SURVEY OF FUNCTION WORDS AND THEIR ROLES IN MODERN ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Abstract

Function words are an essential component of the English language, serving as the grammatical glue that binds sentences together. Unlike content words, which carry lexical meaning, function words primarily contribute to sentence structure and coherence. This article explores different categories of function words, including prepositions, conjunctions, pronouns, auxiliary verbs, and determiners, and analyzes their roles in communication. Through a comparative linguistic approach, the study examines how function words shape meaning, influence sentence structure, and contribute to syntactic cohesion. The discussion also highlights challenges in teaching function words to non-native speakers and the implications of function words in computational linguistics. The findings suggest that a deep understanding of function words is crucial for both language learners and linguists studying English syntax and semantics.