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Guest Posted 22 years ago
Grammar

Grammar

What is the word similiarity in this sentence?
There is little similiarty between the limosine and a volkswagon.
  

Top answer

"Similarity" is a noun. In that sentence, it functions as the head of the subject (the "notional" or "real" subject). The "existential there" is the formal/grammatical subject of the sentence, "is" is the head of the predicate, "little similarity" is the real subject, and "between a limousine and a Volkswagen" is what some authors call an "adverbial complement" (instead of "subject complement" since the construction is not nominal or adjectival).

— Miriam

  • "Similarity" is a noun.
  • In that sentence, it functions as the head of the subject (the "notional" or "real" subject).
  • The "existential there" is the formal/grammatical subject of the sentence, "is" is the head of the predicate, "little similarity" is the real subject, and "between a limousine and a Volkswagen" is what some authors call an "adverbial complement" (instead of "subject complement" since the construction is not nominal or adjectival).
  • The sentence could be rewritten as "Little similarity exists between a limousine and a Volkswagen".
  • Here, the function of "similarity" is probably clearer.
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1 Answers
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"Similarity" is a noun.
In that sentence, it functions as the head of the subject (the "notional" or "real" subject).

The "existential there" is the formal/grammatical subject of the sentence, "is" is the head of the predicate, "little similarity" is the real subject, and "between a limousine and a Volkswagen" is what some authors call an "adverbial complement" (instead of "subject
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