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Eddie88 Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
Clause/phrase question
Two sentences.
1)The gang had been chasing Andrew for hours when, as much to Andrew's surprise as any one else's, there he was sitting on the chimney.
What type of clause is this in bold?
Or is the word surprise a noun not a verb here, which would mean this is a phrase not a clause...If so, what type of phrase?
2) Andrew was very scared running home in the dark.
With verbals like this, why is it better to sometimes place the participle phrase at the beginning of the sentence and use a comma? It would seem that it reduces the flow.
Running home in the dark, Andrew was very scared.
Thanks.
1)The gang had been chasing Andrew for hours when, as much to Andrew's surprise as any one else's, there he was sitting on the chimney.
What type of clause is this in bold?
Or is the word surprise a noun not a verb here, which would mean this is a phrase not a clause...If so, what type of phrase?
2) Andrew was very scared running home in the dark.
With verbals like this, why is it better to sometimes place the participle phrase at the beginning of the sentence and use a comma? It would seem that it reduces the flow.
Running home in the dark, Andrew was very scared.
Thanks.
Top answer
1. I have no idea kind of a phrase to call it because I have never classified phrases. I see no reason for it.
- 1.
- I have no idea kind of a phrase to call it because I have never classified phrases.
- I see no reason for it.
- I have never studied it.
- I see no practical reason for it.
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4 Answers
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1. I have no idea kind of a phrase to call it because I have never classified phrases. I see no reason for it. I have never studied it. I see no practical reason for it. One thing is certain: in traditional grammar the part in bold cannot be called a clause because there is no subject and no finite verb.
2. I use common sense when I put commas in sentences. Your example seems just as good
2. I use common sense when I put commas in sentences. Your example seems just as good
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The text in bold is an adverbial phrase. You could substitute the adverb surprisingly.
... when, surprisingly, there he was ...
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Arrangements of phrases in sentences are matters of style. In your particular sentence, I don't think running home ... necessarily has to be placed first. If there are many sentences in the full text which have the same pattern, you migh
... when, surprisingly, there he was ...
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Arrangements of phrases in sentences are matters of style. In your particular sentence, I don't think running home ... necessarily has to be placed first. If there are many sentences in the full text which have the same pattern, you migh
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I personally find it difficult applying commas in which I 'feel' they should be placed because I sometimes will find I make an error doing so. For example, I may create a comma splice in this sentence as it may 'feel' like a comma is not needed. 'It was hot and it was sunny.'
Secondly, CJ cleared it up for us both.
It is a
Secondly, CJ cleared it up for us both.
It is a00
Eddie88but couldn't you say that Andrew could be the subject?Andrew would be OK as the subject of a clause, but that's not written here. Andrew's is written. A word with 's is not considered a subject in most systems of sentence analysis.
CJ
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