Clarification through Reed-Kellogg

[TheParser]

In another forum at this website, we have been having an exciting debate over this sentence:

He was burned alive.

Reed-Kellogg, of course, can always be counted upon to clarify things.

May I please have a diagram.

Thank you SO much for your kindness.

 

[Frank Antonson]

 

[TheParser]

Thank you SO much for the confirmation. Long live Reed-Kellogg!!!

 

[Frank Antonson]

After a little more thought, I guess that you could consider the sentence to be elliptical with "while he was still" as being understood. That way "alive" could remain the adjective that you expect it to be.

 

[TheParser]

After a little more thought, I guess that you could consider the sentence to be elliptical with "while he was still" as being understood. That way "alive" could remain the adjective that you expect it to be.

A famous grammarian agrees with you that the "adjective" is modifying the verb because -- as you also said -- it really means "while he was alive."

How sad that good students are not being given the chance to learn Reed-Kellogg. It would do so much to help their English.

 

[Frank Antonson]

I would love to know who that "famous grammarian" is. I thought the only one that would still have that title would be Noam Chomsky.

 

[TheParser]

I would love to know who that "famous grammarian" is. I thought the only one that would still have that title would be Noam Chomsky.

Professor George O. Curme -- wrote his two-volume grammar in the 1930's. (A GRAMMAR OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE)

Full of the historical development of English.

A must for your library.

Yes. Dr. Chomsky's transformational grammar is very nice. I guess. Way over my head.

But for ordinary people like me, I'll stick with Dr. Curme, House-Harman, and -- of course -- Reed-Kellogg.

 

[Frank Antonson]

Thanks for that.
I had not heard of him.
I will look into his work.

 

[TheParser]

Thanks for that.
I had not heard of him.
I will look into his work.

Dr. Curme's two-volume work is the greatest.

He explains the historical background of various constructions and gives oodles of examples from literature.

It is truly a tour de force.

 

[Frank Antonson]

I DID look into it.

I will have to see about getting a copy of it.

Thanks,

Frank

 

[corum]

Yes. Dr. Chomsky's transformational grammar is very nice. I guess. Way over my head.

.

Start with this:

and you will form a liking to TG very soon. Andrew is a cool guy. I like his student-friendly style of writing.
Regarding your question, IMO "was burned" is a quasi copula where "quasi" means the linking-verb retains its dynamic sense -- part of it.
There is a gradience running through from action verbs through to the class of copulas. The distinction between them is not clear-cut.

 

[Frank Antonson]

Dear Corum,

I don't know when I will have time to study TG, but, in the meantime, wouldn't you agree that Reed-Kellogg has the sizable advantage of not having to include any words in a diagram besides the words of the sentence that is being diagrammed?