Identify the part of speech of the underlined word in the following sentence:…
2023
Identify the part of speech of the underlined word in the following sentence:
The gentle are not always weak.
- A.
Adjective
- B.
Adverb
- C.
Noun
- D.
Verb
Attempted by 117 students.
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Correct answer: C
Answer: Noun. The word 'gentle' is being used substantively (as a noun) in this sentence.
Explanation: When an adjective follows 'the' and refers to a group of people, it functions as a noun. In 'the gentle are not always weak,' 'the gentle' means 'gentle people.' This use is called a nominalized or substantive adjective.
Examples:
the poor — refers to poor people
the brave — refers to brave people
the gentle — refers to gentle people (as in the question)
Conclusion: Because 'gentle' with 'the' denotes a group (people), it functions as a noun in this sentence.
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