Adverbial Phrase or Adjective Phrase?

[grammarian77]

In the sentence The plane is near the other plane. (excuse the bad writing), how would near the other plane be functioning?

[mmasny]

It seems to be a prepositional phrase:
near - Wiktionary
Preposition and postposition - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I am not a teacher.

[grammarian77]

Yes, it is, but what type? Adverbial? Adjective? Please be as specific as possible.

[Linguist__]

(Not a teacher)

I would say it is an adverbial of place.

I can see why it has caused you confusion, however - the verb 'be' makes it seem like a complment rather than an adverbial, that is, describing 'the plane'.

It's best to see what someone with a better knowledge of grammar says, but I think its an adverbial phrase:

'Where is the plane?'
'The plane/It is near the other plane'

EDIT - I don't know if the term 'complement' is used in US terminology. I know that 'copula' isn't really used, and 'linking verb' is preferred, so perhaps there is another word for 'complement', which is closely linked to copular (linking) verbs.

[mmasny]

I'm pretty sure it can be looked at either way. You can think of it as of an adverbial phrase modifying the existential verb 'is' or you can consider it a subject complement (like "black" in "He is black."). In this particular case the ambiguity is even deeper than usually, because near can be either an adverb or an adjective (also a preposition).
Sentence Structure
Subject complement - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I'm still not a teacher. And don't have much knowledge about grammar.

[mmasny]

I don't know if the term 'complement' is used in US terminology. I know that 'copula' isn't really used, and 'linking verb' is preferred, so perhaps there is another word for 'complement', which is closely linked to copular (linking) verbs.

I don't think there is another word for it. If there was it would be easy to find I guess, and I don't see it anywhere. I've just taken a look at some texts about it to learn English point of view on grammar and it's complement everywhere I looked.

[grammarian77]

Is it possible that it is an adverbial compliment of place? Also would this sentence be considered inappropriate for formal use?