Definition: Content Word

A content word is a word that carries meaning and contributes significantly to the main message of a sentence. These are the words that tell us what someone is talking about.

Types of Content Words:

Nouns (e.g., dog, book)

Main Verbs (e.g., run, eat)

Adjectives (e.g., happy, blue)

Adverbs (e.g., quickly, always)

Examples:

Tree (noun) – “The tree is tall.”

Jump (verb) – “They jump over the fence.”

Unlike function words (like the, is, on), content words are stressed more when we speak because they hold the key information.