Syntactic categories, also known as parts of speech, are classifications of words based on their function in a sentence. Common categories include nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Each category plays a specific role, helping to convey meaning and structure in language. For example, nouns represent people, places, or things, while verbs indicate actions or states of being. Understanding syntactic categories is essential for analyzing sentence structure and grammar. By identifying the role of each word, one can better comprehend how sentences are formed and how meaning is constructed. This knowledge is fundamental in fields like linguistics and language education.