Unit 2: Reading The Parts of Speech

In this unit you will learn the eight basic parts of speech and how they function in English. To become a better writer and editor of your writing, you should know the fundamentals of English prose and how they work in a sentence because once you understand the components of a sentence, you can begin to examine your writing critically to identify problems and make corrections rather than just guessing at why something is wrong.


Learning the foundations of grammar is similar to building a house. One of the first activities you must perform in building a house is to lay the foundation and frame your house. The foundation and frame will support the rest of the house, the drywall, the flooring, the wiring, etc. A good frame will help ensure a solid, well-built home. The parts of speech are similar. Your writing is based on the categories of words that comprise the eight parts of speech. The better your understanding of the eight parts of speech the better foundation and frame you will have when you write and edit.


For this module, the eight parts of speech are broken into three sections: (1) Nouns, Pronouns, and Adjectives, (2) Verbs and Adverbs, and (3) Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Interjections. After each section there will be an exercise that will allow you to practice what you have learned. After the exercises, you will have the opportunity to take a quiz to see how well you understand the different parts of speech.

So let’s get started.