Function words are words that have a grammatical function rather than a concrete meaning. They are used to build sentences, create coherence and show relationships between other words – but they do not describe things, actions or properties. Common function words include e.g. articles (“a”, “an”, “the”), prepositions (“in”, “on”, “by”), conjunctions (“and”, “but”, “because”), auxiliary verbs (“are”, “have”, “can”), and pronouns (“he”, “she”, “it”).
Why are function words important?
Function words are indispensable for forming grammatically correct sentences. They bind the content-bearing words – such as nouns, verbs and adjectives – together and make it possible to understand the coherence of language. Without function words, language would sound like Stone Age telegram: short, flat and confusing.
For example:
- With function words: “The cat is on the mat.”
- Without function words: “Cat may.”
In this example the function words (“are”, “on”, “the”) provide clarity and structure between “cat” and “mat”.
Common types of function words
- Articles: “a”, “an”, “the”
- Prepositions: “in”, “on”, “by”, “of”
- Conjunctions: “and”, “or”, “but”, “because”
- Auxiliary verbs: “are”, “have”, “can”, “will”
- Pronouns (pronouns): “he”, “she”, “it”, “they”
Function words in SEO and copywriting
Although function words are important for the structure of language, they are usually ignored by search engines during indexing, because they do not have standalone meaning. Search engines focus instead on content words – i.e. the words that carry meaning, such as nouns and verbs, and which are relevant to the user’s search.
Function words vs. content words
- Function words: Words that serve a grammatical function (e.g. “and”, “in”, “the”).
- Content words: Words that carry meaning and are important for search queries (e.g. “dog”, “runs”, “happy”).