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Learnenglish Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
subject complement
Dear Teachers,
I'm learning Special Interrogative Sentence. In grammar books the authors say the interrogative pronouns (who, whose, which and what) can be used as subject and subject complement in special Interrogative sentences. when the verb "be" is used, I think it's difficult to distinguish between subject and subject complement because they have the same structure. For example:
In "Which is yours?" someone says "which" is the subject.
In "Whose beautiful antiques are these?" someone says "Whose beautiful antiques" is the subject complement. But how to determine a interrogative pronoun is subject or subject complement in Special Interrogative Sentence when "be" is used? They have the same structure:
What (which, whose, who) be ..........
Some examples like the structure:
Which color is this? What book is this? Who are you? What 's your name? What's your hobby? Whose book is this?
The interrogative pronouns are subjects or subject complements? How to distinguish them? Please explain carefully. Thank you.
I'm learning Special Interrogative Sentence. In grammar books the authors say the interrogative pronouns (who, whose, which and what) can be used as subject and subject complement in special Interrogative sentences. when the verb "be" is used, I think it's difficult to distinguish between subject and subject complement because they have the same structure. For example:
In "Which is yours?" someone says "which" is the subject.
In "Whose beautiful antiques are these?" someone says "Whose beautiful antiques" is the subject complement. But how to determine a interrogative pronoun is subject or subject complement in Special Interrogative Sentence when "be" is used? They have the same structure:
What (which, whose, who) be ..........
Some examples like the structure:
Which color is this? What book is this? Who are you? What 's your name? What's your hobby? Whose book is this?
The interrogative pronouns are subjects or subject complements? How to distinguish them? Please explain carefully. Thank you.
Top answer
how to determine [if] a interrogative pronoun is subject or subject complement It's relatively easy, actually, if you just make up an answer to the question (using a complete sentence). If the answer word ends up in the same place in the answer sentence as the question word in the question sentence (that is, at the beginning), then the question word is a subject. If the answer word ends up in a different place in the sentence than the beginning, then the question word is a subject complement.
- how to determine [if] a interrogative pronoun is subject or subject complement It's relatively easy, actually, if you just make up an answer to the question (using a complete sentence).
- If the answer word ends up in the same place in the answer sentence as the question word in the question sentence (that is, at the beginning), then the question word is a subject.
- If the answer word ends up in a different place in the sentence than the beginning, then the question word is a subject complement.
- Study the following examples, and note how these two principles apply.
- Which [is yours]?
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3 Answers
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how to determine [if] a interrogative pronoun is subject or subject complementIt's relatively easy, actually, if you just make up an answer to the question (using a complete sentence).
If the answer word ends up in the same place in the answer sentence as the question word in the question sentence (that is, at the beginning), then the question word is a su
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Dear Teacher,
Thank you! But there is very interesting question:
About your last example, can I answer like this:
An example of an even number is twenty-six.
What do you think of this kind of answer? Still a subject? There sre two sentences:
Chess is my hobby.
My hobby is chess.
Thank you! But there is very interesting question:
About your last example, can I answer like this:
An example of an even number is twenty-six.
What do you think of this kind of answer? Still a subject? There sre two sentences:
Chess is my hobby.
My hobby is chess.
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There are many ambiguous cases.
Typically, the term to be identified or defined is the subject.
What is your hobby? (Identify your hobby.)
My hobby is chess.
What is an example of an even number? (This doesn't ask to identify or define an example. It asks to give an example.)
Twenty-six is an example of an even number. << This is what
Typically, the term to be identified or defined is the subject.
What is your hobby? (Identify your hobby.)
My hobby is chess.
What is an example of an even number? (This doesn't ask to identify or define an example. It asks to give an example.)
Twenty-six is an example of an even number. << This is what
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