what is zealous part of speech

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Definition of zealous

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Zealous vs. Jealous

Zealous and jealous share not just a rhyme, but an etymology. Both words ultimately come from the Latin zelus “jealousy,” and in the past their meanings were somewhat closer to each other than they are today. In the 16th and 17th centuries, zealous occasionally was used in biblical writing to refer to a quality of apprehensiveness or jealousy of another. By the 18th century, however, it had completely diverged in meaning from jealous , signifying “warmly engaged or ardent on behalf of someone or something.” Today, zealous often carries a connotation of excessive feeling: it typically means “fiercely partisan” or “uncompromisingly enthusiastic.”

Examples of zealous in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'zealous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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Cite this Entry

“Zealous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zealous. Accessed 1 Apr. 2024.

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full of, characterized by, or due to zeal ; ardently active, devoted, or diligent.

Origin of zealous

Other words for zealous, opposites for zealous, other words from zealous.

• zeal·ous·ly, adverb
• zeal·ous·ness, noun
• non·zeal·ous, adjective
• non·zeal·ous·ly, adverb
• non·zeal·ous·ness, noun
• un·der·zeal·ous, adjective
• un·der·zeal·ous·ly, adverb
• un·der·zeal·ous·ness, noun
• un·zeal·ous, adjective
• un·zeal·ous·ly, adverb

Words Nearby zealous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use zealous in a sentence

Rather, I understood such zealous procedures as necessary security precautions.

Although zealous in defense of their own rights and freedoms, they are less concerned about the rights and freedoms of those who are not like them.

Since no amount of logical arguments, cajoling or bribery will change the minds of zealous conspiracy theorists, Fauci probably won’t convince skeptics that the NIH bigwig is a paragon of public service.

To get it right, it’s important not to be over zealous on the number of channels used, within whatever company tools are used to communicate — whether it’s Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, Google Docs.

It’s easy to get over- zealous and buy grilling tools that you’ll never use.

These labels matter, but so does our over- zealous urge to dole them out and endlessly dwell on them.

Americans have a right to fear over- zealous and unwarranted surveillance by the NSA.

The extremely zealous President Kevin Baugh has been issuing war bonds to raise funds in case fighting becomes necessary.

zealous populist patriots might pal around on principle, but banding together effectively is another matter.

Some of them were brought up in the faith; some are zealous converts.

He was so zealous a partisan of democracy, and of Cromwell, that the authorities frequently placed him in a straight jacket.

Paul Egede died, aged 81; author of an Account of Greenland, and a zealous missionary there.

He found himself among kinsmen who were zealous Roman Catholics.

Vernon was a zealous Whig, and not personally unacceptable to the chiefs of his party.

But, though Portland was an unreasonable and querulous friend, he was a most faithful and zealous minister.

British Dictionary definitions for zealous

/ ( ˈzɛləs ) /

filled with or inspired by intense enthusiasm or zeal; ardent; fervent

Derived forms of zealous

• zealously , adverb
• zealousness , noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Meaning of zealous in English

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• all of a flutter idiom
• enthusiastically
• evangelical
• evangelistic
• evangelistically
• lean towards sth
• make (all) the right, correct, etc. noises idiom

Related words

Zealous | american dictionary, examples of zealous, translations of zealous.

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null and void

having no legal force

Sitting on the fence (Newspaper idioms)

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Definition of 'zealous'

zealous in American English

Zealous in british english, examples of 'zealous' in a sentence zealous, trends of zealous.

View usage over: Since Exist Last 10 years Last 50 years Last 100 years Last 300 years

In other languages zealous

• American English : zealous / ˈzɛləs /
• Brazilian Portuguese : zeloso
• Chinese : 热衷的 尤指对政治或宗教理想
• European Spanish : entusiasta
• French : assidu
• German : eifrig
• Italian : zelante
• Japanese : 熱心な
• Korean : 열성적인
• European Portuguese : zeloso
• Spanish : entusiasta

Browse alphabetically zealous

• zearalenone
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Related terms of zealous

• overly zealous

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Definition of zealous adjective from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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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.

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.

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.)

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). The idea is that 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 , the label  part of speech has generally been discarded in favor of the term word class or syntactic category . These terms make words easier to qualify objectively based on word construction rather than context. 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 get started practicing 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, 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. Examples:  softly, lazily, often, only, hopefully, softly, sometimes.

Preposition

Prepositions  show spacial, 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, with.

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: articles:  a, an, the ; 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:

• The noun  work  is the thing Bosco shows up for.
• The verb  work  is the action he must perform.
• 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 command to an understood "you".

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.

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• What Is an Adverb in English Grammar?
• What Are the Parts of a Prepositional Phrase?
• Definition and Examples of Adjectives
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• Nominal: Definition and Examples in Grammar
• Constituent: Definition and Examples in Grammar
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• The Difference Between Gerunds, Participles, and Infinitives

Speeches > Cecil O. Samuelson > Appropriate Zeal

Appropriate Zeal

Cecil o. samuelson.

President of Brigham Young University

September 7, 2010

As is always the case at this wonderful time of year, I have the great privilege and pleasure of welcoming you to a new semester at Brigham Young University. I hope and trust you have had productive summer months and now begin this academic year full of enthusiasm, optimism, energy, and commitment to and for the opportunities and tasks ahead. I anticipate you are excited to be here because there is much about which to be energized and encouraged this fall term at BYU. More so than ever before, there are many who would love to be in your positions who are not able to be so.

For some months I have been pondering about my message to you today. In the years that we have occupied these positions, Sister Samuelson and I have had the high honor of addressing the campus community in devotionals twice a year. While we stand before you in this setting typically at the beginning of each fall and winter semester, we tend to think and pray about what we should discuss with you almost constantly. And it is not rare that someone might feel impressed to offer counsel as to what we might say next or what we should have said today or last winter. In all candor, we need all the help we can get, but we give highest priority to seeking the guidance of the Holy Ghost in what we consider in these precious moments we have with you.

Last spring—in the context of a number of opportunities, concerns, and issues we were facing here at BYU—I read, as I have many times over the years, of a Book of Mormon personality who has seemed largely a peripheral figure. I speak of the Nephite Zeniff. As I tried to “liken all scriptures” unto myself, as we are counseled by Nephi (1 Nephi 19:23), I perceived perhaps for the first time some interesting parallels or character traits that I also observe in our community and even in myself from time to time. The applications are many, and I will have time for only a few that seem particularly pertinent on this occasion.

While I will leave the detailed study of Zeniff, his times, and circumstances to you, I need to summarize briefly in order to provide further context to what I feel to comment about today. You will recall that Zeniff’s son, King Noah, and his grandson, King Limhi, were both more prominent in Book of Mormon history than was he. Zeniff lived roughly 400 years after Father Lehi and his people arrived in the promised land. Because of the wars and struggles between the Nephites and the Lamanites, the Nephites had been driven from their first ancestral lands in the new world and were primarily located in a place called Zarahemla. Zeniff had been a participant with a group of Nephites who were committed to taking back or reestablishing the Nephite nation in their initial place of residence. Not everyone shared his politics or his priorities, and, in fact, this issue led to considerable conflict and carnage among the Nephites themselves.

Now to the central point of this account. After describing the horrible contention and bloodshed these disagreements engendered, Zeniff said:

I being  over-zealous  to inherit the land of our fathers, collected as many as were desirous to go up to possess the land, and started again on our journey into the wilderness to go up to the land; but we were smitten with famine and sore afflictions; for we were slow to remember the Lord our God.  [Mosiah 9:3; emphasis added]

To my knowledge, there is only one other place in the scriptures where the term  overzealous  is found. This is where the Book of Mormon editor is describing the man Zeniff (see Mosiah 7:21) and comments that because he was overzealous, he allowed himself to be deceived by wicked King Laman, which led to the captivity, suffering, and disadvantage of the group of people he led. Earlier in the chronology of the Book of Mormon, Zeniff is also described as “a strong and mighty man, and a stiffnecked man” (see Omni 1:28).

It apparently was not necessarily so that Zeniff was inherently wicked or intentionally unwise, but he was  overzealous. It is also clear that his misplaced zeal led to other poor decisions that not only affected him personally in adverse ways but also caused tremendous difficulties for others under his influence. It didn’t help that he was also stiff-necked, which means that he was haughty and stubborn too. Can you see any potential dangers in a man who is strong, forceful, passionate, enthusiastic, stubborn, full of himself, and overzealous too? I know that all of you can perceive these interesting traits or character flaws in others, but do they ever creep into your own persona as well? I hope that is something we all try to consider at least a little, and correct if necessary, on a regular basis.

Now let me be clear. We are in favor of correctly focused zeal. We admire courageous leaders and those who are willing to sacrifice or stand for what they know is right. The scriptures are replete with references to  zeal,  and the word is often attached to Deity. Without zeal and other associated virtues in courageous leaders and followers of previous days, we would not have this nation or this university, the gospel would not have been restored, and many other events of extreme importance would not have happened.

Likewise, we abhor slothful behavior and thinking, which are antithetical to righteous and appropriate zeal. The Book of Mormon prophet Jacob described the failings of those he knew about who missed “the mark” or appropriate target of concern (Jacob 4:14).

Thus we must be careful that we do not overdo or underdo any of the important things that demand and deserve our attention. While there are many applications of these principles that we might profitably address, I will mention only a few that have fairly wide applicability in our campus community and beyond. You will be able to think of additional themes and examples, and I suggest you tailor a list that best meets your own concerns, potential weaknesses or strengths, and most important priorities.

Because of the season, I think of two areas in which examples of the extreme are quite prevalent. I speak, of course, of politics and sports. In the political arena, we are in an election year, and emotions are already beginning to be evident with strong opinions, advocacy, and criticism rampant among us. I encourage you to become informed, to register to vote if you are eligible and have not done so, and to vote your educated conscience on Election Day. Participate in the process as your time and inclinations allow, but please be sure to be considerate of other opinions, people, and perspectives. Please also remember that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Brigham Young University are firm in our positions about protecting our institutional political neutrality.

Likewise, we are now in football season and will have almost continuous and various athletic contests during the entire school year. While most of our students and community are exemplary in their sportsmanship, we as a group of avid boosters can do better and must do better in respecting our opponents and, frankly, ourselves by acting the way representatives of Brigham Young University should act.

We applaud your enthusiasm, and our student athletes recognize and appreciate your support. However, in both athletics and politics we see far too many examples of overzealous behavior, and I caution and admonish you to help solve the problems and not be the creators or promoters of offensive and boorish behavior. It doesn’t matter what others do. Their poor judgments or actions do not justify imitation. They certainly do not justify acting or behaving in unseemly ways by those who have made the commitments that members of this community have made. I think I don’t need to say more about these matters today, but I invite your help and support in improving our conduct and that of others. In the days ahead, the report and recommendations of the BYU Presidential Commission on sportsmanship will be released. I endorse both the work and the suggestions of this important group chosen broadly from across our community.

In a similar vein, we occasionally witness among us those who give counsel or criticism when they themselves do not have all the facts or the responsibility to so comment. Inappropriate observations about the personal choices of others when differing from their own preferences unfortunately are not restricted to just politics and athletics. Intensely personal decisions about whom to marry, when to have children if married (as if every couple can automatically cause these things to happen on their own timetable—they cannot!), opinions about proper and improper majors or career choices for women or men, and other intrusive verbal or behavioral assaults should never be heard or found in the BYU community. Happily, they are rare, but when they do happen, they are extremely hurtful. Above all, none should ever attempt to impose guilt or distress upon another by being overzealous in interpreting the directions and counsel of the living prophets. The Brethren are extremely careful and clear about what they say and mean, and we should follow their example.

I like the response of the prophet Alma when asked a question by his son. Note that Alma didn’t say, “I don’t have an opinion.” Rather, this was his response: “Now these mysteries are not yet fully made known unto me; therefore I shall forbear” (Alma 37:11). We all should forbear more often and more thoughtfully.

I also do need to offer counsel about keeping your zeal in proper boundaries with respect to some other matters such as your hobbies, your creativity, and even your studies. As you know, or are now finding out firsthand, BYU is a very no-nonsense place when it comes to scholarship and academic activities, even though we also really know how to have appropriate fun. All of you are bright and able or you would not have been invited to enroll. All of you will need to study hard to succeed and will need to take your course work and other academic endeavors very seriously. But even here you can become overzealous and miss the mark if you are not careful.

There are those who believe some come to BYU just to socialize or to meet others with similar values and goals and hopefully to find an eventual eternal companion. While this is not the only reason for attending BYU or even perhaps your primary motivation in coming here, please do not wait until you have ordered your cap and gown as you anticipate your pending graduation to do all you can to meet and get to know people with whom you might wish to spend your lives in creating a new eternal family together. If finding a mate is your only concern, BYU is the wrong place for you. But if you leave BYU without doing all you can to fulfill this important obligation in Heavenly Father’s plan, you will have missed a great opportunity and may pay a very heavy price in the future.

Make no mistake, even with the best of intentions and efforts, some of you will likely not find that special someone while you are here. If that is the case and you have done your best, I promise you that heaven will help you and cause it to happen, even if it takes a very long time and extends beyond your mortal probation. Just be sure that you are doing what you can and should in all that you do here. Hanging out occasionally may be fine, but appropriate dating at the right time and in the right way is very important.

On a different topic but with the same theme, let me speak candidly with you about the tremendous opportunities you have before you at BYU to grow in the gospel as well as to mature in your academic specialty and general education. I regularly meet students who are so focused on gaining a specific credential, on getting admission to a particular professional school or graduate program, or on receiving well-earned distinction at the time of graduation that they fail to have the full experience of participating in their student wards and stakes and in the spiritually strengthening activities and events on campus such as these devotionals. I can promise you that if you will plan your time, discipline your activities, and set your priorities properly, you will grow and develop in all spheres of your lives in ways that would not be possible elsewhere. You need to be intellectually stretched but also spiritually strengthened.

As I visit in various stakes on assignment around the world, I frequently meet Church leaders who express gratitude for three things: First, that they had the opportunity to meet their eternal companion at BYU; second, that they learned important lessons in Church administration and leadership in their student wards; and third—often mentioned third—that they received a wonderful education that has prepared them well for the careers they are pursuing. Be zealous in all of the good things your BYU experience offers you but avoid being overzealous in any one dimension that will lead you to being restrictive, confused, and misled in your quest to achieve all that you might gain here at BYU. Being overzealous will also cause you to miss opportunities to be of service to others in ways that might have been very beneficial to all involved while you are at BYU as well as limit your capacities for significant future service throughout your lives.

The Lord is aware of the tendency of the natural man and natural woman in all of us to be overzealous about some things and as a result be slothful and neglectful about others. As I conclude, let me turn to the scriptures for some important counsel.

First, from the concluding instruction of King Benjamin in his great benedictory address: He had spoken directly and clearly to his people about their tremendous responsibilities in living the gospel as he had taught it. He saw that they were anxious to be not only good and obedient but to do everything their prophet-king and the Lord asked of them. Think carefully and invite the Spirit to teach you while you consider these words:

And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man  [or a woman]  should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.  [Mosiah 4:27]

Second, from the counsel of the Lord to the Prophet Joseph Smith after Joseph had made a very serious mistake when he was close to the age of most of you: You recall that while in the process of translating the Book of Mormon, Joseph let Martin Harris temporarily take 116 pages of the manuscript that were subsequently lost. Because of this terrible error, Joseph lost his gift of translation for a season, and he was terribly depressed and disappointed in the situation. After a period of repentance, the gift to translate was restored to young Joseph, and he was admonished to finish the work that he had been given to do. It was at this time that the Lord gave this wonderful tutorial that I likewise share with you:

Do not run faster or labor more than you have strength and means provided to enable you to translate; but be diligent unto the end.  [D&C 10:4]

My counsel to you, my dear young friends, as you embark on this very important new academic semester, is to be clear in your priorities, in your understanding, in your faith, and in all your endeavors. Don’t be like Zeniff, overzealous and stiff-necked. Be like King Benjamin, who received his message from an angel, and Joseph Smith, who was taught directly by the Lord.

Do what you do with wisdom and order. Do not run faster or labor more than you have strength and means, but be diligent always.

Thanks be to God our Heavenly Father and to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, for all Their blessings, and among the most precious currently is the privilege of being at Brigham Young University. That we might all demonstrate our love and appreciation for what we have and the possibilities before us I pray. God does live and we are part of His great work. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

© Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

Cecil O. Samuelson was BYU president when this devotional address was delivered on 7 September 2010.

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• 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.

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