0
Needgrammarhelp Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Difference in fom and meaning
I would like some help with these two sentences, what is the difference in form? I understand the difference in meaning:
"They painted the brown door"
and
"They painted the door brown"
As far as I can see "the brown door" and "the door brown" are both noun phrases, and the difference lies in the funtions within these noun phrases? Am I correct? And I also believe that the verbs has different relevance..
But what exactly is the difference? I am just stucked, maybe I have looked at it to long, but please give me some help.
"They painted the brown door"
and
"They painted the door brown"
As far as I can see "the brown door" and "the door brown" are both noun phrases, and the difference lies in the funtions within these noun phrases? Am I correct? And I also believe that the verbs has different relevance..
But what exactly is the difference? I am just stucked, maybe I have looked at it to long, but please give me some help.
Top answer
Dear friend, the brown floor is a single noun phrase, you rightly assume so. It is the direct object of the sentence They painted the brown floor. However, when it comes to the second sentence, the analysis differs, the floor brown is not a single noun phrase, but two phrases - the floor + brown .
- Dear friend, the brown floor is a single noun phrase, you rightly assume so.
- It is the direct object of the sentence They painted the brown floor.
- However, when it comes to the second sentence, the analysis differs, the floor brown is not a single noun phrase, but two phrases - the floor + brown .
- They painted the floor brown.
- = They painted the floor .
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
3 Answers
0
Dear friend,
the brown floor is a single noun phrase, you rightly assume so. It is the direct object of the sentence
They painted the brown floor.
However, when it comes to the second sentence, the analysis differs, the floor brown is not a single noun phrase, but two phrases - the floor + brown.
They painted the floor brown. = They
the brown floor is a single noun phrase, you rightly assume so. It is the direct object of the sentence
They painted the brown floor.
However, when it comes to the second sentence, the analysis differs, the floor brown is not a single noun phrase, but two phrases - the floor + brown.
They painted the floor brown. = They
00
They painted the red door blue. = They painted the door which was already red so that it became blue.
They painted the red door. = They painted the door which was already red so that it became some unspecified color.
They painted the door blue. = They painted the door which was already some unspecified color so that it became blue.
Painted the "" do
They painted the red door. = They painted the door which was already red so that it became some unspecified color.
They painted the door blue. = They painted the door which was already some unspecified color so that it became blue.
Painted the "" do
00
Thank you so much, it made much more sense now. Please be kind and take a look at my other question, because I am just totally confused on wether I got it right or not.
0
Related Questions