The Parts of Speech

. Part of speech is the role a word can play in a sentence. That’s why a word can be more
than one part of speech – it can change roles depending on the situation and on how you use it.
For example, if you play golf, you might use a 9 iron. Iron is a noun here; it is part of the name
of an object. If you say the club is made of iron, it is still a noun. But if you say that you plan to
iron your good suit jacket before a meeting, iron is an action – a verb. When the clothes have
been pressed, you can say the ironed clothes are ready, and now it is an adjective. Don’t panic!
The trick is to understand the different roles words play in any sentence. Think of the Parts of
Speech as the cast and crew of a Hollywood movie production.

Term Definition Movie role Examples

Noun Person, place, thing, or idea
Noun thinks it’s the star of the Bob, New York,
Includes several types, show because it is the cookie, love
including common and “subject” and refuses to make
proper too many appearances; even
minor nouns insist on this.
Some nouns feel so important,
they insist on capital letters.
Note that there are many
nouns and each thinks it is
very important even though
only one is the subject of each
sentence (usually). Nouns are
chosen by the casting director
and props department;
choosing the right noun is
crucial!
Pronoun Stands in for a noun Pronoun is the stunt double Nominative: I, you,
Includes several types, who covers dangerous or he, she, it, we, you,
including nominative and boring shots. As an insult to they, who
objective the stuck-up nouns, each Objective: me, you,
pronoun refers to his own him, her, it, us, you,
“star” as “Auntie;” the them, whom
pronoun pretends to say it Other: this, anyone,
with respect, but really, the both, which
“Auntie” term is a total insult.
The truth is, a pronoun must
never lose sight of her. If the
stunt double gets separated
from his “star,” he’s fired!
Adjective Describes (modifies) a noun Adjective is the costuming short, thin, brunette,
or pronoun department, telling us what loud in a brown
Answers: How much or the noun and its pronouns jacket
how many? What do I look like. Adjectives may soft-spoken, shy,
look/sound/smell/taste/feel include the voice and muscular
like? movement coach department. quick, agile,
In a live performance, balanced
adjective can also cover smell,
taste, and touch. Note that the
 adjective department can only
do so much; the right nouns
have to be cast in the roles!
Definition Movie role Examples
Term
Verb Verb is a word that Verb is the star, since every shot 1) ran, jumped, fought,
shoooows action, or will focus on the action. ate pizza, sang songs,
a state of being (1) The main verb, the action, is petted a dog
Includes several what we see in the movie; an 2) seemed angry,
types, including action verb might be an action looked sad, was lonely
action, linking and done to an object. (More on 3) could, will, might,
helping objects later.) had
(2) Linking verbs connect nouns
with adjectives.
(3) Helping verbs are invisible
on the movie screen, but they
help us understand the timing
and certainty of an action.
Adverb Describes Adverb is the director, telling carefully balanced vs.
(modifies) a verb, everyone exactly how to do their easily balanced; sang
adjective, or jobs. songs poorly vs. sang
another adverb Note: NOT is an adverb, even songs excellently; sang
Answers: How is when it’s part of a contraction. songs very poorly vs.
the action done? “But I didn’t kill my mother—it slightly poorly
How strong is the was an accident!” – Gomez
adjective or adverb? Addams, The Addams Family
Preposition Used with a noun Preposition is the assistant About, above, across,
(or its pronoun) to director, responsible for getting against, behind, below,
show how it is all the cast members into the beside, between, during,
related to another right place at the right time for except, in, near, on,
word, often by each shot. over, than, through, to,
location in space or under, with
time.
“the cat and the
box”
Conjunction Connects words or Conjunction is the producer, FANBOYS
groups of words assembling the right members of AAAWWUBBIS
each team and setting up their
relationships.
Interjection Word or group of Interjection is the soundtrack of Wow! Darn! Holy cow!
words that shows the movie Oh … my … gosh!
emotion
Punctuation Coded symbols for Not a part of speech – but VERY ,;:“”’()–-
where to pause and important to the movie. .!?
stop Punctuation is also a director,
who decides when each scene
will start and stop as filming
happens, and then directs the
editing process, choosing each
shot, how long we will look at it
and in what order.