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Content Words and Function Words

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51 views3 pages

Content Words and Function Words

Uploaded by

sailaja.english
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Content Words vs.

Function Words
 Content = information, meaning
 Function = necessary words for grammar

Content words give us the most important information while function


words stitch those words together.
Content Word Types
Content words are usually nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. A noun
tells us which object and a verb denotes the action happening, or the state.
Adjectives give us details about objects and people and adverbs tell us
how, when, or where something is done. Nouns, verbs, adjectives, and
adverbs give us important information required for understanding.
 Noun = person, place, or thing
 Verb = action, state
 Adjective = describes an object, person, place, or thing
 Adverb = tells us how, where, or when something happens

Examples:
Nouns Verbs
house enjoy
computerpurchase
student visit
lake understand
Peter believe
science look forward to
Adjectives Adverbs
heavy slowly
difficult carefully
careful sometimes
expensive thoughtfully
soft often
fast suddenly
Other Content Words
While nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs are the most important
content words, there are a few other content words that are also key to
understanding. These other words include negatives like no, not, and
never; demonstrative pronouns including this, that, these, and
those; and question words like what, where, when, how, and why.
Function Word Types
Function words help us connect important information. Function words
are critical for understanding, but they add little meaning beyond defining
the relationship between two words. Function words include auxiliary
verbs, prepositions, articles, conjunctions, and pronouns. Auxiliary verbs
are used to establish the tense, prepositions show relationships in time
and space, articles show us something specific or one of many, and
pronouns refer to other nouns.
 Auxiliary verbs = do, be, have (help with conjugation of tense)
 Prepositions = show relationships in time and space
 Articles = used to indicate specific or non-specific nouns
 Conjunctions = words that connect
 Pronouns = refer to other nouns

Examples:
Auxiliary Verbs Preposition
s
do in
has at
will though
is over
has been between
did under

ArticlesConjunctionsPronouns
a and I
an but you
the for him
so us
since ours
as she
Knowing the difference between content and functions words is
important because content words are stressed in conversation in English.
Function words are non-stressed. In other words, function words are not
emphasized in speech, while content words are highlighted. Knowing the
difference between content and function words can help you in
understanding, and, most importantly, in pronunciation skills.
Exercise
Decide which words are function and content words in the following
sentences.
. Mary has lived in England for ten years.
. He's going to fly to Chicago next week.
. I don't understand this chapter of the book.
. The children will be swimming in the ocean this time next week.
. John had eaten lunch before his colleague arrived.
. The best time to study is early in the morning or late in the
evening.
. The trees along the river are beginning to blossom.
. Our friends called us yesterday and asked if we'd like to visit them
next month.
. You'll be happy to know that she's decided to take the position.
. I won't give away your secret.

Check your answers below:


Exercise Answers
Content words are in bold.
. Mary has lived in England for ten years.
. He's going to fly to Chicago next week.
. I don't understand this chapter of the book.
. The children will be swimming in the ocean at five o'clock.
. John had eaten lunch before his colleague arrived.
. The best time to study is early in the morning or late in
the evening.
. The trees along the river are beginning to blossom.
. Our friends called us yesterday and asked if we'd like
to visit them next month.
. You'll be happy to know that she's decided to take the position.
. I won't give away your secret.

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