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SereneZ Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

help me analysing the grammatical structures of the following sentences please!thanks!

1.This was a child speaking against them.
2. A child talking like a grown man!

why in the No.1 sentence,use 'speaking' not 'speak‘?

why there is no predicate in the second sentence?

thank you!
  

Top answer

SereneZ W hy in the first sentence is 'speaking' used and not ‘speak’? Speaking against them (and talking like a grown man in #2) is a non-finite clause modifying child . Speak wouldn’t work because bare infinitival clauses don't modify nouns.

— RandomGuy

  • SereneZ W hy in the first sentence is 'speaking' used and not ‘speak’?
  • Speaking against them (and talking like a grown man in #2) is a non-finite clause modifying child .
  • Speak wouldn’t work because bare infinitival clauses don't modify nouns.
  • SereneZ W hy is there no predicate in the second sentence?
  • It’s not a sentence, just a noun phrase.
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7 Answers
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SereneZWhy in the first sentence is 'speaking' used and not ‘speak’?
Speaking against them (and talking like a grown man in #2) is a non-finite clause modifying child. Speak wouldn’t work because bare infinitival clauses don't modify nouns.
SereneZWhy is there
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thanks for answering Aspara!

This was a child speaking against them.
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I thought 'speaking' there was an objective complement?
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SereneZI thought 'speaking' there was an objective complement?
No, speaking is the predicator of its clause. Objective PCs relate to objects: I consider him [object] highly untrustworthy [adjective phrase as objective PC].
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SereneZThis was a child speaking against them.
This was a child (who was speaking) against them.

'who was' is left out, so you didn't see the combination 'was speaking', the past continuous tense.
SereneZA child talking like a grown man!
(How amazing it is to see) a child (who is) talking like a gro
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CalifJimThis was a child (who was speaking) against them. … (How amazing it is to see) a child (who is) talking like a grown man!
These are certainly useful paraphrases, but I see them as different constructions.
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Aspara GusThese are certainly useful paraphrases, but I see them as different constructions.
As you are already aware, my approach is different from yours. I want to encourage the student to understand the meanings and uses of the expressions they are learning, and that sometimes requires me to make up some ad hoc explanations and paraphrases (not as e
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