Classification of Parts of Speech

Nouns are words that describe a "thing" and can be generic (common nouns) or specific (proper nouns). They can serve as the subject or object of a verb or as a possessive or the object of a preposition. Examples: cat, Christianity, Jack

Pronouns are nonspecific words that take the place of nouns. They are small, short words that help avoid repetition and cut back on the need for longer nouns. Examples: he, she, it, his, they

Verbs are words that describe an action and come in many different tenses and forms. Examples: walks, carried, holding

Adjectives are words that describe nouns. Examples: blue, happy, tall, fast. In English, they usually come before the noun they modify: "the blue car."

Adverbs are like adjectives in that they are used to describe things, but adverbs describe verbs and adjectives instead of nouns. Examples: quickly, deeply, loudly

Prepositions are words used to describe the relationship between words in a sentence and are the beginning to a prepositional phrase. Examples: about, above, beneath, between, toward

Conjunctions are words used to bring two or more different clauses, phrases, or items together in a sentence. Examples: and, or, but

Interjections are words used to show a quick and immediate emotion. They often stand by themselves and are followed by an exclamation mark. Examples: hey!, whoa!