It's probably easiest to get a handle on what some tests for noun status might look like, by seeing in action. Here's a couple of case studies:
Case Study 1
Let's have a look at the item ** in a sentence such as:
- I work there **
The two primary competing word categories for this word in alphabetical order are probably adverb and noun. This phrase is an Adjunct (read adverbial) in the clause structure. It's modifying the verb phrase work there. It's an adjunct because it is not necessary for the sentence to be well formed. The sentence I work there is fine without this extra bit. This syntactic function is associated in school-learned grammar with adverbs. Of course, preposti