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What Are Pronouns? Definitions and Examples

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​​You use pronouns every day. In fact, even if you don’t know what pronouns are, you use them—and in this sentence alone, we’ve now used…

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Pronouns replace nouns. A different pronoun is required depending on two elements: the noun being replaced and the function that noun has in the sentence. In English, pronouns only take the gender of the noun they replace in the 3rd person singular form. The 2nd person plural pronouns are identical to the 2nd person singular pronouns except for the reflexive pronoun.

Subject Pronoun

Object Pronoun

Possessive Adjective (Determiner)

Possessive Pronoun

Reflexive or Intensive Pronoun

Subject Pronouns

Subject pronouns replace nouns that are the subject of their clause. In the 3rd person, subject pronouns are often used to avoid repetition of the subject's name.

Object Pronouns

Object pronouns are used to replace nouns that are the direct or indirect object of a clause.

Possessive Adjectives (Determiners)

Possessive adjectives are not pronouns, but rather determiners. It is useful to learn them at the same time as pronouns, however, because they are similar in form to the possessive pronouns. Possessive adjectives function as adjectives, so they appear before the noun they modify. They do not replace a noun as pronouns do.

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns replace possessive nouns as either the subject or the object of a clause. Because the noun being replaced doesn't appear in the sentence, it must be clear from the context.

Reflexive & Intensive Pronouns

Reflexive and intensive pronouns are the same set of words but they have different functions in a sentence.

Reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject of the clause because the subject of the action is also the direct or indirect object. Only certain types of verbs can be reflexive. You cannot remove a reflexive pronoun from a sentence because the remaining sentence would be grammatically incorrect.

Intensive pronouns emphasize the subject of a clause. They are not the object of the action. The intensive pronoun can always be removed from a sentence without changing the meaning significantly, although the emphasis on the subject will be removed. Intensive pronouns can be placed immediately after the subject of the clause, or at the end of the clause.

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Pronouns replace nouns. A different pronoun is required depending on two elements: the noun being replaced and the function that noun has in the sentence. In English, pronouns only take the gender of the noun they replace in the 3rd person singular form.

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About this unit

Here's the thing: I love nouns. But wait! Nouns aren't just things! They can also be people and places. They're my favorite parts of speech. Without them, we'd never be able to talk about *anything*!

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Parts of speech: the noun | Grammar | Arts and humanities | Khan Academy

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Here's the thing: I love nouns. But wait! Nouns aren't just things! They can also be people and places. They're my favorite parts of speech. Without them, we'd never be able to talk about *anything*!

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Conjunctions: Grammar Rules and Examples | Grammarly

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Without conjunctions, you'd be forced to express every complex idea in a series of short, simplistic sentences: I like cooking. I like eating. I don't like washing dishes afterward.

How do conjunctions work?

Conjunctions are words that link other words, phrases, or clauses together.

I like cooking and eating, but I don't like washing dishes afterward.

Sophie is clearly exhausted, yet she insists on dancing till dawn.

Conjunctions allow you to form complex, elegant sentences and avoid the choppiness of multiple short sentences. Make sure that the phrases joined by conjunctions are parallel (share the same structure).

I work quickly and careful.

I work quickly and carefully.

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Coordinating conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions allow you to join words, phrases, and clauses of equal grammatical rank in a sentence. The most common coordinating conjunctions are for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so; you can remember them by using the mnemonic device FANBOYS.

I'd like pizza or a salad for lunch.

We needed a place to concentrate, so we packed up our things and went to the library.

Jesse didn't have much money, but she got by.

Notice the use of the comma when a coordinating conjunction is joining two independent clauses.

Correlative conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions are pairs of conjunctions that work together. Some examples are either/or, neither/ nor, and not only/ but also.

Not only am I finished studying for English, but I'm also finished writing my history essay.

I am finished with both my English essay and my history essay.

Subordinating conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions join independent and dependent clauses. A subordinating conjunction can signal a cause-and-effect relationship, a contrast, or some other kind of relationship between the clauses. Common subordinating conjunctions are because, since, as, although, though, while, and whereas. Sometimes an adverb, such as until, after, or before can function as a conjunction.

I can stay out until the clock strikes twelve.

Here, the adverb until functions as a subordinating conjunction to connect two ideas: I can stay out (the independent clause) and the clock strikes twelve (the dependent clause). The independent clause could stand alone as a sentence; the dependent clause depends on the independent clause to make sense.

The subordinating conjunction doesn't need to go in the middle of the sentence. It has to be part of the dependent clause, but the dependent clause can come before the independent clause.

Before he leaves, make sure his room is clean.

If the dependent clause comes first, use a comma before the independent clause.

I drank a glass of water because I was thirsty.

Because I was thirsty, I drank a glass of water.

Starting a sentence with a conjunction

Many of us were taught in school that it is an error to begin a sentence with a conjunction, but that rule is a myth. As mentioned above, a subordinating conjunction can begin a sentence if the dependent clause comes before the independent clause. It's also correct to begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction. Often, it's a good way to add emphasis. Beginning too many sentences with conjunctions will cause the device to lose its force, however, so use this technique sparingly.

Have a safe trip. And don't forget to call when you get home.

Gertie flung open the door. But there was no one on the other side.

List of conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions

for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so

Correlative conjunctions

both/and, either/or, neither/nor, not only/but, whether/or

Subordinating conjunctions

after, although, as, as if, as long as, as much as, as soon as, as though, because, before, by the time, even if, even though, if, in order that, in case, in the event that, lest, now that, once, only, only if, provided that, since, so, supposing, that, than, though, till, unless, until, when, whenever, where, whereas, wherever, whether or not, while

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What Are Conjunctions? Definition and Examples

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Without conjunctions, you'd be forced to express every complex idea in a series of short, simplistic sentences: I like cooking. I like eating. I don't...

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What Is an Adjective? Usage and Examples | Grammarly

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Adjectives are words that describe the qualities or states of being of nouns: enormous, doglike, silly, yellow, fun, fast. They can also describe the quantity of nouns: many, few, millions, eleven.

Adjectives modify nouns

As you may already know, adjectives are words that modify (describe) nouns. Adjectives do not modify verbs or adverbs or other adjectives.

In the sentences above, the adjectives are easy to spot because they come immediately before the nouns they modify.

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But adjectives can modify nouns even without appearing right before them in a sentence. Acting as what's called a subjective complement with the help of a linking verb, a predicate adjective modifies the subject of a sentence. A linking verb is a verb like to be, to feel, to seem, or to taste that, rather than describing an action, helps to describe a state of being or a sensory experience.

Uses of adjectives

Adjectives tell the reader what kind of something you're talking about, or how much or how many of something you're talking about.

Three and white are modifying flowers.

Often, when adjectives are used together, you should separate them with a comma or conjunction. See "Coordinate adjectives" below for more detail.

Degrees of adjectives

Adjectives come in three forms, known as degrees: absolute, comparative, and superlative.

Absolute adjectives describe something in its own right.

Comparative adjectives, unsurprisingly, make a comparison between two or more things. For most one-syllable adjectives, the comparative is formed by adding the suffix -er (or just -r if the adjective already ends with an e). For two-syllable adjectives, some use -er to form the comparative while others use the word more. In general, two-syllable adjectives ending in - er, - le, - ow, - ure, or - y can be made comparative by adding -er (in the case of -y words, replace y with - ier). For adjectives of three or more syllables, add the word more.

Superlative adjectives indicate that something has the highest degree of the quality in question. One-syllable adjectives become superlatives by adding the suffix -est (or just -st for adjectives that already end in e). As with the comparative, some two-syllable adjectives use -est to form the superlative while others use the word most. In general, two-syllable adjectives ending in -y replace -y with -iest. Adjectives of three or more syllables add the word most. When you use an article with a superlative adjective, it will almost always be the definite article ( the) rather than a or an. Using a superlative inherently indicates that you are talking about a specific item or items.

Coordinate adjectives

Coordinate adjectives should be separated by a comma or the word and. Adjectives are said to be coordinate if they modify the same noun in a sentence to the same degree.

Sometimes, when two adjectives appear next to each other and modify the same noun, the one closer to the noun is so closely related to the noun that they form a single semantic unit together, and that unit is what is modified by the first adjective. In this case, the adjectives are not coordinate and should not be separated by a comma.

In some cases, it's pretty hard to tell whether two adjectives are coordinate or not. But there are a couple of ways you can test them. Try inserting the word and between the adjectives to see if the phrase still seems natural. In the first sentence above, "this tattered and woolen sweater" doesn't sound right, because you really aren't talking about a sweater that is both tattered and woolen in the same way. It's a woolen sweater inherently, and it has become tattered. Woolen sweater forms a unit of meaning that is modified by tattered.

Another way to test for coordinate adjectives is to try switching the order of the adjectives and seeing if the phrase still works. In the second sentence, you wouldn't say "No one could open the silver old locket." You can't reverse the order of the adjectives because silver locket is a unit that is modified by old.

Adjectives vs. adverbs

Many of us learned in school that adjectives modify nouns and that adverbs modify verbs. But as we've seen, adjectives don't need to be right next to nouns in order to modify them; they can do so from after a linking verb in a sentence, as predicate adjectives. This leads to a common type of mistake: using an adverb when what you want is a predicate adjective. Here's an example you've probably heard before:

Because feel is a verb, it may seem to call for an adverb rather than an adjective. But feel isn't just any verb; it's a linking verb. An adverb would describe how you perform the action of feeling-an adjective describes what you feel. "I feel badly" would mean that you are bad at feeling things. If you're trying to read Braille through thick leather gloves, then it might make sense for you to say "I feel badly." But if you're trying to say that you are experiencing a negative emotion, "I feel bad" is the phrase you want.

It's easier to see this distinction with a different linking verb. Consider the difference between these two sentences:

"Max smells badly" means that Max, the poor thing, has a weak sense of smell. "Max smells bad" means that Max stinks-poor us.

When nouns are adjectives and adjectives are nouns

One more thing you should know about adjectives is that, sometimes, a word that is normally used as a noun can function as an adjective, depending on its placement.

Guide is a noun, but in this sentence, it is being put to use as an adjective to modify dog.

It works the other way too: Sometimes words that are normally adjectives shift into use as nouns. Many times this happens with adjectives used to denote a group of people, with the addition of the:

In the above examples, the word people has been elided and the adjectives French, rich, and poor are functioning as nouns. This kind of shift happens with other kinds of adjective-noun pairs too, however, especially when they are commonly used together:

In these sentences, the nouns exam and qualities have been elided.

Adjective usage advice

We'll end with a few words about adjectives and style. It's one thing to know how to use an adjective; it's another to know when using one is a good idea. Good writing is precise and concise. Sometimes you need an adjective to convey exactly what you mean. It's hard to describe a red sports car without the word red. But often, choosing the right noun eliminates the need to tack on an adjective. Is it a big house, or is it a mansion? A large crowd or a throng? A mixed-breed dog or a mutt? A dark night or just . . . night? Always aim to make every word count in your writing. If you need an adjective, use it. But if it's not pulling its weight, delete it.

Adjective FAQs

What is an adjective?

An adjective is a word that describes the traits, qualities, or number of a noun.

What are examples of adjectives?

Descriptive words like beautiful, smooth, and heavy are all adjectives, as are numbers (" twelve eggs").

What is the difference between adjectives and adverbs?

Adjectives modify nouns, while adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. For example, in the phrase "very funny movie," funny is an adjective describing the noun movie, and very is an adverb describing the adjective funny.

Can adjectives modify adverbs?

Adjectives can modify only nouns. Only adverbs can modify other adverbs.

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Adjectives are words that describe the qualities or states of being of nouns: enormous, doglike, silly, yellow, fun, fast. They can also describe the...

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Verbs: What Are They and How Do You Use Them? | Grammarly Blog

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As the heart of sentences and clauses, verbs show what the subject is doing or feeling, even if they're just . Verbs are also the only type of word that's absolutely necessary to make a sentence. Not even , which represent things, need to be in every sentence.

Because verbs are so important, they have more rules than other types of words. This can make verbs a little confusing in English, but read on for our explanation of everything you need to know: the different types of verbs, the different forms they take, how to conjugate them in every tense, and some expert tips on how to use them when speaking or writing.

Table of contents
How to conjugate verbs in English 3 expert tips for putting verbs into action
What is a verb?
Salah ran across the field, kicked the ball, and scored a goal.
Some verbs also act as "helper verbs" to change the tense of another verb. Likewise, these helper verbs can change a positive statement to a negative one with words like "not."
She has been jogging for a month and already feels her stamina increasing.
Types of verbs

Dynamic (action) verbs
Examples: walk, laugh, swim, play, eat, drink, sing, dance, talk, say Examples: consider, guess, change, grow, live, endure, succeed, fail
Stative (state-of-being) verbs

The opposite of dynamic verbs of action is stative verbs of being. Stative verbs describe a subject's state or feeling, including things they like and don't like.
Examples: want, need, prefer, love, hate, like, dislike, seem, understand, know, believe, involve, realize
Verbs that can be dynamic or stative
I can't see without my glasses. Cake still tastes great even if it's not your birthday. I haven't been seeing well since I lost my glasses. We were tasting cakes for the wedding all afternoon.
Likewise, some perception verbs have alternative meanings, especially if they're part of expressions or phrasal verbs. Often, this means they act as dynamic verbs.
Romeo and Juliet had been seeing each other for just five days when they died.
Other verbs, like , , and, above all , follow the same voluntary/involuntary rules as perception verbs. Depending on how they're used, they can be either dynamic or stative.

(stative: expresses an opinion or feeling always there; involuntary)
All morning I was thinking about how toads are better than frogs.
(dynamic: expresses the temporary action of thinking; voluntary)
I have a ten-year-old dog.
(stative: expresses permanent ownership; involuntary)
I am having a party for my dog's eleventh birthday.
(dynamic: used as part of phrase; voluntary)
He is nice to everyone.
(stative: expresses an ongoing state or personality trait; involuntary)
He was just being nice to everyone to get a promotion.
(dynamic: expresses a temporary/intentional state; voluntary)

Auxiliary (helping) verbs

Auxiliary verbs , or "helping verbs," are used in English to change another verb's tense, voice, or mood. When auxiliary verbs are used, there's always a main verb that represents the main action. However, the auxiliary verb must still be conjugated correctly.

Modal auxiliary verbs
I could swim across the English Channel, but should I do it? She must be the strongest person on the team, and might be the strongest person in the region.
Phrasal verbs

Phrasal verbs are phrases that act as individual verbs, often combining two or more words and changing their meaning. The verb , for example, becomes many different phrasal verbs when combined with different prepositions.
When the bus stops, passengers get out on the sidewalk. After losing his job, he's getting by on savings. >>Read More: Master These 30 Common Phrasal Verbs in English
Verb categories

Aside from the different types, verbs also come in different categories. Dynamic, stative, and auxiliary verbs all make up the categories below.

Transitive, intransitive, and ditransitive
Lindor threw the ball to deGram.
Transitive , intransitive, and ditransitive refer to how a verb acts with direct and indirect objects . A direct object is the person or thing that the action happens to, while an indirect object is the person or thing that receives the direct object.
Examples: go, walk, run, talk, sit, sleep, work Examples: clean, like, love, dislike, hate, want, learn, deserve, say Examples: throw, make, buy, sell, read, give, lend, bring
In this example, the subject is and the verb is . The direct object is because that is what was thrown-Lindor did the action to the ball. The indirect object is because he received the direct object, the ball.

In English, the standard format where the subject performs the action is known as the active voice. However, you can switch around your words to make the direct or indirect objects the subject of the sentence, known as the passive voice. As explained in our guide to the passive voice , you can make a verb passive by adding a conjugated form of in front of its past participle.

Linking (copular) verbs
Garfield is in the kitchen. Garfield became fat by eating lasagnas. Garfield seems to hate Mondays.
Here, "Garfield" and "a cat" are the same thing, so "is" acts as a linking verb.
The mild sauce also tastes spicy. Birds look happy when the sun comes out. The student felt pride when they used perfect grammar.
Likewise, perception verbs are often linking verbs as well, but only when they describe what is being perceived.

Regular vs. irregular Verbs

Unfortunately, some verbs don't want to play by the rules. They have their own unique forms with no patterns, specifically for the simple past tense and past participle forms. These are the notorious irregular verbs, and there are quite a few of them-including the most common verb .

Before we explain how to conjugate verbs in English, you need to understand the different forms a verb takes. This helps immeasurably when you conjugate on your own-you just need to use the right form at the right time. Keep in mind that these forms work mostly for regular verbs; irregular verbs each have their own special forms.

The root form is the basic form of the verb with no changes. It's also the simple present tense for everything except the third-person singular.

Third-person singular present

Simple past

Present participle

The present participle is used for the continuous tenses to show ongoing or current action, and in more advanced English can be used for participial phrases . In most cases you simply add - to the end of the root form, although sometimes you have to remove an first.

Past participle

The past participle is used for the perfect tenses. In regular verbs, it's the same as the simple past tense, so there's nothing extra to learn. However, irregular verbs often use unique past participles, so you may have to memorize their forms.

Infinitives and gerunds

An infinitive adds the preposition in front of a verb's root form. Although technically two words, an infinitive acts as a single word, usually a noun, but sometimes also an adjective or adverb.
Running is too difficult. Studying the cosmos is not the same as understanding the cosmos.
Alternatively, you can turn the verb into a by adding , identical to the present participle. A gerund is strictly used as a noun, and occasionally you can use them to create gerund phrases , which act as a single unit to modify the gerund.
When I'm not fishing, I'm thinking about fishing.
So what's the difference between infinitives and gerunds? Often, they are interchangeable-both infinitives and gerunds can act as subjects and direct objects.

Moreover, some transitive verbs only use infinitives as a direct object -for example, .

Although there are others, some common verbs use infinitives. They include the following: choose, decide, hope, plan, prepare, promise, wish.

In general, use the infinitives for situations that are abstract, unreal, or haven't happened yet. Use gerunds for situations that are specific, real, or have already happened.

How to conjugate verbs in English

Main tenses:

Time periods:
Subject-verb agreement
Below, we explain how to conjugate each of the main tenses in the present, past, and future. Keep in mind that irregular verbs may use different forms.

No matter what tense you use, your verb has to match the number of the subject. In other words, singular subjects conjugate verbs differently than plural subjects.

How to conjugate simple tenses

The simple tenses are the most straightforward-that's what makes them simple. They represent individual, one-time actions.

How to conjugate the present tense
Kim feels lousy today. I study every night before bed.
[ROOT] or [THIRD-PERSON SINGULAR PRESENT]

How to conjugate the past tense
When I was young, I played in the backyard every day. They lost again, and no one was surprised.
[SIMPLE PAST]

How to conjugate the future tense
You will study verbs until you understand them. Once again, history will repeat itself.
The simple future tense describes events that have not happened yet, as in planning or preparing. It uses the root form, but adds the word in front.

How to conjugate continuous tenses

How to conjugate the present continuous tense

events happening right now

ongoing events that are temporary

plans for the near future

Tony is sleeping at the moment. Later, we're seeing the new zombie movie. Everyone is talking about it!
It's often confused with the present simple; situations which might seem like the simple present-such as actions happening currently-are actually best represented by the present continuous.
They were eating dinner when the phone rang. It was raining all day, but we still had fun indoors.
How to conjugate the past continuous tense
We will be skiing all day Saturday. After I quit, you will be begging me to come back to work.
How to conjugate the future continuous tense

How to conjugate the perfect tense

As one of the most confusing tenses in English, the perfect tense takes some practice. It has very particular usage guidelines-especially the present perfect-and it's closely related to the simple past.

How to conjugate the present perfect tense
I've worked here since the beginning. Macbeth has murdered the king!

actions started in the past but continue into the present

repeated actions in the past without mentioning when

past actions, for more emphasis or dramatic effect

I had forgotten about our date until she reminded me. When our plane finally landed, they had already left the airport.
How to conjugate the past perfect tense
By the time I can vote, I will have graduated already. We will have stayed together for twenty-five years in August.
How to conjugate the future perfect tense

How to conjugate the perfect continuous tense

One of the more complicated tenses in English, the perfect continuous tense combines the perfect and continuous tenses at the same time. It's largely used like the perfect tense, but with ongoing or continuous actions.

How to conjugate the present perfect continuous tense
The town has been mining gold since the 1800s. I've been locked in my closet for hours!
So what's the difference? The present perfect and the present perfect continuous can often be used interchangeably, but the big difference is emphasis. The present perfect continuous emphasizes that the event is ongoing, whereas the present perfect alone emphasizes completion or achievement.
Until the moment our picnic began, the sun had been shining all day. She had been waiting for a sign before she finally asked him out.
How to conjugate the past perfect continuous tense
In a few weeks, she will have been studying English for a whole year. By 6:00, we will have been stuck in this elevator for four hours.
How to conjugate the future perfect continuous tense

3 expert tips on putting verbs into action

1 Use verbs instead of other words for more powerful writing
In the end, we were successful. In the end, we succeeded.
This may involve rewording some of your sentences, but your changes will improve your writing as a whole. Strong writing uses as few words as possible, so a single verb sounds better than a group of words that say the same thing.

2 Use the active voice whenever you can

Although the passive voice is grammatically correct, the active voice is usually preferred. It follows the same principle mentioned above: Fewer words mean stronger writing. Not only does the active voice sound better, but also it's easier for your reader to understand because the subject comes first.
The homecoming game was attended by almost every student. Almost every student attended the homecoming game. It was there that they found the lost ring. They found the lost ring there.
Whenever you notice a sentence in the passive voice, see if you can reword it to say the same thing in the active voice.

3 Use specific verbs instead of modifying general verbs

Our last tip again follows the principle that fewer words are better. Instead of modifying or describing your verb to get across your meaning, try using another, more specific verb instead.
talk quietly → whisper bump into each other → collide This article was originally written in 2017. It's been updated to include new information.
There are thousands of verbs in the English language; instead of adding words to describe the verb you have, use another more precise verb to take its place.

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Learn all about the forms of verbs in English (along with examples), conjugation, and tips on how to use them in writing.

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What are nouns

Nouns are names. It could be the name of a person, place, thing, animal, feeling, concept, idea, technology anything.

1. Person: Ram, Rahim, Gulzar, Vishal, man, woman

2. Place: Delhi, city, Kanpur, Jodhpur

3. Thing: Clock, mouse, bottle, stapler

4. Feeling: anger, love, friendship

Types of Nouns

Proper Nouns

A Proper noun is a name of a particular place, animal, person or thing.
Examples:

1. Capt. Vikram Batra was a brave soldier.

2. Hyderabad is a fast growing city.

3. Learning English is an interesting task.

4. He has a Maruti 800 car.

Proper nouns always begin with a Capital letter. "The" is not used in front of a proper noun unless it is a grand building or geographical feature eg: The Himalayas, The Ganges, The Alps, The Great Barrier Reaf, The Niagra Falls, The White House, The Rashtrapati Bhavan, The United States of America.

As a rule, "The" is not used in front of proper nouns. In almost 99% of the cases, you would not be using the before proper nouns. In very few cases you use the but there has to be a strong reason for using the as mentioned above. If in doubt, avoid using the. Normally, missing the where it should be used is a smaller error than adding the where it should not have been used.

Common Nouns

Common nouns are class names - it is a common name to all members of that class. Examples: city, man, woman, girl, movie, song, country, soldier, hills, rivers, ghosts.

1. Capt. Vikram Batra was a brave soldier.

2. Hyderabad is a fast growing city.

3. Sachin is a great cricketer.

4. He has a Maruti 800 car.

Abstract Nouns

Anger, love, hate or jealousy are feelings one can only experience and not touch. Similarly, patriotism or sweetness is something that can only be experienced and/or understood - you cannot see or touch them. Such entities are not material - they are abstract.

Such nouns are called abstract nouns.

Collective Nouns

Collective nouns are nouns which refer to a collection or group.

Examples: Army, team, horde, swarm.

A collective noun as a word signifies a group - it is distinct from a common noun. For example, 'soldiers' is a common noun while army is a collective noun. Similarly, players is a common noun while team is a collective noun.

Nouns can also be classified as countable and non countable nouns.

Countable and non countable nouns

Several nouns like pen, chair, man, soldier, player refer to things which can be counted. You can have one pen or two pens or thousand pens. Such nouns are called countable nouns.

1. When you are referring to one piece of a countable noun, you use singular form while referring to more than one, you use plural form.

2. Plurals of singular nouns are formed according to the following rules:

1. Adding "s". Eg: boy, boys; stove, stoves, safe - safes

2. Adding "es". Eg: fox, foxes; wish, wishes; glass, glasses; coach, coaches.

3. Adding "ies". Eg: army, armies; pony, ponies; sty, sties

4. Adding "ves". Eg: Knife - knives; wife-wives, wolf - wolves

5. Adding apostrophe s ('s) to single letters or numbers. Eg: 6's, c's, t's

6. Irregular ways. Eg: man, men; ox, oxen; goose, geese; woman, women; foot, feet;
mouse, mice; child, children; tooth, teeth; louse, lice.

7. Make the plural of the "main" part of the noun to make a plural of a
compound noun. Eg: Mothers-in-law, mousetraps.

8. Some nouns do not change the form from singular to plural. Eg: deer, series, means, gross, etc.

9. Plurals of some nouns derived from non-English roots are derived from their native language itself. Eg: focus, foci; alumnus, alumni; datum, data;

3. Some nouns are not countable like milk, water, anger. You cannot have plurals of non-countable nouns. Note that while milk cannot be counted, you can count "drops of milk" - so while two milks is wrong, three drops of milk is correct.

4. Some nouns are treated as countable as well as non-countable:
Hair - countable when referring to individual strands of hair but non countable when treated as the bunch of hair. Eg: The mysterious envelop contained three strands of hair. Sharma Ji has lost his hair at an early age.

5. Much is used only with non-countable nouns

6. Many, several etc are used with countable nouns

7. Few, Some, more, a lot, plenty of etc are used with both countable and non countable nouns

Exercise 1: Correct the following (wherever required):

1. Dhoni takes four milks every day

2. All mother-in-laws are not evil

3. All the boyes have returned home

4. Sultan of Surajpur had twenty nine wifes

5. Sehwag hit ten 4s and five 6's

6. These news are funny

7. Indian and US armys are engaged in a war game

8. Three mouses were fighting on my bed

9. His rich father gave him many wealth.

Use comments to discuss your answers.

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Nouns are names. It could be the name of a person, place, thing, animal, feeling, concept, idea, technology anything. Person: Ram, Rahim, Gulzar, Vishal, man, woman Place: Delhi, city, Kanpur, Jodhpur Thing: Clock, mouse, bottle, stapler Feeling: anger, love, friendship A Proper noun is a name of a particular place, animal, person or thing.

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Preposition Examples and How to Use Them | Grammarly

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Prepositions indicate relationships between other words in a sentence.

Many prepositions tell you where something is or when something happened.

Most prepositions have several definitions, so their meaning depends quite a bit on context.

Ending a sentence with a preposition is not a grammatical error.

What is a preposition?

"Vampires! Zombies! Werewolves!"

"Behind you!"

Thank goodness for prepositions. Imagine not knowing where the danger lay . . .

Prepositions tell us where or when something is in relation to something else. When monsters are approaching, it's good to have these special words to tell us where those monsters are. Are they behind us or in front of us? Will they be arriving in three seconds or at midnight?

Prepositions often tell us where one is in relation to another (e.g., "The coffee is on the table beside you"). But they can also indicate more abstract ideas, such as purpose or contrast (e.g., "We went for a walk despite the rain").

Types of prepositions

Prepositions indicate direction, time, location, and spatial relationships, as well as other abstract types of relationships.

Preposition examples

Unfortunately, there's no reliable formula for determining which preposition to use with a particular combination of words. The best way to learn which prepositions go with which words is to read as much high-quality writing as you can and pay attention to which combinations sound right. Here are a few examples of the most common prepositions used in sentences.

You can also use tools like the Google Books Ngram Viewer to see which prepositions most commonly occur with particular words-but remember, this tool can't explain the difference in meaning between different prepositional phrases like "pay for" (to purchase) and "pay off" (to bribe). For that, you may want to refer to a list of prepositions that includes the meanings of common combinations, which you can find online, or to a usage guide such as The Chicago Manual of Style , which includes a list of words that often give writers trouble along with the prepositions that go with them in different constructions.

Ending a sentence with a preposition

The old claim that it's wrong to end a sentence with a preposition has been debunked. It's not true now and it never was true. Writers who insist that a preposition can't end a sentence often end up with stilted and unnatural-sounding sentences:

That said, it is sometimes more elegant to move a preposition to an earlier spot in a sentence, especially in very serious and formal writing . But if you do move the preposition, remember to delete it from the end.

Unnecessary prepositions

One of the most common preposition mistakes is adding an unnecessary to the end of a question.

Although this is common in some English dialects , it's considered nonstandard in writing. You can fix the problem by simply deleting the .

On the bright side, if you're not sure which preposition to use, sometimes you can just get rid of it altogether. In fact, you should always get rid of unnecessary prepositional phrases. Too many prepositions can be a sign of flabby writing. Look at how many prepositions appear in the sentence below:

Getting rid of the prepositions forces you to tighten up the sentence. The result is shorter, more direct, and easier to understand:

Here's another example:

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Prepositions indicate where something is or when something happened. Here are some helpful examples of common prepositions and their different meanings.

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What Is an Adverb? Definition and Examples | Grammarly

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An adverb is a word that modifies (describes) a verb ("he sings loudly"), an adjective (" very tall"), another adverb ("ended too quickly"), or even a whole sentence (" Fortunately, I had brought an umbrella."). Adverbs often end in -ly, but some (such as fast) look exactly the same as their adjective counterparts.

It's easy to identify the adverbs in these sentences.

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Adverb examples

Adverbs are easy to recognize because they usually end in - , but not always. Some of the most common adverb examples include:

Adverbs and verbs

Adverbs often modify verbs. This means that they describe the way an action is happening.

The adverb in each of the sentences above answers the question In what manner? How does Huan sing? Loudly. How does my cat wait? Impatiently. How will I consider your suggestion? Seriously. Adverbs can answer other types of questions about how an action was performed. They can also tell you when ("we arrived early"), where ("turn here"), or with what frequency ("I go there often ").

However, there is one type of verb that doesn't mix well with adverbs. Linking verbs, such as feel, smell, sound, seem, and appear, typically precede adjectives, not adverbs. A very common example of the type of mixup that happens with linking verbs is the following:

Because feel is a verb, it seems to call for an adverb rather than an adjective. But feel isn't just any verb; it's a linking verb, which means that it links the subject of a sentence to the modifier that follows it. Since a subject is, by definition, a noun (or a pronoun), it is modified by an adjective. An adverb would describe how you perform the action of feeling-an adjective describes what you feel. "Paz feels badly" means that Paz is bad at feeling things. If Paz is trying to read Braille through thick leather gloves, then it might make sense for you to say "Paz feels badly." But if you're trying to say that Paz is experiencing negative emotions, "Paz feels bad" is the phrase you want.

Adverbs and adjectives

Adverbs can also modify adjectives. An adverb modifying an adjective generally adds a degree of intensity or some other kind of qualification to the adjective.

My cat is incredibly happy to be having his dinner.

Adverbs and other adverbs

You can use an adverb to describe another adverb. In the following sentence, the adverb almost is modifying the adverb always (and they're both modifying the adjective right):

In fact, if you wanted to, you could use several adverbs to modify another adverb.

However, that often produces weak and clunky sentences like the one above, so be careful not to overdo it.

Adverbs and sentences

Some adverbs can modify entire sentences-unsurprisingly, these are called sentence adverbs. Common ones include generally, fortunately, interestingly, and accordingly. Sentence adverbs don't describe one particular thing in the sentence-instead, they describe a general feeling about all of the information in the sentence.

At one time, the use of the word hopefully as a sentence adverb (e.g., " Hopefully, I'll get this job") was condemned. People continued to use it, though, and many style guides and dictionaries now accept it. That said, there are still plenty of readers out there who hate it, so it's a good idea to avoid using it in formal writing.

Degrees of comparison

Like adjectives, many adverbs can show degrees of comparison, although it's slightly less common to use them this way. With certain flat adverbs (adverbs that look exactly the same as their adjective counterparts), the comparative and superlative forms look the same as the adjective comparative and superlative forms. It's usually better to use stronger, more precise adverbs (or stronger, more precise adjectives and verbs) than to rely on comparative and superlative adverbs.

An absolute or positive adverb describes something in its own right:

To make the comparative form of an adverb that ends in -ly, add the word more:

To make the superlative form of an adverb that ends in -ly, add the word most:

Placement of adverbs

In general, adverbs should be placed as close as possible to the words they are intended to modify. Putting the adverb in the wrong spot can produce an awkward sentence at best and completely change the meaning at worst. Consider the difference in meaning between the following two sentences:

The first sentence is correct if it's meant to communicate that you very nearly dropped the papers but managed to hold on to them-the adverb almost comes right before the verb dropped, so it's most naturally understood as modifying dropped. In the second sentence, almost has moved to modify the adjective all, communicating that you did drop most of the papers.

Be especially careful about the word only, which can be an adverb, an adjective, or a conjunction and is one of the most often misplaced modifiers. Consider the difference between these two sentences:

The first sentence means that all Phillip did was feed the cat. He didn't pet the cat or pick it up or anything else. The second sentence means that Phillip fed the cat, but he didn't feed the dog, the bird, or anyone else who might have been around.

When an adverb is modifying a verb phrase, the most natural place for it is usually the middle of the phrase.

When to avoid adverbs

Ernest Hemingway is often held up as an example of a great writer who detested adverbs and advised other writers to avoid them. In reality, it's impossible and unnecessary to avoid adverbs altogether. Sometimes we need them, and all writers (even Hemingway) use them occasionally.

The trick is to avoid superfluous adverbs. When your verb or adjective doesn't seem powerful or precise enough, instead of reaching for an adverb to add more color, try reaching for a stronger verb or adjective instead. For example, the following two sentences are both grammatically correct and mean the same thing, but you'll probably agree that the second, in which the verb wrested does all the work that the adverbs forcefully and away are doing in the first, packs more of a punch.

If you find yourself piling on the adverbs, many times you cancome up with a better word, and your writing will be stronger for it.

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What Is an Adverb? Definition and Examples

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An adverb is a word that modifies (describes) a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or even a whole sentence. Learn all about adverbs in this guide.

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What Is a Conjunction | Examples & Exercises

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Verbs | What Is a Verb? | Types of Verbs & Examples

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What Are Adverbs?

Adverbs are words that tell us how, when, where, how often, or how much. An adverb can modify a verb (e.g., runs quickly), an adjective (e.g., extremely small), or another adverb (e.g., very closely).

Examples of Adverbs

Here are some more easy examples of adverbs:

She swims quickly.

She is an extremely quick swimmer.

She swims extremely quickly.
(The adverb "extremely" modifies the adverb "quickly.")

Table of Contents

Learning about Adverbs

Find the Adverb Test

Function of the Adverb Test

Interactive Examples of Adverbs

More about Adverbs

Adverbs Modify Verbs

Adverbs Modify Adjectives

Adverbs Modify Adverbs

Types of Adverb

Adverbial Phrases and Clauses

Video Lesson

Why Adverbs Are Important

Printable Test

Learning about Adverbs

When first learning about adverbs, we tend to focus on adverbs that modify verbs. In these two examples, the adverbs tell us how the verb is performed:

He walked quickly.

She talks loudly.
(Here, "talks" is the verb, and the adverb "loudly" describes how the verb is done.)
Did you notice that both adverbs ended "-ly"? Lots of adverbs that tell us how the verb is performed end with "-ly."
Find the Adverb Test

It's your go! Select the adverb in the following sentences.

Not all adverbs tell us how a verb is done. Adverbs can also tell us when, where, how often, and how much a verb is done. Here are some more examples of adverbs modifying verbs:

How: He ran quickly.

When: He ran yesterday.

Where: He ran here.

How often: He ran daily.

How much: He ran fastest.

Function of the Adverb Test

It's your go! Select the function of the adverb in the following sentences. In other words, what is the adverb telling us?

In the examples above, every adverb is a single word, but an adverb can be made up of more than one word. For example:

How: He ran at 10 miles per hour.

When: He ran when the police arrived.

Where: He ran to the shops.

Why: He ran to fetch some water.

How often: He ran every day.

How much: He ran quicker than me.
(adverbial phrase)
Read more about adverbial phrases and adverbial clauses.
As we will cover later, adverbs can also modify adjectives and even other adverbs.

Interactive Examples of Adverbs

Here are some interactive examples to help explain the difference between single-word adverbs, adverbial phrases, and adverbial clauses. (In these examples, the subjects are blue, and the verbs are green. Note that only the adverbial clauses have a subject and a verb.)

More about Adverbs

When beginners first learn about adverbs, they are often told that adverbs end "-ly" and modify verbs. That is, of course, true, but adverbs do far more than that description suggests. Here are three key points about adverbs: For example:

She sang an insanely sad song extremely well.

For example:

fast, never, well, very, most, least, more, less, now, far, there

For example:
Adverbs Modify Verbs

An adverb that modifies a verb usually tells you how, when, where, why, how often, or how much the action is performed. (NB: The ones that end "ly" are usually the ones that tell us how the action is performed, e.g., "quickly," "slowly," "carefully," "quietly.")

Here are some examples of adverbs modifying verbs:

Anita placed the vase carefully on the shelf.

Tara walks gracefully.

He runs fast.

You can set your watch by him. He always leaves at 5 o'clock.

The dinner guests arrived early.

She sometimes helps us.

Will you come quietly, or do I have to use earplugs? (Comedian Spike Milligan)

I am the only person in the world I should like to know thoroughly. (Playwright Oscar Wilde)
("Thoroughly" modifies "to know" to express how he should like to know himself.)

Adverbs Modify Adjectives

If you examine the word "adverb," you could be forgiven for thinking adverbs only modify verbs (i.e., "add" to "verbs"), but adverbs can also modify adjectives and other adverbs. Here are some examples of adverbs modifying adjectives:

The horridly grotesque gargoyle was undamaged by the debris.

Peter had an extremely ashen face.

Badly trained dogs that fail the test will become pets.
("Badly" modifies the adjective "trained.")
(Note: The adjective "trained" is an adjective formed from the verb "to train." It is called aparticiple.)
She wore a beautifully designed dress.
("Beautifully" modifies the adjective "designed.")

Adverbs Modify Adverbs

Here are some examples of adverbs modifying adverbs:

Peter Jackson finished his assignment remarkably quickly.

We're showing kids a world that is very scantily populated with women and female characters. They should see female characters taking up half the planet, which we do. (Actress Geena Davis)
(In this example, the adverb "scantily" modifies the adjective "populated." The adverb "very" modifies "scantily.")

What Is the Adverb Modifying?

It's your go! Select whether the adverb is modifying a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

More about Adverbs

Types of Adverb

When an adverb modifies a verb, it can often be categorized as one of the following:

Type

Examples

An adverb of time tells us when an action occurs or how often.

I tell him daily.

What you plant now, you will harvest later. (Author Og Mandino)

(NB: Adverbs of time that tell us how often something occurs (e.g., "always," "often," "sometimes") are also known as "adverbs of frequency.")

Adverb of Degree
(aka Adverb of Comparison)
( how much)

These are the main four categories. We'll discuss the others shortly. Don't forget that adverbs can also modify adjectives and other adverbs.

To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect. (Playwright Oscar Wilde)

If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing very slowly. (Burlesque entertainer Gypsy Rose Lee)
("Very" modifies the adverb "slowly.")

Even More about Adverbs

Adverbial Phrases and Clauses

In all the examples above, the adverbs are single words, but multi-word adverbs are common too. Adverbs are commonly phrases (i.e., two or more words) or clauses (i.e., two or more words containing a subject and a verb). Here are some examples of multi-word adverbs. (This list also includes adverbs of condition, adverbs of concession, and adverbs of reason.)

Type

Examples

Adverb of Manner

An adverb of manner often starts with a preposition (e.g., "in," "with") or one of the following: "as," "like," or "the way." (These are called subordinating conjunctions.)

Adverb of Time

Adverb of Place

An adverb of place often starts with a preposition or one of the following subordinating conjunctions: "anywhere," "everywhere," "where," or "wherever."

Opera is when a guy gets stabbed in the back and, instead of bleeding, he sings. (Ed Gardner)

Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go. (Playwright Oscar Wilde)

Adverb of Degree (aka Adverb of Comparison)

An adverb of degree often starts with one of the following subordinating conjunctions: "than," "as...as," "so...as," or "the...the."

Nothing is so contagious as enthusiasm. (Poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge)

Be what you are. This is the first step toward becoming better than you are. (Writer Julius Charles Hare)

Read more about comparatives of adverbs (like "more cleverly").

Adverbs of Condition

Adverbs of Concession

An adverb of concession contrasts with the main idea. An adverb of concession often starts with a subordinating conjunction like "though," "although," "even though," "while," "whereas," or "even if."

Although golf was originally restricted to wealthy, overweight Protestants, today it's open to anybody who owns hideous clothing. (Comedian Dave Barry)

A loud voice cannot compete with a clear voice, even if it's a whisper. (Writer Barry Neil Kaufman)

Adverbs of Reason

Here is a 7-minute video summarizing this lesson on adverbs.

Are you a visual learner? Do you prefer video to text? Here is a list of all our grammar videos.

Here are the six most common writing issues related to adverbs.

(Issue 1) Use adverbs ending "-ly" sparingly.

Professional writers (particularly fiction writers) don't like adverbs that end "-ly." They consider them unnecessary clutter. If you were to attend a fiction-writing course, you would be taught to craft words that render "-ly" adverbs redundant. On that course, you would undoubtedly be shown this quotation:

The road to hell is paved with adverbs. (Author Stephen King)

As Stephen King advocates, if you choose the right verb or the right dialogue, you don't need an adverb. Compare these two examples:

Extremely annoyed, she stared menacingly at her rival.

Infuriated, she glared at her rival.
(This is sharper. There are no adverbs.)
Here are the three good reasons to kill an adverb ending "-ly":

She smiled disappointedly.

Spoon-feeding with an adverb happens most commonly with verbs like said, stated, and shouted (known as verbs of attribution).
"Ow, pack that in," Rachel shrieked angrily. (You can remove the adverb if the "how" is implicit from the dialogue or context.)

Sitting dejectedly in its cage, the parrot looked utterly unhappy.

Looking miserable, the parrot lay on the floor of its cage.
(This is sharper. Your readers will know that parrots don't ordinarily lie on the floor.)
Avoiding adverbs is a self-imposed restraint that many writers follow. It's like a game. Upon completing their work, professional writers will often do a text search for "ly " (note the space) to find adverbs and re-justify them before submission. Remember though that if your adverb is part of the story, keep it.
Your son is surprisingly handsome.

(Issue 2) Delete "very" and "extremely."

Professional writers hate adverbs such as "extremely," "really," and "very" (called intensifiers). For them, using an intensifier demonstrates a limited vocabulary. It's a fair point. If you choose the right words, you can avoid intensifiers.

Many writers claim that intensifiers are so useless, you should delete them even if you can't find a more descriptive word.

Ireland is great for the spirit but bad for the body. (Actor Hugh Dancy)

Writer Mark Twain shared this view:
Substitute "damn" every time you're inclined to write "very." Your editor will delete it, and the writing will be just as it should be.

Good Tip

(Issue 3) When an adverb modifies an adjective, don't join them with a hyphen.

When an adverb modifies an adjective, don't join the two with a hyphen.

I don't sleep with happily married men. (Actress Britt Ekland)

Ironically, he described himself as "a professionally-qualified grammarian".
(Don't join the adverb and the adjective with a hyphen.)
Remember that not all adverbs end "-ly."

The beginning is the most-important part of the work. (translation of Greek philosopher Plato)

As covered next, this no-hyphen rule applies only to adverbs that are obviously adverbs (e.g., ones that end "-ly").
(Issue 4) When an ambiguous adverb modifies an adjective, use a hyphen.

A few adverbs (e.g., "well" and "fast") look like adjectives. To make it clear your adverb is not an adjective, you can link it to the adjective it's modifying with a hyphen. The hyphen says "these two words are one entity," making it clear they're not two adjectives.

She's a well-known dog.

He sold me six fast-growing carp.
(The hyphen makes it clear the carp are ones that grow quickly and not growing ones that can swim quickly.)
This issue crops up occasionally with "well," and "well" is almost never used as an adjective (meaning healthy) in a chain of other adjectives. So, in real life, there's almost never any ambiguity caused by these adjectivey-looking adverbs. Therefore, the following rule will cover 99% of situations:

Use a hyphen with "well" when it precedes an adjective.

For example:

It's a well-known tactic.

It's a widely known tactic.
(Don't use a hyphen with normal adverbs. They don't cause reading-flow stutters.)
Read about hyphens in compound adjectives.
(Issue 5) Make it clear what your adverb is modifying.

Whenever you use an adverb (a single-word or multi-word one), do a quick check to ensure it's obvious what it refers to. Here are some examples of badly placed adverbs.

Singing quickly improved his stammer.
squinting modifier.)
Peter told us after Christmas that he plans to diet.
(Here, after Christmas sits grammatically with "told" but logically with "plans." This is called a misplaced modifier.)
I recorded the hedgehog feeding its hoglets cautiously.
(It's unclear whether "cautiously" modifies "recorded" or "feeding.")
Usually a badly placed modifier can be fixed by putting it nearer to the verb it's modifying. (The top two examples can be fixed by moving the shaded text to the end. The third can be fixed by moving "cautiously" either to the left of "recorded" or to the left of "feeding," depending on the intended meaning.)
It's worth mentioning limiting modifiers (e.g., "hardly," "nearly," "only") because these commonly create logic flaws or ambiguity.

I only eat candy on Halloween. No lie. (Actor Michael Trevino)

I eat candy only on Halloween.
(This is sharper. As a rule of thumb, the best place for "only" is never to the left of a verb.)
The two examples below are correct, but they mean different things.

Lee copied nearly all 10 of your answers.

Lee nearly copied all 10 of your answers.
(Here, Lee might have copied none to nine.)
It's worth spending a second to ensure your limiting modifiers are well positioned.
(Issue 6) Use a comma after a fronted adverbial.

When an adverbial phrase or clause is at the start of a sentence, it is usual to follow it with a comma.

In colonial America, lobster was often served to prisoners because it was so cheap and plentiful.

One April day in 1930, the BBC reported, "There is no news."

If you're called Brad Thor, people expect you to be 6 foot 4 with muscles. (Author Brad Thor)

When the adverbial is at the back, the comma can be left out. Each of these could be re-written without comma and with the shaded text at the end.
When the adverbial is at the front, it's not a serious crime to omit the comma, but you should use one because it aids reading. When the adverbial is short (one or two words), your readers won't need helping, so you're safe to omit the comma if you think it looks unwieldy.

Yesterday I was a dog. Today I'm a dog. Tomorrow I'll probably still be a dog. Sigh! There's so little hope for advancement. (Cartoonist Charles M. Schulz via Snoopy)

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Adverbs are words that tell us how, when, where, how often, or how much. Adverb can modify verbs (e.g., runs quickly), adjectives (e.g., extremely small), or other adverbs (e.g., very well).

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Ouch! Oh my! Wow! Yikes!

If you've ever uttered any of the words above, you've used an interjection, whether you knew it at the time or not. The word interjection comes from the Latin words inter (between) and jacĕre (to throw). So, an interjection is a word that you throw in between sentences or thoughts to express a sudden feeling.

Here's a tip: Want to make sure your writing always looks great? Grammarly can save you from misspellings, grammatical and punctuation mistakes, and other writing issues on all your favorite websites.

Standalone Interjections

Because interjections usually express sudden feelings, you'll often see them used to convey surprise (both good surprises and bad ones) or excitement.

Yikes! There's a snake in the garage! You planned this party just for me? Wow! Ouch! That wasp just stung me! Yahoo! Oops. Terrific! Jordan will send you the contract this afternoon.

There's no strict rule about where an interjection must go in relation to other sentences. You can use an interjection before or after a sentence that explains what's going on. You can also use an interjection alone, although it may not make sense if you haven't adequately described the situation that caused you to use the interjection. Interjections often use exclamation points, but they don't necessarily have to.

Interjections in a Sentence

It's possible to use an interjection within a sentence. When you do, treat the interjection as a parenthetical element that's separate from the rest of the sentence. You can put the interjection inside parentheses or set it off with commas.

I may not succeed, but, hey, at least I tried. The project was delayed because the logistics team made a few(ahem) miscalculations. It will take only thirty minutes(Wow!) to reach the city on the new train.

The important thing to remember is that the interjection should be set off somehow. Don't just drop it in with nothing to mark it as separate from the rest of the sentence.

I forgot to do the homework assignment oops but my teacher gave me an extra day to finish it.

I forgot to do the homework assignment (oops), but my teacher gave me an extra day to finish it.

Gee I hadn't thought of that.

Gee, I hadn't thought of that.

When to Use Interjections

Because interjections are usually separate from other sentences, it's hard to use them incorrectly. The bigger concern is whether it's appropriate to use an interjection in your writing. Interjections are fine to use in casual and informal writing. It's okay to use them in speech, too. But avoid using interjections in formal writing because it may appear that you're not treating the topic seriously.

And now, you're ready to go out and use interjections. Hooray!

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Ouch! Oh my! Wow! Yikes! If you've ever uttered any of the words above, you've used an interjection, whether you knew it at the time or not. The word interjection comes from the Latin words inter (between) and jacĕre (to throw).

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Our Story

The Quick Answer

An interjection is a word added to a sentence to convey an emotion or a sentiment such as surprise, disgust, joy, excitement, or enthusiasm. For example:

No, go away.

Indeed, I intend to leave as soon as possible.
("Indeed" is the interjection.)

Interjections
Interjections are words used to express strong feeling or sudden emotion. They are included in a sentence (usually at the start) to express a sentiment such as surprise, disgust, joy, excitement, or enthusiasm.

An interjection is not grammatically related to any other part of the sentence.
A Video Summary
Here is a short video summarizing this lesson on interjections.

Examples of Interjections
In the following examples, the interjections are shaded.

Hey! Get off that floor!

Oh, that is a surprise.

Good! Now we can move on.

Jeepers, that was close.

Yes and No
Expressions such as "yes," "no," "indeed," and "well" are often used as interjections. For example:

Indeed, this is not the first time the stand has collapsed.

Yes, I do intend to cover the bet.

Phew!
Some interjections are sounds. For example:

Phew! I am not trying that again.

Humph! I knew that last week.

Mmmm, my compliments to the chef.

Multi-word Interjections
Some interjections are more than one word. For example:

Oh, really? I doubt that.

Holy moly! She won!

They're not always at the start of a sentence. For example:
Real-Life Examples of Interjections

I'm sure I don't know half the people who come to my house. Indeed, for all I hear, I shouldn't like to. (Poet and playwright Oscar Wilde)

Yes, it's absolutely true that anything worth doing is worth doing poorly until you can do it well. (Author Zig Ziglar)

Well, it's 1 a.m. Better go home and spend some quality time with the kids. (Homer Simpson)

Ah! Don't say you agree with me. When people agree with me, I always feel that I must be wrong. (Playwright Oscar Wilde)

It's smoke, and it's in flames now; and the frame is crashing to the ground, not quite to the mooring mast. Oh, the humanity! (Radio journalist Herbert Morrison reporting on the 1937 Hindenburg disaster)

Why Should I Care about Interjections?
There are two common questions related to interjections.
(Question 1) What punctuation follows an interjection?
Recognizing an interjection will help you to choose the punctuation that follows it. If your interjection is not a question (and most aren't), you have a choice. You can use a comma, a period (full stop) or an exclamation mark. Commas and periods are used for mild interjections, while exclamation marks are used for stronger expressions of emotion. Often, an interjection followed by an exclamation mark will be followed by an exclamatory sentence (i.e., one with an exclamation mark).

Jeepers! You scared the life out of me!

Crikey! Do you think before you speak?
(You can't use an exclamation mark at the end of your sentence if it's a question.)
The choice between a comma and a period depends on your desired flow of text. In other words, choose what looks good to you. If your interjection is a question, you must use a question mark.
I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left. (Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher) (When an interjection is in the middle of the sentence, you must offset it with commas. It doesn't happen often.)

(Question 2) Can you use interjections in business writing?
As a general rule, you should avoid using interjections in business writing, but, used very infrequently, they can be impactful and insert some pep into a document. Too much interjection-invoked pep, however, could make you look a little scatty.

Interactive Exercise

Here are three randomly selected questions from a larger exercise, which can be edited, printed to create an exercise worksheet, or sent via email to friends or students.

See Also
Take another test on interjections What are adjectives? What are adverbs? What are conjunctions? What are nouns? What are prepositions? What are pronouns? What are verbs? Commas after interjections (yes, no, indeed)Another quick test on interjections

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Written by Vocational rather than academic, "Grammar for Grown-ups" is packed with real-life examples and keeps you engaged with a wealth of great quotations from Homer the Greek to Homer the Simpson. Straight talking and methodical, "Smashing Grammar" (2019)
the founder of Grammar Monster, "Smashing Grammar" includes a glossary of grammar essentials (from apostrophes to zeugma) and a chapter on easily confused words (from affect/effect to whether/if). Each entry starts with a simple explanation and basic examples before moving to real-life, entertaining examples. All entries conclude with a section highlighting why the grammar point is relevant for a writer and top-level bullet points summarizing the entry. [More]Craig Shrives draws on his years compiling Grammar Monster and as an army officer to present a comprehensive but light-hearted and easily digestible grammar reference guide. [More] "Grammar for Grown-ups" (2011)

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Our Story The Quick Answer An interjection is a word added to a sentence to convey an emotion or a sentiment such as surprise, disgust, joy, excitement, or enthusiasm. For example: No, go away. Indeed, I intend to leave as soon as possible. ("Indeed" is the interjection.)

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Adjectives are ‘describing words.’ They describe nouns or pronouns. ‘Old,’ ‘green,’ and ‘cheerful’ are examples of adjectives. This page has examples of the different types of adjectives.