Parts of Speech - English
Have you ever heard the term parts of speech?
Parts of speech refers to the 8 major types of ‘‘word classes’’ we use in sentences. It’s quite important for children to recognise parts of speech because it helps them to analyse sentences and to construct good sentences.
In English, the main ‘parts of speech’ are nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.
Let’s look at how they fit into sentences:
nouns (words that name people, places, things or ideas)
pronouns (words that take the place of nouns)
adjectives (words that describe nouns)
verbs (words that indicate the action in a sentence)
adverbs (words that tell us more about verbs)
prepositions (words used with nouns or pronouns to indicate direction, location, or time)
conjunctions (words that join two or more words, phrases, and clauses)
interjections (words used to show excitement or emotion).
You might also be thinking, wait, why do they have to know this stuff?
Here’s why:
Instead of noticing, “This poem isn’t very good. It’s hard to imagine the topic,” you can nail it down to: “This poem needs more adjectives.’’ When you know about the parts of speech, you have a more knowledgeable way of understanding and talking about language.
Below is a game that we often use during our sessions on Parts of Speech!
How can I support my child at home with Parts of Speech?
Below is an activity you can do at home with your child. Create 3 columns with different headings, make a list of words, and ask your child to organise the words into their correct word classes. You can do this on paper or using a wipeboard, so very little equipment is needed!
For additional details about the TutorBEE English Programme. Click HERE to access further information.
