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BlackBlitz Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
A bunch of grammar questions!
1. "My book is over there"
"The cookies are for everyone"
What do the prepositional phrases in these sentences function as?
2. With stative verbs, are there any limits in adverbs?
"I have a story to tell"
"I have a story for you"
"to tell" and "for you" are phrases. One is an infinitive and the other is prepositional. However, do they modify the stative "have" or the object? Is there some rule about stative verbs that would clear this up?
3. "From"
"I borrowed something from someone"
"I removed the water from the lake"
"I have a sister from Canada"
In all these phrases, "from" is part of the prepositional phrase. However, in each case, are modifying the noun or verb?
4. Are transitive verbs only actions verbs?
5. "I asked him to go outside"
I think that "to go outside" is the direct object, and him is either indirect object or actor of the infinitive. Which one? Thanks.
Overall, are there any tips for deciding whether prepositional phrase modifys a noun or verb. Because with stative and linking verbs, they seem to go both ways...
And literally everything can sound like a adjectival phrase.
"I tried the food at my mom's place" - at mom's place is an adverb
BUT it could mean "I tried the food [that was] at my mom's place" - Now it's adjectival
"The cookies are for everyone"
What do the prepositional phrases in these sentences function as?
2. With stative verbs, are there any limits in adverbs?
"I have a story to tell"
"I have a story for you"
"to tell" and "for you" are phrases. One is an infinitive and the other is prepositional. However, do they modify the stative "have" or the object? Is there some rule about stative verbs that would clear this up?
3. "From"
"I borrowed something from someone"
"I removed the water from the lake"
"I have a sister from Canada"
In all these phrases, "from" is part of the prepositional phrase. However, in each case, are modifying the noun or verb?
4. Are transitive verbs only actions verbs?
5. "I asked him to go outside"
I think that "to go outside" is the direct object, and him is either indirect object or actor of the infinitive. Which one? Thanks.
Overall, are there any tips for deciding whether prepositional phrase modifys a noun or verb. Because with stative and linking verbs, they seem to go both ways...
And literally everything can sound like a adjectival phrase.
"I tried the food at my mom's place" - at mom's place is an adverb
BUT it could mean "I tried the food [that was] at my mom's place" - Now it's adjectival
Top answer
BlackBlitz "I tried the food at my mom's place" - at mom's place is an adverb BUT it could mean "I tried the food [that was] at my mom's place" - Now it's adjectival All languages have ambiguous sentences. You don't have to feel forced to decide whether one or another way of understanding a sentence is "the correct one". It is enough that you can see and explain the ambiguity, which you are already able to do.
- BlackBlitz "I tried the food at my mom's place" - at mom's place is an adverb BUT it could mean "I tried the food [that was] at my mom's place" - Now it's adjectival All languages have ambiguous sentences.
- You don't have to feel forced to decide whether one or another way of understanding a sentence is "the correct one".
- It is enough that you can see and explain the ambiguity, which you are already able to do.
- CJ
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1 Answers
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BlackBlitz"I tried the food at my mom's place" - at mom's place is an adverbAll languages have ambiguous sentences. You don't have to feel forced to decide whether one or another way of understanding a sentence is "the correct one". It is enough that you can see
BUT it could mean "I tried the food [that was] at my mom's place" - Now it's adjectival
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