SAME WORD USED AS DIFFERENT PARTS OF SPEECH

How and why do we use the same word differently?What is the difference between a school master and a tailor master or station master?A school master trains (V.) the mind (N.) but a stationmaster minds (V.) the train (N.)!Some words may belong to different parts of speech as to the way in which they are used in different sentences. Always remember that it is the function or use that determines to which parts of speech a word belongs in a given sentence.

Examples of Same Words Used as Different Parts of Speech:

Now study the use of the following words in different parts of speech.

ABOVE

Noun:                               Our blessing comes from above.

Adjective:                        Read the above sentence carefully.

Adverb:                           The heavens are above.

Preposition:                     The ethic law is above the criminal law.

AFTER

Adjective:                        After ages will sing his glory.

Adverb:                           After a while they arrived.

Preposition:                    She takes after her mother.

Conjunction:                  They arrived after the ship had left the port.

ALL

Noun:                             He lost his all in a hurry.

Pronoun:                        All spoke in his favour.

Adjective:                     All men are mortal.

Adverb:                         He was all alone at that timer.

ANY

Pronoun:                      Does any of you know anything about it?

Adjective:                    Is there any witness?

AS

Adverb:                       He ran as fast as he could.

Conjunction:               I helped her as she was poor.

BEFORE

Adverb:                      I have seen you before.

Preposition:                He came before the fixed time.

Conjunction:              He went away before I came.

BETTER

Noun:                         Give place to your betters.

Adjective:                  I think yours is a better plan.

Adverb:                     I know her better.

BUT

Rel. Pronoun:      There is no one but likes him = There is no one who doesn`t like him.

Adverb:                  It is but (=only) right to admit our faults.

Preposition:           None but (=except) the brave deserves the fair.

Conjunction:         We tried hard but didn`t succeeds.

DOWN

Noun:                    He has seen the ups and downs of life.

Verb:                    Try to down her.

Adjective:            The down train has left the station.

Adverb:                Down went the Royal George.

Preposition:          She came down the hill.

EITHER

Pronoun:              Ask either of them.

Adjective:            He is watching either side of the canal.

Conjunction:       You must either work or starver.

ENOUGH

Noun:                  I have had enough of this.

Adverb:              You know well enough what I mean.

EVEN

Verb:                  Let us even the ground.

Adjective:          The chances are even.

Adverb:             Does he even suspect the danger?

FOR

Preposition:       I can do it for myself.

Conjunction:     He can`t does this now for he is ill.

HEAD

Noun:               Head is the vital part of the body.

Verb:                He headed the ball in the right time.

HONOUR

Noun:               He is a man of great honours.

Verb:                Everyone honours him.

LESS

Noun:He wants one hundred dollar for that book. He won`t be satisfied with less.

Adjective:       You are paying less attention.

Adverb:           The soil of Bahawalpur is less fertile than that of Multan.

LIKE

Noun:             We shall not see his like again.

Verb:              Children like sweets.

Adjective:      They are men of like build and stature.

Preposition:   Don`t talk like that.

LITTLE

Noun:              I want but little.

Adjective:       There is little danger in going there.

Adverb:           She eats very little.

MORE

Pronoun:          More of us die in bed than out of it.

Adjective:       We want more men like him.

Adverb:          You should talk less and work more.

MUCH

Pronoun:        Much of it is true.

Adjective:      There is much sense in what he says.

Adverb:          He boasts too much.

NEAR

Verb:              The time nears.

Adjective:      He is a near relation.

Adverb:          Draw near and listen.

Preposition:   The school is near the post office.

NEITHER

Pronoun:         It is difficult to negotiate where neither will trust.

Adjective:       Neither statement is true.

Conjunction:  Give me neither poverty nor riches.

NEXT

Noun:             Who is your next?

Adjective:      I shall go to Lahore next Sunday.

Adverb:         What next?

Preposition:    He was sitting next to him.

NO

Noun:             I`ll not take a no.

Adjective:      It is no joke.

Adverb:         He is no more.

OIL

Noun:           Oil is fatty substance.

Verb:            Oil your own machine.

ONCE

Noun:             Please help me for once.

Adverb:         You were young once.

Conjunction: Once he hesitates, he will fall.

One

Noun:            One would think he was mad.

Pronoun:      The little ones cried in joy.

Adjective:      One day I met him in the street.

ONLY

Adjective:       It was his only chance.

Adverb:          He was only (=simply) foolish.

Conjunction:  Take what I have, only let me go.

OVER

Noun:             In one over he took four wickets.

Adverb:          Read it over carefully.

Preposition:  At forty a change came over him.

RIGHT

Noun:            It is a matter of right.

Verb:            It is much a fault that will right itself.

Adjective:    He is the right man for the job.

Adverb:       Serve him right.

ROUND

Noun:          The boy played well in the first round.

Verb:           They rounded the shrine silently.

Adjective:    A square peg in a round hole.

Adverb:        At last he came round to their belief.

SHOWER

Noun:           Heavy shower is harmful to crop.

Verb:           Honours were showered upon him.

SINCE

Adverb:         I have not seen him since.

Preposition:   I have not seen him since Monday.

Conjunction: It is many days since I saw you last.

SO

Adverb:         I am so sorry.

Conjunction: He was ill, so he could not come to school.

SOME

Pronoun:       Some say one thing and others another.

Adjective:    We must find some way out of it.

Adverb:       Some twenty guests were there.

STILL

Noun:          He heard a shrill cry in the hill of night.

Verb:          Mothers still their babies with a lulling song.

Adjective:  Mosquitoes lay eggs in still water.

Adverb:     He is still in idleness.

SUCH

Pronoun:       Such was not my intention.

Adjective:    Don`t do this in such hurry.

THAT

Pronoun:         That is what I want.

Adjective:       What is that noise?

Rel. Pronoun:  The evil that men do remains after them.

Conjunction:   He works hard that he may succeed.

THE

Article:         The boy who came here is my brother.(demon. Adjective)

Adverb:        The sooner the better.

TILL

Preposition:    He will stay here till tomorrow.

Conjunction: Don`t start till I give the order.

UP

Noun:            Every man has ups and downs in life.

Adjective:    The next up train will leave at 10 p.m.

Adverb;        Prices of essential commodities are going up.

Preposition:           He went up the hill.

WATER

Noun:          None can live without water.

Verb:          She is watering the plant.

WELL

Adjective:     I am well [Predicative Adj.] I hope you are now well.

Adverb:        He played well. Or well begun is half done.

Interjection:             Well, you may go.

WHAT

Interrogative Pronoun:    What do you want?

Interrogative Adjective:  What book do you want?

Relative Pronouon:         Give me what you can.

Interjection:                    What! You don`t mean to say so?

WHILE

Noun:                           Sit down and rest a while.

Verb:                            They while away their time in idleness.

Conjunction:                While a great poet he is a greater dramatist.

WHY

Noun:                            I don`t know the why and wherefore of it.

Interrogative Adverb: Why did he come here?

Relative Adverb:         I know the reason why he did it.

Interjection:                Why, it is surely Siren!

YET

Adverb:                  There is more talk yet to be told.

Conjunction:          He is unable, yet willing.