Syntax and adverbials
Could someone explain why 'by expert builders' is an adverbial in this sentence:
My hovercraft was built by expert builders.
I know that the sentence has a passive construction with past participle and 'by' phrase, however, I am confused as to how the phrase is functioning here.
With thanks
Kozmo
Top answer
My hovercraft was built by expert builders . I think you mean "shipbuilders". It's not an adverbial.
- My hovercraft was built by expert builders .
- I think you mean "shipbuilders".
- It's not an adverbial.
- The sentence is, as you rightly say, in the passive voice, but the preposition phrase "by expert shipbuilders" functions, not as an adverbial, but as internalised complement to the verb "built".
- It corresponds (without the by ) to the subject of the corresponding active: Expert shipbuilders built my hovercraft .
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My hovercraft was built by expert builders.
I think you mean "shipbuilders". It's not an adverbial.
The sentence is, as you rightly say, in the passive voice, but the preposition phrase "by expert shipbuilders" functions, not as an adverbial, but as internalised complement to the verb "built".
It corresponds (without the by
0AnonymousMy hovercraft was built by expert builders.
My hovercraft - a noun phrase (form); a subject (function);
was built - a verb phrase (form); a predicator (function);
by expert builders - prepositional phrase (form) in which the object of the preposition is the agent (of the passive clause); an adverbial (function).
0AnonymousCould someone explain why 'by expert builders' is an adverbial
'by expert builders' is an adverbial. It is an adverbial of agency. It answers the question "By whom?".
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