Parts of Speech – Complete Notes for Competitive Exams

Parts Of Speech – Complete Notes For Competitive Exams bachchantop.com

Parts of Speech

Introduction

Parts of Speech are the backbone of English grammar. They explain how words function in a sentence and how meaning is constructed. For competitive examinations such as UPSC, SSC (CGL, CHSL, MTS), RRB (NTPC, Group D), Banking (IBPS, SBI), CAT, XAT, CDS, NDA, State PSCs, and other government or entrance exams, a strong command over Parts of Speech is absolutely essential.

Questions from Error Detection, Sentence Improvement, Fill in the Blanks, Cloze Test, Spotting Errors, Reading Comprehension, Para Jumbles, and Vocabulary are directly based on this topic. Without clarity of Parts of Speech, advanced grammar becomes confusing.

What are Parts of Speech?

Parts of Speech are the categories into which words are divided according to their function in a sentence.

In modern English grammar, words are mainly divided into 8 Parts of Speech:

  1. Noun
  2. Pronoun
  3. Adjective
  4. Verb
  5. Adverb
  6. Preposition
  7. Conjunction
  8. Interjection

(Some grammarians also include Determiners and Articles separately, but for competitive exams they are usually treated under adjectives.)

1. Noun

Definition

A Noun is the name of a person, place, thing, quality, action, or state.

Examples:

  • Ram, Sita (person)
  • Delhi, India (place)
  • Book, table (thing)
  • Honesty, bravery (quality)
  • Childhood, sleep (state)

Importance in Exams

  • Subject–verb agreement
  • Error detection
  • Vocabulary-based questions

Types of Noun

1. Proper Noun

Names of specific persons, places, or things.

Examples:

  • Mahatma Gandhi
  • New Delhi
  • Ganga

Always begin with a capital letter.

2. Common Noun

Names of a class or group.

Examples:

  • Boy
  • City
  • River

3. Collective Noun

Names of a group of people or things taken as one unit.

Examples:

  • Team
  • Crowd
  • Jury
  • Army

Exam Tip: Collective nouns may take singular or plural verbs depending on usage.

4. Material Noun

Names of substances or materials.

Examples:

  • Gold
  • Water
  • Iron

Usually uncountable.

5. Abstract Noun

Names of qualities, actions, or states that cannot be seen or touched.

Examples:

  • Honesty
  • Freedom
  • Childhood

Very important for SSC and Banking exams.

2. Pronoun

Definition

A Pronoun is a word used in place of a noun to avoid repetition.

Example:

  • Ram is honest. He is respected by all.

Types of Pronoun

1. Personal Pronoun

Used for persons or things.

SubjectObjectPossessive
Imemy/mine
Weusour/ours
Hehimhis
Sheherher/hers
Theythemtheir/theirs

2. Reflexive Pronoun

Used when the subject and object are the same.

Examples:

  • myself
  • himself
  • herself

Sentence:

  • He blamed himself.

3. Demonstrative Pronoun

Used to point out specific persons or things.

Examples:

  • this
  • that
  • these
  • those

4. Relative Pronoun

Used to join two sentences.

Examples:

  • who
  • which
  • that
  • whom
  • whose

Example:

  • The boy who is honest will succeed.

5. Interrogative Pronoun

Used to ask questions.

Examples:

  • who
  • what
  • which

6. Indefinite Pronoun

Refer to persons or things in a general way.

Examples:

  • someone
  • anyone
  • everybody
  • none

Exam Tip: Some indefinite pronouns are always singular.

3. Adjective

Definition

An Adjective is a word that describes or qualifies a noun or pronoun.

Examples:

  • A good boy
  • Five books
  • Indian culture

Types of Adjective

1. Adjective of Quality

Shows quality or kind.

Examples:

  • honest
  • brave
  • intelligent

2. Adjective of Quantity

Shows amount.

Examples:

  • some
  • little
  • much

3. Adjective of Number

Shows number or order.

Examples:

  • one
  • first
  • many

4. Demonstrative Adjective

Points out nouns.

Examples:

  • this book
  • those boys

5. Interrogative Adjective

Used with nouns to ask questions.

Examples:

  • which book
  • what time

Degrees of Comparison

  1. Positive – tall
  2. Comparative – taller
  3. Superlative – tallest

Important for sentence improvement questions.

4. Verb

Definition

A Verb is a word that shows action, state, or possession.

Examples:

  • run
  • eat
  • is
  • have

Types of Verb

1. Main Verb

Carries the main meaning.

Example:

  • She writes well.

2. Auxiliary Verb

Helps the main verb.

Examples:

  • is, am, are
  • was, were
  • has, have
  • do, does

3. Transitive Verb

Requires an object.

Example:

  • He reads a book.

4. Intransitive Verb

Does not require an object.

Example:

  • He sleeps.

5. Linking Verb

Links subject with complement.

Examples:

  • is
  • seem
  • become

5. Adverb

Definition

An Adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb.

Examples:

  • He runs fast.
  • She is very intelligent.

Types of Adverb

  1. Adverb of Manner – slowly
  2. Adverb of Time – now, then
  3. Adverb of Place – here, there
  4. Adverb of Frequency – often, always
  5. Adverb of Degree – very, too

6. Preposition

Definition

A Preposition shows the relationship between a noun/pronoun and another word.

Examples:

  • in
  • on
  • at
  • under
  • between

Sentence:

  • The book is on the table.

Important Preposition Rules (Exam-Oriented)

  • Interested in
  • Afraid of
  • Good at
  • Depend on

Very important for SSC & Banking exams.

7. Conjunction

Definition

A Conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses.

Types of Conjunction

1. Coordinating Conjunction

Joins equal parts.

Examples:

  • and
  • but
  • or
  • yet
  • so

2. Subordinating Conjunction

Joins dependent clause to main clause.

Examples:

  • because
  • although
  • if
  • when

3. Correlative Conjunction

Used in pairs.

Examples:

  • either…or
  • neither…nor
  • not only…but also

8. Interjection

Definition

An Interjection expresses sudden emotion.

Examples:

  • Oh!
  • Alas!
  • Wow!

Usually followed by an exclamation mark.

Determiners and Articles (Special Focus)

Articles

  1. A
  2. An
  3. The

Rules:

  • A before consonant sound
  • An before vowel sound
  • The for specific nouns

Highly tested in error spotting.

Common Errors Related to Parts of Speech

  • Incorrect pronoun reference
  • Wrong adjective degree
  • Adverb used instead of adjective
  • Preposition misuse

Importance of Parts of Speech in Competitive Exams

Question Types:

  • Identify the error
  • Fill in the blanks
  • Sentence correction
  • Cloze test
  • RC-based grammar questions

Exams Covered:

  • UPSC CSAT
  • SSC (CGL, CHSL, MTS)
  • RRB NTPC
  • IBPS & SBI
  • CAT & other MBA exams

Preparation Strategy

  1. Learn definitions clearly
  2. Practice previous year questions
  3. Analyze mistakes
  4. Revise rules regularly

Conclusion

Parts of Speech are the foundation of English grammar. Mastery of this topic ensures accuracy in sentence construction, clarity in comprehension, and confidence in competitive exams. A strong grip on Parts of Speech automatically improves performance in all sections of English Language.

Regular practice, conceptual clarity, and application-based learning are the keys to success.

Prepared By Bachchantop.com – Empowering learners with clear concepts and exam-focused content.

All Notes For Competitive Exams English

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