1. Noun: This is the most common usage, referring to a person or thing that acts or produces an effect.
* Examples:
* "The agent helped me find a new apartment." (person)
* "Chlorine is a cleaning agent." (thing)
2. Adjective: It can describe something that acts or has a specific function.
* Examples:
* "The agent orange used in Vietnam caused devastating environmental damage."
* "The agent of change in the company was the new CEO."
3. Verb: While less common, it can be used as a verb, meaning to act as an agent or to influence something.
* Example:
* "The government agented the change in policy."
To determine the part of speech, consider the sentence and the context:
* "The agent is in the office." (Noun)
* "The agent of change is the new CEO." (Adjective)
* "The government agented the policy change." (Verb)
Let me know if you have a specific sentence in mind and I can help you determine the part of speech!