Adjunct (grammar)

In linguistics, an adjunct is an optional, or structurally dispensable, part of a sentence, clause, or

phrase that, if removed or discarded, will not otherwise affect the remainder of the sentence.
Example: In the sentence John helped Bill in Central Park, the phrase in Central Park is an
adjunct.
A more detailed definition of the adjunct emphasizes its attribute as a modifying form, word, or
phrase that depends on another form, word, or phrase, being an element of clause structure
with adverbial function. An adjunct is not an argument (nor is it a predicative expression), and
an argument is not an adjunct. The argument–adjunct distinction is central in most theories of
syntax and semantics. The terminology used to denote arguments and adjuncts can vary
depending on the theory at hand.

Examples
Take the sentence John helped Bill in Central Park on Sunday as an example:

1. John is the subject argument.

2. helped is the predicate.
3. Bill is the object argument.
4. in Central Park is the first adjunct.
5. on Sunday is the second adjunct.[2]
An adverbial adjunct is a sentence element that often establishes the circumstances in which the
action or state expressed by the verb takes place. The following sentence uses adjuncts of time
and place:
Yesterday, Lorna saw the dog in the garden.
Notice that this example is ambiguous between whether the adjunct in the garden modifies the
verb saw (in which case it is Lorna who saw the dog while she was in the garden) or the noun
phrase the dog (in which case it is the dog who is in the garden). The definition can be extended
to include adjuncts that modify nouns or other parts of speech.

Adverbial

Why do we use adverbials?

We use adverbs to give more information about the verb.
We use adverbials of manner to say how something happens or how something is done:
The children were playing happily.
He was driving as fast as possible.
We use adverbials of place to say where something happens:
I saw him there.
 We met in London.
We use adverbials of time to say when or how often something happens:
They start work at six thirty.
They usually go to work by bus.
We use adverbials of probability to show how certain we are about something.
Perhaps the weather will be fine.
He is certainly coming to the party.

Adverbials and adjuncts

An adverbial is a word (an adverb), phrase, or clause which modifies (changes, restricts or adds
to the meaning of) a verb. An adverbial can be a noun phrase (we met that afternoon),
a prepositional phrase (we met in the cafe), or a clause (we met because we needed to talk) as
well as an adverb, but always functions to modify the meaning of a verb. A sentence
can contain just one adverbial or several.

We typically use adverbials to talk about:

where something happens (place):

I put my bag on the floor.

Don’t just sit there!
Could you let the cat out?

when something happens (time):

We’re in Paris today, but where will we be tomorrow?

The rain lasted all night.
She’d been travelling for three days.

the way in which someone does something or something happens or exists (manner):
The abbey now lies in ruins.
You’re acting as if you were still a teenager.
These shirts come in three sizes.

Adjuncts

An adverbial adjunct is a type of adverbial which adds more information to a sentence.

It differs from other adverbials because if it is left out of a sentence, the rest of the sentence still
makes sense. Adverbial adjuncts provide extra but optional information, whereas adverbials offer
information that is integral to the meaning of the sentence. Compare these two examples:
I put my bag on the floor.
✗ I put my bag
[on the floor is an adverbial: the sentence isn't meaningful without it]

I dropped my bag next to my seat and sat down.

I dropped my bag and sat down.
[next to my seat is an adverbial adjunct; the sentence makes sense without it]

Adverbial adjuncts can provide extra information about:

where things happen:

At low tide you can cross the bays on the beach.
The children were playing upstairs.

when things happen:

I can’t sleep at night.
She visited her family yesterday.

how things happen:

I found out how to do this by accident.

why things happen or are done:

No one is turned away because of a lack of means.
I still send her a Christmas card each year for old times' sake.

condition (i.e. if this happens, then that happens):

Leslie had left no letter for me to read in the event of his death.

concession (i.e. even if this happens, still that happens):

Despite all their efforts, the dishwasher is still broken.

degree (i.e. answering the question ‘how much?’):

I wouldn’t worry at all.
Adverbial
In grammar, an adverbial (abbreviated ADV) is a word (an adverb) or a group of words
(an adverbial phrase or an adverbial clause) that modifies or more closely defines the sentence or
the verb. (The word adverbial itself is also used as an adjective, meaning "having the same
function as an adverb".) Look at the examples below:
Danny speaks fluently. (telling more about the verb)
Lorna ate breakfast yesterday morning. (telling when the verb's action occurred)
In English, adverbials most commonly take the form of adverbs, adverb phrases, temporal noun
phrases or prepositional phrases. Many types of adverbials (for instance: reason and condition)
are often expressed by clauses.
James answered immediately. (adverb)
James answered in English. (prepositional phrase)
James answered this morning. (noun phrase)
James answered in English because he had a foreign visitor. (adverbial clause)
Adverbials are typically divided into four classes:
adverbial complements (i.e. obligatory adverbial) are adverbials that render a sentence
ungrammatical and meaningless if removed.
John put the flowers in the water.
adjuncts: these are part of the core meaning of the sentence, but if omitted still leave a
meaningful sentence.
John and Sophia helped me with my homework.
conjuncts: these link two sentences together.
John helped; therefore, I was able to do my homework.
disjuncts: these make comments on the meaning of the rest of the sentence.
Surprisingly, he passed all of his exams.

Adverbial Complements

What is an adverbial complement?

Adverbial complements are adverbs or other adverbial elements in a clause that are required to
complete the meaning of the verb.
Like adverbial adjuncts, adverbial complements modify the meaning of the verb by providing
additional information. However, unlike adjuncts, which can be removed without losing
meaning, adverbial complements must be included because removing them would cause the
sentence to be incomplete or fundamentally altered in its meaning.
For example:

 “Please keep still.”

 “I love living in New York.”

If the adverb still in the first sentence were removed, it would read “Please keep” and no longer
make any sense. If the adverbial prepositional phrase in New York were removed from the
second sentence, it would read “I love living”—this would still make logical sense, but the
original meaning would be completely lost.

Identifying adverbial complements

Adverbial complements always appear after the verb they complement. If the verb
is intransitive, the complement will appear directly after the verb; if the verb is transitive, the
complement will appear after the verb’s direct object.
The best way to identify whether an adverbial element is a complement or not is to remove it
from the sentence. If the sentence no longer makes sense or has a very different meaning, then
the adverbial element is a complement.
Example (without
Example (with adverbial) Does the meaning change?
adverbial)

“The teacher sent Tim home.”
“She told me the story quickly.” “She told me the story.”
“Please put the book on the
shelf.”
“He wrote a book in his spare
time.”
“The teacher sent Tim.”
“Please put the book.”
“He wrote a book.”
Yes—the adverbial is
a complement.
No—the adverbial is an adjunct.
Yes—the adverbial is
a complement.
No—the adverbial is an adjunct.

Grammatical Functions of English Noun Clauses

A noun clause is a dependent clause that consists of a subordinating conjunction followed by a

clause and that performs a nominal function. Noun clauses perform nine grammatical functions
in English grammar:

 Subject
 Subject complement
 Direct object
 Object complement
  Indirect object
 Prepositional complement
 Noun phrase complement
 Adjective phrase complement
 Appositive

The following sections define and exemplify the nine grammatical functions performed by noun
clauses in the English language.

Subjects

The first grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the subject. A subject is a word,
phrase, or clause that performs the action of or acts upon the verb. For example, the following
italicized noun clauses function as subjects:

 Whoever ate my lunch is in big trouble.

 How you will finish all your homework on time is beyond me.
 That the museum cancelled the lecture disappoints me.
 For you to not graduate from college now is such as shame.

Both finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as subjects.

Subject Complements

The second grammatical function that noun phrases perform is the subject complement. A
subject complement is a word, phrase, or clause that follows a copular, or linking, verb and
describes the subject of a clause. The terms predicate nominative and predicate noun are also
used for noun clauses that function as subject complements. For example, the following
italicized noun clauses function as subject complements:

 The truth was that the moving company lost all your furniture.
 My question is whether you will sue the company for losses.
 The first place winner will be whoever swims the farthest in an hour.
 That noise is the baby whimpering in her crib.

Both finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as subject complements.

Direct Objects

The third grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the direct object. A direct object is a
word, phrase, or clause that follows a transitive verb and answers the question “who?” or
“what?” receives the action of the verb. For example, the following italicized noun clauses
function as direct objects:

 The counselor has been wondering if she chose the right career.
 Do you know when the train should arrive?
  Our dog eats whatever we put in his bowl.
 I would hate for you to get hurt.

Both finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as direct objects.

Object Complements

The fourth grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the object complement. Object
complements are defined as words, phrases, and clauses that directly follow and modify the
direct object. For example, the following italicized noun clauses function as object complements:

 Her grandfather considers his biggest mistake that he did not finish college.
 The committee has announced the winner whoever wrote the essay on noun clauses.
 You may call your husband whatever you wish.
 The assessment committee announced the problem us refusing to try new procedures.

Although rare, both finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as object complements
although nonfinite noun clauses perform the function infrequently.

Indirect Objects

The fifth grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the indirect object. An indirect
object is word, phrase, or clause that indicates to or for whom or what the action of a ditransitive
verb is performed. For example, the following italicized noun clauses function as indirect
objects:

 The judge will give what you said some deliberation during her decision.
 The group has given that most Americans do not support their cause little consideration.
 My parents gave that my brother wants his own car much thought.
 My classmates gave me singing the school song a gold star.

Although rare, both finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as direct objects although
nonfinite noun clauses again perform the function infrequently.

Prepositional Complements

The sixth grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the prepositional complement. A
prepositional complement is a word, phrase, or clause that directly follows a preposition and
completes the meaning of the prepositional phrase. For example, the following italicized noun
clauses function as prepositional complements:

 Some people believe in whatever organized religion tells them.

 We have been waiting for whoever will pick us up from the party.
 My husband did not think about that I wanted some nice jewelry for my birthday.
 My dog is always begging for me to give him a treat.
Both finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as prepositional complements.

Noun Phrase Complement

The seventh grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the noun phrase complement. A
noun phrase complement is a phrase or clause that completes the meaning of a noun phrase. For
example, the following italicized noun clauses function as noun phrase complements:

 The claim that the earth is flat was once considered true.
 My problem is the fact that you are never on time for work.
 Our hope that peace will be achieved is possible.
 The supposition that men are smarter than women is untrue.

Only finite that-noun clauses can function as noun phrase complements.

Adjective Phrase Complements

The eighth grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the adjective phrase complement.
An adjective phrase complement is a phrase or clause that completes the meaning of an adjective
phrase. For example, the following italicized noun clauses function as adjective phrase
complements:

 I am pleased that you are studying noun clauses.

 The toddler was surprised that throwing a tantrum did not get him his way.
 My brother is angry that someone dented his new car.
 I am sad that my husband is sick again.

Only finite that-noun clauses can function as adjective phrase complements. Noun clauses most
often function as adjective phrase complements when the adjective phrase is performing the
function of subject complement.

Appositives

The ninth grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the appositive. An appositive is a
word, phrase, or clause that modifies or explains another noun phrase. For example, the
following italicized noun clauses function as appositives:

 That man, whoever is he, tried to steal some library books.

 The problem, that the storm knocked out power, is affecting the entire town.
 Your question, whether you should wear the blue dress or pink one, is frivolous in the
situation.
 That terrible noise, my husband singing in the shower, annoys the neighbors every night.

Both finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as appositives.

The nine grammatical functions of noun clauses in English grammar are subject, subject
complement, direct object, object complement, indirect object, prepositional complement,
adjective phrase complement, noun phrase complement, and appositive.

Grammatical Functions of English Nouns and Noun Phrases

Noun phrases including nouns and pronouns perform eleven main grammatical functions within
sentences in the English language. The eleven functions of nouns and noun phrases are:

 Noun phrase head

 Subject
 Subject complement
 Direct object
 Object complement
 Indirect object
 Prepositional complement
 Noun phrase modifier
 Determinative
 Appositive
 Adjunct adverbial

Nouns are traditionally defined as “persons, places, things, and ideas.” Noun phrases are defined
as phrases that consist of a noun or pronoun and any number of constituents including adjectives,
determiners, prepositional phrases, verb phrases, and adjective clauses.

Noun Phrase Head

The first grammatical function that nouns perform is the noun phrase head. A noun phrase
consists of a noun including a pronoun plus any determiners, modifiers, and complements. For
example, the following italicized nouns function as noun phrase heads:

 the big blue ball

 someone to love
 an old woman who lived in a shoe

Subjects

The second grammatical function that noun phrases perform is the subject. A subject is a word,
phrase, or clause that performs the action of or acts upon the verb. For example, the following
italicized noun phrases function as subjects:

 The baby cried.

 Dogs and cats make excellent pets.
 I will have extensively studied English grammar.
Subject Complements

The third grammatical function that noun phrases perform is the subject complement. A subject
complement is a word, phrase, or clause that follows a copular, or linking, verb and describes the
subject of a clause. The terms predicate nominative and predicate noun are also used for noun
phrases that function as subject complements. For example, the following italicized noun phrases
function as predicate nominatives:

 My grandfather is a farmer.
 Our favorite pets are dogs with short hair.
 The woman whom you are looking for is she.

Direct Objects

The fourth grammatical function that noun phrases perform is the direct object. A direct object is
a word, phrase, or clause that follows a transitive verb and answers the question “who?” or
“what?” receives the action of the verb. For example, the following italicized noun phrases
function as direct objects:

 The children ate all the cookies.

 My professor recommended an extremely captivating book.
 The woman has always hated mice and rats.

Object Complements

The fifth grammatical function that noun phrases perform is the object complement. Object
complements are defined as nouns, pronouns, noun phrases, adjectives, and adjective phrases
that directly follow and modify the direct object. For example, the following italicized noun
phrases function as object complements:

 We consider our puppy our baby.

 My aunt calls my uncle sweetheart.
 America recently elected Barack Obama president.

Indirect Objects

The sixth grammatical function that noun phrases perform is the indirect object. An indirect
object is word, phrase, or clause that indicates to or for whom or what the action of a ditransitive
verb is performed. For example, the following italicized noun phrases function as indirect
objects:

 My husband bought me flowers.

 The child drew his mother a picture.
 The salesman sold the company suffering from the scandal new computers.

Prepositional Complements
The seventh grammatical function that noun phrases perform is the prepositional complement. A
prepositional complement is a word, phrase, or clause that directly follows a preposition and
completes the meaning of the prepositional phrase. For example, the following italicized noun
phrases function as prepositional complements:

 My husband bought flowers for me.

 The students studied during their spring break.
 Because of the lengthy delay, we missed our flight.

Noun Phrase Modifiers

The eighth grammatical function that noun phrases perform is the noun phrase modifier. A noun
phrase modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that modifies or describes a noun including a
pronoun or a noun phrase. For example, the following italicized noun phrases function as noun
phrase modifiers:

 The child actor won an award.

 The carpenter fixed the broken table leg.
 We reserved twenty hotel rooms.

Determinatives

The ninth grammatical function that noun phrases can perform is the determinative.
Determinatives provide information such as familiarity, location, quantity, and number.
Possessive nouns — which are a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase and the possessive clitic
(apostrophe s or s apostrophe) — function as determinatives. Possessive nouns indicate
possession of or some other relationship to another noun or noun phrase. For example, the
following italicized noun phrases function as possessive modifiers:

 My brother’s apartment is small.

 I found everyone’s reports informative.
 The man who stole my purse’s car has been towed.

Appositives

The tenth grammatical function that noun phrases perform is the appositive. An appositive is a
word, phrase, or clause that modifies or explains another noun phrase. For example, the
following italicized noun phrases function as appositives:

 My grandfather, the farmer, bought more farm land.

 The teacher, my uncle, assigns a lot of homework.
 The musician Stevie Nicks is a singer in the band Fleetwood Mac.

Adjunct Adverbials
The eleventh grammatical function that noun phrases perform is the adjunct adverbial. An
adjunct adverbial is a word, phrase, or clause that modifies an entire clause by providing
additional information about time, place, manner, condition, purpose, reason, result, and
concession. For example, the following italicized noun phrases function as adjunct adverbials:

 Today the children woke up early.

 Yesterday the children slept in late.
 We decided to go home.

The eleven functions of noun phrases are noun phrase head, subject, subject complement, direct
object, object complement, indirect object, prepositional complement, noun phrase modifier,
determinative, appositive, and adjunct adverbial.

Grammatical Functions of English Noun Clauses

A noun clause is a dependent clause that consists of a subordinating conjunction followed by a

clause and that performs a nominal function. Noun clauses perform nine grammatical functions
in English grammar:

 Subject
 Subject complement
 Direct object
 Object complement
 Indirect object
 Prepositional complement
 Noun phrase complement
 Adjective phrase complement
 Appositive

The following sections define and exemplify the nine grammatical functions performed by noun
clauses in the English language.

Subjects

The first grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the subject. A subject is a word,
phrase, or clause that performs the action of or acts upon the verb. For example, the following
italicized noun clauses function as subjects:

 Whoever ate my lunch is in big trouble.

 How you will finish all your homework on time is beyond me.
 That the museum cancelled the lecture disappoints me.
 For you to not graduate from college now is such as shame.

Both finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as subjects.

Subject Complements
The second grammatical function that noun phrases perform is the subject complement. A
subject complement is a word, phrase, or clause that follows a copular, or linking, verb and
describes the subject of a clause. The terms predicate nominative and predicate noun are also
used for noun clauses that function as subject complements. For example, the following
italicized noun clauses function as subject complements:

 The truth was that the moving company lost all your furniture.
 My question is whether you will sue the company for losses.
 The first place winner will be whoever swims the farthest in an hour.
 That noise is the baby whimpering in her crib.

Both finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as subject complements.

Direct Objects

The third grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the direct object. A direct object is a
word, phrase, or clause that follows a transitive verb and answers the question “who?” or
“what?” receives the action of the verb. For example, the following italicized noun clauses
function as direct objects:

 The counselor has been wondering if she chose the right career.
 Do you know when the train should arrive?
 Our dog eats whatever we put in his bowl.
 I would hate for you to get hurt.

Both finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as direct objects.

Object Complements

The fourth grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the object complement. Object
complements are defined as words, phrases, and clauses that directly follow and modify the
direct object. For example, the following italicized noun clauses function as object complements:

 Her grandfather considers his biggest mistake that he did not finish college.
 The committee has announced the winner whoever wrote the essay on noun clauses.
 You may call your husband whatever you wish.
 The assessment committee announced the problem us refusing to try new procedures.

Although rare, both finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as object complements
although nonfinite noun clauses perform the function infrequently.

Indirect Objects

The fifth grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the indirect object. An indirect
object is word, phrase, or clause that indicates to or for whom or what the action of a ditransitive
verb is performed. For example, the following italicized noun clauses function as indirect
objects:

 The judge will give what you said some deliberation during her decision.
 The group has given that most Americans do not support their cause little consideration.
 My parents gave that my brother wants his own car much thought.
 My classmates gave me singing the school song a gold star.

Although rare, both finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as direct objects although
nonfinite noun clauses again perform the function infrequently.

Prepositional Complements

The sixth grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the prepositional complement. A
prepositional complement is a word, phrase, or clause that directly follows a preposition and
completes the meaning of the prepositional phrase. For example, the following italicized noun
clauses function as prepositional complements:

 Some people believe in whatever organized religion tells them.

 We have been waiting for whoever will pick us up from the party.
 My husband did not think about that I wanted some nice jewelry for my birthday.
 My dog is always begging for me to give him a treat.

Both finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as prepositional complements.

Noun Phrase Complement

The seventh grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the noun phrase complement. A
noun phrase complement is a phrase or clause that completes the meaning of a noun phrase. For
example, the following italicized noun clauses function as noun phrase complements:

 The claim that the earth is flat was once considered true.
 My problem is the fact that you are never on time for work.
 Our hope that peace will be achieved is possible.
 The supposition that men are smarter than women is untrue.

Only finite that-noun clauses can function as noun phrase complements.

Adjective Phrase Complements

The eighth grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the adjective phrase complement.
An adjective phrase complement is a phrase or clause that completes the meaning of an adjective
phrase. For example, the following italicized noun clauses function as adjective phrase
complements:

 I am pleased that you are studying noun clauses.

  The toddler was surprised that throwing a tantrum did not get him his way.
 My brother is angry that someone dented his new car.
 I am sad that my husband is sick again.

Only finite that-noun clauses can function as adjective phrase complements. Noun clauses most
often function as adjective phrase complements when the adjective phrase is performing the
function of subject complement.

Appositives

The ninth grammatical function that noun clauses perform is the appositive. An appositive is a
word, phrase, or clause that modifies or explains another noun phrase. For example, the
following italicized noun clauses function as appositives:

 That man, whoever is he, tried to steal some library books.

 The problem, that the storm knocked out power, is affecting the entire town.
 Your question, whether you should wear the blue dress or pink one, is frivolous in the
situation.
 That terrible noise, my husband singing in the shower, annoys the neighbors every night.

Both finite and nonfinite noun clauses can function as appositives.

The nine grammatical functions of noun clauses in English grammar are subject, subject
complement, direct object, object complement, indirect object, prepositional complement,
adjective phrase complement, noun phrase complement, and appositive.

In English grammar, an object is either a noun, a noun phrase, or a pronoun that is affected by
the action of a verb. Objects give our language detail and texture by allowing the creation of
complex sentences.

Types of Objects

Objects can function in three different ways within a sentence. The first two are fairly easy to
spot because they follow the verb:

1. Direct objects are the result of an action. A subject does something, and the product is
the object itself. For example, consider this sentence: Marie wrote a poem. In this case,
the noun "poem" follows the transitive verb "wrote" and completes the meaning of the
sentence.
2. Indirect objects receive or respond to the outcome of an action. Consider this example:
Marie sent me an email. The pronoun "me" comes after the verb "sent" and before the
 noun "email," which is the direct object in this sentence. The indirect object always goes
before the direct object.
3. Objects of a preposition are nouns and pronouns that modify the meaning of a verb. For
instance: Marie lives in a dorm. In this sentence, the noun "dorm" follows the preposition
"in." Together, they form a prepositional phrase.

Direct Objects

Direct objects identify what or who receives the action of a transitive verb in a clause or
sentence. When pronouns function as direct objects, they customarily take the form of the
objective case (me, us, you, him, her, it, them, whom, and whomever). Consider the following
sentences, taken from "Charlotte's Web," by E.B. White:

"She closed the carton carefully. First she kissed her father, then she kissed her mother. Then
she opened the lid again, lifted the pig out, and held it against her cheek."

There's only one subject in this passage, yet there are six direct objects (carton, father, mother,
lid, pig, it), a mix of nouns and pronouns. Gerunds (verbs ending in "ing" that act as nouns)
sometimes also serve as direct objects. For example:

Jim enjoys gardening on the weekends.

My mother included reading and baking in her list of hobbies.

Indirect Objects

Nouns and pronouns also function as indirect objects. These objects are the beneficiaries or
recipients of the action in a sentence. Indirect objects answer the questions "to/for whom" and
"to/for what." For example:

My aunt opened her purse and gave the man a quarter.

It was his birthday so mom had baked Bob a chocolate cake.

In the first example, the man is given a coin. The quarter is a direct object and it benefits the
man, an indirect object. In the second example, the cake is the direct object and it benefits Bob,
the indirect object.

Prepositions and Verbs

Objects that pair with prepositions function differently than direct and indirect objects, which
follow verbs. These nouns and verbs reference a preposition and modify the action of the larger
sentence. For example:

Girls are playing basketball around a utility pole with a metal hoop bolted to it.
He sat in the basement of the building, among the boxes, reading a book on his break.

Like direct objects, prepositional objects receive the action of the subject in the sentences, yet
need a preposition for the sentence to make sense. Spotting prepositions is important because if
you use the wrong one, it can confuse readers. Consider how odd the second sentence would
sound if it began, "He sat on the basement..."

Transitive verbs also require an object in order for them to make sense. There are three kinds of
transitive verbs. Monotransitive verbs have a direct object, whereas ditransitive verbs have a
direct object and an indirect object. Complex-transitive verbs have a direct object and an object
attribute. For example:

 Monotransitive: Bob bought a car.

 Ditransitive: Bob gave me the keys to his new car.
 Complex-transitive: I thought the car was fun to drive.

Intransitive verbs, on the other hand, do not need an object in order to complete their meaning.

Objects Are in the Objective Case

Objects are always in the objective case. In English, this only affects pronouns (but not all
pronouns). For example:

 She saw him.

(The pronoun him is the objective case version of he (which is the subjective case).)

 Give them the money.

(The pronoun them is the objective case version of they.)

 Dance with her.

(The pronoun her is the objective case version of she.)

Here is a list of subjective pronouns and objective pronouns:

Subjective Pronoun Objective Pronoun Comment

I me
you you No change
he him
she her
it it No change
we us
they them
who whom More on who & whom
whoever whomever

Direct and Indirect Objects

A direct object is the receiver of action within a sentence, as in "He hit the ball." Be careful to
distinguish between a direct object and an object complement:

 They named their daughter Natasha.

In that sentence, "daughter" is the direct object and "Natasha" is the object complement, which
renames or describes the direct object.

The indirect object identifies to or for whom or what the action of the verb is performed. The
direct object and indirect object are different people or places or things. The direct objects in the
sentences below are in boldface; the indirect objects are in italics.

 The instructor gave his students A's.

 Grandfather left Rosalita and Raoul all his money.
 Jo-Bob sold me her boat.

Incidentally, the word me (and similar object-form pronouns such as him, us, them) is not always
an indirect object; it will also serve, sometimes, as a direct object.

 Bless me/her/us!
 Call me/him/them if you have questions.

In English, nouns and their accompanying modifiers (articles and adjectives) do not change form
when they are used as objects or indirect objects, as they do in many other languages. "The radio
is on the desk" and "I borrowed the radio" contain exactly the same word form used for quite
different functions. This is not true of pronouns, however, which use different forms for different
functions. (He [subject] loves his grandmother. His grandmother loves him [object).

Sentence Analysis

Definition:

A sentence is a group of words giving a complete thought.

A sentence is a word or group of words that must expresses a complete idea or
sense or meaning and that may consists of a subject and a verb.
The sentence is generally defined as a word or a group of words that expresses a
thorough idea by giving a statement/order, or asking a question, or exclaiming.
A sentence is the largest unit of any language. In English, it begins with a capital
letter and ends with a full-stop, or a question mark, or an exclamation mark.
 A More Formal Definition of Sentence
A sentence is a set of words that is complete in itself, typically containing a subject
and predicate, conveying a statement, question, exclamation, or command, and
consisting of a main clause and sometimes one or more subordinate clauses.
Oxford Dictionary

Also it may have an object or a complement and the words must be ordered
properly.
Example: Rahim is a student.

Basically there are two parts of a sentence:

 Subject and Predicate
 Subject: A subject of a sentence is a person or thing about which something
is said or written.
 Predicate: And the Predicate that says what the Subject does.
In the above example ‘Rahim’ is subject and ‘is a student’ is Predicate. A sentence
usually starts with a subject and then predicate comes.
Word classes (or parts of speech)

All words belong to categories called word classes (or parts of speech) according
to the part they play in a sentence. The main word classes in English are listed
below.
Noun, Pronoun, Adjective, Verb, Adverb, Preposition, Conjunction,
Interjection

Noun
A noun is a word that identifies:
a person (man, girl, engineer, friend)
a thing (horse, wall, flower, country)
an idea, quality, or state (anger, courage, life, luckiness)

Pronoun
Pronouns are used in place of a noun that is already known or has already
been mentioned. This is often done in order to avoid repeating the noun. For
example:
Laura left early because she was tired.
Anthony brought the avocados with him.
That is the only option left.
Something will have to change.
Personal pronouns are used in place of nouns referring to specific people or things,
for example I, me, mine, you, yours, his, her, hers, we, they, or them.

Adjective
An adjective is a word that describes a noun, giving extra information about it. For
example:
an exciting adventure
a green apple
a tidy room

Verb
A verb describes what a person or thing does or what happens. For example, verbs
describe:
an action – jump, stop, explore
an event – snow, happen
a situation – be, seem, have
a change – evolve, shrink, widen

Adverb
An adverb is a word that’s used to give information about a verb, adjective, or
other adverb. They can make the meaning of a verb, adjective, or other adverb
stronger or weaker, and often appear between the subject and its verb.
Example: She nearly lost everything.

Preposition
A preposition is a word such as after, in, to, on, and with. Prepositions are usually
used in front of nouns or pronouns and they show the relationship between the
noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. They describe, for example, the
position of something, the time when something happens, or the way in which
something is done.
Examples: in, of, upon, from, to, into, for etc.

Conjunction
A conjunction (also called a connective) is a word such as and, because, but, for,
if, or, and when. Conjunctions are used to connect phrases, clauses, and sentences.
 The two main kinds are known as coordinating conjunctions and subordinating
conjunctions.

Interjection
An exclamation (also called an interjection) is a word or phrase that expresses
strong emotion, such as surprise, pleasure, or anger. Exclamations often stand on
their own, and in writing they are usually followed by an exclamation mark rather
than a full stop.
 Ahh, that feels wonderful.
 Alas! I'm lost in the wilderness.

Phrase: Definition, Types & Examples

A phrase is a group of words which has no finite verb in it and acts to complete
the sentence for making it meaningful.
“A phrase is a small group of words that form a meaningful unit within
a clause.”-Oxford Dictionary
“In linguistic analysis, a phrase is a group of words (or possibly a single word)
that functions as a constituent in the syntax of a sentence, a single unit within a
grammatical hierarchy.”

Types of Phrases
The phrases are generally of six types.
 Noun Phrase
 Adjective Phrase
 Adverbial Phrase
 Prepositional Phrase
 Conjunctional Phrase
Interjectional Phrase
Noun Phrase
A noun phrase is usually assembled centering a single noun and works as a
subject, an object or a complement in the sentence.
Example:
o I like to swing the bat hard when I am at the crease. (An object)
o Reading novels is a good habit. (A subject)
o The probability of happening that match is not much. (A subject)
o We are sorry for her departure.
Adjective Phrase
An adjective phrase is comprised of an adjective and works as a single adjective
in the sentence.
Example:
o Alex is a well-behaved man.
o He is a man of friendly nature.
o Julie is a woman of gorgeous style.
o She leads a very interesting life.
o A lot of people do not sleep at night.
Adverbial Phrase
An adverbial phrase modifies the verb or the adjective and works as an adverb in
the sentence.
Example:
o The horse runs at a good speed.
o I was in a hurry then.
o I ran as fast as possible.
o He works very slowly.
Prepositional Phrase
A prepositional phrase always begins with a preposition and connects nouns.
Example:
o He sacrificed his life for the sake of his country.
o In the end, we all have to die.
o He is on the way.
o By working aimlessly, you will not get success.
o In spite of working hard, he was insulted by his boss.
Note: Prepositional phrases include all other types of phrases.
Conjunctional Phrase
A conjunctional phrase works as a conjunction in the sentence.
Example:
o As soon as you got in, he went out.
o We have to work hard so that we can win the next match.
o I will attend the ceremony provided that you come.
o John started working early in order that he could finish early.
 Interjectional Phrase
Interjections that have more than one word are called the interjectional phrases.
Example:
o What a pity! He is dead.
o What a pleasure! I won the first prize.
o Oh please! Don’t say that again.

Clauses: Definition, Types & Examples

A clause is comprised of a group of words which includes a subject and a finite
verb. A clause contains only one subject and one verb. The subject of a clause can
be mentioned or hidden, but the verb must be apparent and distinguishable.
A clause “a group of words containing a subject and predicate and functioning
as a member of a complex or compound sentence.” – Merriam-Webster
Example:
o I graduated last year. (One clause sentence)
o When I came here, I saw him. (Two clause sentence)
o When I came here, I saw him, and he greeted me. (Three clause sentence)
o

Types of Clause
Clauses are mainly of two types:
 Independent Clause/Principal Clause
 Dependent Clause/Subordinate Clause
Independent Clause
An independent clause functions on its own to make a meaningful sentence and
looks much like a regular sentence.
In a sentence two independent clauses can be connected by the coordinators: and,
but, so, or, nor, for*, yet*.
Example:
o He is a wise man.
o I like him.
o Can you do it?
o Do it please. (Subject you is hidden)
o I read the whole story.
o I want to buy a phone, but I don’t have enough money. (Two independent
clauses)
 o He went to London and visited the Lords. (Subject of the second clause is
‘he,' so “he visited the Lords” is an independent clause.)
o Alex smiles whenever he sees her. (One independent clause)
Dependent Clause
A dependent clause cannot function on its own because it leaves an idea or
thought unfinished. It is also called subordinate clause. Dependent clauses help the
independent clauses complete the sentence. A dependent clause alone cannot form
a complete sentence.
The subordinators do the work of connecting the dependent clause to another
clause to complete the sentence. In each of the dependent clause, the first word is a
subordinator. Subordinators include relative pronouns, subordinating conjunctions,
and noun clause markers.
Example:
o When I was dating Daina, I had an accident.
o I know the man who stole the watch.
o He bought a car which was too expensive.
o I know that he cannot do it.
o He does not know where he was born.
o If you don’t eat, I won’t go.
o He is a very talented player though he is out of form.
Differences between Phrase and clause

The basic difference between a clause and a phrase is that a clause must have a
finite verb and a phrase must not. Phrase and clause are the most important
elements of English grammar. Phrase and clause cover everything a sentence has.
Clauses are the center of sentences and phrases strengthen the sentences to become
meaningful. If the clauses are the pillars of a building, the phrases are the bricks. A
phrase usually is always present within a clause, but a phrase cannot have a clause
in it.

Kinds of Sentence:
Sentence can be classified into five categories according to the meaning or
functions.
They are:-
1. Assertive Sentence
2. Interrogative Sentence
3. Imperative Sentence
4. Optative Sentence
5. Exclamatory Sentence

Declarative Sentence
A declarative sentence states a fact and ends with a period (full stop).
For example: We love our country.

Imperative Sentence
An imperative sentence is a command or a polite request. It ends with an
exclamation mark or a period (full stop).
For example: Open the door.

Interrogative Sentence
An interrogative sentence asks a question and ends with a question mark.

For example: What is your name?

Where are you from?

Optative Sentence
The sentence which expresses a prayer, keen wish, curse etc. is called an optative
sentence. This kind of sentence generally starts with ‘may’ and ‘wish’. Sometimes,
‘may’ remains hidden.
Examples of Optative Sentence:
o May God bless us all.
o May the almighty help in this tragedy.
o Wish you a happy journey together.
o May your team win the match!

 An Exclamatory Sentence.
o An exclamatory sentence expresses excitement or emotion. It ends with an
exclamation mark. For example:
o Hush! Your father is sleeping.
o What a boring day!
o How disgusting it becomes when he opens his mouth!

There are three types of sentences according to structure (clause patterns). These
are:
o SIMPLE SENTENCE
 A simple sentence is an independent clause with no conjunction or dependent
clause.A simple sentence contains one independent clause.
What’s an “independent clause”? It’s one subject followed by one verb or verb
phrase. It expresses a single idea.
Examples of simple sentences:
 I‘m happy.
 Robert doesn’t eat meat.
 My brother and I went to the mall last night.
 This new laptop computer has already crashed twice.
Notice that a “simple sentence” isn’t necessarily short. The subject can be a single
word like “I” or “Robert,” or it can be a double subject like “my brother and I,” or
it can be multiple words describing a single person/object, like “This new laptop
computer.”
COMPOUND SENTENCE
A compound sentence has two independent clauses joined by a linking word (and,
but, or, so, yet, however).
Each independent clause could be a sentence by itself, but we connect them with
a linking word:
 I‘m happy, but my kids are always complaining.
 Robert doesn’t eat meat, so Barbara made a special vegetarian dish for
him.
 My brother and I went to the mall last night, but we didn’t buy
anything.
 This new laptop computer has already crashed twice, and I have no idea
why.
Note that each sentence has TWO subjects and TWO verb phrases.
COMPLEX SENTENCE
A complex sentence has one independent clause and one or more dependent
clauses. The clauses in a complex sentence are combined with conjunctions and
subordinators, terms that help the dependent clauses relate to the independent
clause. Subordinators can refer to the subject (who, which), the sequence/time
(since, while), or the causal elements (because, if) of the independent clause.
A dependent clause cannot be a complete sentence by itself.
 I’m happy, even though I don’t make much money.
 Robert, a friend I’ve known since high school, doesn’t eat meat.
 After getting home from work, my brother and I went to the mall last
night.
 This new laptop computer, which I bought yesterday, has already
crashed twice.
o