I will phone Sushma before she starts her onward journey. Which category does the underlined word belong to?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Verb
Phone follows the helping verb will and takes the object Sushma. It names the action of calling, so it is a verb.
| Option | Form and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) Noun | Phone can be a noun, the instrument: "My phone is ringing". As a noun, phone would need a determiner and a verb of its own ("my phone is new"). After "will" it is an action. | – |
| (2) Verb (answer) | The same word can be different parts of speech. Its use in the sentence decides which. Phone can be a verb, meaning to telephone: "Phone me tonight". | Please phone me when you reach home. |
| (3) Preposition | the relation of a noun to another word (in, on, before). "Before" in this sentence is a conjunction, and phone is neither. | – |
| (4) Adjective | An adjective describes a noun ("a long call"). Phone does not describe Sushma. | – |