Parsing 1

[hela]

Hello everyone,

I have some doubts about the analysis of the following 4 sentences. Would you help me sort them out, please ?

Function :
1) "I went to the cinema with them."
I = subject
went = verb
to the cinema = adverbial of place
with them = adverbial of manner / accompaniment ???

2) "she was out of her mind with grief"
she = subject
was = verb
out of her mind = complement of the subject
with grief = adverbial of manner ?


Form & Function :

3) "He was anxious about his departure."
He = noun phrase = subject
was = verb
- anxious = adjective phrase = subject complement
- about his departure = prepositional phrase = adverbial (?) of ???
OR
- anxious about his departure = adjective phrase = subject complement ?

4) "Humans can be fairly ridiculous animals."
Humans = noun phrase = subject
can be = verb
fairly ridiculous animals = adjecive phrase or noun phrase ? = subject complement.

Thank you very much for your help.
Hela

[TheParser]

4) "Humans can be fairly ridiculous animals."
Humans = noun phrase = subject
can be = verb
fairly ridiculous animals = adjecive phrase or noun phrase ? = subject complement.

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


Dear Fellow Parser:

May I comment on No. 4, since what that sentence says is so true.

1. I believe that the "skeleton" of the sentence is:

Humans + can be + animals.

a. Humans (noun phrase) = subject.

b. can be (verb phrase) = (linking) verb.

c. animals (noun phrase) = subjective complement / predicate nominative.

(i) ridiculous = adjective that modifies "animals." (What kind of animals?)

(ii) fairly = adverb that modifies "ridiculous." (How "ridiculous"?)


James

[hela]

- Could anyone correct the other sentences, please ?

- Here is another question.

Would you please tell me if the verb "went" is intransitive or "intensive /linking/copular" ?

1) The car went fast. = subject, verb, adverbial.

The problem is that we cannot say "The car went", can we ? So is the verb "went" here intensive like the verb "look" in the following sentence ?

2) The car looks fast. = subject + verb + subject related complement.

except that "fast" in sentence 1 is an adverb and in 2 an adjective ?

Thanks again for your help.
Hela

[hela]

Hello,

Would you please tell me what's the function of the following appositive phrases ?

1) Paul, as well as his friends, has decided to give up smoking.
Paul = subject
has decided = verb
to give up smoking = direct object
What about "as well as his friends" ?

2) The teacher, including all his students, has decided not to enter the classroom.
the teacher = subject
has decided = verb
not to enter the classroom = direct object
What about "including all his students" ?

Thank you for your help.
Hela

[TheParser]

what's the function of the following appositive phrases ?

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


1. I am 95% sure that "as well as his friends" is not an appositive.

a. As you know, an appositive renames the subject:

"Usingenglish.com, one of the best grammar helplines, requires non-teachers to announce that fact at the beginning of their posts."

i. "One of the best grammar helplines" refers to "usingenglish.com."

b. "as well as his friends" does not rename Paul. Here is an example of an appositive:

Paul, the boy with red hair, drives the girls crazy.

2. So, then, what is "as well as his friends"?

a. Well, the commas tell us that the words are certainly non-restrictive. That is, they could be omitted, and the sentence

retains its basic meaning of "Paul has decided not to enter the classroom."

b. Perhaps the "best" explanation comes from The New York Times:

"As well as" is a "parenthetical aside." That is, it is some information that is "thrown" into the sentence to give more

information. This would come out more clearly if you used parentheses or dashes, instead of commas:

Paul (as well as his friends) has decided not to enter the classroom. [Teachers point out that the use of "has" -- not

"have" -- proves that "as well as his friends" is not grammatically linked to the main sentence.]


James

P.S. Here is a list of similar "expressions": besides, like, with, together with, accompanied by, along with, in addition to, including, and no less than.

References:

Barbara Wallraff, Your Own Words (Google books)
Harbrace College Handbook (1972)
Warriner's English Grammar and Composition (1977)

[Rover_KE]

Hela, you are doing yourself no favours by bombarding us with additional, unrelated questions in the same thread.

Please note:

1. We have a dedicated forum for sentence analysis. Here it is.

2. Ask only one question per thread.

3. Give each thread a title which includes the word or phrase being asked about.

Rover

[hela]

Thank you, James, for your answer.
So according to you, these additional phrases have no function within the sentence ?

Regards

[TheParser]

So according to you, these additional phrases have no function within the sentence ?

Regards

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


You have asked a great question. One that is too difficult for this humble soul to answer.

I do think, however, that every word in a sentence has a "function," don't you? Maybe you could ask this

question in a new thread, and some of the great teachers will give their opinions.

I have found a one-page explanation on the Web about "as well as." I think that you will really enjoy it.

I am computer illiterate (I still use a dial-up computer service. Really!!!) So I cannot link to it. Please go to

Google and type:

As well as Comma

*****

The first result should be that article. I found it very helpful. You will, too.



James

[anhnha]

Hi,
Thank you, TheParser
This is the link: As well as Comma Grammar Rules | Grammarly Handbook

[TheParser]

This is the link: As well as Comma Grammar Rules | Grammarly Handbook

Thank you, anhnha, very much for your kindness.


James