starting this spring

[piousoul]

"Ms. Levy is expected to occupy a more prominent position in our company starting this spring, upon her final return to Colorado."

What speech part does the phrase in bold belong to, a gerund or a present participle? And where or how does it derive? Thanks.

[Casiopea]

'starting' a present participle and it heads a phrase that functions as an adverb. Here's how I know that:

1. 'starting this spring' ends in -ing and so do gerunds, but
2. 'starting this spring' can be moved around the sentence, and
3. 'starting this spring' cannot be replaced by "it" (gerunds can), and finally
4. 'starting this spring' answers the question When?

Hope that helps.

[piousoul]

Thanks, Casiopea, for your insightful and sensible parse.
Btw, how did this structure derive from? Here is premature guess: It derives from the following--

When this spring starts, Ms. Levy is expected to ocupy a more prominent position in our company.

But how? I couldn't figure it out.

[Casiopea]

That works. Here's another one.

"Ms. Levy is expected to occupy a more prominent position in our company starting this spring, upon her final return to Colorado."

Main Verb
Ms. Levy's occupying a more prominent position in our company starts this spring, upon her final return to Colorado.

Does that help?

[piousoul]

That works. Here's another one.



Main Verb
Ms. Levy's occupying a more prominent position in our company starts this spring, upon her final return to Colorado.

Does that help?

Thanks, Casiopea. From your take, it suddenly crossed my mind that the original sentence should go like this:

Ms. Levy is expected to occupy a more prominent position in our company, which starts this spring, upon her final return to Colorado.

Do you see what I'm trying to say? But I suspect starting this spring works as adverb here; for me, it's more of an adjective to modify the whole principal clause. What's your viewpoit?

What a brainstorming?

[Casiopea]

Very nice, piousoul! You've convinced me. In that example above, it modifies 'position'.

What are your thoughts now?

[piousoul]

Very nice, piousoul! You've convinced me. In that example above, it modifies 'position'.

What are your thoughts now?

Yes, in this case, starting this spring is better viewed as a present participle, which serves as an adjective possibly modifying either "position" or the whole principal clause preceding it.

Thanks, Casiopea, for your prized viewpoints.