Every word class, or part of speech has a function it performs in a sentence, that is crucial to the meaning of the sentence. This brings us to the study of functions of word classes in English.
What are the Functions of Word Classes?
The functions of word classes refer to the designated roles of each part of speech in a sentence. Every constituent element of a sentence has a definite role they play in the sentence, and what follows is an explanation of these roles.
Nouns
Nouns are one of the word classes that play multiple roles in sentences depending on the position they appear in. They can function as subject, object, and appositives in sentences. Take for instance:
John is my friend.
They kicked Matthew out.
The monk, Athelstan, was a painter.
In the first example, we have the noun: "John", functioning as the subject of the sentence because it appears at the subject position. The second example has, the noun: "Matthew", functioning as the object of the sentence because it appears at the object, position receiving the action of the subject: "They", while the third example has the noun: "Athelstan", functioning as an appositive because it appears right after the subject of the sentence, for the purposes of providing more context or information about the subject.
Other examples include:
Bummi is a mad genius.
She told Adam about her plans.
Pronouns
Pronouns, as we already know are the sidekicks of nouns. They stand in place of nouns in sentences to avoid redundancy and unnecessary repetitions, and so they serve the same functions as nouns in sentences. They serve as subjects, objects and appositives in sentences. Take for instance:
He is afraid.
Mark pushed it.
The audience, you, is powerful.
This is what they decided to do.
There are many ways to make money.
Verbs
Verbs in sentences simply perform the function of indicating action and state of being in sentences. Take for instance:
He ate the fruit.
Children are gifts from God.
In the first example, we see the verb: "ate", serving as an indication of the action of the subject: "He", while in the second example, we have the verb: "are", indicating the state of being of the subject: "Children".
Other examples include:
They watched the show last night.
It was a remarkable experience.
It shows the true meaning of friendship.
Adjectives
Adjectives in sentences serve the purpose of describing, or qualifying nouns in sentences. They help us get more understanding about particular nouns in sentences. Take for instance:
They are beautiful.
The adjective: "beautiful", describes or qualifies the pronoun and subject: "They", in the sentence.
Other examples include:
The garden on the other side of the road is so colourful.
Mark twain has an exotic home.
This is the most enticing movie I've ever watched.
Today's lessons were very exhilarating!
Adverbs
Adverbs in sentences perform the function of modifying verbs. They give us more information about the intensity or lack of intensity of actions in a sentence. Take for instance:
They voted discreetly.
The adverb: "discreetly", performs the function of modifying the verb: "voted", in the sentence above. It also reveals the manner in which the action was carried out: in the secret.
Other examples include:
She stood her ground valiantly.
They acted very cautiously.
The show started abruptly.
These people eat their foods most voraciously.
Prepositions
Prepositions in sentences serve the purpose of showing the relationship, or proximity between nouns or pronouns in a sentence. They simply connect nouns or pronouns in sentences. Take for instance:
I kept it on the table.
The function of the preposition: "on", is that it shows the proximity between the pronoun: "it", and the noun: "table".
Other examples include:
They took it to the bar.
The children his under the table.
There is no illumination in the dark.
He has to choose between being happy and being rich.
Conjunctions
Conjunctions in sentences serve the purpose of linking elements of equal status together. They link words with words, phrases with phrases, clauses with clauses, and sentences with sentences. Take for instance:
James and John are too typical.
The conjunction: "and", serves the purpose of linking elements of equal status: words (James and John), in the sentence above.
Other examples include:
Neither Matthew nor his merrymen were invited to the party.
Not only jokers but also clowns scare some children.
The king is happy now, but he was sad a while ago.
Baltimore or Florida, where would you rather be?
So every part of speech is relevant in the sentences they occur because they have roles which they play. Nouns serve as subjects, objects and appositives, pronouns do the same, verbs indicate action and state of being, adjectives describe or qualify nouns, adverbs modify verbs, prepositions show proximity, and conjunctions link elements of equal status. Understanding the functions of word classes will better inform you on the critical roles they play in sentences and and how they contribute to meaning expression.
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