Directions: Given below are a few sentences. Identify the part of speech of the underlined words. Choose the response (a), (b), (c) or (d) which is the most appropriate expression. The son writes meaningless letters to his father.
Adjective
Understanding Parts of Speech: Identifying 'meaningless'
The question asks us to identify the part of speech of the underlined word "meaningless" in the sentence: "The son writes meaningless letters to his father."
To determine the part of speech, we need to look at how the word functions within the sentence. The word "meaningless" comes before the noun "letters" and describes the quality or characteristic of these letters.
Analysing the Word 'meaningless'
- The word is formed by adding the suffix "-less" to the noun "meaning". The suffix "-less" often transforms a noun into an adjective meaning "without" or "lacking".
- In the sentence, "meaningless" is directly modifying the noun "letters". It tells us what kind of letters the son writes.
Words that describe or modify nouns are called adjectives.
Evaluating the Options
Let's consider the given options:
- Adverb: Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Examples: quickly, happily, very. "Meaningless" does not modify the verb "writes" or any other adjective/adverb in the sentence.
- Verb: Verbs are words that show an action or state of being. Examples: writes, is, runs. "Meaningless" is not an action or state.
- Pronoun: Pronouns are words used in place of a noun. Examples: he, she, it, they. "Meaningless" does not replace a noun.
- Adjective: Adjectives describe or modify nouns or pronouns. Examples: happy, red, large. In the sentence, "meaningless" describes the noun "letters".
Based on its function in the sentence, "meaningless" is an adjective because it describes the noun "letters".
Therefore, the most appropriate part of speech for "meaningless" is Adjective.
Revision Table: Parts of Speech
| Part of Speech | Function | Examples | In the Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noun | Names a person, place, thing, or idea | son, father, letters | son, letters, father |
| Verb | Shows action or state of being | writes | writes |
| Adjective | Describes a noun or pronoun | meaningless | meaningless (describes letters) |
| Adverb | Describes a verb, adjective, or adverb | quickly, very | N/A in this sentence |
| Pronoun | Replaces a noun | he, she, it | N/A in this sentence |
| Preposition | Shows relationship between a noun/pronoun and another word | to | to |
| Conjunction | Connects words, phrases, or clauses | and, but | N/A in this sentence |
| Interjection | Expresses strong emotion | Oh!, Wow! | N/A in this sentence |
Additional Information: Identifying Adjectives
Adjectives add detail and specificity to sentences by providing more information about nouns and pronouns. Here are some tips for identifying adjectives:
- Ask "What kind?" or "Which one?": Adjectives often answer these questions about the noun they modify. In "meaningless letters", "meaningless" answers "What kind of letters?"
- Position: Adjectives typically appear before the noun they describe (attributive position) or after a linking verb (predicative position, e.g., "The letters are meaningless"). In this sentence, "meaningless" is in the attributive position.
- Endings: Some common adjective endings include -ful, -less, -y, -ous, -able, -ible, -al, -ic, -ive. "Meaningless" has the -less ending.
Understanding the function of words in a sentence is key to correctly identifying their part of speech.
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Important Questions from Parts of Speech
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