Word Class Identification: "now and again"

The sentence provided is: "I have told you now and again that you must not read such trash." The task is to identify the word class of the underlined phrase "now and again".

Analyzing the Phrase "now and again"

• The phrase "now and again" is an idiomatic expression that means "occasionally" or "sometimes".
• In this sentence, the phrase "now and again" modifies the verb "told". It answers the question "How often did I tell you?".
• Phrases that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, often indicating time, manner, place, or frequency, function as adverbs or adverbial phrases.

Determining the Word Class

Since "now and again" modifies the verb "told" by specifying the frequency of the action, it functions as an adverbial phrase. Therefore, its word class is Adverb.

Evaluating Other Options

• Conjunction: Conjunctions connect words, phrases, or clauses (e.g., 'and', 'but', 'or'). "Now and again" does not serve this connecting function here.
• Preposition: Prepositions typically show a relationship between a noun/pronoun and other words in the sentence (e.g., 'in', 'on', 'at', 'after'). "Now and again" does not fit this role.
• Noun: Nouns represent people, places, things, or ideas. The phrase "now and again" does not name any of these.

The phrase "now and again" clearly functions adverbially, describing how often the action occurred.