0
JungKim Posted 9 years ago
Grammar

Complement vs adjunct

In this BBC article, an Irish girl was quoted as saying:
I waited from 8pm to midnight until the police arrived.
The verb 'waited' is followed by three phrases:
  1. from 8pm
  2. to midnight
  3. until the police arrived
Are they all adjuncts of the verb or complements of the verb?Or are some of them complements and the rest adjuncts?
  

Top answer

Hi I'd say they are adjuncts. Neither of them tells us something crucial about the verb. I can imagine that the woman is waiting for her boyfriend but, when she sees the police arriving, she runs away.

— Dave_anon

  • Hi I'd say they are adjuncts.
  • Neither of them tells us something crucial about the verb.
  • I can imagine that the woman is waiting for her boyfriend but, when she sees the police arriving, she runs away.
  • All of that is incidental to the verb.
  • All the verb tells us is that she is waiting However: - She waited for the police from 8 pm to midnight Here, the first phrase modifies the verb crucially.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

1 Answers
0

Hi

I'd say they are adjuncts. Neither of them tells us something crucial about the verb. I can imagine that the woman is waiting for her boyfriend but, when she sees the police arriving, she runs away. All of that is incidental to the verb. All the verb tells us is that she is waiting

However:

- She waited for the police from 8 pm to midnight

Here, the first phrase m

0

Related Questions