(i) Can you say which words are content words in the examples below, and which are function words? All the examples are from the text in this unit.

(ii) Can you name the kind of word (its category as a noun, pronoun, etc.?). A dictionary may help you to do this. You can work for inpairs or groups, discussing the reasons for your analysis.

(a) Ants carry a blade of straw so feverishly and then leave it.

(b) They wanted to leave this house because they wanted to change their style of furniture.

(c) I don’t believe it was made by a nail after all; it’s too big, too round, for that.

(d) There was a rule for everything.

(e) The tree outside the window taps very gently on the pane.

(a) Ants carry a blade of straw so feverishly and then leave it.

Ants– Content Word, Noun

Carry– Content Word, Verb

a- Function Word, Article

Blade- Content Word, Noun

Of- Function Word, Preposition

Straw- Content Word, Noun

So- Function Word, Adverb

Feverishly- Content Word, Adverb

And- Function Word, Conjunction

Then- Content Word, Adverb

Leave- Content Word, Verb

It- Function Word, Pronoun

(b) They wanted to leave this house because they wanted to change their style of furniture.

They- Function Word, Pronoun

Wanted- Content Word, Verb

To- Function Word, Preposition

Leave- Content Word, Verb

This- Function Word, Pronoun

House- Content Word, Noun

Because- Function Word,

They- Function Word, Pronoun

Wanted- Content Word, Verb

To- Function Word, Preposition

Change- Content Word, Verb

They're- Function Word, Determiner

Style- Content Word, Noun

Of- Function Word, Preposition

Furniture- Content Word, Noun

(c) I don’t believe it was made by a nail after all; it’s too big, too round, for that.

I- Function Word, Pronoun

Don’t- Content Word, Adverb

Believe- Content Word, Verb

It- Function Word, Pronoun

Was- Content Word, Verb

Made- Content Word, Verb

By- Function Word, Preposition

a- Function Word, Article

Nail- Content Word, Noun

After all- Function Word, Preposition

It’s- Function Word, Pronoun

Too- Content Word, Adverb

Big- Content Word, Adjective

Too- Content Word, Adverb

Round- Content Word, Adjective

For- Function Word, Conjuncture

That- Function Word, Pronoun

(d) There was a rule for everything.

There- Content Word, Adverb

Was- Function Word, Verb

a- Function Word, Article

Rule- Content Word, Noun

For- Function Word, Conjunctures

Everything- Function Word, Pronoun

(e) The tree outside the window taps very gently on the pane.

The- Function Word, Article

Tree- Content Word, Noun

Outside- Content Word, Noun

The- Function Word, Article

Window- Content Word, Noun

Taps- Content Word, Verb

Very- Content Word, Adverb

Gently- Content Word, Adverb

On- Function Word, Preposition

The- Function Word, Article

Pane- Content Word, Noun