Can You Identify the Parts of Speech?

Subjects

Arts & Humanities
--Language Arts

Grades

• K-2
• 3-5
• 6-8

Brief Description

Use this easy-to-organize game as a whole-class activity to reinforce and assess students’ knowledge of basic parts of speech. Additional resources provided.

Objectives

Students will identify the basic parts of speech in sentences.

Keywords

parts of speech, noun, verb, adjective, classroom game, game

Materials Needed

• index cards or card stock (4 inches x 6 inches)
• markers or crayons

Lesson Plan

In this game, students review the following parts of speech:

• nouns
• verbs
• adjectives

This game can be easily adapted to incorporate additional parts of speech.

Preparation

Provide each student with three index cards (heavy card stock will do) that measure 4 inches x 6 inches. Have students use bold colored markers or crayons to write the word NOUN on one card, VERB on the second card, and ADJECTIVE on the third card.

Activity

This fun activity can be used to assess students’ knowledge of parts of speech and to reinforce that knowledge. In this activity, you will

1. Read aloud a sentence (sentences provided below).
2. Call out a single word (the underlined word) in that sentence.
3. Repeat the sentence.

Ask students to identify the part of speech that matches the called-out word and hold up the card that describes that part of speech.

You (the teacher) will be able to take a quick look around the room to see which students hold up the correct cards and which students require more help in identifying basic parts of speech.

For practice and reinforcement of this skill, we have provided additional resources and worksheets at the bottom of this Lesson Plan section.

Parts of Speech Sentences

Each of the sentences below appears twice. You can read the sentences in the order they appear or alternate so that similar sentences are not read back-to-back. Feel free to supplement these sentences with others drawn from resources in your teacher library.

1. The ball rolled past the catcher and all the way back to the backstop. (verb)
2. The ball rolled past the catcher and all the way back to the backstop. (noun)
3. My mother is very smart. (adjective)
4. My mother is very smart. (noun)
5. The broken printer needs to be replaced. (noun)
6. The broken printer needs to be replaced. (adjective)
7. Bob and Anthony were assigned to sleep in the green tent. (adjective)
8. Bob and Anthony were assigned to sleep in the green tent. (verb)
9. The expensive vase shattered when it hit the floor. (verb)
10. The expensive vase shattered when it hit the floor. (adjective)
11. Sally ran for president of her class. (verb)
12. Sally ran for president of her class. (noun)
13. The old car barely made it to the next highway exit. (adjective)
14. The old car barely made it to the next highway exit. (in this case, “exit” is a noun)
15. Grant chose to write a lengthy report about Thomas Edison. (adjective)
16. Grant chose to write a lengthy report about Thomas Edison. (verb)
17. The lion roared at the frightened children. (verb)
18. The lion roared at the frightened children. (adjective)
19. The steaming pizza smelled delicious. (adjective)
20. The steaming pizza smelled delicious. (noun)
21. Todd had to hurry to get to his dentist appointment. (verb)
22. Todd had to hurry to get to his dentist appointment. (noun)
23. The nervous student stepped to the front of the classroom. (adjective)
24. The nervous student stepped to the front of the classroom. (verb)
25. Sal and Andy wrote a silly play that had us all laughing. (verb)
26. Sal and Andy wrote a silly play that had us all laughing. (adjective)
27. The magician performed one amazing trick after another. (noun)
28. The magician performed one amazing trick after another. (adjective)
29. People dressed in layers on the chilly January day. (adjective)
30. People dressed in layers on the chilly January day. (noun, a collective noun)
31. Construction workers were soaked with sweat. (verb)
32. Construction workers were soaked with sweat. (noun)
33. Be sure to buckle your seat belt before the plane takes off. (verb)
34. Be sure to buckle your seat belt before the plane takes off. (noun)
35. Stan prepared as a violent storm approached the coast. (verb)
36. Stan prepared as a violent storm approached the coast. (adjective)
37. The car’s headlights were too bright. (noun)
38. The car’s headlights were too bright. (adjective)
39. Many people thought the new law was unfair. (verb)
40. Many people thought the new law was unfair. (adjective)
41. The warm woolly blanket helped keep Gene warm. (adjective)
42. The warm woolly blanket helped keep Gene warm. (adjective)
43. Historians say that the Titanic sank when it hit a massive iceberg. (adjective)
44. Historians say that the Titanic sank when it hit a massive iceberg. (noun)
45. Workers gave the park bench a fresh coat of paint. (adjective)
46. Workers gave the park bench a fresh coat of paint. (verb)
47. The pilot could not take off in the thick fog. (noun)
48. The pilot could not take off in the thick fog. (adjective)
49. When I have a problem, my grandmother always gives the best advice. (verb)
50. When I have a problem, my grandmother always gives the best advice. (adjective)

Additional Activities and Resources for Teaching Parts of Speech

Parts of Speech Race
Grammar Gorillas: Parts of Speech Game
Parts of Speech Tall Tales
Parts of Speech Printable Activity
Grammar on the Go
Parts of Speech Mini Poster
Parts of Speech

Assessment

Students have a good understanding of parts of speech if they correctly respond to at least eight statements in the activity below. Seven correct responses or fewer indicate that a student might need additional reinforcement.

Identify the underlined word in each sentence as a noun, verb or adjective.

1. Mark borrowed his father’s car. (verb)
2. Larry thought the test was easy. (adjective)
3. The boys could not agree on a solution to the problem. (verb)
4. Penguins are most commonly found in Antarctica. (noun)
5. The minister gave a very inspiring sermon. (adjective)
6. Millie wrote a shopping list but she forgot to take it to the store. (verb)
7. Bill fell asleep in the comfortable easy chair. (adjective)
8. The principal called three students to the office. (noun)
9. No one had lived in the empty house for many years. (adjective)
10. Everyone respected the coach because he had great knowledge of the game. (verb)

Bonus challenge! You might include these sentences to see if students grasp some of the complexities of parts of speech.

• The crowd gave a standing ovation when the batter hit a grand slam homerun. (The word “crowd” is a collective noun.)
• The campers cooked their meals over the campfire flame. (“Flame” could be a verb in some instances, but in this sentence it is a noun [a thing].)

Lesson Plan Source

EducationWorld.com

Submitted By

Gary Hopkins

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