Same word used as different Parts of Speech - 1 | English Grammar Basic - Class 10 PDF Download

Introduction

In English grammar, many words can fall into more than one category of parts of speech. It's important to be able to recognize when the same word is used as a preposition and when it is used as another part of speech. This document is aimed at aiding the learner understand how to distinguish this.

Same word used as different Parts of Speech

Above

• Noun: God watches us from above.
• Adverb: The aeroplanes fly above like birds.
• Adjective: Explain the above sentence.
• Preposition: The sword was hanging above his head.

About

• Adverb: They wandered about is sheepskins and goatskins.
• Preposition: There is something pleasing about him.

After

• Adverb: John came back long after.
• Adjective: Tom was happy in his after life.
• Preposition: Dick came after his bath.
• Conjunction: They left me after I resumed my work.

All

• Noun: All that glitters is not gold.
• Adverb: It is all well with us.
• Adjective: All men are not honest.
• Pronoun: I had many books but all are missing.

Any

• Adverb: Do not stay any longer.
• Adjective: Any post is good enough for me.
• Pronoun: I do not know any of these men.

As

• Relative Adverb: Come here as early as possible.
• Relative Pronoun: It is the same book as I wanted.
• Conjunction: I punished him as he was guilty.

Back

• Noun: The whole house is at my back.
• Adverb: The stranger never came back.
• Verb: My friends will back me.
• Adjective: The thief escaped through a back door.

Before

• Adverb: Smith advised us as before.
• Preposition: We stood before the church.
• Conjunction: Look before you leap.

Better

• Noun: Respect your betters.
• Adverb: Lily sings better than I.
• Verb: Try to better your condition.
• Adjective: Your position is better than mine.

Both

• Adjective: I approached both the parties.
• Pronoun: Both of them were wrong.
• Conjunction: Both John and Mary are absent.

But

• Adverb: I saw him but once.
• Verb-Noun: But me no buts.
• Preposition: None but the brave deserves the prize.
• Relative Pronoun: There is no man but has faults.
• Conjunction: I tried but could not succeed.

Down

• Noun: We soon reached the downs of the hill.
• Adverb: Charles came down at once.
• Verb: The defeat downed his heart.
• Adjective: Henry came by the down train.
• Preposition: We went down the river.

Either

• Adjective: There are houses on either side of the road.
• Pronoun: Either of them may go.
• Conjunction: Either he or she will go.

Else

• Adverb: I found it somewhere else.
• Adjective: I had nothing else to do.
• Conjunction: I did not know, else I would have come.

Enough

• Noun: We have had enough of troubles.
• Adverb: Seema was kind enough to help me.
• Adjective: I had perception enough to know that.

Even

• Verb: Let us even the ground.
• Adverb: Does he even suspect the danger?
• Adjective: The chances are even.

Except

• Verb: If we except Ajay, all are to be blamed.
• Preposition: All the brethren were in Egypt except Charles.
• Conjunction: I shall not let you go except you bless me.

Fair

• Noun: Children are gong to be the fair.
• Adverb: Julius writes very fair.
• Adjective: Your complexion is fair.
• Verb: Fair your essay in clear hand writing.

Fast

• Noun: The Hindu women observe fasts very often.
• Adverb: We walked very fast.
• Adjective: Chaitak was a fast horse.
• Verb: Mary fasted for three days.

Few

• Noun: Few of the boys were present there.
• Adjective: A few boys were there.

For

• Adverb: The boy has been sent for.
• Preposition: I have sent for him.
• Conjunction: I stopped for I was tired.

Half

• Noun: Half of my income goes to the bank.
• Adverb: Well begun is half done.
• Adjective: Confession is half way to heaven.

Ill

• Noun: The ills of life are too many.
• Adverb: You were ill advised to go there.
• Adjective: Ill news ruin space.

Less

• Noun: He wants twenty rupees for that picture. He won't be satisfied with less.
• Adverb: The soil of Delhi is less fertile than that of Punjab.
• Adjective: You are paying less attention to your studies than you used to do.

Like

• Noun: When shall we see him like again?
• Adjective: They are men of like build and stature.
• Adverb: Like as a father pitieth his own children.
• Verb: I like him for his manners.
• Preposition: He talks like an expert.

Little

• Noun: You have done little to help me.
• Adverb: He eats very little.
• Adjective: A little boy came here.
• Adverb: Little did I dream of such a fate.

Many

• Noun: Many of my friends were there.
• Adjective: Many flowers are scentless.
• Pronoun: Many will help me.

More

• Noun: More is meant than meets the ear.
• Adverb: I am more comfortable here.
• Adjective: More money is necessary.
• Pronoun: More of us die in bed than out of it.

Much

• Noun: Much might be said on both sides.
• Adverb: The patient is much better today.
• Adjective: You gave me much trouble.
• Pronoun: Much of it is true.

Near

• Adverb: Do no go so near.
• Adjective: He wished to see his near and dear ones.
• Verb: The ship neared the harbour.
• Preposition: The ship came near the land.

Need

• Noun: The need is greater than mine.
• Verb: You need not go there.
• Adverb: You must need do it.

Neither

• Adjective: Neither party could win the game.
• Pronoun: Neither of the boys was good.
• Conjunction: Neither John nor his brother came.

No

• Noun: I do not care for his yeses and noes.
• Adverb: The servant was no wiser than his master.
• Adjective: No man can forget it.
• Noun: I will take a no.

None

• Adverb: He offended me but I love him none the less.
• Adjective: The stranger is none but my old friend.
• Pronoun: None need apply who is not a graduate.

Next

• Noun: I shall tell you more about it in my next.
• Adverb: What's next?
• Adjective: I shall see you next Sunday.
• Preposition: He was sitting next to her.

Only

• Adverb: I only asked him to see him.
• Adjective: Are you his only son.
• Conjunction: Stay here, only do not disturb me.

Once

• Noun: Please help me for once.
• Adverb: I was young once.
• Conjunction: Once he hesitates we have him.

One

• Noun: One would think he was mad.
• Adjective: One day I met him in the street.
• Pronoun: The little ones cried for joy.

Over

• Noun: In one over he took three wickets.
• Adverb: Read it over carefully.
• Preposition: At thirty, a change came over him.

Past

• Noun: India has a glorious past.
• Adverb: The gale swept past.
• Adjective: The past time will never return.
• Preposition: His condition is now past all hope.

Right

• Noun: Might is right.
• Adverb: I am right glad to come by your letter.
• Adjective: You have done the right thing.
• Verb: The wrongs done to us were righted.

Round

• Noun: The officer is now on his daily round of duty.
• Adverb: The wheel went round and round.
• Adjective: The earth is round.
• Verb: Who first rounded the cape of Good Hope?
• Preposition: The Earth moves round the Sun.

Since

• Adverb: We left Derby three years since.
• Preposition: Tom has been here since last Monday.
• Conjunction: Five years have passed since I saw him last.

So

• Adverb: The ball is so nice.
• Pronoun: James was a blockhead and he is still so.
• Conjunction: Jack has come back, so you need not go.

Some

• Adverb: Some fifty boys were present.
• Adjective: Some men are born rich.
• Pronoun: Sing some of your own songs.

Still

• Noun: Jones left in the still of the night.
• Adverb: Henry is still there.
• Adjective: The atmosphere was still.
• Verb: His voice is stilled in death.
• Conjunction: Smith is tired, still he wants.

Such

• Adjective: Such coins are very rare.
• Pronoun: You are a fool; I am not such.

That

• Adverb: I have done that much only.
• Donstrative Adj: What is that noise?
• Demonstrative Pro: Your writing is better than that of your brother.
• Relative Pronoun: Send me the book that I gave you.
• Conjunction: Work that you may succeed.

The

• Definite Article: The Sun is a star.
• Relative Adverb: The sooner the better.
• Adverb: I was none the wiser for it.

Till

• Preposition: Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.
• Conjunction: Do not start till I give the word.

Up

• Noun: We have ups and downs in life.
• Adverb: Stand up.
• Adjective: Tom came by the up train.
• Preposition: We sailed up the stream.

Well

• Noun: A deep well was dug near the hut.
• Adverb: You have done it well.
• Adjective: I am quite well.
• Conjunction: You are poor, well, I shall help you.

What

• Adverb: What with labour and what with luck Jack became a rich man.
• Interrogative Adj.: What class do you read in?
• Pronoun: What is done cannot be undone.
• Interrogative Pro.: What is your name?
• Comp. Relative: I get whatever I want.
• Interjection: What! You are still here.
• Relative Pronoun: Give me what you can.

While

• Noun: I did not see you for a long while.
• Adverb: King Macbeth was murdered while asleep.
• Verb: Do not while away your time.
• Conjunction: It is a pity that you cannot sing while your father is an expert musician.

Why

• Noun: I can tell you the why and wherefore of this matter.
• Interro. Adverb: Why did you do it?
• Why are you so angry?
• Relative Adverb: I know the reason why he did it.
• Interjection: Why, it is surely Ganguly.
• Conjunction: I told you why I did not go.

Yet

• Adverb: There is more evidence yet to be offered.
• Conjunction: He is willing, yet unable.