Identify the part of speech of the underlined word: He takes after his grandmother.

Question

Accepted Answer

The word "after" in the sentence "He takes after his grandmother" is correctly identified as a preposition, which is Option 1. Here is a detailed explanation supporting this choice:

1. **Explanation for Option 1 (Preposition):**
   - A preposition is a word used to link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words within a sentence. They often indicate relationships of time, place, direction, or manner.
   - In the phrase "takes after," the word "after" is used to show a relationship between "he" and "his grandmother." Specifically, "takes after" is a phrasal verb where "after" functions as a preposition to indicate resemblance or similarity. It connects the subject "he" with the object "his grandmother," suggesting that he resembles or has characteristics similar to his grandmother.

2. **Explanation for why other options are incorrect:**

- **Option 2 (Verb):**
     - A verb is a word that describes an action, state, or occurrence. In the sentence, the verb is "takes," which describes the action of resembling. "After" does not function as a verb; instead, it complements the verb "takes" to form the phrasal verb "takes after."

- **Option 3 (Adverb):**
     - An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb, often indicating manner, place, time, or degree. In this context, "after" does not modify the verb "takes" by describing how, when, or where the action occurs. Instead, it serves to connect the subject with the object, which is the role of a preposition.

- **Option 4 (Adjective):**
     - An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun. "After" does not describe or modify any noun in the sentence. It does not provide any characteristic or quality of a noun, which is the primary function of an adjective.

In conclusion, the word "after" in the sentence functions as a preposition, linking the subject "he" with the object "his grandmother" to indicate a relationship of resemblance. This justifies why Option 1 is the correct answer.