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BlackBlitz Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Infinitives/Prep. Phrases = Adverb/Adjective.
I have received a lot of help regarding grammar. However, I think I have become more confused! LOL!
"I brought a book to read"
I understand that "to read" modifys book. It doesn't make sense to say "Why did I bring? I bring to read."
But how about subject complement sentences with nouns.
"I became a lawyer to earn money"
This sounds a lot like "why". But it doesn't make sense to say "Why did I become? I become to earn money". And neither does "what kind of lawyer?" The earning money lawyer.
Basically, I understand prefectly when the adverb phrase/infinitve is placed after a verb, and likewise for the adjective with a noun.
However, i GET REALLY CONFUSED when those rules don't follow.
"I played the piano for them"
This modifys why you played.
Also, another question.
"I placed the pen over there"
I think "over there" is an adverb modifying where you "put". But, it also seems to modify the place of the pen, as I know that adverbs of place/time can modify nouns.
And also, in passive voice;
"The boys were hit in the car accident"
"in the car accident" modifys....?
Anyhow, I know all the meanings of these sentences, but I get really confused about the grammar.
Can I have some advice regarding these? Basically, I want to know when a prep. phrase/infintive is an adverb or adjective, especially if it's an adverb that follows an object but modifys the previous verb. THANKSSSS!
"I brought a book to read"
I understand that "to read" modifys book. It doesn't make sense to say "Why did I bring? I bring to read."
But how about subject complement sentences with nouns.
"I became a lawyer to earn money"
This sounds a lot like "why". But it doesn't make sense to say "Why did I become? I become to earn money". And neither does "what kind of lawyer?" The earning money lawyer.
Basically, I understand prefectly when the adverb phrase/infinitve is placed after a verb, and likewise for the adjective with a noun.
However, i GET REALLY CONFUSED when those rules don't follow.
"I played the piano for them"
This modifys why you played.
Also, another question.
"I placed the pen over there"
I think "over there" is an adverb modifying where you "put". But, it also seems to modify the place of the pen, as I know that adverbs of place/time can modify nouns.
And also, in passive voice;
"The boys were hit in the car accident"
"in the car accident" modifys....?
Anyhow, I know all the meanings of these sentences, but I get really confused about the grammar.
Can I have some advice regarding these? Basically, I want to know when a prep. phrase/infintive is an adverb or adjective, especially if it's an adverb that follows an object but modifys the previous verb. THANKSSSS!
Top answer
Hi, I don't really understand your question. Maybe you are confused because you have seen that one sentence could have more than one possible meaning if you interpret it from a grammatical point of view.... but in practice they are appear in a context, and that makes it clear what a certain part of the sentence is supposed to mean, and what it is supposed to refer to.
- Hi, I don't really understand your question.
- Maybe you are confused because you have seen that one sentence could have more than one possible meaning if you interpret it from a grammatical point of view....
- but in practice they are appear in a context, and that makes it clear what a certain part of the sentence is supposed to mean, and what it is supposed to refer to.
- I brought a book to read = I wanted to read, so I brought a book with me (one meaning) I brought a book to read = I brought a book in order to read, not to use it in any other way, ok?
- (second meaning) And so on.
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1 Answers
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Hi,
I don't really understand your question. Maybe you are confused because you have seen that one sentence could have more than one possible meaning if you interpret it from a grammatical point of view.... but in practice they are appear in a context, and that makes it clear what a certain part of the sentence is supposed to mean, and what it is supposed to refer to.
I brought a boo
I don't really understand your question. Maybe you are confused because you have seen that one sentence could have more than one possible meaning if you interpret it from a grammatical point of view.... but in practice they are appear in a context, and that makes it clear what a certain part of the sentence is supposed to mean, and what it is supposed to refer to.
I brought a boo
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