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Jirikoo Jirickoo Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Help me analyze the following sentences
Hello guys, i am first time here, although I have studied english syntax for a while. Hope you will be much of help. I have been racking my brain over the following riddle.
Can noun clauses be modifiers? I have been under impression that noun clauses typically complement objects, subjects, or act as subjects or direct objects.
What are the following clauses within the large sentence:
1) Mary is not responsible for what Billy did.
2) Everybody is sad that Billy drowned.
3) English teachers dispense wisdom to whoever will listen.
What do we call the sentence element that follows a subject complement as in the sentences bellow:
What are the following clauses within the large sentence:
4) It will be great to live here.
5) It is a thing belonging to this group., or potentially: It is a thing that belongs to this group.
My comments:
1) responsible is the subject complement, and what Billy did is a complement to the preposition for. Does it mean that that whole for what Billy did is an adverbial modifier, or is this an adjective complement? It again provokes a question if the noun clauses always bear noun funtions.
2) sad is again a subject complement, but what is that Billy drowned? I know that that Billy drowned is a complement to the adjective sad. It might be again an adjective complemement.
3) whoever will listen is a noun clause. What is the whole prepositional phrase, though? It looks like an adverbial modifier, but it once again contradicts the premise of noun clauses complementing objects and subjects.
4) To live is surely an adjective complement???
5) reduced relative clause or defining relative clause following the subject complemement. What do we call this underlined sentence element? What is it to the subject complement? Does it modify it or complement it?
Thanks for clarification.
Can noun clauses be modifiers? I have been under impression that noun clauses typically complement objects, subjects, or act as subjects or direct objects.
What are the following clauses within the large sentence:
1) Mary is not responsible for what Billy did.
2) Everybody is sad that Billy drowned.
3) English teachers dispense wisdom to whoever will listen.
What do we call the sentence element that follows a subject complement as in the sentences bellow:
What are the following clauses within the large sentence:
4) It will be great to live here.
5) It is a thing belonging to this group., or potentially: It is a thing that belongs to this group.
My comments:
1) responsible is the subject complement, and what Billy did is a complement to the preposition for. Does it mean that that whole for what Billy did is an adverbial modifier, or is this an adjective complement? It again provokes a question if the noun clauses always bear noun funtions.
2) sad is again a subject complement, but what is that Billy drowned? I know that that Billy drowned is a complement to the adjective sad. It might be again an adjective complemement.
3) whoever will listen is a noun clause. What is the whole prepositional phrase, though? It looks like an adverbial modifier, but it once again contradicts the premise of noun clauses complementing objects and subjects.
4) To live is surely an adjective complement???
5) reduced relative clause or defining relative clause following the subject complemement. What do we call this underlined sentence element? What is it to the subject complement? Does it modify it or complement it?
Thanks for clarification.
Top answer
1. a noun clause that explains an object of preposition for. 2.
- 1.
- a noun clause that explains an object of preposition for.
- 2.
- a noun clause that explains the adjective sad.
- 3.
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1 Answers
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1. a noun clause that explains an object of preposition for.
2. a noun clause that explains the adjective sad.
3. a noun clase that acts as an indirect object.
4. An adverb modifying the adjective great.
5. belonging.....--> a modifying adjective phrase. that belongs......--> an adjective clause that modifies the noun thing.
2. a noun clause that explains the adjective sad.
3. a noun clase that acts as an indirect object.
4. An adverb modifying the adjective great.
5. belonging.....--> a modifying adjective phrase. that belongs......--> an adjective clause that modifies the noun thing.
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