, wise, small, efficient.
Efficient machines use small amounts of fuel.

Adverbs
Words used to modify verbs.
She writes fluently in English.
Words that are used to modify adjectives or adverbs.
e.g. very, really, entirely.
He speaks very eloquently.
Words used to modify whole sentences.
Words that don’t fit into any other category. When Greeks did not know what to call a verb they usually called it an adverb.

Conjunctions
Words used to connect words. E.g. and, but, or.

Interjections
Words or phrases expressing sudden feelings. Such as YIKES, Oh, Ouch.