What part of speech is 'Maybe' when used at the start of a sentence like 'Maybe Jon can come to the party'?

What part of speech is 'Maybe' when used at the start of a sentence like 'Maybe Jon can come to the party'?

• A. Adverb
• B. Interjection
• C. Noun
• D. Verb

Answer: (A)

When Maybe starts a sentence, it signals possibility. In this spot it acts as a sentence adverb, a word that modifies the whole clause rather than a single word. Here, Maybe is hedging the statement “Jon can come to the party,” meaning it’s not certain but possible. That makes it an adverb, not a noun or verb, since it isn’t naming anything or showing action. It’s also not functioning as an interjection in this context, because it’s not expressing an emotional reaction; it’s qualifying the whole proposition.

When Maybe starts a sentence, it signals possibility. In this spot it acts as a sentence adverb, a word that modifies the whole clause rather than a single word. Here, Maybe is hedging the statement “Jon can come to the party,” meaning it’s not certain but possible. That makes it an adverb, not a noun or verb, since it isn’t naming anything or showing action. It’s also not functioning as an interjection in this context, because it’s not expressing an emotional reaction; it’s qualifying the whole proposition.