Content Words and Function Words

Content Words and Function Words

1.      Content Words(open class words or lexical words or autosemantic words)

Content words are words that can accept new members or can be formed to another kinds of word. Content words are usually added by bound morphemes, both derivational and inflectional morphemes.  content words these include nouns, verbs, adjectives, and most adverbs, although some adverbs are function words (e.g., then and why). Dictionaries define the specific meanings of content words, but can only describe the general usages of function words. By contrast, grammars describe the use of function words in detail, but treat lexical words in general terms only.

a.     Noun ,  is used to describe people, places, things, and ideas.

Example : table(noun)+ -s(plural) = tables.

b.    Verb , is the main verb or verb without auxiliaries.

Example : sing(verb) + -er(suffix) = singer(new word).

c.     Adjective , word that describe noun.

Example : happy(adj.) + -ness(suffix) = happiness(new word).

d.    Adverbs , word that describe verb.

Example : Honestly(adv.) + un- (prefix) = unhonestly.

2.      Function Words(close class words or grammatical words)

Function words are words that can not accept new members or can not be formed to another kinds of words. Function words serve to express grammatical relationships with other words within a sentence. Function words belong to free morpheme because they can stand alone, have a meaning. Function word include prepositions, pronouns, auxiliary verbs, conjunctions, grammatical articles, and particles.

Example :

a.     Preposition : in+ -s = ins X(wrong)

b.    Conjunction : and + -s = ands X(wrong)etc.

So, all function words can not  be added by any derivational or inflectional morphemes and can not form a new word.

Note : There are some words that belong to both content and function words.

Example :

a.       Have

v  I have a book – I am having a book. ( ‘have’ as a verb, content words)

v  I have written a letter. ( ‘have’ as an auxiliary verb, function words)

b.      Can

v  I can speak English. (as auxiliary verb, function words)

v  I have two cans of coke. ( as a noun, content words)

Function words are closed class words while content words are open class words.

Function Words	Examples
Prepositions	of, at, in, without, between
Pronouns	he, they, anybody, it, one
Determiners	the, a, that, my, more, much, either, neither
Conjunctions	and, that, when, while, although, or
Modal verbs	can, must, will, should, ought, need, used
Auxilliary verbs	be (is, am, are), have, got, do
Particles	no, not, nor, as

Content Words	examples
Nouns	John, room, answer, Selby
Adjectives	happy, new, large, grey
Full verbs	search, grow, hold, have
Adverbs	really, completely, very, also, enough
Numerals	one, thousand, first
Interjections	eh, ugh, phew, well
Yes/No answers	yes, no (as answers)