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Thread: Can the subject contain a prepositional phrase?

  1. #1
    alkaspeltzar is offline Junior Member
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    Default Can the subject contain a prepositional phrase?

    Can someone answer this quickly and simply.

    Can a subject contain a prepositonal phrase? So for example in the sentence "The dog of mine is outside."...........(the dog of mine) is the subject correct?

    I know the subject cannont be the prepositional phrase, but this example is different. I see alot of examples like this and I was hoping if someone could clear up my confusion,

    Thank you!
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    emsr2d2 is offline VIP Member
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    Default Re: Can the subject contain a prepositional phrase?

    Quote Originally Posted by alkaspeltzar View Post
    Can someone answer this quickly and simply.

    Can a subject contain a prepositonal phrase? So for example in the sentence "The dog of mine is outside."...........(the dog of mine) is the subject correct?

    I know the subject cannont be the prepositional phrase, but this example is different. I see alot of examples like this and I was hoping if someone could clear up my confusion,

    Thank you!
    Grammar aspect aside, I can't imagine why anyone would ever say "The dog of mine is outside". We would say "My dog is outside".

    Creating unnatural phrases just to consider the grammatical side of them is rather pointless, don't you think?
    bhaisahab and 5jj like this.

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    Default Re: Can the subject contain a prepositional phrase?

    Certainly the subject can contain a prepositional phrase:

    The book on the table must be returned to the library.
    That house at the top of the hill is for sale.
    The dust bunnies under your bed are breeding.
    I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.

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    alkaspeltzar is offline Junior Member
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    Default Re: Can the subject contain a prepositional phrase?

    Sorry for the bad explaination, all that came to mind. I am not as good at english as others.

    Thanks Barb for the clear answer! That is all I needed, you were lots of help!

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    Default Re: Can the subject contain a prepositional phrase?

    Quote Originally Posted by Barb_D View Post
    The dust bunnies under your bed are breeding.
    It's only just 09.00 here, and I already have my new expression for the day - Dust bunny - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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    Default Re: Can the subject contain a prepositional phrase?

    You're probably a better housekeeper than I am. That's why they are unknown to you.
    I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.

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    Default Re: Can the subject contain a prepositional phrase?

    Quote Originally Posted by Barb_D View Post
    You're probably a better housekeeper than I am. That's why they are unknown to you.
    Or worse - I never look under the bed.
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