Parts of Speech Explained — Adverbs, Prepositions, Conjunctions & Determiners (JAMB/WAEC)

Adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and determiners are four parts of speech that add precision and structure to sentences – describing actions, showing relationships between words, connecting ideas, and specifying nouns. 

Together with nouns, pronouns, verbs, and adjectives, they complete the core categories tested under “parts of speech” in JAMB and WAEC English Language. This lesson covers all four with clear definitions and usage examples.

Quick takeaways

• An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, often describing how, when, or where something happens.
• A preposition shows the relationship between a noun/pronoun and another word in the sentence, often relating to place, time, or direction.
• A conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses together, and is grouped into coordinating, subordinating, and correlative types.
• A determiner introduces a noun and gives context about it, such as articles (a, an, the), possessives (my, your), and quantifiers (some, many).
• Exam questions frequently test prepositions specifically through “fill in the correct preposition” questions, so learn common preposition pairings, not just definitions.

What is an adverb, and what are its main types?

An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb, typically describing how, when, where, or to what extent something happens. Common types include:

1. Adverbs of manner – describe how something is done (e.g., “quickly,” “carefully”)
2. Adverbs of time – describe when something happens (e.g., “yesterday,” “soon”)
3. Adverbs of place – describe where something happens (e.g., “here,” “outside”)
4. Adverbs of frequency – describe how often something happens (e.g., “always,” “rarely”)

What is a preposition, and how is it used?

A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word in the sentence, commonly indicating place, time, or direction. Examples include “in,” “on,” “at,” “under,” and “between.” A frequent source of confusion is choosing the correct preposition for a specific phrase, since usage often doesn’t follow a strict logical rule (for example, “interested IN,” not “interested ON” or “interested AT”) – this is why prepositions are often best learned through common fixed phrases rather than a single general rule.

What is a conjunction, and what are its main types?

A conjunction is a word that joins words, phrases, or clauses together. The main types are:

1. Coordinating conjunctions – join elements of equal grammatical importance (e.g., “and,” “but,” “or”)
2. Subordinating conjunctions – join a dependent clause to an independent clause (e.g., “because,” “although,” “since”)
3. Correlative conjunctions – work in pairs to join elements (e.g., “either…or,” “neither…nor,” “both…and”)

What is a determiner, and how is it different from an adjective?

A determiner is a word placed before a noun to specify or clarify it, such as identifying which one, how many, or whose it is. Common determiners include:

• Articles – a, an, the
• Possessives – my, your, his, her, our, their
• Demonstratives – this, that, these, those
• Quantifiers – some, many, few, several

While determiners and adjectives can both appear before a noun, determiners specifically identify or limit the noun (e.g., “the book,” “my book”), while adjectives describe its qualities (e.g., “the interesting book”).

Common mistakes students make with this topic

• Confusing adverbs of manner with adjectives, since both can describe qualities but adverbs specifically modify verbs, not nouns
• Using the wrong preposition in a fixed phrase (e.g., “good in” instead of “good at”)
• Mixing up coordinating and subordinating conjunctions, especially when a sentence has multiple clauses
• Treating determiners and adjectives as the same category, when determiners specify while adjectives describe

Frequently asked questions

Q: What is the difference between an adverb and an adjective? 

An adjective describes a noun or pronoun, while an adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, often describing how, when, or where an action happens.

Q: What are the three main types of conjunctions? 

The three main types are coordinating conjunctions (joining equal elements, like “and” or “but”), subordinating conjunctions (joining a dependent clause to an independent one, like “because”), and correlative conjunctions (working in pairs, like “either…or”).

Q: What is a determiner? 

A determiner is a word placed before a noun to specify or clarify it, such as articles (a, an, the), possessives (my, your), or quantifiers (some, many).

Q: Why are prepositions often confusing for students? 

Because preposition usage frequently doesn’t follow a single logical rule and instead depends on fixed phrases and common usage, which is why they’re often best learned through memorized pairings rather than a general formula.

New to parts of speech? Start with our Nouns and Pronouns lesson → or continue with verbs and adjectives →

This is one topic from our full JAMB & WAEC English Language course — see everything covered →