Tree diagram -!

Question

How would you do tree-diagram of "What a fool you are!"..I am confused, what to make of 'wh-words' here. And the 'fool'.. ?

Deadrat · Accepted Answer

A sentence diagram? No good tools for that here.

You= subject
are = verb
fool = nominative complement
a = article, modifying fool
What = adjective (meaning "such," that is, notable) modifying fool

Mecha Lere · Answer

Well, thank you for your response

.
But i am a little confused. My teacher designated "fool" here as predicative adjective. And his discernment on the point seems quite agreeable too. Would you please elucidate on the concept of "nominative complement", and how you came up for "fool" as a 'nominative complement'?
And for the word "What".. he spotted it as a mere 'mark of exclamation'. That quite contrasts, with yours !
Ah! it's all messed up >_< .

Deadrat · Answer

I'm sorry to have confused you. Don't worry about the terminology. "Predicate adjective" and "nominative complement" are just different terms for the same concept. A complement completes something, in the case the description of the nominative (that is, the noun that's the subject). There are two types -- adjective and noun. The former describes: "John is tall"; the latter defines: "John is my uncle." These are also called predicate adjectives and predicate nouns, respectively, and together they may be called predicate complements. Predicate because they follow a (copulative) verb, e.g., some form of the verb "to be."

"Fool" is a predicate complement because it follows the linking verb "are" to complete the thought about the subject "you," namely the contention that the subject is a fool. "Fool" is a noun, so it's a predicate noun. The adjectival form of "fool" is "foolish," so if the sentence read

"How foolish you are!"

then "foolish" would be a predicate adjective.

I was taught that the mark of exclamation is the exclamation mark, "!" which is a piece of punctuation and not a part of speech.

I hope that helps more than hinders.

Mecha Lere · Answer

hmm, now i get it. Thanks.
Well, i have a couple more sentences. Mind if i ask 3:) ?

Deadrat · Answer

There are no limits on questions, just my stamina.

CalifJim · Answer

Mecha LereMy teacher designated "fool" here as predicative adjective.

Are you sure he/she said that? "fool" is a noun, not an adjective.

CJ

Mecha Lere · Answer

yeah, he said.. it's an adjective, like the word "rich".

Mecha Lere · Answer

Thanks

So, here goes the following sentences:

1) Good is that they did well.

2) Can I have a little session of questions?

3) He was very conditional when it came to business terms.

4) What the **** are you saying when I told you that it's not my fault.

Deadrat · Answer

1) "That they did well is good" or "It is good that they did well." Notice that good, an adjective, is the predicate complement completing the thought of the situation that is," and "well" is an adverb modifying "did," telling us how they did.

2) For a formal request, use "may": "May I have a little session of questions." The diction is a bit odd. I take it this means "May I have some time with you to ask questions." This really isn't a question, but a polite request, so I don't use a question mark even if the form is interrogatory. Others disagree with me.

3) "Conditional" means contingent upon something, so this sentence doesn't make much sense.

4) This seems like two sentences: "What the **** are you saying? I told you that it's not my fault." The problem the speaker has upon denying fault is not misunderstanding the accusation, so "What" is inappropriate here coupled with "when.' Try "How the **** can you say that when I told you that it's not my fault?"

Mecha Lere · Answer

Hmm... quite discreet explanation. Thanks. So, there was this little tag at the corner of your message that i observed, i.e: "USA" . Since we are taught British English, I've a question

that ..then is the grammar of British English different from (grammar of) English of USA?
And about tree diagrams, its like identifying the constituents and branching them into their immediate constituencies.. and all the way through ..each is branching out into 'two', no more no less. What if the example comes that of a case like S+conjunction+S ("S" standing for sentence here) ..
For example:
"Hilary opened the windows, but David couldn't open the doors."
Will the tree diagram be like ..umm branching into three? o.O ..as illustrated in attached image...

Tree diagram -!

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