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Eddie88 Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Very curious-question on phrases.
He walked down the stairs, his head pounding from last night.
Whenever I see a group of words like the words in italics above, which doesn't have a subject or verb (therefore not a clause), I know that it is a phrase. Often the words are set off from the sentence by a comma. I then have to decide what part of speech it is:noun, adverb, preposition or adjective.
In this case, I assume the sentence would not make sense without the comma, correct? The parenthetical information is an adjective phrase, but if the phrase included a finite verb, then it would be a clause and the comma would be ungrammatical (a comma splice): He walked down the stairs. His head was pounding from last night.
So, is this all right to do, omitting the finite verb so that it's not a clause and therefore a comma is allowed? I often see this omittion of a subject or verb so a comma can be used instead of a full stop which reduces flow.
I have always wondered if this is allowed in formal writing, so I would love to know the answer...
Thanks a load!
Whenever I see a group of words like the words in italics above, which doesn't have a subject or verb (therefore not a clause), I know that it is a phrase. Often the words are set off from the sentence by a comma. I then have to decide what part of speech it is:noun, adverb, preposition or adjective.
In this case, I assume the sentence would not make sense without the comma, correct? The parenthetical information is an adjective phrase, but if the phrase included a finite verb, then it would be a clause and the comma would be ungrammatical (a comma splice): He walked down the stairs. His head was pounding from last night.
So, is this all right to do, omitting the finite verb so that it's not a clause and therefore a comma is allowed? I often see this omittion of a subject or verb so a comma can be used instead of a full stop which reduces flow.
I have always wondered if this is allowed in formal writing, so I would love to know the answer...
Thanks a load!
Top answer
Hi Eddie, It's fine to write in that way. I'm not sure I'd say that the finite verb was 'omitted'. That implies that it was there, or should have been there, in the way the sentence was first formed in the writer's mind.
- Hi Eddie, It's fine to write in that way.
- I'm not sure I'd say that the finite verb was 'omitted'.
- That implies that it was there, or should have been there, in the way the sentence was first formed in the writer's mind.
- Do you think that we always think in terms of clauses with finite verbs?
- Best wishes, Clive
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5 Answers
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Hi Eddie,
It's fine to write in that way.
I'm not sure I'd say that the finite verb was 'omitted'. That implies that it was there, or should have been there, in the way the sentence was first formed in the writer's mind. Do you think that we always think in terms of clauses with finite verbs?
Best wishes, Clive
It's fine to write in that way.
I'm not sure I'd say that the finite verb was 'omitted'. That implies that it was there, or should have been there, in the way the sentence was first formed in the writer's mind. Do you think that we always think in terms of clauses with finite verbs?
Best wishes, Clive
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Hi, Clive,
Yeah, I'd have to agree that 'omittion' is not the best word to use. I just look at the phrase in that way; essentialy, the only difference is the lack of a finite verb; I'm pretty sure that the phrase above is an absolute phrase.
I just always see this style in informal conversations, through txt messaging for example, as a way to reduce the number of words written. I
Yeah, I'd have to agree that 'omittion' is not the best word to use. I just look at the phrase in that way; essentialy, the only difference is the lack of a finite verb; I'm pretty sure that the phrase above is an absolute phrase.
I just always see this style in informal conversations, through txt messaging for example, as a way to reduce the number of words written. I
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Hi,
I just always see this style in informal conversations, through txt messaging for example, as a way to reduce the number of words written. I thought that perhaps it has seeped its way into formal writing.
On the contrary, I would say it is a standard feature of formal writing.
_________________________
I was very hungry. I don't know why, but I was.
I just always see this style in informal conversations, through txt messaging for example, as a way to reduce the number of words written. I thought that perhaps it has seeped its way into formal writing.
On the contrary, I would say it is a standard feature of formal writing.
_________________________
I was very hungry. I don't know why, but I was.
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In #2, you are only right in terms of the very relaxed grammar of informal writing. You could use dashes or brackets instead, if you wanted to.
How come I am only right in informal writing??
How come I am only right in informal writing??
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Hi,
#2 I was very hungry, don't know why, but I was.
In #2, you are only right in terms of the very relaxed grammar of informal writing. You could use dashes or brackets instead, if you wanted to.
How come I am only right in informal writing??
Putting in the middle of a sentence a p
#2 I was very hungry, don't know why, but I was.
In #2, you are only right in terms of the very relaxed grammar of informal writing. You could use dashes or brackets instead, if you wanted to.
How come I am only right in informal writing??
Putting in the middle of a sentence a p
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