Prepositions/adverbs

Question

The doorbell rang until I answered it.Until - preposition or adverb and why?

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

I'd call it a conjunction, introducing the subordinate clause 'I answered it'.

ie up to the time when . . .

Clive

Dimsumexpress · Answer

I think it is neither. I personally think it's a subordinate conjunction. Take a look at t his site under subordinating conjunction.

http://www.examples-help.org.uk/parts-of-speech/conjunctions.htm Examp

lExamples of subordinating include the words "after," "although," "as," "because," "before," "how," "if," "once," "since," "than," "that," "though," "till," "until," "when," "where," "whether," and "while". Subordinating words are used to indicate the nature of the relationship among the independent clause and the dependent clause. Subordinators are usually a single word, but there are also a number of multi-word subordinators that function like a single subordinating conjunction example: 'even though'. Both coordinating and subordinating can join clauses.

BillJ · Answer

It's a preposition. The complements of prepositions are most often nouns or noun phrases (e.g. the doorbell rang until midday), but they can also be clauses (e.g. 'I answered it'). Adverbs generally function as modifiers of verbs, and other categories other than nouns.

BillJ

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