Download Prepositional Phrases as Subject Complements

Nominal
Functions
Prepositions
of
and
English
Prepositional
Phrases
The
term
''nominal''
refers
to
the
phrase
that
replaces
the
noun.Traditional grammars define prepositions as “words that indicate a
relation between the noun or pronoun and another word, which may be
a verb, an adjective, or another noun or pronoun.” Prepositional phrases
consist of a preposition plus a nou or a noun phrase. prepositional
phrases perform six nominal functions in English grammar. Nominal
functions are grammatical functions performed by nouns, noun
phrases,
and
noun
clauses.
The
six
nominal
functions
of
prepositional phrases are:
1. Subject
2. Subject complement
3. Direct object
4. Object complement
5. Indirect object
6. Prepositional complement
Prepositional phrases of location and time most often perform nominal
functions.
Prepositional Phrases as Subjects
The first nominal function that prepositional 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
prepositional phrases function as subjects:

Before ten is a bad time to call him.
 Under the freezer is absolutely disgusting!
 Between seven and nine is when employees must arrive.
Prepositional Phrases as Subject Complements
The second nominal function that prepositional 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. For example, the following italicized prepositional phrases
function as subject complements:
 The most magical time of night is after midnight.
 Studying English grammar is out of this world.
 My least favorite part of the workday is during the afternoon.
 A good place to study is in the library.
Prepositional Phrase as Direct Objects
The third nominal function that prepositional 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
prepositional phrases function as direct objects:
 You must clean under the bed.
 His brother is painting along the ceiling.
 My aunt scrubbed behind the freezer.
 Grandma will decorate on top of the roof.
Note that prepositional phrases functioning as direct objects can
sometimes also be analyzed as adjunct adverbials. For example, in
the first sentence, You must clean under the bed, the prepositional
phrase answers the questions both “what must we clean?” and “where
must we clean?” Direct objects answer the question “what?” while
adjunct adverbials can answer the question “where?” In the case of You
must clean under the bed, the prepositional phrase under the bed is
either a direct object or an adverbial depending on the particular
analysis of the grammarian.
Prepositional Phrases as Object Complements
The fourth nominal function that prepositional phrases 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 prepositional phrases function as
object complements:



Students declare the best time of year during the summer.
The tour guides announced the most dangerous place to
swim along the southern shore.
The reviewer named the most organized classrooms in the
English building.
Prepositional Phrases as Indirect Objects
The fifth nominal function that prepositional phrases perform is
the indirect object. Indirect objects are defined as words, phrases, and
clauses that indicate to or for whom or what the action of a ditransitive
verb is performed. For example, the following italicized prepositional
phrases function as indirect objects:
 The maid gave inside the refrigerator a thorough scrubbing.
 My mom has given behind the freezer a good scrubbing.
 The
decorator is giving inside the closet some serious
consideration.
 My brother should give under his bed some thought.
Prepositional Phrases as Prepositional Complements
The sixth nominal function that prepositional phrases perform is
the prepositional complement. Prepositional complements are words,
phrases, and clauses that directly follow a preposition and complete the
meaning of the prepositional phrase. For example, the following
italicized prepositional phrases function as prepositional complements:

She mused about under our beds.
 The maid gawked at behind the refrigerator.
 The secret agent is spying on inside the boardroom.
Nominal Functions of English Verbs
and Verb Phrase
Verb phrases are phrases that consist of a verb plus any modifiers,
complements, particles, and auxiliaries. English verbs and verb phrases
also perform seven nominal functions in English grammar. Nominal
functions are grammatical functions performed by nouns, noun
phrases, and noun clauses. The seven nominal functions of verbs and
phrases are:
1. Subject
2. Subject complement
3. Direct object
4. Object complement
5. Indirect object
6. Prepositional complement
7. Appositive
Verb Phrases as Subjects
The first nominal function that verbs and verb phrases perform is
the subject of a clause. Only verb phrases in the form of present
participles and infinitives can function as subjects. For example, the
following italicized verbs and verb phrases function as subjects:
 Swimming is good exercise.
 Reading books is educational.
.To forget to wear pants is embarrassing.
 To never visit the library disappoints librarians.
Traditional grammars generally use the term gerund for present
participles that perform nominal functions, or the functions filled by
nouns and noun phrases.
Verb Phrases as Subject Complements
The second nominal function that verbs and verb phrases perform is
the subject complement. Subject complements are defined as words
and phrases that follow a copular verb and refer back to the subject.
Predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives are both subject
Verbal Phrases
A verbal is a verb form used as another part of speech. verbals come in three
varieties: participles, gerunds, and infinitives. Each type has a different function in a
sentence:



Participles function as adjectives.
Gerunds function as nouns.
Infinitives function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.
Participle
A participle is a form of a verb that functions as an adjective. There are two kinds of
participles: present participles and past participles.


Present participles end in -ing (jumping, burning, speaking).
Past participles usually end in -ed, -t, or -en (jumped, burnt, spoken).
The howling children disturbed the neighbors.
The present participle “howling” describes the noun “children.”

John gave Bill a crumbling rock.

The present participle “crumbling” describes the noun “rock.”

The frozen candy bar broke her $900 bridgework.

The past participle “frozen” describes the noun “candy bar.”

Annoyed, Rita ate dinner by herself in the bathroom.

The past participle “annoyed” describes the noun “Rita.”
Don't confuse participles and verbs. Participles aren't preceded by a helping verb, as
these examples show:


The sputtering car jerked down the road. (participle)
The car was sputtering down the road. (verb)
Participle phrases contain a participle modified by an adverb or an adverbial phrase.
Adverbial Phrases
An adverbial phrase is the term for two or more
words which play the role of an adverb. Look at
these examples:

I will sit quietly.
(normal adverb)

I will sit in silence.
(adverbial phrase)
In the examples above, all the adverbs tell us
how the person will sit. They are all adverbs of
manner.
When (Adverbial Phrase of
Time)
An adverbial phrase of time states when
something happens or how often. For example:

I'll do it in a minute.

After the game, the players went out.

The students come to college every day.
Where (Adverbial Phrase of
Place)
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Adverbial Phrases
An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. We
can form adverbs by taking adjectives and adding the suffix “-ly” (e.g. “happily”,
“readily”,“ beautifully” etc.) Other common single word adverbs include “very”,
“too”, “well”, “now”, “then”, “here”, “there” etc.
A phrase can be either a prepositional phrase (preposition + noun-object) or a
participial phrase (participle form of a verb, with a possible direct object and/or
adverb). If it modifies a verb, an adjective, or adverb, then it’s an adverbial
phrase.
Examples of Adverbial Phrases:
1) He drives like a maniac.
The prepositional phrase “like a maniac” is an adverbial phrase. It modifies the
verb “drives” —it describes how he drives.
2) He walks dragging his left foot.
The participial phrase “dragging his left foot” is an adverbial phrase. It modifies
the verb “walks” —it describes how he walks.
3) He is scornful with no mercy.
The prepositional phrase “with no mercy” is an adverbial phrase. It modifies the
adjective “scornful” — it describes how scornful.