Parsing comparisons
How do you parse structures that make a comparison – specifically as ... as and more/-er ... than?
Example 1:
He is as cute as an angel– here I would analyse as cute as an angel as an AdjP functioning as a subject predicative complement, where cute is the head of the AdjP, but how do I analyse the rest of the AdjP?
Example 2: He is much older than I am– here I would analyse much older than I am as an AdjP functioning as a subject predicative complement, where older is the head of the AdjP, much is a premodifier, and than I am is an adjective complement. Is this correct?
Thank you!
Top answer
navy candle 809 How do you parse structures that make a comparison – specifically as ... as and more/-er ... than?
- navy candle 809 How do you parse structures that make a comparison – specifically as ...
- as and more/-er ...
- than?
- Example 1: He is as cute as an angel – here I would analyse as cute as an angel as an AdjP functioning as a subject predicative complement, where cute is the head of the AdjP, but how do I analyse the rest of the AdjP?
- There are two ways of analysing this: "an angel" can be analysed as an NP - the immediate complement of "as" or as a reduced clause.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
navy candle 809How do you parse structures that make a comparison – specifically as ... as and more/-er ... than? Example 1: He is as cute as an angel– here I would analyse as cute as an angel as an AdjP functioning as a subject predicative complement, where cute is the head of the AdjP, but how do I analyse the rest of the AdjP?
0
Related Questions