Search results for 'tag:Predicates tag:Adverbs' matching tags 'Predicates' and 'Adverbs'

Re: Determining parts of speech...

CalifJim — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:30:03 GMT

meemski
predicate adjectives

This is a function, not a part of speech. That is, there is no such thing as a part of speech called a "predicate adjective".

Most of your examples are nouns functioning as adjectives within a compound noun structure. If you need to know these for a class, check with the teacher or your textbook to find out whether, in the grammar system you're using in class, these should be considered nouns or adjectives. (Different textbooks classify these differently.)

The exceptions are water, which is a plain old noun, and back, which is an adverb. Some grammarians might interpret to be back as a phrasal verb, however. Some of these would call back a (phrasal verb) "particle"; others, an adverb.

adverb clauses

Raen — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:22:59 GMT

I have a hard time deciding which word an adverb clause modifies in a sentence, examples:

1. Buy that coat now because it might be sold tomorrow.

(A: because it might be sold tomorrow modifies the verb buy)

I chos the adverb "now" because I thought the main emphasis/reason of the surbordinate clause laid on "tomorrow". If the adverb clause said: "because you need one", I would go with "buy". Compare:

Since I can spare only a few minutes, please be brief with your presentation.

(A: Since I can spare only a few minutes modifies the predicate adjective brief) The word modified is not the verb "be" rather it's the pred. adjective "brief", I'm assuming that's because its indication of time scrunch.

So my impressioin was knowing which word, along its part of speech, is modify has a lot to do with what the adverb clause main focuse is, but I must have been mistaken. I'm not doing well in the practices. Could someone be kind enough to give me some guidance in deciding what to pick, is there a rule of thumb? Thanks a lot.

Note: the grammar rules say: An adverb clause is a dependent clause that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. It usually modifies the verb.

Regards

Raen

Adjective Prepositional Phrases vs. Adverb Prepositional Phrases

Raen — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:04:02 GMT

Sorry abuot this again, I fear I'm becoming somewhat of a pain. But I have to fully get it.

From what I gathered, Adjective Prepositional Phrases modifies nouns/pronouns or object of another preposition, eg.:

The book on the table in the English classroom is her book. (on the table modifies book and in the English classroom modifies on the table)

while Adverb Prepositional Phrases modifies verbs, adjectives or predicate adjectives, eg.:

The pirate map was hidden underneath a big rock. (underneath a rock modifies the verb was hidden)

The dog is troublesome in so many ways. (in so many ways modifies the predicate adjective troublesome)

So here is one practice kind of threw me off again:

In the cage we saw a juaguar from the jungle of Brazil. (A: in the cage mofidies the verb saw therefore it's a Adverb prepositional phrase)

But I thought in the cage modifies the juaguar who is in the cage therefore an Adjective prepositional phrases. Any opinions? Thanks a lot.

Raen

modifying an adjective

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 04:19:56 GMT

Hi,

It is known to me that only adverb can modify an adjective but I have been modifying weather words/terms/adjectives?? like "sunny" with words like "sizzling" and "boiling". Do you call them an adverb like "very"?? I have used the word/adjective "bright" to modify "sunny". Is that wrong? I think we can use it in a pre-adjective position like this, "the bright, sunny weather" but it seems wrong to write "The weather is bright sunny" in a predicate position. Only an adverb can modify an adjective? I htink an article can modify it too.

English Grammer

Anonymous — Mon, 05 May 2008 21:38:08 GMT

I want brief explanations about following topics:

1- Narrations( Active Passive and Direct Indirect)

2- Clauses(Adjective,Noun,Adverb & Preposition clauses)

3- Predicate nominative.

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!

Mister Micawber — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:02:55 GMT

No, that is not right. One more time. PAs and PNs must modify the subject of the sentence:

The balloon is red.-- red is a PA (a red balloon)
The balloon is shiny.-- shiny is a PA (a shiny balloon)
The balloon is shiny red. -- red is a PA and shiny is an adverb (NOT modifying balloon -- a red balloon but a shiny red)
The balloon is red and shiny -- red and shiny are PAs ( a red balloon and a shiny balloon)

The balloon is a toy. -- toy is a PN (toy = balloon)
The balloon is a red toy.-- toy is a PN and red is an adjective (NOT a PA!-- toy = balloon but a red toy).
The balloon is a shiny red toy.-- toy is a PN and red is a plain adjective (a red toy) and shiny is a plain adverb ( shiny red)
The balloon is a toy and a tool -- toy and tool are PNs ( balloon = toy and balloon = tool)

Well, at least I have learned to spell 'balloon' without looking at the keyboard.

Please Check My Answers

Anonymous — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:47:54 GMT

1. An adjective modifies a:
A. verb. B. noun. C. pronoun. D. both b & c.
Answer D.

2. Adverbs modify:
A. verbs. B. adjectives. C. other adverbs. D. all the above
Answer D.

3. The purpose of a preposition is to connect:
A. nouns to other words in the sentence. B. pronouns to other words in the sentence. C. a group of words acting as a noun to another word in the sentence. D. all of the above
Answer D.

4. Which of the following words is not a preposition?
A. aboard B. by C. beside D. himself
Answer D.

5. The main parts of a sentence are:
A. the subject and the predicate. B. an adjective and adverb. C. a verb and adverb. D. the capital and punctuation.
Answer A.

6. A sentence fragment may be lacking :
A. a subject. B. a verb. C. both a subject and a verb. D. all of the above.
Answer D.

7. Phrases and clauses are incorrectly used when they are:
A. deleted. B. left dangling. C. misplaced. D. both b & c
Answer D.

8. A dangling modifier is a word or group of words that:
A. does not seem to modify any word in a sentence. B. can be placed anywhere in a sentence. C. both a & b D. neither a nor b
Answer A.

Re: predicate adjective??

CalifJim — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:40:58 GMT

There is no consensus on how to handle numerals. They are like determiners and like nouns. Some grammarians just use "numeral" as another part of speech, like "noun" or "verb".

I offer this analysis, but there are surely others.

fifty is a noun acting as a determiner for years.

years is a noun acting as an adverb of degree for old.

fifty years is thus an adverbial expression modifying old.

old is an adjective. Functionally in that sentence old is a predicate adjective.

Re: conjunctive adverbs

miriam — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 05:13:39 GMT

Conjunctive adverbs, or simply "conjuncts", do exist, and are different from sentence adverbials.These conjuncts link sentences or paragraphs and usually appear at the beginning of a sentence.

The adverbials Anonymous mentioned in their first post, those that tell us something about the verb (why, when, where, how, what for, etc.) are adjuncts (as opposed to conjuncts. Unlike conjuncts, adjuncts are part of the structure of the sentence (from the point of view of syntax); they will appear in the predicate. You also have âsentence adverbialsâ, which modify an entire clause or sentence and are placed, usually, at the beginning of the sentence).

Adverb: a part of speech whose main function is that of modifying a verb, an adjective or another adverb.

Adverbial: a syntactic function that may be realised by a number of structures (and even single words): adverbs, prepositional phrases, clauses (both finite and non-finite), noun phrases.

Both conjuncts and adjuncts are adverbials, only they are of different types.

Most conjuncts are adverbs or prepositional phrases: however, consequently, yet (meaning âhoweverâ), firstly, lastly, anyway, nonetheless, nevertheless, meanwhile, by the way, on the one hand, on the other hand, to begin with, to sum up, in short, etc. Even some conjunctions can function as conjuncts, as long as they appear at the very beginning of the sentence (for example âandâ and âbutâ). again, these are not part of either the subject or the predicate, but remain outside the structure of the sentence and act as links to the previous sentence/s or paragraph.

Miriam