Phrasal verb - function of the prepositional phrase
In the sentence - The boy saves his pet mouse from the cat. - what is the function of the prepositional phrase, from the cat? I'm pretty sure it is not adjective describing MOUSE. I'm thinking ADVERB. do you agree? If it is, what type of adverb?
Top answer
The boy saves his pet mouse from the cat. "*His pet mouse from the cat" is not a constituent, so you are right that the underlined PP is not describing (modifying) "mouse". The PP "from the mouse" functions as complement of "saves".
- The boy saves his pet mouse from the cat.
- "*His pet mouse from the cat" is not a constituent, so you are right that the underlined PP is not describing (modifying) "mouse".
- The PP "from the mouse" functions as complement of "saves".
- It's a complement, not a modifier like an adverb, because it is obligatory for this sense of "save", which means "keep safe from danger"
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"*His pet mouse from the cat" is not a constituent, so you are right that the underlined PP is not describing (modifying) "mouse".
The PP "from the mouse" functions as complement of "saves". It's a complement, not a modifier like an adverb, because it is obligatory for this sense of "save", which means "keep safe from
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