Parts of Speech - Part 2

Continuing with English parts of speech, we will go through the other 4 categories.

5. Adverb: modifies verbs, adverbs, or adjectives and it usually answers questions like where, when, or how. In writing, adverbs are vital because they give the reader a more descriptive narration. It is easy to identify them because they are usually built by adding -ly to an adjective. However, there are some exceptions, like:

afterward

already

almost

back

even

often

far

quick

fast

rather

hard

slow

here

so

how

soon

late

still

long

then

low

today

more

tomorrow

near

too

never

when

next

where

now

yesterday

• Conjunctive Adverbs: also called transitions because they link ideas, words, or paragraphs. Some of them are: 
                   
accordingly
however
again
indeed
also
moreover
besides
nevertheless
consequently
on the other hand
finally
otherwise
for example
then
furthermore


therefore

6. Preposition: links a noun to another word. It can be difficult for non native speakers to use them because of their idiomatic use, but here we can find some guidelines: 

• Use "in" before seasons of the year, months and years not followed by specific dates.

in the winter

in June

in 2014

• Use "on" before days of the week, holidays, and months, if the date follows.

on Saturday

on Christmas 

on January 3rd 

• "Like" means “similar to”, so it is followed by an object.

like Andrea

like me

• Use "of" to show possession of using the possessive form of a pronoun.

I hear a puppy's bark = I hear the bark of a puppy.

Incorrect: I wore the dress of Nina.

Correct: I wore Nina's dress.

The most common prepositions are:

about

between

above

beyond

across

but

after

by

against

despite

along

down

amid

during

around

except

as

for

at

from

before

in

behind

inside

below

into

beneath

like

beside

near

of

since

off

through

on

toward

onto

under

opposite

underneath

out

until

outside

upon

over

with

past

within

7. Conjunction: word that links other words, phrases or clauses, and decides the importance of the various other words in the sentence. 

• Coordinating conjunctions connect two words or groups of words with similar values. the seven coordinating conjunction in English are: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.

 Connects two words: Anne and Sally went to the park. 

Connects two phrases: The band rocked all night and made the people get crazy. 

Connects two clauses: I just gave him food when I came back from the supermarket, and he still wants more.  

• Subordinating conjunctions connect two groups of words by making one into a subordinating clause that answers when or why about the main clause, or imposing conditions or opposition on it.

I can finally take vacation after I finish this project. (when)

The morning was cold, so the dogs did not want to take a walk. (why)

• Correlative conjunctions are always used in pairs. They are similar to coordinating conjunctions because they join sentence elements that are similar in importance.

both = and

either = or

neither = nor

not only = but also

whether = or

8. Interjection: short exclamation inserted into a sentence but not grammatically related to it.

Wow! You arrived on time, that is a miracle!