I am surprised that he is a policeman.

[Mike12345]

I am surprised that he is a policeman.

I think the sentence underlined is an adverbial clause. Am I right? Thank you!

 

[jutfrank]

Re: adverbial clause

What reasons do you have for thinking that?

 

[Mike12345]

Re: adverbial clause

What reasons do you have for thinking that?

Because I am surprised is a complete structure:S+C+P. That he is a policeman can't be attribute, so I think it is an adverbial clause.

 

[Mike12345]

Re: adverbial clause

Am I right ？

 

[TheParser]

Am I right?

NOT A TEACHER

Hello, Mike:

Yes, according to some sources, you are right.

"She seems confident that she will be chosen."

Pence and Emery in A Grammar of Present-Day Grammar (1947 and 1963), pages 179 - 180, feel that "that she will be chosen" is an adverbial clause that modifies the adjective "confident."

*****

Here is another view held by some sources, such as House and Harman in Descriptive English Grammar (1931 and 1950), pages 379 -380.

"I am afraid that he will refuse the offer."


They feel that "that he will refuse the offer" is a noun clause that is being used as an adverb.

They feel that "I am afraid that he will refuse the offer" is a shorter way to say "I am afraid [of this] that he will refuse the offer."

As you can see, "that he will refuse the offer" is a noun clause in apposition with the word "this."

****

Pence and Emery feel that it is simpler to just call such clauses "adverbial clauses" instead of saying that they are noun clauses being used as an adverb.