
## Identify the Word Classes in Your Content With INK Parts of Speech Checker

<img width="100%" alt="Parts of speech checker" src="/parts-of-speech-checker/parts-of-speech-checker.webp">

**INK Parts of Speech Checker** tool can help identify the various word
classes in your writing.

**Main Takeaways:**

- **Parts of speech**, also known as **word classes**, are the
  building blocks of grammar.
- Parts of speech are **nouns**, **pronouns**, **verbs**,
  **adjectives**, **adverbs**, **prepositions**, **conjunctions**,
  **articles/determiners**, and **interjection**.
- Understanding of sentence structure can help identify **nouns** and
  **pronouns**.
- Find the **clause** and **phrases** to identify **conjunctions**.
- **Exclamation points** can help identify **interjections**.
- Use the **nouns** and **pronouns** in a sentence to find the
  **preposition**.
- **INK Parts of Speech Checker** tool can help identify word classes
  in a sentence.

Every individual word in the [English
language](https://blog.inkforall.com/difficult-words) belongs to cate
gories called parts of speech or word classes. These include **nouns**,
**pronouns**, **verbs**, **adjectives**, **adverbs**, **prepositions**,
**conjunctions**, **articles/determiners**, and **interjection**.

Meanwhile, some sources named only the first eight word classes, leaving
**interjections** in a separate category.

Knowing how to identify the different **parts of speech** in a document
or writing won't make you a grammar expert. It won't even make you a
better writer. However, you'll gain a basic understanding of the
sentence structure in the English language, and that's the first step.

In this post, we'll explore the nine parts of speech, including
examples. You'll also find out how to identify these word classes in a
sentence.

## What is a Part of Speech?

**Parts of speech** refer to any one of the nine main categories that
words in English are classified based on their function in a sentence.
These are the building blocks of grammar.

Parts of Speech are further divided into two basic categories. These
are:

- **Open class:** Nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs
- **Closed Class:** Pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions,
  articles/determiners, and interjections

The reasoning is that the words in the open class can increase as
language develops. Meanwhile, new words are rarely added to the closed
class. For example, we get new nouns every day, but pronouns have
remained the same.

### Why is it Important to Recognize the Parts of Speech?

The **parts of speech** are the building blocks of grammar, making them
essential for writing good sentences. So, you can't write a
grammatically correct sentence in English without knowing at least one
word class.

Here are some other ways that knowing the parts of speech can help:

- You'll recognize which words to capitalize in a title
- Identify the words that need an
  [apostrophe](https://blog.inkforall.com/apostrophe) to form possessive
- You'll know when to capitalize after a greeting
- Use punctuations correctly in your writing

Finally, knowing the difference between a **preposition** and a
**pronoun** can help you become confident about using the English
language.

## Nine Parts of Speech and Examples

<img width="100%" alt="Nine parts of speech examples" src="/parts-of-speech-checker/nine-parts-of-speech-examples.webp">

### Nouns

**Nouns** refer to words that identify a person, place, thing, or idea.
These words can assume various roles in a sentence, from the subject
that's performing an action to the object, the recipient of the action.

**Example**:

- **Brutus** is my **dog**.

The **nouns** in the example above are Brutus and dog. Note that we
capitalize the first letter of a **noun** when it's the official name of
something or someone. This form of a noun is called a **proper noun**.

### Pronouns

**Pronouns** are words that replace a noun that was previously mentioned
in a sentence. We use pronouns primarily to avoid repeating the noun.

**Example**:

- Peter ate the food because **he** was hungry.

In this example, the **pronoun** "he" makes it unnecessary to repeat the
noun "Peter." Other examples of **pronouns** include I, she, them, ours,
it, them, who, which, anybody, and ourselves, to name a few.

### Verbs

We use [**verbs**](https://blog.inkforall.com/linking-verbs) in English
to express an action or a state of being, need, sense, or preference.
Verbs can change form based on the tense (present or past) or based on
count distinction (singular or plural).

**Example**:

- Jane **sang** beautifully.

In the example, the verb "sang" describes the action that Jane
performed. Other examples of **verbs** include dance, be, believe, eat,
drink, and became, among others.

### Adjectives

[**Adjectives**](https://blog.inkforall.com/adjectives) describe or
modify nouns and pronouns. These words give more information or ascribe
attributes to the noun being modified. That way, readers and listeners
can use their senses to imagine it.

**Example**:

- Jane sang a **beautiful** song.

In this example, the **adjective** "beautiful" tells us a little about
the song that Jane sang. Other examples of adjectives are funny, happy,
lazy, hot, bright, dull, mediocre, and unique, to name a few.

### Adverbs

**Adverbs** describe a **verb**, an
[**adjective**](https://blog.inkforall.com/adjectives-starting-with-a),
or another **adverb**. It provides additional information relating to
time, place, degree, manner, cause, and circumstance.

**Example**:

- Cece **nearly** lost everything.

In the example, the **adverb** "nearly" provides tells us the extent of
Cece's loss. Other examples of adverbs are softly, sometimes, happily,
hopefully, often, only, among others. Note that **adverbs** usually
appear between the subject and its **verb**.

### Preposition

We use
[**prepositions**](https://blog.inkforall.com/types-of-prepositions) to
show the relationship between a **noun** or **pronoun** and other words in
a sentence. As such, a **preposition** is always followed by a **noun** in
a sentence, and never a **verb**.

**Example**:

- Fred sat **on** the chair.

In the example, the simple **preposition** "on" describes a location.
Other examples of **prepositions** include over, by, up, against, close
to, into, apart from, by, among others.

### Conjunctions

**Conjunctions** are joining words. We use them to connect phrases,
clauses, and sentences. The types of **conjunctions** are
**coordinating**, **subordinating**, and **correlative conjunctions**.

**Example**:

- I like cats, **but** I prefer dogs.

In this example, the **conjunction** "but" brings the two sentences
together. Other words that belong in this word-class are but, so, or,
yet, with, and, to name a few.

### Article and Determiners

Like **adjectives**, we use
[**articles**](https://blog.inkforall.com/indefinite-articles-a-or-an)
and **determiners** to modify **nouns**. But unlike **adjectives**,
**articles** and **determiners**are necessary for a sentence to have
proper syntax.

**Example**:

- Pinocchio is **a** boy.
- I have **some** rabbits.

In the first sentence, the **article**"a" identifies the **noun**boy.
Meanwhile, the **determiner**, "some" in the second sentence, identifies
the **noun**" rabbits."

Three articles in the English language are a, an, and the. Other
determiners include these, those, enough, much, what, and which, to name
a few.

### Interjections

We use **interjections**in English to express strong feelings or sudden
emotions [such as](https://blog.inkforall.com/comma-before-such-as)
surpri se, joy, disgust, excitement, or enthusiasm. Note that
**interjections**can either exist on their own or be part of the
sentence.

**Example**:

- Ouch! That hurts.

In the sentence, the **interjection**"Ouch!" conveys a sudden feeling of
pain. Note that the interjection is not grammatically related to other
parts of the sentence.

Other examples of interjection include a_h!, Oh!,\_ and hi! to name a
few.

## How to Determine the Parts of Speech in a Sentence

<img width="100%" alt="How to determine the parts of speech" src="/parts-of-speech-checker/how-to-determine-the-parts-of-speech.webp">

### Understand the Sentence Structure

Sentences in English have a similar structure. They usually begin with a
subject, then the **verb**follows. In some cases, the sentence can end
with an object.

Both the subject and the objects of a sentence are often **nouns**or
**pronouns**. However, the subject and object can also contain modifiers
such as **adjectives**.

### Adjectives and Adverb Placement

You can identify **adverbs**and **adjectives**based on their placement
in a sentence, although there are exceptions.

You'll almost certainly find **adjectives**before **nouns**and
**pronouns**in a sentence. **Adverbs**, on the other hand, usually come
right before the **adjectives**they're modifying.

However, the placement can vary when an **adverb**is modifying a
**verb**. They can appear before the subject, before the verb, or after
the verb.

### Identify Clauses and Phrases

We use **conjunctions**to join clauses and phrases in a sentence. In
other words, any word that seems to join two or more separate clauses or
phrases in a sentence is **conjunction**.

With that said, **conjunctions**such as "and" and "but" can appear at
the beginning of a sentence. In this case, you'll find the clause or
phrase in the previous sentence.

### Use Exclamation Points to Identify Interjections

Since **interjections**express emotion, they're usually followed by
exclamation points. Also, **interjections**can exist on their own in a
sentence.

So, if you see an individual word with an exclamation point, it's most
likely an interjection.

### Use Nouns and Pronouns to Identify Prepositions

As said earlier, **prepositions**express the relationship between the
**noun**or **pronoun**and other parts of the sentences. As a result,
**prepositions**usually appear before a **noun**or **pronoun phrase**.

Note that the noun or pronoun phrase can include other modifiers such as
**adjectives**, **adverbs**, or an **article**.

## Using INK Parts of Speech Checker

Identifying parts of speech in a sentence can be tedious, especially for
non-native English speakers. Luckily, you can automate the process using
**INK Parts of Speech Checker**.

Paste your document into the text box, and click the Analyze icon to
begin. The **parts of the speech finder** should provide the result
within seconds.

### Read More: [Is There A Comma Before And? An Easy Guide To Using And In A Sentence](https://blog.inkforall.com/comma-before-and)
