English is both a very rigid yet a very flexible language. In the area of sentence structure, it is unbending. Unlike in languages like Spanish and Russian, the subject or object can not be placed just anywhere in a sentence. In English, where a word is placed in a sentence makes all the difference, not just in the area of meaning but also, yes believe it or not, in the area of part of speech. Unlike French, Spanish and Italian, English does not generally use inflections to determine part of speech. That is, many words in English need neither a suffix nor a prefix to be another part of speech. The term fine serves as an excellent example. The English word fine not only has several meanings, as it does its translation in Spanish, but also, unlike in Spanish, its function in a sentence is not fixed. Depending on the context, meaning but much more importantly the location, fine can either be a noun, (If you park here, you’re going to get a fine), a verb, (They are sure to fine you if you don’t pay on time.), an adjective, (I’m not surprised. He has always been a fine young man.) or an adverb (I am doing fine today. Thank you for asking.) In English, there are no hard and fast rules that determine which words have only one part of speech versus those which have many. However, one thing is clear. Many, very many, of the most common words in English have more than one function. Read he following carefully and, when possible, answer the questions presented.
Can you determine the part of speech of the common English words table and dead in the following sentences? Does the part of speech of the words have anything to do with your understanding of the meaning of the sentences? Does, for example, the definition of the word table change depending on whether it is a verb or noun? Lastly, and much more importantly are there sentences which you understand while others that you have absolutely no idea of their meaning?
Table
1. Lay your cards on the table and tell me what you want.
2. This is a beautiful coffee- table book.
3. I want to table the motion.
4. Go sit down while I clear the table.
5. Go to the table of contents to find the page.
6. I will need your proposal on the table next week. No more delays.
7. One day someone is going to turn the tables on you.
8. He did everything under the table.
9. His new job is to wait on tables.
10. If I were you, I wouldn't challenge him. He can drink anyone under
the table.
Cut
1. I cut the cake so that everyone could get a piece.
2. He cut the drug with poison; as a result, many people died.
3. I'm tired of going around the bush; cut to the chase.
4. The record that you cut last night was good. It's going to sell.
5. What she told him last night cut to the bone.
6. Cut! Take a five-minute break.
7. I don't like the way that he cut the movie. Nothing makes any sense.
8. Cut your losses and get out now!
9. She talks so much that she's always cutting me short.
10. The Supreme Court decision is not clear; it cuts both ways.
11. What is his cut?
Wylcomenetwork.com helps you to learn some of the most common words in English which can be both nouns and verbs. In the istudycards Freaky English Is It a Noun or a Verb, each word is presented in context. The following is an example of a card: You have to respect the rules. (rules = noun) vs. He rules with an iron hand. (rules = verb)
Wylcomenetwork.com istudycards Freaky English series has available six sets of cards of some of the most important words in English which have more than one function in English. (100 istudycards per set)
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