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Tenacious Learner Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Which part of speech is 'holding'?

Hi teachers,
There's a picture with this sentence, 'Door attendant holding door for business man leaving hotel.'
Is it 'holding' a gerund? If yes, is it acting as a noun? If not, what is it?

Thanks in advance
  

Top answer

leaving hotel'); the clause is modifying 'door attendant'. Note also that 'leaving hotel' is the same structure but modifying 'businessman' (1 word).

— Mister Micawber

  • leaving hotel'); the clause is modifying 'door attendant'.
  • Note also that 'leaving hotel' is the same structure but modifying 'businessman' (1 word).
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9 Answers
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No it is the head of the non-finite participial clause ('holding door...leaving hotel'); the clause is modifying 'door attendant'. Note also that 'leaving hotel' is the same structure but modifying 'businessman' (1 word).
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Hi Mister Micawber,
Thank you so much for your reply.
Businessman, can't be a separated word?

It's the same with this one, isn't it?
Close-up of a person's hand holding a frying pan with a fried egg.

TS
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Businessman, can't be a separated word?-- Not these days, though it probably started that way.
It's the same with this one, isn't it?-- Yes
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Hi Mister Micewber,
Thank you for your reply.
One last question please:
Will this one be correct too? Will it have the same meaning?
The door attendant is holding the door for a businessman who is leaving the hotel.

TS
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Yes. However, when I was parsing the phrase, I was considering it this way:

A door attendant who is holding a door for a businessman who is leaving a hotel.
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Hi Mister Micawber,
Thank you for all your replies.
No further questions.

Best,
TS
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Mister MicawberYes. However, when I was parsing the phrase, I was considering it this way:A door attendant who is holding a door for a businessman who is leaving a hotel.
Hi Mister Micawber,
Thank you for it.
Will it be wrong this way then?
The door attendant is holding the door for a businessman who is leaving the hotel.

TS
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No, that is fine. It is another way to interpret the photo caption, which is, after all, only a fragment.
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Hi Mister Micawber,
Thank you once again.

Best,
TS
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