ADVERBIALS
Could some explain to me why this phrase 'by expert builders' is an adverbial in the following sentence?
My hovercraft was built by expert ship builders.
I know that the sentence is in passive voice with past participle and the 'by' phrase, however, I have seen the phrase after the verb referred to as an adverbial.
Many thanks
Kozmo
Top answer
The phrase modifies the verb. It tells us something about how the hovercraft was built.
- The phrase modifies the verb.
- It tells us something about how the hovercraft was built.
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The phrase modifies the verb. It tells us something about how the hovercraft was built.
0AnonymousI have seen the phrase after the verb referred to as an adverbial.
Yes. Grammar books often give the name 'adverbial' to the phrase that introduces the agent in a passive sentence. The reasoning is that the by-phrase answers the question "How?" which is the mark of certain adverbs.
How was my hovercraft built? / By expert ship b
0
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