English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (GAB)
Words and Functions
The most important grammatical knowledge is being able to tell what function a word is performing in a given context of use.
It is not enough to know the word classes of words; it is more essential to know the different word classes and how different words can fit into them.
See how the word below has been used in different word classes:
This round is over (noun). Anything that has a name is a noun.
We should round off now (verb). Whatever shows an action is a verb.
GAB has a round table (adjective). Anything that describes a noun is an adjective.
Let us move round (adverb). Whatever tells how an action is performed is an adverb.
She works round the clock (preposition). Anything that shows relationship between two or more things or phenomena is a preposition.
It is essential to be able to tell the dynamism of words in contexts of use.
Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (GAB)
Academic Advisor, Distance Learning Centre, University of Ibadan;
&
Doctoral Student of English, University of Ibadan.
