make up speech meaning

Stephen Colbert Taunts 'Demented' Trump With Scathing Definition For His Made-Up Word

Overnight Editor, HuffPost

Stephen Colbert on Tuesday cooked up a definition for a new non-word Donald Trump used as the former president attacked immigrants at a rally over the weekend.

“They’re just getting acclamented,” Trump said. “You know what that means.”

“No,” Colbert fired back. “No, I don’t know what that means ― ’cause that’s not a word!”

Colbert went back to the video to hear Trump’s attempt to define it.

“Acclamented. They’re getting used to a society that really goes too far,” Trump explained.

“Oh, acclamented. I understand,” Colbert said. “I think that’s when you get acclimated to Trump being demented. It’s acclamented.”

See more in his “Late Show” monologue:

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Makeup or Make Up – What’s the Difference?

Home » Makeup or Make Up – What’s the Difference?

When you put cosmetics on your face to look pretty on a date, are you using makeup or make up ?

You are probably beautiful just the way you are, and you don’t need to worry about either of those things, but if you work for a cosmetics company and you are in charge of designing ads, you will need to know the difference between these words.

The short story is that one is a noun and one is a verb, but, for a more in-depth discussion, continue reading.

What is the Difference Between Makeup and Make Up?

In this post, I will compare makeup vs. make up . I will use each term in some example sentences, which will give you an idea how they should appear in context.

I will also demonstrate how to use a mnemonic device that makes choosing make up or makeup a little easier.

When to Use Makeup

For example,

• Julia spends 45 minutes each morning putting on her makeup in the bathroom, which annoys Aries.
• Greg’s last job was in the advertising department of company that sells makeup.

Makeup is a category of products. There are several different types of makeup. People use lipstick to color their lips. Eyeliner, eye shadow, and mascara all emphasize the eyes. Foundation and blush even out and accentuate the color of facial skin. There are other types of makeup, as well. For a more in-depth discussion, consult a cosmetologist.

Makeup can also refer to the composition of something. For example, the chemical makeup of something.

• But there are limits to applying the Hawaii model to the rest of the nation, especially considering this state’s unique economy and political makeup. – The Washington Post

When to Use Make Up

• I need to make up a test that I missed last week, or I will not be able to graduate. (Complete something that was postponed)
• Make up a template for these body routs so that we will be able to make clean, even cuts. (Create something)
• I asked where he had been all day, but he just made up a story. (Fabricate a false event or story)

Here is another example of make-up being used to indicate the completion of something postponed.

• With 20 confirmed cases of measles in New York City, now is a good time to check your children’s vaccination records, make up for any shots missed because of illness or travel and reconsider any stance your family might have taken on delaying or refusing vaccinations. – The New York Times

When this term is constructed as the hyphenated compound make-up , it becomes an adjective , like in the phrases make-up game or make-up test . These phrases describe events that had to be postponed, and are now taking place at a later date instead.

Also, make-up artist , make-up remover , make-up bag .

Trick to Remember the Difference

Now, let’s go over a trick to keep track of make up vs. makeup . Since makeup is a compound noun, like the compound nouns takeout and kickoff , the construction of the word is you clue that makeup is a noun.

Is it makeup or make up? As with many compound nouns and phrasal verbs, these terms are only separated by a single space.

• Makeup is a noun.
• Make up is a verb phrase.

Their usage cases do not overlap; you can only use make up as a verb and makeup as a noun.

Makeup, Make-up, or Make Up?

"makeup," "make-up," or "make up".

• For the noun and adjective, use "makeup."

• For the verb , use "make up."

Do I Write Make-up, Makeup, or Make Up?

Write makeup (for the noun).

Write Makeup (for the Adjective)

Write make up (for the verb).

This page was written by Craig Shrives .

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Jamelle Bouie

Trump Makes No Sense and Is Full of Meaning

By Jamelle Bouie

Opinion Columnist

You must keep two things in mind if you hope to watch — and successfully parse — a Donald Trump speech, news conference, interview, social media post or debate.

First, the former president is incoherent. A rhetorical improviser of sorts, he now struggles to follow a train of thought from beginning to end. A vague and elliptical speaker, he jumps from subject to subject in a form of word association that is less a sophisticated “ weave ,” as he puts it, than it is what you might produce if you wrote a message using the predictive text feature of your smartphone. An always ignorant man now on the decline, he cannot form the kind of complex sentence you might find in a college term paper.

Consider his answer to a simple question about child care during a recent appearance before the Economic Club of New York.

Well, I would do that. And we’re sitting down — you know, I was somebody — we had — Senator Marco Rubio and my daughter Ivanka were so impactful on that issue. It’s a very important issue. But I think when you talk about the kind of numbers that I’m talking about, that — because, look, child care is child care. It’s — couldn’t — you know, it’s something — you have to have it. In this country, you have to have it. But when you talk about those numbers compared to the kind of numbers that I’m talking about by taxing foreign nations at levels that they’re not used to, but they’ll get used to it very quickly — and it’s not going to stop them from doing business with us but they’ll have a very substantial tax when they send product into our country.

If there was anything of substance in this jumble of half-thoughts and unfinished sentences, it is suffocated under a heavy fog of thick gibberish.

The rest of the answer wasn’t much better, in that it demonstrated the former president’s almost total ignorance of his own policy platform, such as it is. Trump insists that his tariffs, if passed into law, would raise trillions of dollars with which the federal government could subsidize child care. In reality, according to the Tax Policy Center , the worldwide 10 percent tariff and 60 percent tariff on Chinese goods proposed by the former president would effectively raise the price of most goods, raise taxes on most households, slow economic growth and reduce both corporate and individual tax revenues.

This brings us to the second thing you must keep in mind if you want to understand Trump. He may rant and he may rave, but his rantings and ravings aren’t static; they carry meaning, even if the signal is hard to find in the noise. If the former president communicated anything in that Economic Club speech, it is that he was serious about pursuing tariffs if given a second term in the White House. More than that, Trump was telling his supporters that he’ll build the nation’s economy with a mercantilist plan to take the wealth of the world, especially that of China, and give it to the United States.

On Saturday, after a rally in Wisconsin in which he promised that his mass deportations would be “bloody,” Trump threatened to jail his political opponents, including Democratic donors, political operatives, “illegal voters” and election officials. “The 2024 Election, where Votes have just started being cast, will be under the closest professional scrutiny and, WHEN I WIN, those people that CHEATED will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law, which will include long-term prison sentences,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “Those involved in unscrupulous behavior,” he continued, “will be sought out, caught, and prosecuted at levels, unfortunately, never seen before in our Country.”

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Makeup, make-up or make up

| Grammarist

Makeup is 1.) cosmetics 2.) the composition of something 3.) in American English, a special test or assignment given to a student who has missed a test or assignment. Make up is used as a noun or an adjective. Makeup may also be rendered as the hyphenated make-up , though since the 1980s the hyphen has been dropped for the most part. The word makeup was coined in 1821 to mean manner in which something is put together, it was first used to mean cosmetics in 1886.

Make up is a verb phrase which means 1.) to compose 2.) to invent 3.) to arrange 4.) to apply cosmetics 5.) to reconcile after a quarrel. Make up is also used as an adjective.

Examples The Columbian singer celebrated her 39th birthday by reminding us all how glowing she is without a drop of makeup on, posting a picture of her “birthday bun” on her official social media accounts. ( USA Today ) And at this point she might as well just move into Lagerfeld’s guest room, she’s got so much going on for the brand — after all, it was just announced that she’ll front its next makeup campaign. ( People Magazin e) Gender makeup of Allegheny County Council a concern for some ( The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ) That was the makeup of Arsenal’s midfield for their FA Cup fourth round clash with Burnley at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, with Mohamed Elneny making his debut, Francis Coquelin back from injury and Alex Iwobi handed only a third start of his senior career. ( The National ) Stacy Caldwell, College Board’s vice president for college readiness assessment, said the makeup test will probably be scheduled in a month or so, according to Associated Press. ( The South China Morning POst ) Kristen Stewart has landed an amazing new beauty gig: she’s the new face of Chanel make-up. ( Marie Claire Magazine ) John Elway realizes as well as anyone just how difficult a decision it is for an elite quarterback to retire, and he has no plans of putting pressure on Peyton Manning to make up his mind right away. ( The Columbus Dispatch ) If you missed Bruce Springsteen’s Madison Square Garden concert due to Mother Nature’s interference, the Boss has something to make up for the disappointment. ( Billboard Magazine )

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‘Makeup' or 'Make Up': What's the Difference Between the Two?

'Makeup' or 'make up:' you might have seen these two words spelled differently and wondered whether there's a difference. If so, you've come to the right place. In this article, we'll reveal the meaning of each word and how to use it.

Short version:

• 'Makeup is a noun . It means either cosmetics, someone's personal constitution, etc.
• 'Make up' is a verb that means to invent something in your imagination, or do put something together, etc. There are more definitions below.

What's the Difference Between 'Makeup' and 'Make Up'?

As I mentioned in the intro, 'makeup' and 'make up' are different parts of speech. One is a noun, while the other is a phrasal verb.

Let's take a deeper look at what each word means and when to use them.

What Does 'Makeup' Mean?

'Makeup' is a noun that has two different meanings.

It can refer to cosmetics people use to beautify their faces, such as lipstick or mascara.

For example:

I don't feel like wearing makeup today.

It can also refer to someone or something's constitution.

He can't help but behave selfishly; it's just part of his makeup.

Like most nouns, 'makeup' can also function as an attributive noun, which is similar to an adjective . It means you can use the word to modify another noun. In that way, it takes on a third meaning: something you do as a replacement for something you didn't do before or failed.

I failed my English test, but I have a makeup exam on Friday .

You could also use 'makeup' in the cosmetics sense as an attributive noun.

Have you seen my makeup box?

What Does 'Make Up' Mean?

As mentioned previously, 'make up' is a phrasal verb. A phrasal verb is a verb made up of two words - normally a verb and then another word (usually a preposition or particle).

Knowing this helps you know which is which when you see it in a sentence. If you know that phrasal verbs are made up of two words, if you see the spelling with two words, you'll know it's the verb.

But what does it mean? There are several definitions:

• To create or invent something with your imagination (usually a lie) Example: Why do you always make up excuses?
• To form a part of something Example: These are the employees that make up the team.
• To make up for something you missed Example: You'll need to make up the hours you missed while you were away.
• To reconcile after an argument Example: It's time for your kids to make up.

Pronunciation: How to Pronounce 'Makeup' or 'Make Up'

Now we're clear on the meaning of each word, would you like to know how to pronounce them?

The good news is that they sound exactly the same, so you'll only have to practice the pronunciation once. They sound like this:

[ meyk-uhp ]

Or, if you want to know the International Phonetics Alphabet spelling (for grammar geeks like me!), it goes like this:

/ ˈmeɪkˌʌp /

When to Use 'Makeup' or 'Make Up'

Let's take a look at some examples of these two words used in a sentence, so you can better understand how to use them in context. We'll start with the noun' makeup.'

Examples of 'Makeup'

I study the genetic makeup of natural organisms. I always wear makeup at the office . The cleansing process interferes with the water's chemical makeup. This country's too hot to wear makeup! The makeup quiz is much easier.

Examples of 'Make Up'

Now let's look at some example sentences using 'make up.' Since it's a verb, I'll use different conjugations so you can see how it applies in context.

We would have made up a long time ago if he'd only apologize . Are you making this up as you go along? I'm sorry I canceled our date; I'd like to make it up to you. Their new fashion line will be made up of lots of bright colors . I don't know how to get out of this commitment; I might have to make up some mysterious illness.

Concluding Thoughts

So there you have it: the difference between 'makeup' and 'make up.' I hope this article has helped you feel more confident about using each word. Here's what we've learned, in summary:

• 'Makeup' is a noun and must be spelled with one word
• 'Make up' is a phrasal verb and must be spelled with two separate words

If you'd like to learn about more confusing words, we've covered lots of those over on our blog . Check it out!

Learn More:

• 'Checkup' or 'Check up': What's the Difference?
• 'Kickoff' or 'Kick-Off' or 'Kick Off': Where Should We Place the Hyphen?
• 'Patients' vs 'Patience': What's the Difference Between the Two?
• ‘Shelve' or 'Shelf': What's the Difference Between the Two?
• 'Smelled' or 'Smelt': What's the Difference Between the Two?
• ‘Ware' vs 'Wear': What's the Difference Between the Two?
• 'Angel' vs. 'Angle': What's the Difference?
• 'Casted' vs 'Cast': What's the Difference?
• ‘Freshmen' or 'Freshman': What's the Difference?
• ‘Dialog' or 'Dialogue': What's the Difference?
• ‘Drier' or 'Dryer': What's the Difference?
• ‘Formulae' or 'Formulas': What's the Difference?
• 'Courage' vs 'Bravery': What's the Difference?
• 'Lead' or 'Led': What Is the Past Tense of 'Lead'?
• 'Yeah' vs 'Yea' vs 'Yay': Which is Correct?

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PHRASAL VERBS EXPLAINED

An explanation of english phrasal verbs for learners with examples of how they are used by native speakers..

• 10 min read

The Phrasal Verb 'Make Up' Explained

Updated: Mar 19

An explanation of the different meanings of the English phrasal verb 'make up', with examples and exercises.

Hello and welcome to my website for English learners all about English phrasal verbs! Read on to learn more about the phrasal verb ' make up '...

This week's blog post is all about the phrasal verb ' make up ', which is definitely one that you will have come across before as it is super common and is one that I have used many times on these blog posts before. In this post we will look at its different meanings including inventing stories, making a decision and applying cosmetics. So, without further do, let's get started....don't forget to leave a comment at the end 😊

KEY INFORMATION

For more explanation of the terms in the table above, click here

The phrasal verb ' make up ' is formed of the verb 'to make ' and the prepositional particle ' up '.

The verb 'to make ' is a very common verb and is often confused with the verb 'to do ' by English learners as the two are quite similar and can often be translated into other languages as the same word. Both 'to make ' and 'to do ' have an extensive number of uses in English, but one of the main ideas of the verb 'to make ' is creation and production, while a dominant idea of 'to do' , in contrast, is performing an action. This concept of 'to make ' will be useful to keep in mind when we look at the different uses of ' make up ' shortly.

Next we have the particle ' up ', meaning a movement in the direction away from the ground or towards the sky ↑. When we combine these words, there is no literal meaning whatsoever, so let's just move straight on to the different figurative meanings.....

MEANING 1: To make peace after an argument

Let's start off the meanings of ' make up ' on a positive note. For this we are going to need the additional preposition ' with ' and the reason for this is that 'to make up with someone' means to reconcile or become friends with them again after an argument or disagreement.

' Make up ' is not just limited to friendships though, and is used a lot to talk about romantic couples who have disagreements or break up and then make peace again afterwards. The use of this meaning is, however, limited to personal relationships and is not used so much to describe business or professional relationships.

One expression that we often use in a tongue-in-cheek* way to talk about when people reconcile following a dispute or argument is "to kiss and make up ". This is used regardless of whether or not the people in question are friends or in a romantic relationship.

A variation of ' make up ' that you may hear is 'to make it up ', which has the same meaning. This is especially common in the past form i.e. ' made it up '.

Examples of usage....

All John and Helen seem to do is break up and then make up the next day.

I wish you and your brother would make up !

She's deeply offended and refuses to make up with me.

* The expression 'tongue-in-cheek' is used to describe something that is not seriously intended and used in a jokey or humorous way.

MEANING 2: To invent a story or information

For our second usage of ' make up' , we are entering into the realm of fantasy and fairy tales as the meaning is 'to invent or create something that does not exist by using the powers of our imagination'. These imaginary creations can range from stories, characters and people to excuses, lies and false information. The key idea is that it is created in our imagination and is not real.

Unsurprisingly, this meaning is used very commonly with children who tend to enjoy making up stories, characters and scenarios as part of their play activities. However, as you will know, adults are also very good at creating fictional information, excuses and lies and this usage of ' make up ' can therefore be used with both innocent and immoral intent.

Aside from the verb form, the past particle ' made-up ' is also frequently used as an adjective (note the hyphen) to describe something fictional that someone has invented and as such, you will often hear such terms as " made-up story" and " made-up word", among many others.

When I was a child, I used to make up imaginary friends because I was lonely.

I didn't go to the party - I was too tired so I made up an excuse and said thatI was ill.

Although the novel features made-up characters, the story is based on real life events.

EXTRA INFORMATION TO SOUND MORE LIKE A NATIVE SPEAKER

There are a couple of well-known expressions of this usage of ' make up ' that I really like and want to make you aware of...

You couldn't make it up - We use this expression when talking about things that happen in reality that are so strange or bizarre that a person would not be able to create them using their imagination.

To make it up as you go along - This second expression is used for situations in which we do not know what we are doing and we just do things by instinct, without preparation or planning. We decide how to do it in the present moment (and hope for the best).

MEANING 3: To constitute a whole

For our third meaning of ' make up ', we need to make a 180 degree turn away from the poetic world of fantasy to the much more prosaic and serious world of data, statistics and facts. This meaning of ' make up ' is 'to form or to constitute a whole and is used to talk about the different elements or things which combine together to form something bigger or complete.

This meaning of ' make up ' is commonly used in statistical information, especially when talking about percentages and fractions.

It is estimated that the 100 most common words in any language make up about 50% of the words regularly used in it.

Greyscale colours currently make up three quarters of cars produced worldwide.

Furthermore, ' make up ' is also used when we have already given percentages or proportions and we want to talk about the part that completes the remainder of the group. We can use ' make up ' here, often with the 'the rest' or 'the remaining X%'.

The three of us have all paid a quarter of the bill each, so if you could also pay a quarter and make up the rest, it would be great. INTENDED MEANING: We've all paid our share of 25%, so if you can pay the final 25% and the remainder of the bill, it would be really good.

In the English exam the weighting of the speaking section is 40%, the listening section is 30% and the reading and writing sections together make up the remaining 30%. INTENDED MEANING: The weightings for the English exam are 40% for speaking, 30% for reading and the remaining 30% will be for reading and writing combined.

Lastly, it is very common to use the passive form ' made up ' with the additional preposition ' of ' to express the different things which something consists of.

Air is made up of nitrogen, oxygen, argon and small amounts of many other gases.

All matter is made up of very small particles known as atoms.

MEANING 4: To compensate for something

Our next usage of ' make up ' is one that is very common in the workplace. If you work for a company in the anglophone world and you need to take some time off e.g. for a doctor's appointment, your boss may authorise the time off but might also say that you need to make the time up .

The reason for this is because the next usage of ' make up ' means to compensate for something that is lost, lacking or missing. The example above with working hours is a very commonly used one in the English speaking world.

Another typical way that this usage of ' make up ' can be heard in English is when we have a target or required amount of something e.g. money and we do not have enough of it to reach the target amount. We can use ' make up ' here to talk about the amount that is required in order to reach our target amount, i.e. the difference between how much we have and how much we need to have.

A common expression featuring this usage of ' make up ' that you may hear is 'to make up for lost time', which we use to describe when we do something more quickly, intensely or regularly, in order to compensate for not having done it in the past. For obvious reasons this is often used by middle-aged and older people, perhaps during or after a midlife crisis!

Yes, you can have the time off this week to go to the funeral but can you please make the time up next week.

Now that my injury has healed I'm training more than ever as I'm making up for lost time!

If you are ever in a situation where an English speaker disappoints you in some way, it is likely that they will say sorry (especially British people as we apologise for everything) and that they will make it up to you.

In the case of disappointing someone, as mentioned above, the idea here links back to the first meaning of making peace following an argument, but the focus here is that we are saying we will do something to remove the negative feelings caused by the disappointment (essentially apologising), with the end objective being reconciliation and peace.

Note that the extra particle ' to ' is required here to designate the person who we have disappointed and want to make happy again.

I'm so sorry that I forgot your birthday. Let me make it up to you by taking you out for a meal.

I can't be there this weekend but I will make it up to you, I promise!

MEANING 5: To prepare something from ingredients or parts

The fifth usage of ' make up ' means to prepare, build or create something by combining different ingredients or parts.

As you can probably imagine from the word 'ingredients', food is frequently used with this meaning of ' make up ' and it is very common to use this with any dish or item that can be made by mixing and combining different ingredients together.

Another example of where this meaning of ' make up ' is in common usage is with material and fabric where we create garments or curtains. Moreover, we can also say that we ' make up a bed for someone' when we create a new, often temporary, bed for them using blankets etc. This is different to making a bed, where we arrange the blanket and pillows on an existing bed.

Let me give you some tips on how to make up an amazing and tasty casserole. I

You can sleep here tonight, I will make up a bed for you in the spare room.

MEANING 6: To apply cosmetics

For our sixth meaning of ' make up ', we are diving into the world of cosmetics. I'm sure that most of you reading will be familiar with the noun makeup , meaning cosmetic products that are used to add colour to the face and change or improve one's appearance. It may therefore come as no surprise to you that the noun makeup is derived directly from our sixth phrasal verb meaning, which is to apply cosmetics to the face and body.

For this usage, reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself etc.) are required when talking about a person who is applying their own makeup . This is of course not the case for people who get their makeup applied by somebody else e.g. actors and celebrities.

Although this usage is still used in everyday English, I would say that the construction 'to do your makeup ' is perhaps more common than this phrasal verb form, but it is good to be aware of it nevertheless.

Example of usage....

Lisa made herself up and put on her best evening gown.

Meaning 7: To decide

This final meaning of ' make up ' that I want to bring to your attention means to make a decision and is used in the construction "to make up your mind ". This is actually more of an idiomatic expression than an entirely different meaning, but it is so common that I wanted to include it as a separate meaning of its own.

The structure of this expression is flexible and 'mind' can be placed both in the middle of and after the phrasal verb ' make up ', without changing the meaning.

John took ages to make up his mind about what food to order at the restaurant.

I've made my mind up about where I want to go to university.

One extra thing to make you aware of before the end of this post is the expression "to be made up about something ". This is a common idiomatic expression in British English to mean to be delighted or extremely happy about something, normally good news.

That's amazing news! I'm made up for you.

Roger is made up about his new work contract!

EXERCISE Re-write the following sentences using 'to make up '....

Helen and Lisa had an argument last week but they are friends again now.

I didn't want to go to work today so I invented a fake illness and called in sick.

Vegetarians now constitute 10% of the British population.

I had a dentist appointment this morning so I have to work extra hours this evening to compensate.

You can sleep here tonight, I will prepare a bed for you in the spare room.

She needs to make a decision about what she wants to do by this evening.

The answers will be available on next week's post.

EXERCISE ANSWERS FROM 'COME OVER' (other variations may be possible)

Do you want to COME OVER to mine tonight for dinner?

My grandparents CAME OVER here from Europe after the war.

The speech CAME OVER very well.

I suddenly CAME OVER all hot and sweaty and needed a drink of water.

One minute he was fine and then all of a sudden he CAME OVER all angry.

I've changed my view on the matter and have COME OVER to your way of thinking.

This brings us to the end of the post, so thanks very much for reading. Now it is YOUR turn.....leave a comment on the blog post with your own sentence using ' make up '....don't be shy!!!

If you found the post useful, please like and share it on social media, so together we can help as many English learners as possible to understand and master these tricky phrasal verbs. Sign up on

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English Guide

Help center

What does the phrasal verb “make up” mean?

What are the definitions of “make up”.

Learn how to use these expressions through these examples

They are always arguing, but they MAKE UP again very quickly.

She went to the bathroom to MAKE her face UP.

They MADE UP an excuse for being late.

What’s the most common meaning of the phrasal verb “make up”?

The most common meaning of the phrasal verb make up is to stop being angry with someone and become friends again after a disagreement or argument. For example, it can mean resolving a conflict, forgiving someone, or reconciling after a fight.

What are the different verb forms of “make up”?

They always argue, but they make up quickly.

She makes up with her sister after every fight.

They are making up after their disagreement yesterday.

He made up with his friend after apologizing.

They had a big fight but eventually made up .

What kind of phrasal verb is “make up”?

Notes from a Native English Speaker

What is a transitive and intransitive verb? - A transitive verb always has an object after it. (Example: Sam bought a car.) - An intransitive verb never has an object.(Example: She laughed loudly.)

Intransitive verb

“make up” is an intransitive phrasal verb because it doesn't require an object to complete its meaning. It forms a complete sentence without an object.

They made up after their argument.

She made up with her friend.

What is a separable and inseparable phrasal verb? - A “separable phrasal verb” can be separated with an object between the verb and particle. - An “inseparable phrasal verb” cannot be separated by an object.

Inseparable

“make up” is an inseparable phrasal verb. This means that you can’t place an object between the verb and the particle, otherwise, it changes the meaning of the phrasal verb.

What are common phrases and expressions that include the phrasal verb “make up”?

Make up for something

Compensate for a mistake, loss, or deficiency.

He worked extra hours to make up for the time he took off.

Make up one's mind

Decide or reach a conclusion.

She couldn't make up her mind about which dress to wear.

Make something up

Invent a story or an excuse.

He made up an excuse for being late to the meeting.

Good things to know

Does “make up” have an informal or formal tone.

Make up is a neutral phrasal verb that can be used in both informal and formal contexts. It is commonly used in everyday conversations, but it can also be used in more formal settings depending on the specific context. For instance, when discussing resolving conflicts or making decisions, it can have a more formal tone.

What are synonyms of antonyms to the phrasal verb “make up”?

• hold a grudge
• tell the truth

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Direct and Indirect Speech: Useful Rules and Examples

Are you having trouble understanding the difference between direct and indirect speech? Direct speech is when you quote someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. This can be a tricky concept to grasp, but with a little practice, you’ll be able to use both forms of speech with ease.

Direct and Indirect Speech

When someone speaks, we can report what they said in two ways: direct speech and indirect speech. Direct speech is when we quote the exact words that were spoken, while indirect speech is when we report what was said without using the speaker’s exact words. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I love pizza,” said John. Indirect speech: John said that he loved pizza.

Using direct speech can make your writing more engaging and can help to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion. However, indirect speech can be useful when you want to summarize what someone said or when you don’t have the exact words that were spoken.

To change direct speech to indirect speech, you need to follow some rules. Firstly, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb. Secondly, you need to change the pronouns and adverbs in the reported speech to match the new speaker. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “I will go to the park,” said Sarah. Indirect speech: Sarah said that she would go to the park.

It’s important to note that when you use indirect speech, you need to use reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked” to indicate who is speaking. Here’s an example:

Direct speech: “What time is it?” asked Tom. Indirect speech: Tom asked what time it was.

In summary, understanding direct and indirect speech is crucial for effective communication and writing. Direct speech can be used to convey the speaker’s tone and emotion, while indirect speech can be useful when summarizing what someone said. By following the rules for changing direct speech to indirect speech, you can accurately report what was said while maintaining clarity and readability in your writing.

Differences between Direct and Indirect Speech

When it comes to reporting speech, there are two ways to go about it: direct and indirect speech. Direct speech is when you report someone’s exact words, while indirect speech is when you report what someone said without using their exact words. Here are some of the key differences between direct and indirect speech:

Change of Pronouns

In direct speech, the pronouns used are those of the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the pronouns have to be changed to reflect the perspective of the reporter. For example:

• Direct speech: “I am going to the store,” said John.
• Indirect speech: John said he was going to the store.

In the above example, the pronoun “I” changes to “he” in indirect speech.

Change of Tenses

Another major difference between direct and indirect speech is the change of tenses. In direct speech, the verb tense used is the same as that used by the original speaker. However, in indirect speech, the verb tense may change depending on the context. For example:

• Direct speech: “I am studying for my exams,” said Sarah.
• Indirect speech: Sarah said she was studying for her exams.

In the above example, the present continuous tense “am studying” changes to the past continuous tense “was studying” in indirect speech.

Change of Time and Place References

When reporting indirect speech, the time and place references may also change. For example:

• Direct speech: “I will meet you at the park tomorrow,” said Tom.
• Indirect speech: Tom said he would meet you at the park the next day.

In the above example, “tomorrow” changes to “the next day” in indirect speech.

Overall, it is important to understand the differences between direct and indirect speech to report speech accurately and effectively. By following the rules of direct and indirect speech, you can convey the intended message of the original speaker.

Converting Direct Speech Into Indirect Speech

When you need to report what someone said in your own words, you can use indirect speech. To convert direct speech into indirect speech, you need to follow a few rules.

Step 1: Remove the Quotation Marks

The first step is to remove the quotation marks that enclose the relayed text. This is because indirect speech does not use the exact words of the speaker.

Step 2: Use a Reporting Verb and a Linker

To indicate that you are reporting what someone said, you need to use a reporting verb such as “said,” “asked,” “told,” or “exclaimed.” You also need to use a linker such as “that” or “whether” to connect the reporting verb to the reported speech.

For example:

• Direct speech: “I love ice cream,” said Mary.
• Indirect speech: Mary said that she loved ice cream.

Step 3: Change the Tense of the Verb

When you use indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verb in the reported speech to match the tense of the reporting verb.

• Indirect speech: John said that he was going to the store.

Step 4: Change the Pronouns

You also need to change the pronouns in the reported speech to match the subject of the reporting verb.

• Direct speech: “Are you busy now?” Tina asked me.
• Indirect speech: Tina asked whether I was busy then.

By following these rules, you can convert direct speech into indirect speech and report what someone said in your own words.

Converting Indirect Speech Into Direct Speech

Converting indirect speech into direct speech involves changing the reported speech to its original form as spoken by the speaker. Here are the steps to follow when converting indirect speech into direct speech:

• Identify the reporting verb: The first step is to identify the reporting verb used in the indirect speech. This will help you determine the tense of the direct speech.
• Change the pronouns: The next step is to change the pronouns in the indirect speech to match the person speaking in the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “She said that she was going to the store,” the direct speech would be “I am going to the store,” if you are the person speaking.
• Change the tense: Change the tense of the verbs in the indirect speech to match the tense of the direct speech. For example, if the indirect speech is “He said that he would visit tomorrow,” the direct speech would be “He says he will visit tomorrow.”
• Remove the reporting verb and conjunction: In direct speech, there is no need for a reporting verb or conjunction. Simply remove them from the indirect speech to get the direct speech.

Here is an example to illustrate the process:

Indirect Speech: John said that he was tired and wanted to go home.

Direct Speech: “I am tired and want to go home,” John said.

By following these steps, you can easily convert indirect speech into direct speech.

Examples of Direct and Indirect Speech

Direct and indirect speech are two ways to report what someone has said. Direct speech reports the exact words spoken by a person, while indirect speech reports the meaning of what was said. Here are some examples of both types of speech:

Direct Speech Examples

Direct speech is used when you want to report the exact words spoken by someone. It is usually enclosed in quotation marks and is often used in dialogue.

• “I am going to the store,” said Sarah.
• “It’s a beautiful day,” exclaimed John.
• “Please turn off the lights,” Mom told me.
• “I will meet you at the library,” said Tom.
• “We are going to the beach tomorrow,” announced Mary.

Indirect Speech Examples

Indirect speech, also known as reported speech, is used to report what someone said without using their exact words. It is often used in news reports, academic writing, and in situations where you want to paraphrase what someone said.

Here are some examples of indirect speech:

• Sarah said that she was going to the store.
• John exclaimed that it was a beautiful day.
• Mom told me to turn off the lights.
• Tom said that he would meet me at the library.
• Mary announced that they were going to the beach tomorrow.

In indirect speech, the verb tense may change to reflect the time of the reported speech. For example, “I am going to the store” becomes “Sarah said that she was going to the store.” Additionally, the pronouns and possessive adjectives may also change to reflect the speaker and the person being spoken about.

Overall, both direct and indirect speech are important tools for reporting what someone has said. By using these techniques, you can accurately convey the meaning of what was said while also adding your own interpretation and analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech refer to the ways in which we communicate what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, using quotation marks to indicate that you are quoting someone. Indirect speech, on the other hand, involves reporting what someone has said without using their exact words.

How do you convert direct speech to indirect speech?

To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb, such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.” For example, “I love ice cream,” said Mary (direct speech) can be converted to “Mary said that she loved ice cream” (indirect speech).

What is the difference between direct speech and indirect speech?

The main difference between direct speech and indirect speech is that direct speech uses the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. Direct speech is usually enclosed in quotation marks, while indirect speech is not.

What are some examples of direct and indirect speech?

Some examples of direct speech include “I am going to the store,” said John and “I love pizza,” exclaimed Sarah. Some examples of indirect speech include John said that he was going to the store and Sarah exclaimed that she loved pizza .

What are the rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech?

The rules for converting direct speech to indirect speech include changing the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions. You also need to introduce a reporting verb and use appropriate reporting verbs such as “said,” “told,” or “asked.”

What is a summary of direct and indirect speech?

Direct and indirect speech are two ways of reporting what someone has said. Direct speech involves repeating the exact words spoken, while indirect speech reports what someone has said without using their exact words. To convert direct speech to indirect speech, you need to change the tense of the verbs, pronouns, and time expressions and introduce a reporting verb.

You might also like:

• List of Adjectives
• Predicate Adjective
• Superlative Adjectives

This website is AMNAZING

MY NAAMEE IS KISHU AND I WANTED TO TELL THERE ARE NO EXERCISES AVAILLABLEE BY YOUR WEBSITE PLEASE ADD THEM SSOON FOR OUR STUDENTS CONVIENCE IM A EIGHT GRADER LOVED YOUR EXPLABATIO

sure cries l miss my friend

he saiad,” we are all sinners”. convert into indirect speech

He said that they were all sinners.

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Understanding the 8 Parts of Speech: Definitions and Examples

General Education

If you’re trying to learn the grammatical rules of English, you’ve probably been asked to learn the parts of speech. But what are parts of speech and how many are there? How do you know which words are classified in each part of speech?

The answers to these questions can be a bit complicated—English is a difficult language to learn and understand. Don’t fret, though! We’re going to answer each of these questions for you with a full guide to the parts of speech that explains the following:

• What the parts of speech are, including a comprehensive parts of speech list
• Parts of speech definitions for the individual parts of speech. (If you’re looking for information on a specific part of speech, you can search for it by pressing Command + F, then typing in the part of speech you’re interested in.) 
• Parts of speech examples
• A ten question quiz covering parts of speech definitions and parts of speech examples

We’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s begin!

Feature Image: (Gavina S / Wikimedia Commons)

What Are Parts of Speech? 

The parts of speech definitions in English can vary, but here’s a widely accepted one: a part of speech is a category of words that serve a similar grammatical purpose in sentences.  

To make that definition even simpler, a part of speech is just a category for similar types of words . All of the types of words included under a single part of speech function in similar ways when they’re used properly in sentences.

In the English language, it’s commonly accepted that there are 8 parts of speech: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, conjunctions, interjections, and prepositions. Each of these categories plays a different role in communicating meaning in the English language. Each of the eight parts of speech—which we might also call the “main classes” of speech—also have subclasses. In other words, we can think of each of the eight parts of speech as being general categories for different types within their part of speech . There are different types of nouns, different types of verbs, different types of adjectives, adverbs, pronouns...you get the idea. 

And that’s an overview of what a part of speech is! Next, we’ll explain each of the 8 parts of speech—definitions and examples included for each category. 

There are tons of nouns in this picture. Can you find them all? 

Nouns are a class of words that refer, generally, to people and living creatures, objects, events, ideas, states of being, places, and actions. You’ve probably heard English nouns referred to as “persons, places, or things.” That definition is a little simplistic, though—while nouns do include people, places, and things, “things” is kind of a vague term. I t’s important to recognize that “things” can include physical things—like objects or belongings—and nonphysical, abstract things—like ideas, states of existence, and actions. 

Since there are many different types of nouns, we’ll include several examples of nouns used in a sentence while we break down the subclasses of nouns next!

Subclasses of Nouns, Including Examples

As an open class of words, the category of “nouns” has a lot of subclasses. The most common and important subclasses of nouns are common nouns, proper nouns, concrete nouns, abstract nouns, collective nouns, and count and mass nouns. Let’s break down each of these subclasses!

Common Nouns and Proper Nouns

Common nouns are generic nouns—they don’t name specific items. They refer to people (the man, the woman), living creatures (cat, bird), objects (pen, computer, car), events (party, work), ideas (culture, freedom), states of being (beauty, integrity), and places (home, neighborhood, country) in a general way. 

Proper nouns are sort of the counterpart to common nouns. Proper nouns refer to specific people, places, events, or ideas. Names are the most obvious example of proper nouns, like in these two examples: 

Common noun: What state are you from?

Proper noun: I’m from Arizona .

Whereas “state” is a common noun, Arizona is a proper noun since it refers to a specific state. Whereas “the election” is a common noun, “Election Day” is a proper noun. Another way to pick out proper nouns: the first letter is often capitalized. If you’d capitalize the word in a sentence, it’s almost always a proper noun. 

Concrete Nouns and Abstract Nouns

Concrete nouns are nouns that can be identified through the five senses. Concrete nouns include people, living creatures, objects, and places, since these things can be sensed in the physical world. In contrast to concrete nouns, abstract nouns are nouns that identify ideas, qualities, concepts, experiences, or states of being. Abstract nouns cannot be detected by the five senses. Here’s an example of concrete and abstract nouns used in a sentence: 

Concrete noun: Could you please fix the weedeater and mow the lawn ?

Abstract noun: Aliyah was delighted to have the freedom to enjoy the art show in peace .

See the difference? A weedeater and the lawn are physical objects or things, and freedom and peace are not physical objects, though they’re “things” people experience! Despite those differences, they all count as nouns. 

Collective Nouns, Count Nouns, and Mass Nouns

Nouns are often categorized based on number and amount. Collective nouns are nouns that refer to a group of something—often groups of people or a type of animal. Team , crowd , and herd are all examples of collective nouns. 

Count nouns are nouns that can appear in the singular or plural form, can be modified by numbers, and can be described by quantifying determiners (e.g. many, most, more, several). For example, “bug” is a count noun. It can occur in singular form if you say, “There is a bug in the kitchen,” but it can also occur in the plural form if you say, “There are many bugs in the kitchen.” (In the case of the latter, you’d call an exterminator...which is an example of a common noun!) Any noun that can accurately occur in one of these singular or plural forms is a count noun. 

Mass nouns are another type of noun that involve numbers and amount. Mass nouns are nouns that usually can’t be pluralized, counted, or quantified and still make sense grammatically. “Charisma” is an example of a mass noun (and an abstract noun!). For example, you could say, “They’ve got charisma, ” which doesn’t imply a specific amount. You couldn’t say, “They’ve got six charismas, ” or, “They’ve got several charismas .” It just doesn’t make sense! 

Verbs are all about action...just like these runners. 

A verb is a part of speech that, when used in a sentence, communicates an action, an occurrence, or a state of being . In sentences, verbs are the most important part of the predicate, which explains or describes what the subject of the sentence is doing or how they are being. And, guess what? All sentences contain verbs!

There are many words in the English language that are classified as verbs. A few common verbs include the words run, sing, cook, talk, and clean. These words are all verbs because they communicate an action performed by a living being. We’ll look at more specific examples of verbs as we discuss the subclasses of verbs next!

Subclasses of Verbs, Including Examples

Like nouns, verbs have several subclasses. The subclasses of verbs include copular or linking verbs, intransitive verbs, transitive verbs, and ditransitive or double transitive verbs. Let’s dive into these subclasses of verbs!

Copular or Linking Verbs

Copular verbs, or linking verbs, are verbs that link a subject with its complement in a sentence. The most familiar linking verb is probably be. Here’s a list of other common copular verbs in English: act, be, become, feel, grow, seem, smell, and taste. 

So how do copular verbs work? Well, in a sentence, if we said, “Michi is ,” and left it at that, it wouldn’t make any sense. “Michi,” the subject, needs to be connected to a complement by the copular verb “is.” Instead, we could say, “Michi is leaving.” In that instance, is links the subject of the sentence to its complement. 

Transitive Verbs, Intransitive Verbs, and Ditransitive Verbs

Transitive verbs are verbs that affect or act upon an object. When unattached to an object in a sentence, a transitive verb does not make sense. Here’s an example of a transitive verb attached to (and appearing before) an object in a sentence: 

Please take the clothes to the dry cleaners.

In this example, “take” is a transitive verb because it requires an object—”the clothes”—to make sense. “The clothes” are the objects being taken. “Please take” wouldn’t make sense by itself, would it? That’s because the transitive verb “take,” like all transitive verbs, transfers its action onto another being or object. 

Conversely, intransitive verbs don’t require an object to act upon in order to make sense in a sentence. These verbs make sense all on their own! For instance, “They ran ,” “We arrived ,” and, “The car stopped ” are all examples of sentences that contain intransitive verbs. 

Finally, ditransitive verbs, or double transitive verbs, are a bit more complicated. Ditransitive verbs are verbs that are followed by two objects in a sentence . One of the objects has the action of the ditransitive verb done to it, and the other object has the action of the ditransitive verb directed towards it. Here’s an example of what that means in a sentence: 

I cooked Nathan a meal.

In this example, “cooked” is a ditransitive verb because it modifies two objects: Nathan and meal . The meal has the action of “cooked” done to it, and “Nathan” has the action of the verb directed towards him. 

Adjectives are descriptors that help us better understand a sentence. A common adjective type is color.

#3: Adjectives

Here’s the simplest definition of adjectives: adjectives are words that describe other words . Specifically, adjectives modify nouns and noun phrases. In sentences, adjectives appear before nouns and pronouns (they have to appear before the words they describe!). 

Adjectives give more detail to nouns and pronouns by describing how a noun looks, smells, tastes, sounds, or feels, or its state of being or existence. . For example, you could say, “The girl rode her bike.” That sentence doesn’t have any adjectives in it, but you could add an adjective before both of the nouns in the sentence—”girl” and “bike”—to give more detail to the sentence. It might read like this: “The young girl rode her red bike.”   You can pick out adjectives in a sentence by asking the following questions: 

• Which one? 
• What kind? 
• How many? 
• Whose’s? 

We’ll look at more examples of adjectives as we explore the subclasses of adjectives next!

Subclasses of Adjectives, Including Examples

Subclasses of adjectives include adjective phrases, comparative adjectives, superlative adjectives, and determiners (which include articles, possessive adjectives, and demonstratives). 

Adjective Phrases

An adjective phrase is a group of words that describe a noun or noun phrase in a sentence. Adjective phrases can appear before the noun or noun phrase in a sentence, like in this example: 

The extremely fragile vase somehow did not break during the move.

In this case, extremely fragile describes the vase. On the other hand, adjective phrases can appear after the noun or noun phrase in a sentence as well: 

The museum was somewhat boring. 

Again, the phrase somewhat boring describes the museum. The takeaway is this: adjective phrases describe the subject of a sentence with greater detail than an individual adjective. 

Comparative Adjectives and Superlative Adjectives

Comparative adjectives are used in sentences where two nouns are compared. They function to compare the differences between the two nouns that they modify. In sentences, comparative adjectives often appear in this pattern and typically end with -er. If we were to describe how comparative adjectives function as a formula, it might look something like this: 

Noun (subject) + verb + comparative adjective + than + noun (object).

Here’s an example of how a comparative adjective would work in that type of sentence: 

The horse was faster than the dog.

The adjective faster compares the speed of the horse to the speed of the dog. Other common comparative adjectives include words that compare distance ( higher, lower, farther ), age ( younger, older ), size and dimensions ( bigger, smaller, wider, taller, shorter ), and quality or feeling ( better, cleaner, happier, angrier ). 

Superlative adjectives are adjectives that describe the extremes of a quality that applies to a subject being compared to a group of objects . Put more simply, superlative adjectives help show how extreme something is. In sentences, superlative adjectives usually appear in this structure and end in -est : 

Noun (subject) + verb + the + superlative adjective + noun (object).

Here’s an example of a superlative adjective that appears in that type of sentence: 

Their story was the funniest story. 

In this example, the subject— story —is being compared to a group of objects—other stories. The superlative adjective “funniest” implies that this particular story is the funniest out of all the stories ever, period. Other common superlative adjectives are best, worst, craziest, and happiest... though there are many more than that! 

It’s also important to know that you can often omit the object from the end of the sentence when using superlative adjectives, like this: “Their story was the funniest.” We still know that “their story” is being compared to other stories without the object at the end of the sentence.

Determiners

The last subclass of adjectives we want to look at are determiners. Determiners are words that determine what kind of reference a noun or noun phrase makes. These words are placed in front of nouns to make it clear what the noun is referring to. Determiners are an example of a part of speech subclass that contains a lot of subclasses of its own. Here is a list of the different types of determiners: 

• Definite article: the
• Indefinite articles : a, an 
• Demonstratives: this, that, these, those
• Pronouns and possessive determiners: my, your, his, her, its, our, their
• Quantifiers : a little, a few, many, much, most, some, any, enough
• Numbers: one, twenty, fifty
• Distributives: all, both, half, either, neither, each, every
• Difference words : other, another
• Pre-determiners: such, what, rather, quite

Here are some examples of how determiners can be used in sentences: 

Definite article: Get in the car.  

Demonstrative: Could you hand me that magazine?  

Possessive determiner: Please put away your clothes. 

Distributive: He ate all of the pie. 

Though some of the words above might not seem descriptive, they actually do describe the specificity and definiteness, relationship, and quantity or amount of a noun or noun phrase. For example, the definite article “the” (a type of determiner) indicates that a noun refers to a specific thing or entity. The indefinite article “an,” on the other hand, indicates that a noun refers to a nonspecific entity. 

One quick note, since English is always more complicated than it seems: while articles are most commonly classified as adjectives, they can also function as adverbs in specific situations, too. Not only that, some people are taught that determiners are their own part of speech...which means that some people are taught there are 9 parts of speech instead of 8! 

It can be a little confusing, which is why we have a whole article explaining how articles function as a part of speech to help clear things up . 

Adverbs can be used to answer questions like "when?" and "how long?"

Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives (including determiners), clauses, prepositions, and sentences. Adverbs typically answer the questions how?, in what way?, when?, where?, and to what extent? In answering these questions, adverbs function to express frequency, degree, manner, time, place, and level of certainty . Adverbs can answer these questions in the form of single words, or in the form of adverbial phrases or adverbial clauses. 

Adverbs are commonly known for being words that end in -ly, but there’s actually a bit more to adverbs than that, which we’ll dive into while we look at the subclasses of adverbs!

Subclasses Of Adverbs, Including Examples

There are many types of adverbs, but the main subclasses we’ll look at are conjunctive adverbs, and adverbs of place, time, manner, degree, and frequency. 

Conjunctive Adverbs

Conjunctive adverbs look like coordinating conjunctions (which we’ll talk about later!), but they are actually their own category: conjunctive adverbs are words that connect independent clauses into a single sentence . These adverbs appear after a semicolon and before a comma in sentences, like in these two examples: 

She was exhausted; nevertheless , she went for a five mile run. 

They didn’t call; instead , they texted.  

Though conjunctive adverbs are frequently used to create shorter sentences using a semicolon and comma, they can also appear at the beginning of sentences, like this: 

He chopped the vegetables. Meanwhile, I boiled the pasta.  

One thing to keep in mind is that conjunctive adverbs come with a comma. When you use them, be sure to include a comma afterward! 

There are a lot of conjunctive adverbs, but some common ones include also, anyway, besides, finally, further, however, indeed, instead, meanwhile, nevertheless, next, nonetheless, now, otherwise, similarly, then, therefore, and thus.  

Adverbs of Place, Time, Manner, Degree, and Frequency

There are also adverbs of place, time, manner, degree, and frequency. Each of these types of adverbs express a different kind of meaning. 

Adverbs of place express where an action is done or where an event occurs. These are used after the verb, direct object, or at the end of a sentence. A sentence like “She walked outside to watch the sunset” uses outside as an adverb of place. 

Adverbs of time explain when something happens. These adverbs are used at the beginning or at the end of sentences. In a sentence like “The game should be over soon,” soon functions as an adverb of time. 

Adverbs of manner describe the way in which something is done or how something happens. These are the adverbs that usually end in the familiar -ly.  If we were to write “She quickly finished her homework,” quickly is an adverb of manner. 

Adverbs of degree tell us the extent to which something happens or occurs. If we were to say “The play was quite interesting,” quite tells us the extent of how interesting the play was. Thus, quite is an adverb of degree.  

Finally, adverbs of frequency express how often something happens . In a sentence like “They never know what to do with themselves,” never is an adverb of frequency. 

Five subclasses of adverbs is a lot, so we’ve organized the words that fall under each category in a nifty table for you here: 

It’s important to know about these subclasses of adverbs because many of them don’t follow the old adage that adverbs end in -ly. 

Here's a helpful list of pronouns. (Attanata / Flickr )

#5: Pronouns

Pronouns are words that can be substituted for a noun or noun phrase in a sentence . Pronouns function to make sentences less clunky by allowing people to avoid repeating nouns over and over. For example, if you were telling someone a story about your friend Destiny, you wouldn’t keep repeating their name over and over again every time you referred to them. Instead, you’d use a pronoun—like they or them—to refer to Destiny throughout the story. 

Pronouns are typically short words, often only two or three letters long. The most familiar pronouns in the English language are they, she, and he. But these aren’t the only pronouns. There are many more pronouns in English that fall under different subclasses!

Subclasses of Pronouns, Including Examples

There are many subclasses of pronouns, but the most commonly used subclasses are personal pronouns, possessive pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, indefinite pronouns, and interrogative pronouns. 

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns are probably the most familiar type of pronoun. Personal pronouns include I, me, you, she, her, him, he, we, us, they, and them. These are called personal pronouns because they refer to a person! Personal pronouns can replace specific nouns in sentences, like a person’s name, or refer to specific groups of people, like in these examples: 

Did you see Gia pole vault at the track meet? Her form was incredible!

The Cycling Club is meeting up at six. They said they would be at the park. 

In both of the examples above, a pronoun stands in for a proper noun to avoid repetitiveness. Her replaces Gia in the first example, and they replaces the Cycling Club in the second example. 

(It’s also worth noting that personal pronouns are one of the easiest ways to determine what point of view a writer is using.) 

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns are used to indicate that something belongs to or is the possession of someone. The possessive pronouns fall into two categories: limiting and absolute. In a sentence, absolute possessive pronouns can be substituted for the thing that belongs to a person, and limiting pronouns cannot. 

The limiting pronouns are my, your, its, his, her, our, their, and whose, and the absolute pronouns are mine, yours, his, hers, ours, and theirs . Here are examples of a limiting possessive pronoun and absolute possessive pronoun used in a sentence: 

Limiting possessive pronoun: Juan is fixing his car. 

In the example above, the car belongs to Juan, and his is the limiting possessive pronoun that shows the car belongs to Juan. Now, here’s an example of an absolute pronoun in a sentence: 

Absolute possessive pronoun: Did you buy your tickets ? We already bought ours . 

In this example, the tickets belong to whoever we is, and in the second sentence, ours is the absolute possessive pronoun standing in for the thing that “we” possess—the tickets. 

Demonstrative Pronouns, Interrogative Pronouns, and Indefinite Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns include the words that, this, these, and those. These pronouns stand in for a noun or noun phrase that has already been mentioned in a sentence or conversation. This and these are typically used to refer to objects or entities that are nearby distance-wise, and that and those usually refer to objects or entities that are farther away. Here’s an example of a demonstrative pronoun used in a sentence: 

The books are stacked up in the garage. Can you put those away? 

The books have already been mentioned, and those is the demonstrative pronoun that stands in to refer to them in the second sentence above. The use of those indicates that the books aren’t nearby—they’re out in the garage. Here’s another example: 

Do you need shoes? Here...you can borrow these. 

In this sentence, these refers to the noun shoes. Using the word these tells readers that the shoes are nearby...maybe even on the speaker’s feet! 

Indefinite pronouns are used when it isn’t necessary to identify a specific person or thing . The indefinite pronouns are one, other, none, some, anybody, everybody, and no one. Here’s one example of an indefinite pronoun used in a sentence: 

Promise you can keep a secret? 

Of course. I won’t tell anyone. 

In this example, the person speaking in the second two sentences isn’t referring to any particular people who they won’t tell the secret to. They’re saying that, in general, they won’t tell anyone . That doesn’t specify a specific number, type, or category of people who they won’t tell the secret to, which is what makes the pronoun indefinite. 

Finally, interrogative pronouns are used in questions, and these pronouns include who, what, which, and whose. These pronouns are simply used to gather information about specific nouns—persons, places, and ideas. Let’s look at two examples of interrogative pronouns used in sentences: 

Do you remember which glass was mine? 

What time are they arriving? 

In the first glass, the speaker wants to know more about which glass belongs to whom. In the second sentence, the speaker is asking for more clarity about a specific time. 

Conjunctions hook phrases and clauses together so they fit like pieces of a puzzle.

#6: Conjunctions

Conjunctions are words that are used to connect words, phrases, clauses, and sentences in the English language. This function allows conjunctions to connect actions, ideas, and thoughts as well. Conjunctions are also used to make lists within sentences. (Conjunctions are also probably the most famous part of speech, since they were immortalized in the famous “Conjunction Junction” song from Schoolhouse Rock .) 

You’re probably familiar with and, but, and or as conjunctions, but let’s look into some subclasses of conjunctions so you can learn about the array of conjunctions that are out there!

Subclasses of Conjunctions, Including Examples

Coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, and correlative conjunctions are three subclasses of conjunctions. Each of these types of conjunctions functions in a different way in sentences!

Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions are probably the most familiar type of conjunction. These conjunctions include the words for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so (people often recommend using the acronym FANBOYS to remember the seven coordinating conjunctions!). 

Coordinating conjunctions are responsible for connecting two independent clauses in sentences, but can also be used to connect two words in a sentence. Here are two examples of coordinating conjunctions that connect two independent clauses in a sentence: 

He wanted to go to the movies, but he couldn’t find his car keys. 

They put on sunscreen, and they went to the beach. 

Next, here are two examples of coordinating conjunctions that connect two words: 

Would you like to cook or order in for dinner? 

The storm was loud yet refreshing. 

The two examples above show that coordinating conjunctions can connect different types of words as well. In the first example, the coordinating conjunction “or” connects two verbs; in the second example, the coordinating conjunction “yet” connects two adjectives. 

But wait! Why does the first set of sentences have commas while the second set of sentences doesn’t? When using a coordinating conjunction, put a comma before the conjunction when it’s connecting two complete sentences . Otherwise, there’s no comma necessary. 

Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions are used to link an independent clause to a dependent clause in a sentence. This type of conjunction always appears at the beginning of a dependent clause, which means that subordinating conjunctions can appear at the beginning of a sentence or in the middle of a sentence following an independent clause. (If you’re unsure about what independent and dependent clauses are, be sure to check out our guide to compound sentences.) 

Here is an example of a subordinating conjunction that appears at the beginning of a sentence: 

Because we were hungry, we ordered way too much food. 

Now, here’s an example of a subordinating conjunction that appears in the middle of a sentence, following an independent clause and a comma: 

Rakim was scared after the power went out. 

See? In the example above, the subordinating conjunction after connects the independent clause Rakim was scared to the dependent clause after the power went out. Subordinating conjunctions include (but are not limited to!) the following words: after, as, because, before, even though, one, since, unless, until, whenever, and while. 

Correlative Conjunctions

Finally, correlative conjunctions are conjunctions that come in pairs, like both/and, either/or, and neither/nor. The two correlative conjunctions that come in a pair must appear in different parts of a sentence to make sense— they correlate the meaning in one part of the sentence with the meaning in another part of the sentence . Makes sense, right? 

Here are two examples of correlative conjunctions used in a sentence: 

We’re either going to the Farmer’s Market or the Natural Grocer’s for our shopping today. 

They’re going to have to get dog treats for both Piper and Fudge. 

Other pairs of correlative conjunctions include as many/as, not/but, not only/but also, rather/than, such/that, and whether/or. 

Interjections are single words that express emotions that end in an exclamation point. Cool!

#7: Interjections 

Interjections are words that often appear at the beginning of sentences or between sentences to express emotions or sentiments such as excitement, surprise, joy, disgust, anger, or even pain. Commonly used interjections include wow!, yikes!, ouch!, or ugh! One clue that an interjection is being used is when an exclamation point appears after a single word (but interjections don’t have to be followed by an exclamation point). And, since interjections usually express emotion or feeling, they’re often referred to as being exclamatory. Wow! 

Interjections don’t come together with other parts of speech to form bigger grammatical units, like phrases or clauses. There also aren’t strict rules about where interjections should appear in relation to other sentences . While it’s common for interjections to appear before sentences that describe an action or event that the interjection helps explain, interjections can appear after sentences that contain the action they’re describing as well. 

Subclasses of Interjections, Including Examples

There are two main subclasses of interjections: primary interjections and secondary interjections. Let’s take a look at these two types of interjections!

Primary Interjections  

Primary interjections are single words, like oh!, wow!, or ouch! that don’t enter into the actual structure of a sentence but add to the meaning of a sentence. Here’s an example of how a primary interjection can be used before a sentence to add to the meaning of the sentence that follows it: 

Ouch ! I just burned myself on that pan!

While someone who hears, I just burned myself on that pan might assume that the person who said that is now in pain, the interjection Ouch! makes it clear that burning oneself on the pan definitely was painful. 

Secondary Interjections

Secondary interjections are words that have other meanings but have evolved to be used like interjections in the English language and are often exclamatory. Secondary interjections can be mixed with greetings, oaths, or swear words. In many cases, the use of secondary interjections negates the original meaning of the word that is being used as an interjection. Let’s look at a couple of examples of secondary interjections here: 

Well , look what the cat dragged in!

Heck, I’d help if I could, but I’ve got to get to work. 

You probably know that the words well and heck weren’t originally used as interjections in the English language. Well originally meant that something was done in a good or satisfactory way, or that a person was in good health. Over time and through repeated usage, it’s come to be used as a way to express emotion, such as surprise, anger, relief, or resignation, like in the example above. 

This is a handy list of common prepositional phrases. (attanatta / Flickr) 

#8: Prepositions

The last part of speech we’re going to define is the preposition. Prepositions are words that are used to connect other words in a sentence—typically nouns and verbs—and show the relationship between those words. Prepositions convey concepts such as comparison, position, place, direction, movement, time, possession, and how an action is completed. 

Subclasses of Prepositions, Including Examples

The subclasses of prepositions are simple prepositions, double prepositions, participle prepositions, and prepositional phrases. 

Simple Prepositions

Simple prepositions appear before and between nouns, adjectives, or adverbs in sentences to convey relationships between people, living creatures, things, or places . Here are a couple of examples of simple prepositions used in sentences: 

I’ll order more ink before we run out. 

Your phone was beside your wallet. 

In the first example, the preposition before appears between the noun ink and the personal pronoun we to convey a relationship. In the second example, the preposition beside appears between the verb was and the possessive pronoun your.

In both examples, though, the prepositions help us understand how elements in the sentence are related to one another. In the first sentence, we know that the speaker currently has ink but needs more before it’s gone. In the second sentence, the preposition beside helps us understand how the wallet and the phone are positioned relative to one another! 

Double Prepositions

Double prepositions are exactly what they sound like: two prepositions joined together into one unit to connect phrases, nouns, and pronouns with other words in a sentence. Common examples of double prepositions include outside of, because of, according to, next to, across from, and on top of. Here is an example of a double preposition in a sentence: 

I thought you were sitting across from me. 

You see? Across and from both function as prepositions individually. When combined together in a sentence, they create a double preposition. (Also note that the prepositions help us understand how two people— you and I— are positioned with one another through spacial relationship.)  

Prepositional Phrases

Finally, prepositional phrases are groups of words that include a preposition and a noun or pronoun. Typically, the noun or pronoun that appears after the preposition in a prepositional phrase is called the object of the preposition. The object always appears at the end of the prepositional phrase. Additionally, prepositional phrases never include a verb or a subject. Here are two examples of prepositional phrases: 

The cat sat under the chair . 

In the example above, “under” is the preposition, and “the chair” is the noun, which functions as the object of the preposition. Here’s one more example: 

We walked through the overgrown field . 

Now, this example demonstrates one more thing you need to know about prepositional phrases: they can include an adjective before the object. In this example, “through” is the preposition, and “field” is the object. “Overgrown” is an adjective that modifies “the field,” and it’s quite common for adjectives to appear in prepositional phrases like the one above. 

While that might sound confusing, don’t worry: the key is identifying the preposition in the first place! Once you can find the preposition, you can start looking at the words around it to see if it forms a compound preposition, a double preposition of a prepositional phrase. 

10 Question Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of Parts of Speech Definitions and Examples

Since we’ve covered a lot of material about the 8 parts of speech with examples ( a lot of them!), we want to give you an opportunity to review and see what you’ve learned! While it might seem easier to just use a parts of speech finder instead of learning all this stuff, our parts of speech quiz can help you continue building your knowledge of the 8 parts of speech and master each one. 

Are you ready? Here we go:  

1) What are the 8 parts of speech? 

a) Noun, article, adverb, antecedent, verb, adjective, conjunction, interjection b) Noun, pronoun, verb, adverb, determiner, clause, adjective, preposition c) Noun, verb, adjective, adverb, pronoun, conjunction, interjection, preposition

2) Which parts of speech have subclasses?

a) Nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs b) Nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositions c) All of them! There are many types of words within each part of speech.

3) What is the difference between common nouns and proper nouns?

a) Common nouns don’t refer to specific people, places, or entities, but proper nouns do refer to specific people, places, or entities.  b) Common nouns refer to regular, everyday people, places, or entities, but proper nouns refer to famous people, places, or entities.  c) Common nouns refer to physical entities, like people, places, and objects, but proper nouns refer to nonphysical entities, like feelings, ideas, and experiences.

4) In which of the following sentences is the emboldened word a verb?

a) He was frightened by the horror film .   b) He adjusted his expectations after the first plan fell through.  c) She walked briskly to get there on time.

5) Which of the following is a correct definition of adjectives, and what other part of speech do adjectives modify?

a) Adjectives are describing words, and they modify nouns and noun phrases.  b) Adjectives are describing words, and they modify verbs and adverbs.  c) Adjectives are describing words, and they modify nouns, verbs, and adverbs.

6) Which of the following describes the function of adverbs in sentences?

a) Adverbs express frequency, degree, manner, time, place, and level of certainty. b) Adverbs express an action performed by a subject.  c) Adverbs describe nouns and noun phrases.

7) Which of the following answers contains a list of personal pronouns?

a) This, that, these, those b) I, you, me, we, he, she, him, her, they, them c) Who, what, which, whose

8) Where do interjections typically appear in a sentence?

a) Interjections can appear at the beginning of or in between sentences. b) Interjections appear at the end of sentences.  c) Interjections appear in prepositional phrases.

9) Which of the following sentences contains a prepositional phrase?

a) The dog happily wagged his tail.  b) The cow jumped over the moon.  c) She glared, angry that he forgot the flowers.

10) Which of the following is an accurate definition of a “part of speech”?

a) A category of words that serve a similar grammatical purpose in sentences. b) A category of words that are of similar length and spelling. c) A category of words that mean the same thing.

So, how did you do? If you got 1C, 2C, 3A, 4B, 5A, 6A, 7B, 8A, 9B, and 10A, you came out on top! There’s a lot to remember where the parts of speech are concerned, and if you’re looking for more practice like our quiz, try looking around for parts of speech games or parts of speech worksheets online!

What’s Next?

You might be brushing up on your grammar so you can ace the verbal portions of the SAT or ACT. Be sure you check out our guides to the grammar you need to know before you tackle those tests! Here’s our expert guide to the grammar rules you need to know for the SAT , and this article teaches you the 14 grammar rules you’ll definitely see on the ACT.

When you have a good handle on parts of speech, it can make writing essays tons easier. Learn how knowing parts of speech can help you get a perfect 12 on the ACT Essay (or an 8/8/8 on the SAT Essay ).

While we’re on the topic of grammar: keep in mind that knowing grammar rules is only part of the battle when it comes to the verbal and written portions of the SAT and ACT. Having a good vocabulary is also important to making the perfect score ! Here are 262 vocabulary words you need to know before you tackle your standardized tests.

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Losing her speech made her feel isolated from humanity.

Synonyms: communication , conversation , parley , parlance

He expresses himself better in speech than in writing.

We waited for some speech that would indicate her true feelings.

Synonyms: talk , mention , comment , asseveration , assertion , observation

a fiery speech.

Synonyms: discourse , talk

• any single utterance of an actor in the course of a play, motion picture, etc.

Synonyms: patois , tongue

Your slovenly speech is holding back your career.

• a field of study devoted to the theory and practice of oral communication.
• Archaic. rumor .

to have speech with somebody

speech therapy

• that which is spoken; utterance
• a talk or address delivered to an audience
• a person's characteristic manner of speaking
• a national or regional language or dialect
• linguistics another word for parole

Other Words From

• self-speech noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of speech 1

Synonym Study

Example sentences.

Kids are interacting with Alexas that can record their voice data and influence their speech and social development.

The attorney general delivered a controversial speech Wednesday.

For example, my company, Teknicks, is working with an online K-12 speech and occupational therapy provider.

Instead, it would give tech companies a powerful incentive to limit Brazilians’ freedom of speech at a time of political unrest.

However, the president did give a speech in Suresnes, France, the next day during a ceremony hosted by the American Battle Monuments Commission.

Those are troubling numbers, for unfettered speech is not incidental to a flourishing society.

There is no such thing as speech so hateful or offensive it somehow “justifies” or “legitimizes” the use of violence.

We need to recover and grow the idea that the proper answer to bad speech is more and better speech.

Tend to your own garden, to quote the great sage of free speech, Voltaire, and invite people to follow your example.

The simple, awful truth is that free speech has never been particularly popular in America.

Alessandro turned a grateful look on Ramona as he translated this speech, so in unison with Indian modes of thought and feeling.

And so this is why the clever performer cannot reproduce the effect of a speech of Demosthenes or Daniel Webster.

He said no more in words, but his little blue eyes had an eloquence that left nothing to mere speech.

After pondering over Mr. Blackbird's speech for a few moments he raised his head.

Albinia, I have refrained from speech as long as possible; but this is really too much!

Related Words

More about speech, what is speech .

Speech is the ability to express thoughts and emotions through vocal sounds and gestures. The act of doing this is also known as speech .

Speech is something only humans are capable of doing and this ability has contributed greatly to humanity’s ability to develop civilization. Speech allows humans to communicate much more complex information than animals are able to.

Almost all animals make sounds or noises with the intent to communicate with each other, such as mating calls and yelps of danger. However, animals aren’t actually talking to each other. That is, they aren’t forming sentences or sharing complicated information. Instead, they are making simple noises that trigger another animal’s natural instincts.

While speech does involve making noises, there is a lot more going on than simple grunts and growls. First, humans’ vocal machinery, such as our lungs, throat, vocal chords, and tongue, allows for a wide range of intricate sounds. Second, the human brain is incredibly complex, allowing humans to process vocal sounds and understand combinations of them as words and oral communication. The human brain is essential for speech . While chimpanzees and other apes have vocal organs similar to humans’, their brains are much less advanced and they are unable to learn speech .

Why is speech important?

The first records of the word speech come from before the year 900. It ultimately comes from the Old English word sprecan , meaning “to speak.” Scientists debate on the exact date that humanity first learned to speak, with estimates ranging from 50,000 to 2 million years ago.

Related to the concept of speech is the idea of language . A language is the collection of symbols, sounds, gestures, and anything else that a group of people use to communicate with each other, such as English, Swahili, and American Sign Language . Speech is actually using those things to orally communicate with someone else.

Did you know … ?

But what about birds that “talk”? Parrots in particular are famous for their ability to say human words and sentences. Birds are incapable of speech . What they are actually doing is learning common sounds that humans make and mimicking them. They don’t actually understand what anything they are repeating actually means.

What are real-life examples of speech ?

Speech is essential to human communication.

Dutch is just enough like German that I can read text on signs and screens, but not enough that I can understand speech. — Clark Smith Cox III (@clarkcox) September 8, 2009

I can make squirrels so excited, I could almost swear they understand human speech! — Neil Oliver (@thecoastguy) July 20, 2020

What other words are related to speech ?

• communication
• information

Quiz yourself!

True or False?

Humans are the only animals capable of speech .

Synonyms of make up

• as in to comprise
• as in to devise
• as in to build
• as in paint
• as in design
• More from M-W
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Thesaurus Definition of make up

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flesh (out)
• incorporate
• materialize
• substantiate
• come up with
• manufacture
• extemporize

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reduplicate
• put together
• reconstruct
• prefabricate
• jerry - build
• disassemble

Thesaurus Definition of makeup  (Entry 2 of 2)

• greasepaint
• vanishing cream
• composition
• arrangement
• configuration
• constellation

Examples of make up in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'make up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near make up

make up (for)

Cite this Entry

“Make up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/make%20up. Accessed 11 Sep. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on make up

Nglish: Translation of make up for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of make up for Arabic Speakers

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English for talking about makeup and cosmetics

By Emily Hitz, PhraseMix.com contributor

For many people, talking about makeup is like speaking another language. If you're a fan of makeup, or perhaps an expert, you might use some of these phrases to describe the science and art of cosmetics (another word for makeup).

Things you do with makeup

There are several phrases for the makeup process. The two most common are put on makeup , and do (someone's) makeup . For example, you might say:

It takes me about five minutes to do my makeup.

A more formal verb is apply . You can say "apply lipstick" or "put on lipstick" — the meaning is the same.

An important note: "makeup" is not a verb; it's a noun. It's incorrect to say "I makeup" or "I makeup my face." However, if someone is wearing noticeable makeup, you can say:

She looked all made up .

You might hear or read the phrase put (someone's) face on. This means to put on makeup — usually a full face of it. It's not a common phrase and is often a bit of a joke.

Phrases for quick cosmetic fixes

For some people, makeup is all about solutions. They want to fix their imperfections or flaws  — those little things that make us less than perfect.

Some people want to hide certain parts of their skin, like scars or acne. Makeup that helps with this will conceal or cover (up) these imperfections.

Maybe you don't have anything to cover up, but you feel like you look tired or pale. Many people call this looking washed out  — like all the color has been washed out from your face! Lipstick and blush are popular fixes for this. They can give you a healthy glow , which means that you look well-rested and youthful.

If your forehead is a little more tan than your cheeks, you might choose a foundation or tinted lotion to even out your skin tone .

Some anti-aging products say they will tighten your skin. That is, they make your skin tighter, less wrinkled, and younger-looking. A similar verb (also an adjective) is smooth .

If you have very light lips or eyebrows, you may want to fill them in with a bit of color.

Bringing out your best

On the other hand, some cosmetics emphasize our best features.

A purple eyeliner might make your eyes pop.  This means to make something stand out more, and be more noticeable, like the color of your eyes or hair.

Many products claim to bring out your features, like your eyes or lips. For example, a bright red lipstick will certainly bring out your lips. A similar word is highlight .

We can't all be beautiful, but some products create a look of natural beauty. Fake eyelashes (also called false eyelashes ) have become popular lately. These are longer, thicker eyelashes that you attach to your eye.

For people with sensitive skin, a fake tan is a nice alternative to getting a sunburn. Of course, this is only for people who want darker, more bronze skin.

Note: We don't use "fake" for most cosmetics. For example, we wouldn't say "fake hair color". We'd just say things like:

He dyes his hair.

She got her hair colored.

The negative side of makeup

Makeup isn't always good. If someone is wearing a lot of makeup, and it looks very unnatural, you can say the makeup is caked on . This is a very negative comment, so be careful when using this phrase.

Worrying too much about how you look might be unhealthy. Some people say we have a looks-obsessed culture , meaning we care way too much about our appearance. Sometimes we need a reminder that " beauty is skin-deep ". This English expression means that our personalities, and other parts of life, are more important than our appearances.

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Definition of speech noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• speaker noun
• speech noun
• spoken adjective (≠ unspoken)
• Several people made speeches at the wedding.
• She gave a rousing speech to the crowd.
• speech on something to deliver a speech on human rights
• speech about something He inspired everyone with a moving speech about tolerance and respect.
• in a speech In his acceptance speech , the actor thanked his family.
• a lecture on the Roman army
• a course/​series of lectures
• a televised presidential address
• She gave an interesting talk on her visit to China.
• to preach a sermon
• a long/​short speech/​lecture/​address/​talk/​sermon
• a keynote speech/​lecture/​address
• to write/​prepare/​give/​deliver/​hear a(n) speech/​lecture/​address/​talk/​sermon
• to attend/​go to a lecture/​talk
• George Washington's inaugural speech
• He made a speech about workers of the world uniting.
• In a speech given last month, she hinted she would run for office.
• She delivered the keynote speech (= main general speech) at the conference.
• He wrote her party conference speech.
• His 20-minute speech was interrupted several times by booing.
• Her comments came ahead of a speech she will deliver on Thursday to business leaders.
• She concluded her speech by thanking the audience.
• He gave an impassioned speech broadcast nationwide.
• We heard a speech by the author.
• This is very unexpected—I haven't prepared a speech.
• The guest speaker is ill so I have to do the opening speech.
• He read his speech from a prompter.
• the farewell speech given by George Washington
• He made the comments in a nationally televised speech.
• During his victory speech the President paid tribute to his defeated opponent.
• In his concession speech, he urged his supporters to try to work with Republicans.
• The Prime Minister addressed the nation in a televised speech.
• He delivered his final speech to Congress.
• He delivered the commencement speech at Notre Dame University.
• His speech was broadcast on national radio.
• In her speech to the House of Commons, she outlined her vision of Britain in the 21st century.
• President Bush delivered his 2004 State of the Union speech.
• She gave a speech on the economy.
• She made a stirring campaign speech on improving the lot of the unemployed.
• The President will deliver a major foreign-policy speech to the United Nations.
• The candidates gave their standard stump speeches (= political campaign speeches) .
• The prizewinner gave an emotional acceptance speech.
• a Senate floor speech
• her maiden speech (= her first) in the House of Commons
• the Chancellor's Budget speech
• the Prime Minister's speech-writers
• She's been asked to give the after-dinner speech.
• You will need to prepare an acceptance speech.
• a political speech writer
• in a/​the speech
• speech about

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How to Write a Definition Speech

Organizational Methods for Writing a Speech

A writer chooses what speech to write based on how they want to reach their audience. While some speeches are meant to entertain, others are meant to persuade or inform. A definition speech is written to inform the audience by describing and explaining an object or concept. You might be called upon to deliver such a speech at your place of employment, for example, in order to describe a new business strategy. Or, you may be required to define a new initiative to help a worthy cause in your community. But, before you get to that point, you may first have to write a definition speech as part of a school assignment. Writing a definition speech isn't too difficult if you just follow some basic guidelines.

Create Your Purpose Statement

The first step in writing a definition speech is to write a purpose statement that indicates the direction the speech will take and focuses on its main goal. For example, if you intend to describe the school of philosophical thought known as "transcendentalism," the purpose of your speech might be stated as "to define the meaning of the term transcendentalism and describe its major tenets."

Emphasize the Central Idea

Next, you must state the central idea, which is akin to the thesis statement in an essay and consists of a complete sentence that expresses the main idea or ideas you intend to make. For example, you might say, "Transcendentalism is a philosophy that proposes that man can discover the nature of reality through thought and spiritual intuition, and its tenets were embraced by such 19th century writers as Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson."

Put Together the Introduction

Once you've written your purpose statement and determined the central idea of the speech, it's time to write the introduction, never forgetting the importance of first impressions. What you initially say either can immediately grab the audience's attention, or make everyone sigh in boredom. According to Stephen E. Lucus, author of "The Art of Public Speaking," you should get the audience's attention by revealing the topic of your speech, establishing your credibility and goodwill, and previewing the main points you intend to make.

Construct the Body of the Speech

After the introduction is complete, you can then start writing the body of the speech. Since you will have only a certain amount of time in which to deliver the speech, you cannot relate all the facts about a chosen topic. Decide which information is most important and how it will be presented. Begin with a general definition of the object or concept, then explain the major ideas or elements. Provide several illustrations or examples. End the speech by summarizing the main points and/or providing the listeners with sources for additional information. Before writing the body, remember that if you are going to use terms, words, or acronyms that are unfamiliar to the audience, provide the definitions.

Wrap It Up With a Strong Conclusion

To finish off your definition speech, you'll need to write a strong conclusion. Do not end with an abrupt statement such as "this concludes my speech" or "well, that's all I have to say on the topic." Instead, summarize the main ideas that you presented, reinforce the audience's understanding of those ideas and refer back to the central idea that was presented in the introduction. Depending upon the topic of the speech, you might also end with a personal anecdote, appropriate joke or a dramatic statement to leave everyone with something to think about.

Things to Keep in Mind

If you are a student and free to choose your own topic, remember that since a definition speech describes or explains an object or concept, you must select a topic that fits this category. However, as long as the object or concept is open to a description and/or explanation, it is usually appropriate for a definition speech.

When giving the speech, you may also decide to incorporate visual aids to help make your message clearer. Visual aides reinforce concepts, generate interest and capture the audience's attention. The visual aids you use will depend on your topic. For instance, if you are defining a neurotransmitter, present photos or other images on a PowerPoint slideshow. List the main points using bullets or numbers to call the audience's attention to each point as you progress through the speech. Before using visual aids, be sure to ask your professor whether or not they are permitted.

Related Articles

How to Do a Acknowledgement Speech

How to Write a Speech Essay

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How to Create a Debate Speech

How to Use Concept Mapping for Writing

Informative Writing Techniques

How to Start a Campaign Speech

Effective Persuasive Speech Writing & Delivering in High School

• The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Speeches
• Academic Help: Writing a Definition Essay
• If you are a student and free to choose your own topic, remember that since a definition speech describes or explains an object or concept, you must select a topic that fits this category. However, as long as the object or concept is open to description and/or explanation, it is usually appropriate for a definition speech.
• If you are going to use terms, words, or acronyms that are unfamiliar to the audience, provide the definitions.
• Use visual aids to help make a speaker's message clearer. Visual aides reinforce concepts, generate interest and capture the audience's attention. The visual aids you use will depends on your topic. For instance, if you are defining a neurotransmitter, present photos or other images on a PowerPoint slideshow. List the main points using bullets or numbers to call the audience's attention to each point as you progress through the speech.

A college instructor for more than 14 years, Carol Rzadkiewicz earned a Master of Arts from the University of West Georgia. She is also a freelance writer and author of three published novels, and her work has appeared in such print publications as “Predicate Magazine” and “The New Review."

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of speech in English

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speech noun ( SAY WORDS )

• She suffers from a speech defect .
• From her slow , deliberate speech I guessed she must be drunk .
• Freedom of speech and freedom of thought were both denied under the dictatorship .
• As a child , she had some speech problems .
• We use these aids to develop speech in small children .
• banteringly
• bull session
• chew the fat idiom
• conversation
• shoot the breeze idiom
• touch base idiom
• tête-à-tête

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

speech noun ( FORMAL TALK )

• talk She will give a talk on keeping kids safe on the internet.
• lecture The lecture is entitled "War and the Modern American Presidency."
• presentation We were given a presentation of progress made to date.
• speech You might have to make a speech when you accept the award.
• address He took the oath of office then delivered his inaugural address.
• oration It was to become one of the most famous orations in American history.
• Her speech was received with cheers and a standing ovation .
• She closed the meeting with a short speech.
• The vicar's forgetting his lines in the middle of the speech provided some good comedy .
• Her speech caused outrage among the gay community .
• She concluded the speech by reminding us of our responsibility .
• call for papers
• deliver a speech
• maiden speech
• presentation
• public speaking
• talk at someone

speech | Intermediate English

Speech noun ( talking ), examples of speech, collocations with speech.

These are words often used in combination with speech .

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Translations of speech

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Word of the Day

to put your arms around someone and hold them in a loving way, or (of two people) to hold each other close to show love or for comfort

Like a bull in a china shop: talking about people who are clumsy

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