(3) Can a word be a noun and also be another part of speech?
Yes! Many English words are both nouns and verbs. That is why it is important to consider the way the word is used in a particular sentence. Think about the word water and the way it is used in these two sentences.
- Ex. Water is absolutely necessary for human life. (used as a noun as the head of a noun phrase in the subject position)
- Ex. My husband went outside to water the lawn. (used as a part of an infinitive verb)
Other English words are nouns and adjectives, as in
- Ex. That red is my favorite color. (used as noun as the head of a noun phrase in the subject position)
- Ex. I like red sweaters. (used as an adjective in an adjective phrase modifying sweaters
Less commonly other words are both nouns and other parts of speech, for example, prepositions, as in
- Ex. Charley painted the inside white. (inside is used as noun.)
- Ex. Charley went inside the house. (inside is used as preposition.)