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Hanuman_2000 Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
Complement
Sir,
My greatest desire is to sing.
I had asked this question (in this forum) that what is "to sing".
I have been told that "to sing" is subject complement.
While reading a book for the same sentence tha auther says that "to sing" is verb complement ('complemental infinitive' as it is written).
Please clear my doubt.
Thanks.
My greatest desire is to sing.
I had asked this question (in this forum) that what is "to sing".
I have been told that "to sing" is subject complement.
While reading a book for the same sentence tha auther says that "to sing" is verb complement ('complemental infinitive' as it is written).
Please clear my doubt.
Thanks.
Top answer
' All SVC, with subject complements of a noun, a gerund and an infinitive, respectively. PS: On re-reading your post, Hanuman, I now see that you may be confusing the form of the complement with its designation , which indicates the sentence part to which it refers. 'To sing' is indeed a verb form, but it is in this sentence called a subject complement because it refers to the subject 'desire', not the verb 'is'.
- ' All SVC, with subject complements of a noun, a gerund and an infinitive, respectively.
- PS: On re-reading your post, Hanuman, I now see that you may be confusing the form of the complement with its designation , which indicates the sentence part to which it refers.
- 'To sing' is indeed a verb form, but it is in this sentence called a subject complement because it refers to the subject 'desire', not the verb 'is'.
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1 Answers
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As per Greenbaum & Quirk, A Student's Grammar of the English Language:
'COPULAR VERBS are followed by a SUBJECT COMPLEMENT or an ADVERBIAL, and occur in types SVC ['your table is available] and SVA ['your table is in the dining room'].'
'My greatest desire is an opera role.'
'My greatest desire is singing in an opera.'
'My greatest desire is to si
'COPULAR VERBS are followed by a SUBJECT COMPLEMENT or an ADVERBIAL, and occur in types SVC ['your table is available] and SVA ['your table is in the dining room'].'
'My greatest desire is an opera role.'
'My greatest desire is singing in an opera.'
'My greatest desire is to si
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