Search results for 'tag:Direct objects tag:Predicates' matching tags 'Direct objects' and 'Predicates'

Re: Is it ok to say.....

AlpheccaStars — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:17:44 GMT

You have made some very complex sentences, so it is not easy to explain without a lot of detail.

Here is my analysis of the grammar in the second sentence. I am not an expert in grammar, so I invite other members of the forum to comment.

It (pronoun, subject) is (main verb) probably (adverb, modifying adjective boring) boring (present participle of verb bore, predicate adjective) as hell (adverb, modifying "boring") listening (gerund, predicate noun, antecedent is "it" ) to me (pronoun, indirect object of verbal "listening") telling (present participle, adjective modifying me; but could possibly be a gerund, direct object of verbal listening) you (indirect object of verbal telling) that (direct object of verbal telling)

"Tell" can be correct, if it is used in a dependent clause. I made the sentence less complex to show the grammar:

Listening to me when I tell you that is probably boring as hell.

Listening (gerund, subject of verb is) to me (indirect object of verbal listening)

when I tell you that (dependent clause, adverb, modifying verbal listening)

etc...

However, in speaking, people often take shortcuts in grammar, and not lose meaning. In this case, your second sentence omits the words "when I".

"but", a preposition?

Raen — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 21:21:00 GMT

I thought it was a "conjunction", is it not?

Here is the text, a text that shows "noun infinitives" used in different ways, in which "but" is catagorized as a preposition:

The noun infinitive can be a subject (To eat is fun.); a direct object (I like to eat.); a predicate nominative (A fun thing is to eat.); an appositive (My hope, to travel, never happened.); an object of a preposition (I want nothing but to save.)

Any comments? Thanks.

Raen

Re: Appositive, direct object, indirect, predicate nominative, object of prepos

Anonymous — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:45:52 GMT

"Scurvy, a vitamin C deficiency, makes people weak and sore."

Scurvy is the subject, because it is the thing which "makes people weak and sore."
People is the direct object, because it is what scurvy is affecting, direct objects usually follow verbs.
Weak and sore are objective complements, because they modify the direct object, people.

"Scurvy was the leading cause of death among sailors in the early eighteen century."

Cause is the predicate nominative, because it stands for the subject, scurvy.
Sailors is the object of a preposition, because it follows the preposition among, and acts as the subject of the prepositional phrase.

"In 1753, James Lind, a Scottish naval surgeon, showed that citrus could cure scurvy."

Surgeon is an appositive for James Lind, because it describes him further, but is not essential to the sentence.

"When the British navy gave sailors fresh citrus juice, scurvy disappeared from their ships."

Navy is the subject, because it is the thing which gave.
Sailors is an indirect object, because they are the people to whom the juice was given.
Juice is the direct object, because it is the thing which was given.

"Today, scurvy is rare; it is usually seen only in very old or very young patients whose diets are deficient in vitamin C."

Vitamin C is an object of a preposition because it is the subject of the prepositional phrase, "in vitamin C."

When trying to diagram a sentence I think it becomes easier when you take out the unnecessary words. For example change "scurvy was the leading cause of death among sailors in the early eighteen century," to "scurvy was the cause of death among sailors in century." The latter is less senseful, but makes it easier to diagram the sentence's nouns. Of course that method wouldn't work as well when you're asked to diagram words other than nouns.
I hope this made some sense, and helped!
-Nathan

Re: Appositive, direct object, indirect, predicate nominative, object of prepos

Anonymous — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:09:28 GMT

Re: Direct object and clauses

Avangi — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 03:31:48 GMT

Cute572
We both thought that this novel was one of the finest books we have ever read.
I read that direct object recives the action. Here book get the action "read" which make its a direct object. But preposition Of make me confuse. Whether its a object of preposition or not. Secondly is ONE is direct object here ?

I think of direct and indirect objects in connection with transitive verbs (action verbs - doing something to somebody). Your example uses a "verb of being," "to be" (something is something). The "that" clause has no direct or indirect object.
Novel was one. The subject of the clause is "Novel," and the verb is "was." There's no action, so there's no object. In the 40's we used to call "one" the "predicate nominative," but now I guess they call it the "verb compliment."

"Books" is object of the preposition, as you suspect, not object of the verb (where we would use direct/indirect). The prepositional phrase modifies "one."

"We have ever read" is a clause, modifying "books." I can understand why you think "books" might be object of the verb "read," and I'm not sure how to explain why it's not.

To back way up, if you're looking for a true action verb that functions as a true action verb, you'll find it in the main clause, We thought. It's intransitive, so it has a direct object but no indirect object. The direct object is the "that" clause. (What did we both think??)

Huevos
It gives me pleasure to introduce you to Paul. It = subject; "to introduce you to Paul" = direct object; (to) me = indirect object.

Cute572
Could you please explain why "to introduce you to Paul" is direct object and not object of preposition ? As its starts with preposition

"To" is not a preposition here. It's part of the infinitive form of the verb, "to introduce." "To introduce you to Paul" is an infinitive phrase acting as a noun, not a prepositional phrase.

Best wishes, - A.

Gerunds. Participles. Infinitives, Help?

tanooka — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 20:38:47 GMT

I have to identify the verbal phrases (and verbals) and

for participles determine whether they are present, past, or irregular.

For gerunds whether they are subjects, direct objects, predicate nominatives, or objects of prepositions.

And finally for infinitives determine whether they are nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.

There are 25 sentences and I did my best, but please help me make any corrections necessary. I will bracket the verbal phrases and put the verbals in parenthesis, and in "{" (forgot what they are called) I will label them as I said above.

DO- direct objects, PN - predicate nominative ect...

1. "I'm [(leaning {G-DO}) toward [(seeing {G-OP}) the fish] at Bonneville Dam," Biff declared.

2, "I don't like [chopping (kindling {G-DO})]," moped Yahoo.

3. The [(hooked {P-PAST}) salmon] fought hard.

4. [(To peer {I-N}) through the fast [(moving {P-PRESENT}) water] is difficult.

5. "I wish [(to go {I-N}) (sledding {P-PRESENT})] on the snow!" Twisp grinned.

6. High water [(running {P-PRESENT}) through the valley] flooded the [(disappointed {P-PAST}) farmer's land].

7. "[(To be {I-N}) strong] I work out at lumberjack skills," Rocko boasted.

8. The [(depressed {P-PAST}) button] ignited the outdoor lighting.

9. Squirrels munched the [(discarded {P-PAST}) potato chips].

10. Leenda was happy [(to help {I-ADJ}) with [(cleaning {G-OP}) up the [(remaining {P-PRESENT} garden-fresh salad].

11. Biff went [(to work {I-adv}) at the Dairy Freeze] then studied math and its [(challenging {P-present} algebra problems].

12. Leenda was hopeful [(to hear {I-adv}) that snow was forecast].

13. Cleaning the road, the snow plow rescued many [(stranded {P-PAST}) motorists].

14. "I'm going [(fishing {G-DO})]" said Rocko.

15. The water was too high, so the crafty salmon wouldn't strike the [(fishing {P-PRESENT}) hook].

16. The [storm-(beaten {P-IRREGULAR}) cabin] held strongly against the [(pounding {P-PRESENT}) rain].

17. Taking the turn too sharply in the [(slickened {P-PAST}) snow], Suzy's car slid into a [(hidden {P-IRREGULAR}) ditch].

18. A [(shivering {P-PRSENT}) Rocko] took an hour [(to dig {I-ADJ}) Suzy out].

19. "For cooking pies I like [(to make {I-N}) thick crusts]," Suzy advised.

20. The [(growing {P-PRESENT}) trees] were felled by [(chainsawing {G-OP})]

21. [(Setting {P-PRESENT}) off from the bridge], the sailboarder hit the river's big waves.

22. The way [(to navigate {I-ADJ}) the national forest] is [(to do {I-N}) a good examination of USGS maps beforehand].

23. Rocko, [(sweating {P-PRESENT} and (exhausted {P-PAST})], took a brake from [(chopping {G-OP})].

24. "[(To sew {I-N})] requires a sure hand," giggled Twisp.

25. "[(To live {I-N}) honorably] is [(to do {I-N}) what's right]!" affirmed angelic Leenda.

This took me so long to write and thank you so much in advance for helping!

Re: Predicate Nominative/ Predicate Adjective !HELP!

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 05:36:28 GMT

ok the phrase : Also remember that predicate nominatives/adjectives are only for linking verbs and action verbs are followed by direct/indirect objects is what i needed to hear 4 hours ago....lol.... thank you so very much i am correcting my sons 6th grade home work and really got lost do to it had both questions of direct/indirect objects and predicate nouns/adjectives. I am a mom who stumbled across this forum and i am so glad if you get this message please review these two sentences that are on his paper

the directions are underline the predicate noun and circle the predicate adjective (but just name them for me please)

1. Gloria is thoughtful about other people.

2. She became an artist after several years of work.

Re: Predicate Nominative/ Predicate Adjective !HELP!

Anonymous — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 21:41:31 GMT

Â also remember that predicate nominative/adjectives are only for linking verbs, if it is an action verb than you call them direct/ indirect objects.

Example:

I gave Bob 5 dollars

Gave is the verb

Bob is the indirect object

5 dollars is the direct object

this is because you GAVE 5 dollars and you GAVE them to Bob

Re: Question about the phrase "I have things to do"

miriam — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:58:49 GMT

Hello, Twinkletoes.

No, that's not what I'm saying. "things to do" is the direct object of "have", the main verb of the sentence. "To do" would be a clause (a non-finite one) even if "things" weren't there or if it had some other type of complementation/modification. In this case, inside the clause, "things" is the subject and "to do" is the predicate.

"Have" is the main verb of the sentence; "to do" is the main verb in the subordinate clause "things to do".

I don't know if every single grammarian in the world would analyse the sentence in the same way, but I certainly know of some who do. What I posted before appears in grammar books. It doesn't mean that everyone has to agree with it, though. Disagreement is often the basis on which new thories are developed.

Anyway, let me give another example of what I said in my first post here:

"She wanted him to call her."

Here, "him to call her" is another to-infinitive clause (with a subject of its own) acting as direct object of the main verb "wanted". "Him" is the subject of the clause (in non-finite clauses, when they have a subject and if that subject is a pronoun, it will be in its "objective" form), "to call" is the main verb of the clause, and "her" the direct object inside the clause.

I'm sorry if that was confusing.

Miriam

Re: Verb complementation

miriam — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 09:28:37 GMT

John: subject (noun)

tends to get hungry: predicate

tends to get: head of the predicate (verb phrase)

hungry: predicative, subjective complement or subject complement [all 3 terms mean the same] (adjective)

Randolph Quirk considers "tend to" a semi-auxiliary verb. This would make "get" (a linking verb) the main verb in the verb phrase. It can't possibly take a direct object. There are other verbs that act similarly to tend to: try to, happen to, fail to, etc.

Hope that helps, even though my answer comes late.

Miriam