Grammar for Everyone - Barbara Dykes 2007

Words that can be used as several parts of speech
Introduction
Part II The parts of speech

We are reminded that words take their part of speech from the function they have in the sentence. For example, the word bank can be:

a noun: I went to the bank.

a verb: He will bank the money he earned.

an adjective: These are foreign bank notes.

4.2 Activities: adjectives and nouns

1. Students can be given a variety of words to use in sentences in different ways, as above. They mark the part of speech of each one, for example:

mail, dust, wash, bath, motor, bore, saw, glue, post, side, water, pump, pipe, dress

2. Students find their own words that can function as several parts of speech, such as water, whip, string. This is a really useful exercise for reinforcing understanding of the functions of words.

3. Form adjectives from nouns, for example:

noise [noun], noisy [adjective]

Students may need a dictionary.

a. wood

b. child

c. hope

d. picture

e. beauty

f. disaster

g. fame

h. memory

i. dive

j. crime

4. Form adjectives from verbs, for example:

run [verb], runny [adjective]

Some of these are also past participles which will be taught in a later section.

a. copy

b. rot

c. wear

d. drive

e. speak

f. dread

g. sweep

h. dictate

i. write

j. grieve