English Language
Parts of Speech
1,977 Questions
The parts of speech form the foundation of English grammar, categorizing words into nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and other functional classes. Identifying the correct part of speech is crucial for sentence construction and comprehension. This topic is a staple in the English language sections of SSC, Banking, and various other competitive exams.
Nouns and verbsAdjectives identificationAdverbs and modifiersWord categorization
Parts of Speech Questions
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noun
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verb
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adjective
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adverb
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preposition
D
Correct answer
Explanation
'Abreast' functions as an adverb modifying 'drew' in the phrasal verb 'drew abreast of'. It means 'alongside' or 'level with' and answers 'how did the car draw?' - it drew alongside. Adverbs modify verbs, and 'abreast' tells us the manner of the action. It cannot be an adjective (doesn't modify a noun) or preposition (the 'of' handles the object relationship in 'abreast of').
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noun
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verb
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adjective
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adverb
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preposition
A
Correct answer
Explanation
'Abrasion' is a noun naming a process/action (wearing away by friction). It functions as the object of the preposition 'to' in 'resistance to abrasion'. Nouns name things, concepts, or actions. Here, 'abrasion' names the process of wearing down. It cannot be a verb (no conjugation, not the main action), adjective (doesn't modify a noun), or other part of speech.
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noun
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verb
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adjective
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adverb
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preposition
D
Correct answer
Explanation
'Abroad' functions as an adverb modifying 'was'. It means 'in foreign lands' or 'away from one's country' and answers 'where was he famous?'. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Here, 'abroad' tells us the place/scope where 'he was famous'. The structure 'at home and abroad' pairs a prepositional phrase with an adverb for contrast. It cannot be a noun (doesn't name a thing), adjective (doesn't modify a noun), or preposition.
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noun
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verb
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adjective
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adverb
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preposition
C
Correct answer
Explanation
'Abrupt' is an adjective modifying 'she'. It means 'abrupt' in the sense of 'rude', 'curt', or 'brusque' in manner. Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns, and here 'abrupt' describes the subject 'she' telling us her manner in the meeting. The structure 'was very abrupt' follows 'be-verb + adverb + adjective' pattern. It cannot be an adverb (adverbs don't modify pronouns) or noun.
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noun
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verb
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adjective
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adverb
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preposition
C
Correct answer
Explanation
'Absolute' is an adjective modifying 'fortune'. It means 'complete', 'total', or 'vast' in this context. Adjectives modify nouns, and here 'absolute' tells us the kind/nature of the 'fortune' - it's an immense fortune. It strengthens the meaning of 'fortune'. It cannot be an adverb (adverbs don't modify nouns), noun (doesn't name the fortune itself), or verb.
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noun
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verb
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adjective
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adverb
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preposition
C
Correct answer
Explanation
The word 'absent' describes the state of love in his childhood. It is functioning as an adjective because it modifies the noun 'love' by describing its quality or state. Adjectives describe nouns or pronouns, which is exactly what 'absent' does here.
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noun
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verb
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adjective
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adverb
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preposition
B
Correct answer
Explanation
The word 'absented' is the past tense of the verb 'absent' meaning to withdraw or keep away. Here it shows what he did - he withdrew himself from the office. Verbs express actions or states of being, and this word clearly expresses an action that took place.
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noun
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verb
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adjective
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adverb
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preposition
A
Correct answer
Explanation
The word 'absolutes' functions as a noun here because it refers to things or concepts - moral absolutes are principles that are considered absolute or unchanging. Nouns name people, places, things, or ideas, and 'absolutes' names the concepts of right and wrong in her moral framework.
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noun
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verb
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adjective
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adverb
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preposition
B
Correct answer
Explanation
The word 'absorbed' is the past participle of the verb 'absorb' used in a passive voice construction. The cream receives the action of being absorbed into the skin. This is clearly a verb because it describes what happens to the cream - it undergoes the action of absorption.
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noun
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verb
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adjective
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adverb
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preposition
C
Correct answer
Explanation
The word 'absorbed' functions as an adjective here because it describes her state or condition while reading. It means she was deeply engaged or engrossed in her book. Past participles can function as adjectives when they describe the state of the subject rather than an action being performed.
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Adjective
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Adverb
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Noun
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Conjunction
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None of these
A
Correct answer
Explanation
‘Either’ is a distributive adjective that qualifies the noun 'road'.
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Adjective
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Adverb
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Noun
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Conjunction
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None of these
B
Correct answer
Explanation
'Cheerfully' is modifying the verb 'smiled' and also telling the manner of action.
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verb
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noun
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adjective
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adverb
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preposition
A
Correct answer
Explanation
'Dabbed' is the past tense of the verb 'dab' - meaning to touch lightly or apply something gently. In this sentence, it describes the action of putting perfume on the skin, which is clearly an action (verb).
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verb
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noun
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adjective
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adverb
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preposition
B
Correct answer
Explanation
In this phrase, 'dab' functions as a noun modifying 'hand'. The expression 'to be a dab hand at something' means to be skilled or expert at it. Here, 'dab' names the type of skill, making it a noun.
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verb
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noun
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adjective
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adverb
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preposition
C
Correct answer
Explanation
'Daft' is an adjective meaning silly, foolish, or crazy. In this sentence, it modifies the pronoun 'she' and appears after the linking verb 'is', which is the standard position for adjectives (predicate adjective).