How to Identify Nouns, Verbs, and Adjectives
Try these tests:
If a word is a noun:
1.
2. It can be
pluralized. (Uncountable nouns do not have a plural form, but you can test these
by adding a
3. It can be used in
the pattern:
Example: Is the word dance a noun?
2. It can be pluralized: The dances were fast and complicated.
3. It can be used in
the pattern:
The answer to all of these is 'yes'. The word dance is a noun.
If a word is a verb:
1. It can be stated in the third person singular verb form:
2. It can be formed with an ing ending.
3. It can be used with a modal verb.
Example: Is the word dance a verb?
1. It can be used in third person singular: He dances so well.
2. It can be formed with an ing ending: The couple was dancing perfectly in the competition.
3. It can be used with a modal: They could dance all night, if they didn't have work in the morning.
The answer to all of these is 'yes'. The word 'dance' is a verb.
If a word is an adjective:
1. It can take the comparative ending er.
2. It can take the superlative ending est.
3. It can follow the verb seems.
Example: Is the word dance an adjective?
1. It cannot take the ending er: dancer (Be careful now. The word dancer sounds right to your ear, but it's a noun, not a comparative adjective form.)
2. It cannot take the ending est: dancest
3. It cannot follow the verb seems: The seems dance...
The answer to all of these is 'no'. The word dance is not an adjective. The word dance is both a noun and a verb.
Example: Is breathe a noun, a verb, or an adjective?
Noun:
2. It cannot be pluralized: The breathes were fast and complicated.
3. It cannot be used
in the pattern:
The answer to all of these is 'no'. The word breathe is not a noun.
Verb:
1. It can be stated in the third person singular verb form: He breathes...
2. It can be formed with an ing ending: He is breathing.
3. It can be used with a modal: He must breathe to stay alive.
The answer to all these is 'yes'. The word breathe is a verb.
Adjective:
1. It cannot take the ending er: breather (there is a word breather, but it's used this way: to take a breather = to take a short break or rest from a task.) You cannot say "This air is breather than that in Los Angeles.")
2. It cannot take the ending est: This air is the breathest in the country.
3. It cannot follow the verb seems: The air seems breathe...
The answers to all these are 'no'. The word breathe is not an adjective, nor is it a noun. Breathe is a verb.
Is handsome a noun, a verb, or an adjective?
Noun:
2. It cannot be pluralized: The handsomes arrived...
3. It cannot be used
in the pattern:
The answer to all these is 'no'. The word handsome is not a noun.
Verb:
1. It cannot be stated in the third person singular verb form: He handsomes...
2. It cannot be formed with an ing ending: He is handsoming...
3. It cannot be used with a modal: He must handsome before going on a date.
The answer to all these is 'no'. The word handsome is not a verb.
Adjective:
1. It can take the ending er: handsomer
2. It can take the ending est: The man is the handsomest in the county.
3. It can follow the verb seems: The man seems handsome...
The answer to all these is 'yes'. The word handsome is an adjective.
Now, use the tests you just learned. Try them with the following words to see if they are nouns, verbs, or adjectives: