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The remaining part of the phrase is called the prepositional complement, or sometimes the "object" of the preposition. In English and many other Indo-European languages it takes the form of a noun phrase, such as a noun, pronoun, or gerund, possibly with one or more modifiers. A prepositional phrase can function as an adjective or adverb.
(adverb in verb phrase) He was [very gentle]. (adverb in adjective phrase) She set it down [very gently]. (adverb in adverb phrase) [Even more] people were there. (adverb modifying a determiner) It ran [right up the tree]. (adverb modifying a prepositional phrase) [Only the dog] was saved. (adverb modifying a noun phrase)
In linguistics, an argument is an expression that helps complete the meaning of a predicate, [1] the latter referring in this context to a main verb and its auxiliaries. In this regard, the complement is a closely related concept. Most predicates take one, two, or three arguments. A predicate and its arguments form a predicate-argument structure.
For example, the prepositional phrase after midnight can be modified by adverb phrases such as shortly (shortly after midnight) or quite obviously (quite obviously after midnight). [ 14 ] : 643–645 A subset of adverb phrase modifiers of prepositions express degree and occur within prepositional phrases but not other phrasal categories.
A head can have multiple adjuncts but only one object argument (=complement): a. Bob ate the pizza. – the pizza is an object argument (=complement). b. Bob ate the pizza and the hamburger. the pizza and the hamburger is a noun phrase that functions as object argument. c. Bob ate the pizza with a fork. – with a fork is an adjunct. d.
- Topicalization of the object argument that pizza a. I am terrified of those dogs. b. Those dogs, I am terrified of. - Topicalization of the object argument those dogs. Assuming that the a-sentences represent canonical word order, the b-sentences contain instances of topicalization. The constituent in bold is fronted to establish it as topic.
What is a preposition? Prepositions are typically small, common words that show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and another element in a clause. These terms can indicate the direction ...
William Bullokar wrote the earliest grammar of English, published in 1586.It includes a chapter on adverbs. His definition follows: An adverb is a part of speech joined with a verb or participle to declare their signification more expressly by such adverb: as, come hither if they wilt go forth, sometimes with an adjective: as, thus broad: & sometimes joined with another adverb: as, how soon ...