What is the actual/main verb in this sentence?
I have to point out the Extension or Adverbial qualitication in the following sentence and tell whether it is an Adverb, an Adverbial Accusative, a Gerundial Infinitive, a group of words doing the work of an adver, or an Absolute Phrase.
The tide having turned, the ship set sail.
'Ship' is the subject, and 'the' its attribute. But what is the main verb here? Is it 'set' or 'sail'? The sentence can be changed like this (without altering its meaning):
The tide having turned, the ship prepared to sail.
'The Ship' prepared, it didn't sail. What it did? It prepared. So, the main verb should be 'set' and not 'sail'. And then the Adverbial qualifications would be: sail, the tide having turned. 'sail' will be an adverb, 'the tide having turned' will be an Absolute Phrase.
Am I correct in the above analysis?
Top answer
Hall 'Ship' is the subject Correct. Hall 'the' its attribute No. 'the' is a determiner.
- Hall 'Ship' is the subject Correct.
- Hall 'the' its attribute No.
- 'the' is a determiner.
- Hall the main verb should be 'set' The main verb is 'set'.
- Hall 'the tide having turned' will be an Absolute Phrase.
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Hall'Ship' is the subject
Correct.
Hall'the' its attribute
No. 'the' is a determiner.
Hallthe main verb should be 'set'
The main verb is 'set'.
Hall'the tide having turned' will be an Absolute Phrase.
Yes.
'the tide
0Hallwhat is the main verb here? Is it 'set' or 'sail'?
To set sail is an expression from the days of wind-powered ships. "Sail" here is a mass noun, and the word "set" has the longest entry in the dictionary. To set sail originally meant to mount (set) canvas sheeting (sail). You wouldn't do that unless you wanted the ship to move, so it also meant to set (
0
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