Identify the part of speech of the word but in: Everyone attended but Ali.

  • A. conjunction
  • B. preposition meaning except
  • C. adverb
  • D. verb

Explanation

Here but means except and governs the noun Ali, which makes it a preposition rather than the coordinating conjunction it usually is. The same word changes class with its function, as happens with for, since and after. Deciding the part of speech always means examining the job the word does in that sentence.

Related questions