4th grade · English Language Arts · Unit 5 of 14
Parts of Speech
Pronouns, adverbs and more
What your child practices
Naming the job each word does in a sentence, with a focus on Grade 4's pronouns, adverbs, prepositions and conjunctions. Easier levels stick to nouns, verbs, adjectives and pronouns.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) teks student expectation: 4.11(D) · pronouns, adverbs and other parts of speech
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- Nouns name things. Verbs show action. Adjectives describe nouns.
- Pronouns replace nouns (he, it, they). Adverbs describe verbs (quickly, later).
- Prepositions show position (under, across). Conjunctions join ideas (and, but, so).
Example: “It rained, so we stayed inside.” What part of speech is “so”? “So” links two ideas. Joining words are conjunctions. Answer: conjunction
Parts of Speech in Texas
In the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), this is unit 5 of 14 in 4th grade English Language Arts, after Point of View and before Super Sentences.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
- 4th grade guide for Texas parents
- Printable 4th grade English Language Arts sheet
- Texas report cards explained
Source: Texas Education Agency (TEA)
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Which word is an adverb?
- slowly
- sleep
- snail
- sleepy
slowly
Hint: An adverb describes a verb or an adjective. It often tells how, when or where, and many end in -ly.
Question 2
In this sentence, what part of speech is “in”?
Zoe gently placed the kitten in the basket.
- preposition
- adjective
- noun
- verb
preposition
Hint: Ask yourself what job “in” does in the sentence. A preposition links a noun to the rest of the sentence, often telling where or when: under, behind, during.
Question 3
In this sentence, what part of speech is “or”?
We can walk to the park or ride our bikes.
- noun
- conjunction
- adjective
- preposition
conjunction
Hint: Ask yourself what job “or” does in the sentence. A conjunction joins words or ideas: and, but, or, so, yet, because.
Question 4
In this sentence, what part of speech is “for”?
She waited patiently for her turn.
- verb
- noun
- preposition
- adjective
preposition
Hint: Ask yourself what job “for” does in the sentence. A preposition links a noun to the rest of the sentence, often telling where or when: under, behind, during.
Question 5
Which word in this sentence is an adverb?
The children ran quickly across the field.
- field
- ran
- quickly
- across
quickly
Hint: An adverb describes a verb or an adjective. It often tells how, when or where, and many end in -ly.
Question 6
Which word is a preposition?
- unhappy
- underneath
- uncle
- unpack
underneath
Hint: A preposition links a noun to the rest of the sentence, often telling where or when: under, behind, during.