When speaking any language, the majority of the words can be broken down into the categories of
nouns, verbs and adjectives. There are, of course, other categories too like adverbs and conjunctions
but today I’d like to focus on those 3 core categories.
We talk a lot about the English language here, in fact, this whole channel is dedicated to it and
I often find myself reading out definitions which will hopefully help you to widen your vocabulary.
The trouble with that is that so many words in the English language have multiple definitions so
I just have to choose whichever is more relevant in the context but that got me thinking. I wonder
if there are any words in the English language which are nouns, verbs and adjectives all at once.
Before we get into my list, let’s recap the meaning of a noun, a verb and an adjective.
A noun is a word which names a person, place or thing. Names like ‘Anna’ are nouns.
Place names like ‘London’ or ‘England’ are nouns. Objects like ‘cloud’ or ‘book’ are nouns.
Adjective is a describing word. A word we use to describe something. For example,
‘red’, ‘tall’, ‘cute’, ‘cold’ are all simple examples of adjectives.
And lastly, a verb is a ‘doing’ word. A word we use to describe an action. For example
‘run’, ‘want’, ‘eat’ and ‘sing’ are all simple examples of verbs.
So now we are looking for words which can be used for all three categories:
as a noun, as an adjective and as a verb. The first example I have found is the word:
Fast. As an adjective, ‘fast’ means: moving or capable of moving at a high speed. “This train is
fast and comfortable.” As a verb, the word ‘fast’ means: to abstain from all or some kinds of food
or drink, particularly as part of a religious ritual. “During the month of Ramadan, Muslims
are obligated to fast every day from sunrise the sunset as an act of worship, and a way to become
more compassionate to those in need.” Lastly, ‘fast’ can also be used as a noun referring to the
time in which you are fasting. “24 hours before the operation, you need to begin your fast.”
Another example is the word: Well. As an adjective, ‘well’ means healthy. “I
don’t feel well.” As a noun, a ‘well’ is a hole made in the earth to reach water. Here is a photo
of an old English well. “Throw a penny in the well and make a wish and it might come true!”
We do have some strange superstitions, don’t we? Lastly, as a verb, we can use ‘well’
to describe a pooling of water. “Tears well in my eyes just thinking about chopping onions!”
Yet another example is the word: Firm. As an adjective, ‘firm’ means having a solid, almost
unyielding surface or structure. “To support your back, the bed should be firm but not too hard.” It
can also be used to describe a person who is determined and confident. “Some students find the
teacher scary, but I think she’s nice. She’s just very firm” As a verb, to ‘firm’ something means to
make it more solid or resilient. This is usually part of the separable phrasal verb to ‘firm up’,
meaning the act of making something more firm. “The plans still have to be firmed
up but I think we’re going to go for coffee on Saturday morning.” Lastly, as a noun, the
word ‘firm’ can be used to describe a for-profit business organisation. It’s usually paired with
the name of the industry to be more specific, for example a law firm or an insurance firm.
Another example of a word that is a noun, a verb and an adjective is: Sport. ‘Sport’
as a noun refers to an activity involving exercise and competition. “At this school,
we offer team sports including football, rugby and netball.” As a verb, to ‘sport’ something
means to wear or display it. “Here a photo of me proudly sporting my school uniform.” And
the word ‘sport’ can also be used as an adjective, meaning ‘of or relating to sport’. “She got
into the school on a sport scholarship!” And lastly, the final example is: Last. As
an adjective, the word ‘last’ means final. This is the last example. As
a noun, ‘the last’ is the final one. “Of all my siblings, I was the last to move out.” And
as a verb, to ‘last’ means to continue for a specified period of time. “I
know it’ll be difficult, but I’m determined to last the whole race.”
So there we have 5 examples of words which can be used as a noun, a verb and an adjective
in the English language, but I’m sure there are plenty more. We have: fast, well, firm,
sport and last. Can you think of any more? Your homework today is to choose one of the
words we’ve discussed today or one you’ve thought of yourself and use it in a sentence 3 times:
first as a noun, then as a verb and then as an adjective, and if that’s too easy and you’d
like a challenge, try having all 3 meaning in the same sentence! I can’t wait to read your answers.