Year 3 — Grammar

Word classes

Identify nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions and determiners — a fuller set of word classes than before.

Back to Year 3

💡Understand

This year we add three new word classes. A PRONOUN replaces a noun (he, she, it, they). A PREPOSITION shows where something is (under, behind, between). A CONJUNCTION joins words or ideas (and, but, because). A DETERMINER comes before a noun to show which one (the, a, this, my).

“She put the ball under the table because it had rolled away.”

'She' is a pronoun (replacing a name). 'Under' is a preposition (showing position). 'Because' is a conjunction (joining ideas). 'The' is a determiner (before the noun 'ball').

🔍Spot it

What word class is the underlined word?

Question 1

He walked to the shop.

💡 'He' replaces a name — that makes it a pronoun.

Question 2

The cat hid behind the sofa.

💡 'Behind' shows where the cat is — a preposition.

Question 3

I was tired but I kept walking.

💡 'But' joins two ideas together — a conjunction.

🧠Think about it

Why is it useful to use pronouns like 'she' or 'it' instead of repeating a name over and over?

✍️Try it

Identify the word class.

This book belongs to my sister.

Question 1

What word class is 'this'?

💡 It comes right before the noun 'book' and shows which one we mean.

📝Practise

Identify the word class of the underlined word.

Question 1

They played in the garden. What is 'they'?

Question 2

The bird flew over the fence. What is 'over'?

Question 3

I like apples and bananas. What is 'and'?

Question 4

In one word, what do we call a word like 'the', 'a', or 'my' that comes before a noun?

💡 It's the fourth new word class explained in this lesson.

Question 5

She hid the present under her bed. What is 'under'?

Question 6

My dog loves to play. What is 'my'?

🎯Apply

Read the passage, then answer the questions below.

Ben looked under his bed and found his missing shoe, but he was still late for school because he couldn't find the other one.

Question 1

What word class is 'under'?

💡 It shows WHERE Ben looked.

Question 2

What word class is 'he' (used twice)?

💡 It replaces the name 'Ben'.

Question 3

Find the conjunction that explains WHY Ben was late.

💡 It joins the main idea to the reason.

🏆Challenge

Can you write your own sentence using a pronoun, a preposition, and a conjunction?

🔄Review

A quick mastery check — 3 questions.

Question 1

It ran across the field. What is 'it'?

Question 2

The keys are inside the drawer. What is 'inside'?

Question 3

I wanted to go, but it was too late. What is 'but'?

Want more practice mixing this with other grammar rules? Try Grammar practice →