Parts of Speech NEB class 11 unit 1 (Word Class) in English Grammar

Parts of Speech (Word Class) in English Grammar

1. Noun

Definition: A word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.
Examples:

• Person: teacher, Rahul
• Place: school, Nepal
• Thing: book, car
• Idea: freedom, happiness
  Sentence: The cat is sleeping on the sofa.

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2. Pronoun

Definition: A word that replaces a noun to avoid repetition.
Examples: he, she, it, they, we, you, I
Sentence: Sita is my friend. She is very kind.

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3. Verb

Definition: A word that shows action or a state of being.
Examples: run, eat, is, have, go, was
Sentence: They are playing football.

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4. Adjective

Definition: A word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun.
Examples: beautiful, small, red, angry, five
Sentence: He has a big house.

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5. Adverb

Definition: A word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. It tells how, when, where, or to what extent.
Examples: quickly, very, yesterday, outside, too
Sentence: She sings beautifully.
(beautifully modifies sings)

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6. Preposition

Definition: A word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and another word in the sentence (usually location, direction, time).
Examples: in, on, at, by, under, over, with
Sentence: The book is on the table.

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7. Conjunction

Definition: A word that joins words, phrases, or clauses.
Examples: and, but, or, because, although
Sentence: I wanted to go out, but it was raining.

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8. Interjection

Definition: A word or short phrase that expresses strong emotion or surprise.
Examples: Wow!, Oh no!, Hey!, Oops!
Sentence: “Wow! That was amazing!”

Note

Determiners

Part of Speech: Determiner (some grammars treat them as adjectives, but modern grammar treats them as a separate category)

Determiners come before nouns to show which one, how many, or whose.

 Types of Determiners include:

 1. Articles – a, an, the

2. Demonstratives – this, that, these, those

3. Possessives – my, your, his, her, our, their

4. Quantifiers – some, many, few, several, much, all

5. Numbers – one, two, ten, hundred

6. Interrogatives – which, what, whose

 Determiners are a distinct part of speech in modern grammar.

Grammar

Classify the underlined words into different word classes.

a. The man who is wearing glasses is my uncle’s friend.

who – pronoun
wearing – verb
my – determiner

b. I bought a round table in the supermarket.

round – adjective
the – determiner

c. Alas, she is dead.

Alas – interjection

d. Hari works very hard all the time but his wife is very lazy.

hard – adverb
wife – noun
very – adverb

e. I have never been to Japan.

never – adverb

f. Ann drove a car safely.

Ann – Noun
Safely – Adverb

g. Nobody has claimed it.

nobody – pronoun
it – pronoun

h. She cut her hand with a knife.

her – determiner
with – preposition

i. They have postponed the program because of rain.

have – verb
because of – preposition
rain – noun

j. Everybody comes to the party.

everybody – pronoun

k. All such people ought to be avoided.

all – determiner
such – determiner

l. All of the food has gone.

all – pronoun

m. What was that noise?

what – pronoun

n. One must not boast of one’s own success.

one – pronoun

o. Nobody was there to rescue the child.

nobody – pronoun

p. Neither of the accusations is true.

neither – pronoun

q. Neither answer is correct.

neither – determiner

r. Here is the book that you lent me.

here – adverb
that – pronoun

s. Without health there is no happiness.

without – preposition
health – noun
happiness – noun

Identify the part of speech of the bold word in each sentence

Identify the part of speech of the bold word in each sentence

1.      She quickly finished her homework.

2.      The cat slept on the warm bed.

3.      We went to the park because it was sunny.

4.      He is very talented.

5.      Wow! That was an amazing show.

6.      The bus stopped at the station.

7.      My brother runs every morning.

8.      I love eating Nepali food.

9.      The children were playing outside.

10. She bought a beautiful dress yesterday.

11. I will call you after dinner.

12. They have lived here since 2020.

13. Please give the book to him.

14. The old man walked slowly down the street.

15. Although it was raining, we went hiking.

16. Rina is a good dancer.

17. The teacher gave us a difficult assignment.

18. Hey! Are you listening to me?

19. We watched a movie, and then we had dinner.

20. The girl placed the flowers on the table.

Answers

1.      quickly — Adverb
Reason: Modifies the verb "finished," showing how she finished.

2.      warm — Adjective
Reason: Describes the noun "bed."

3.      because — Conjunction
Reason: Connects the two clauses "We went to the park" and "it was sunny."

4.      very — Adverb
Reason: Modifies the adjective "talented," intensifying it.

5.      Wow — Interjection
Reason: Expresses surprise or emotion.

6.      stopped — Verb
Reason: Main action in the sentence (past tense).

7.      runs — Verb
Reason: Main action performed regularly (present tense).

8.      eating — Verb (gerund)
Reason: Functions as the object of the verb "love," showing an action.

9.      playing — Verb
Reason: Describes ongoing action (past continuous tense).

10. beautiful — Adjective
Reason: Describes the noun "dress."

11. after — Preposition
Reason: Shows time relation between "call" and "dinner."

12. here — Adverb
Reason: Indicates place where "they have lived."

13. him — Pronoun
Reason: Object pronoun receiving the action "give."

14. slowly — Adverb
Reason: Modifies the verb "walked," describing how.

15. Although — Conjunction
Reason: Introduces a subordinate clause showing contrast.

16. dancer — Noun
Reason: A person who dances.

17. difficult — Adjective
Reason: Describes the noun "assignment."

18. Hey — Interjection
Reason: Used to get attention.

19. and — Conjunction
Reason: Joins two independent clauses.

20. on — Preposition
Reason: Shows the relationship between "placed" and "the table."

 

Critical thinking

a. ‘All children have the right to quality education. How can we ensure this right to every child? Discuss the role of the government and the parents to make sure that every child can attend school.’

Education is the basic right of every child. It helps them grow into responsible citizens and gives them the chance to build a better future. Unfortunately, many children around the world are still unable to go to school because of poverty, lack of facilities, or negligence. To solve this problem, both the government and parents have important responsibilities.

The government should make sure that schools are available in every village and city with trained teachers, proper classrooms, and learning materials. Free or affordable education, scholarships for poor families, and programs like free lunch or free textbooks can motivate parents to send their children to school. The government should also strictly stop child labor and ensure that no child is forced to work instead of studying.

Parents also play a key role. They must understand that education is more valuable than sending children to work for money. Parents should regularly send their children to school, help them with homework, and encourage them to study. They must also cooperate with teachers and attend school meetings.

In conclusion, if the government provides opportunities and parents give full support, every child can enjoy the right to quality education and build a brighter future.

b.’Do you think that there is still discrimination between sons and daughters in terms of providing education in our country? What strategies do you suggest to overcome such discrimination against girls?’

In many parts of our country, there is still discrimination between sons and daughters in terms of education. Although the situation has improved compared to the past, many families still prefer to educate their sons while neglecting their daughters. They believe that sons will take care of parents in old age, while daughters will marry and go to another family. Because of this belief, many girls are deprived of their right to education.

To overcome such discrimination, we need strong efforts from both the government and society. First, awareness programs should be organized to change the traditional mindset of people. Parents must be taught that educating daughters is equally important because educated women can contribute to the family, society, and nation. Second, the government should provide scholarships and free education for girls, especially in rural areas. Campaigns like “Send Girls to School” should be promoted widely. Third, successful examples of educated women should be highlighted to inspire other families.

Parents also have to treat sons and daughters equally and motivate their daughters to continue higher studies. Only then can we create a fair society where both boys and girls get equal opportunities in education.

 

c. ‘A Chinese philosopher Confucius said, “If your plan is for one year, plant rice; if your plan is for ten years, plant trees; if your plan is for one hundred years, educate children.” What is the meaning of this saying? Elaborate this with examples.’

The famous Chinese philosopher Confucius once said, “If your plan is for one year, plant rice; if your plan is for ten years, plant trees; if your plan is for one hundred years, educate children.” This saying highlights the importance of education for long-term development.

Planting rice provides food for only a short time, while planting trees gives benefits for many years, such as fruits, wood, and shade. But educating children brings benefits for generations. When children receive good education, they grow into skilled, responsible, and wise adults who can lead society towards progress. Education does not only help an individual earn a living, but also helps a whole nation become stronger and more advanced.

For example, countries like Japan and South Korea invested heavily in education after facing hardships. Today, they are among the most developed nations. Similarly, when families educate their children, they break the cycle of poverty and create better opportunities for the future.

In short, Confucius teaches us that education is the best investment. Crops and trees may last for years, but the knowledge and skills given to children will shape the destiny of society for centuries.