Preposition, adverb, and adjective

[Matthew Wai]

Then what would you call 'below' in 'the sentence below'?

 

[MikeNewYork]

Adjective. It describes "sentence".

 

[TheParser]

'Above' can be used... as an adverb (without a following noun).

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


Thank you for the link.

Some grammarians would parse "above" as an adverb, for some grammarians believe that it is short for "the stars which are above."

In such a sentence, many grammarians point out that "are" is not a linking verb. It means something like "to exist." (For example, Shakespeare's famous "To be or not to be.")

 

[TheParser]

To Parser, this thread is about preposition's connection with adjective and adverb in case you didn't know.

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



Thank you for your note.

I had worked very hard to find that information.

I apologize that I misunderstood what you wanted.

From now on, I shall not bother you with my humble comments.

 

[MikeNewYork]

It makes little sense to me to rewrite a sentence and then parse the words as if it were the original.

In "To be or not to be", "to be" is not a verb at all; it is an infinitive.

 

[mawes12]

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



Thank you for your note.

I had worked very hard to find that information.

I apologize that I misunderstood what you wanted.

From now on, I shall not bother you with my humble comments.

I love your infos though so if you want you can keep on.

 

[mawes12]

"Above" might also be an adjectival post modifier so both might be right.

 

[mawes12]

In "To be or not to be", "to be" is not a verb at all; it is an infinitive.

Even though it is an infinitive, to me they have the same meaning/definition but one is acting like a verb and the other is acting like a noun.

 

[tzfujimino]

I found an example which seems to agree with TheParser's post.
'Above can be used... as an adverb (without a following noun): She stared up at the stars above.'── quoted from http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/above (boldface in red is mine)

Not a teacher.

She stared [up] [at the stars] [above].

1. She stared [up].
2. She stared [at the stars].
3. She stared [above].

Well, my guess is that those words in brackets function adverbially - they all modify the verb 'stared'.

I'm not a grammarian!

 

[Matthew Wai]

I don't think 'above' modifies 'stared', which is already modified by 'up', but I am not a teacher.

 

[Matthew Wai]

I don't see "above" as an adverb in "the book above".

I think MikeNewYork's point is that the modifier of a noun should not be an adverb.

..."the stars which are above."
In such a sentence, many grammarians point out that "are" is not a linking verb. It means something like "to exist."

I think their point is that 'are' is the main verb modified by the adverb 'above'.

I consider both points possible, but I am not a teacher.

From now on, I shall not bother you with my humble comments.

Your 'bothering' comments have in fact helped many learners.

Thank you for the link.

You are welcome.

 

[tzfujimino]

That's only my guess, Matthew.

 

[mawes12]

She stared [up] [at the stars] [above].

1. She stared [up].
2. She stared [at the stars].
3. She stared [above].

Well, my guess is that those words in brackets function adverbially - they all modify the verb 'stared'.

I'm not a grammarian!

I think if those sentences were separate like the way you list them, I would agree.

 

[TheParser]

I think their point is that 'are' is the main verb modified by the adverb 'above'.

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


That is, indeed, what many reputable grammarians believe.

One expert explains:

1. "Those hills up ahead aren't mountains." ("up ahead" is an adverb phrase.)

a. It is a shorter version of "Those hills which are up ahead aren't mountains." (Only my note: "Those mountains which exist up ahead aren't mountains.")

Source: Constance Weaver, Grammar for Teachers (1979).


2. Four famous experts give this example:

"The people behind were talking all the time."

a. According to those four experts, there are two explanations:

i. "The people who were sitting behind were talking all the time." (They say "behind" is an adverb here.)
ii. "The people who were sitting behind [us] were talking all the time." (They explain that "behind" is a preposition with an omitted object.)


Source: Quirk et al., page 1293.

 

[mawes12]

2. Four famous experts give this example:

"The people behind were talking all the time."

a. According to those four experts, there are two explanations:

i. "The people who were sitting behind were talking all the time." (They say "behind" is an adverb here.)
ii. "The people who were sitting behind [us] were talking all the time." (They explain that "behind" is a preposition with an omitted object.)

I think the prepositional phrase is working like an adverb even though you are correct.

 

[Matthew Wai]

the prepositional phrase

I can't see any prepositional phrase in the quote, but I am not a teacher.

 

[mawes12]

I can't see any prepositional phrase in the quote, but I am not a teacher.

"behind us" is a prepositional phrase from what I know but I might be wrong.

not a teacher.

 

[Matthew Wai]

'Behind us' is a prepositional phrase but 'us' seems to have been omitted from the example.

Not a teacher.

 

[mawes12]

'Behind us' is a prepositional phrase but 'us' seems to have been omitted from the example.

Not a teacher.

Yeah, that's why I think they both act like an adverb.

 

[MikeNewYork]

"Behind (us)" defines "people"; therefore, it is adjectival.