Jolly Grammar Parts of Speech: The Colours and Actions Explained
In Jolly Grammar, every part of speech has its own colour and its own action. Nouns are black, verbs are red, adjectives are blue, pronouns are pink, conjunctions are purple and prepositions are green. Children do the action while naming the part of speech, then use the colours to label words in a sentence. The colour scheme is the same one used in Montessori classrooms.
The Colour Code
| Part of speech | Colour | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | Black | Names a person, place or thing |
| Verb | Red | Shows an action or a state |
| Adjective | Blue | Describes a noun or pronoun |
| Pronoun | Pink | Replaces a noun: I, you, he, she, it, we, they |
| Conjunction | Purple | Joins words or parts of a sentence: and, but, because |
| Preposition | Green | Relates one noun to another: on, under, beside |
| Adverb | Varies by edition — check your own teaching materials | Describes how, when or where |
How the Actions Work
The actions are the same idea as the Jolly Phonics sound actions: a physical cue that makes an abstract category memorable. A few examples from the programme:
- Adjective: touch the side of your temple with your fist, as if thinking of a describing word.
- Preposition: point from one object to another, showing the relationship between them.
- Pronouns: point to the person the pronoun stands for. For I, point to yourself; for she, point to a girl; for they, point to a group.
The full set of actions for every part of speech is in the Jolly Grammar teaching materials, and teachers learn them in training.
Why Colours and Actions Help
- Grammar becomes visible. A sentence marked in colours shows its structure rather than describing it.
- Parsing becomes possible early. Children as young as six can label a sentence, because the task is colouring, not reciting definitions.
- It suits children still learning English. Actions convey the idea without depending on abstract vocabulary.
- It is consistent with phonics. Children who learned sounds with actions recognise the method immediately.
Using the Colours in Practice
- Introduce one part of speech at a time, with its colour and action.
- Hunt for examples in a sentence your child can read.
- Colour the words: underline or highlight each word in its colour.
- Build sentences using colour cards in order: pink, red, blue, black → She ate a big cake.
- Parse a sentence by labelling every word once several parts of speech are known.
- Revisit constantly. Grammar is cumulative, and older categories fade without review.
Common Confusions
| Confusion | How to clear it up |
|---|---|
| Nouns vs adjectives in pairs like chocolate cake | Ask which word is the thing and which describes it |
| Verbs that aren't actions: is, seems | Teach these as "being" verbs early |
| Adverbs mistaken for adjectives | Ask what the word describes: a noun (adjective) or a verb (adverb) |
| Prepositions vs conjunctions | Prepositions show position or relationship; conjunctions join |
Where This Fits
The colours and actions are the core method of Jolly Grammar, which follows Jolly Phonics. Grammar lessons also teach spelling patterns, so they connect with spelling rules for kids and prefixes and suffixes.
Children learn the full set with weekly written practice in our Jolly Grammar classes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What colour are nouns in Jolly Grammar? +
Nouns are black. Verbs are red, adjectives blue, pronouns pink, conjunctions purple and prepositions green.
Why does Jolly Grammar use the Montessori colours? +
The scheme is long established and widely recognised, so children moving between settings meet the same colours.
What is the action for adjectives? +
Touching the side of your temple with your fist, as if thinking of a word to describe something.
Do children need to memorise all the colours at once? +
No. One part of speech is introduced at a time, with earlier ones revisited in every lesson.
At what age can children start labelling parts of speech? +
Many children start at around 5 to 6, once they can read simple sentences.
Are the colours used for parsing sentences? +
Yes. Colour-coding lets children label each word in a sentence and see its structure.
Where can I find the full list of actions? +
The complete set is in the Jolly Grammar teaching materials, and teachers learn each one during grammar training.