Which statement about word classes is correct?

Which statement about word classes is correct?

• A. Word classes are categories of words defined by what they do
• B. Word classes are all open to new words
• C. Open word classes include prepositions and determiners
• D. Lexical field defines a set of words that share a topic

Answer: (A)

Word classes are groups of words defined by the function they serve in sentences—the role a word plays in syntax. This functional grouping is why the statement that they are categories defined by what they do is correct: nouns name things, verbs express actions or states, adjectives modify nouns, adverbs modify verbs or adjectives, and so on. The idea isn’t about meaning alone but about how words behave in structure. The other ideas mix up this idea: some word classes are considered closed and don’t easily accept new members (like prepositions and determiners), while nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs are typically open to new words. And a lexical field is about a set of words linked by topic or meaning, not about grammatical class.

Word classes are groups of words defined by the function they serve in sentences—the role a word plays in syntax. This functional grouping is why the statement that they are categories defined by what they do is correct: nouns name things, verbs express actions or states, adjectives modify nouns, adverbs modify verbs or adjectives, and so on. The idea isn’t about meaning alone but about how words behave in structure. The other ideas mix up this idea: some word classes are considered closed and don’t easily accept new members (like prepositions and determiners), while nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs are typically open to new words. And a lexical field is about a set of words linked by topic or meaning, not about grammatical class.