Understanding Word Classes in English Grammar

Word class, also known as part of speech, refers to the category a word belongs to based on its grammatical function in a sentence. Understanding word classes is fundamental to analyzing and constructing sentences correctly. Let's examine the given sentence: "We shall now begin to work."

The question asks us to identify the word class of the underlined word, "now". To do this, we need to consider the options provided and see how "now" functions within the sentence.

Defining Key Word Classes

Let's look at the definitions of the word classes given in the options:

• Adverb: A word that modifies or describes a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or a whole sentence. Adverbs often tell us *how*, *when*, *where*, *why*, or *to what extent* an action is performed.
• Adjective: A word that modifies or describes a noun or pronoun. Adjectives tell us *what kind*, *which one*, or *how many*.
• Conjunction: A word used to connect words, phrases, clauses, or sentences (e.g., and, but, or).
• Pronoun: A word that replaces a noun or noun phrase (e.g., he, she, it, they, we).

Analyzing the Word "Now" in the Sentence

The sentence is "We shall now begin to work."

Let's look at what "now" is doing in this sentence:

• "We" is a pronoun (subject).
• "shall begin" is the verb phrase (future tense).
• "to work" is an infinitive phrase acting as the object/complement.

The word "now" tells us *when* the action of "begin to work" will happen. It specifies the time of the verb's action.

Identifying the Function of "Now"

Since "now" modifies the verb "begin" by indicating the time of the action, it answers the question "When?". Words that modify verbs and tell us about the time, place, manner, or degree of an action are classified as adverbs.

Therefore, in the sentence "We shall now begin to work," the word "now" functions as an adverb of time.

Conclusion on "Now" as a Word Class

Based on the analysis, the word "now" describes when the action of beginning work will take place, directly modifying the verb "begin". This is the primary function of an adverb.

Revision Table: Common Word Classes

Additional Information on Adverbs

Adverbs are a versatile word class. They can appear in various positions within a sentence, although some positions are more common than others depending on the type of adverb.

Types of adverbs include:

• Adverbs of Time (e.g., now, yesterday, soon, always)
• Adverbs of Place (e.g., here, there, upstairs, nowhere)
• Adverbs of Manner (e.g., quickly, slowly, happily, carefully)
• Adverbs of Degree (e.g., very, quite, almost, too)
• Adverbs of Frequency (e.g., often, sometimes, never, usually)

In our sentence, "now" is an adverb of time, specifying when the action of "begin to work" will happen.