Where is the subject in a sentence that starts with a prepositional phrase
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Where is the subject in a sentence that starts with a prepositional phrase. For example the preposition phrase beginning with after below:
After breakfast the boys wandered out to the garden.
Is the subject the boys only or After breakfast the boys,
and why?
It would be helpful if someone did a tree diagram and explained the function of the prepositional phrase.
syntax subjects prepositional-phrases grammatical-roles
edited Dec 15 at 6:33
Chappo
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asked Dec 14 at 20:19
Raghda Yousef
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1
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Where is the subject in a sentence that starts with a prepositional phrase. For example the preposition phrase beginning with after below:
After breakfast the boys wandered out to the garden.
Is the subject the boys only or After breakfast the boys,
and why?
It would be helpful if someone did a tree diagram and explained the function of the prepositional phrase.
syntax subjects prepositional-phrases grammatical-roles
edited Dec 15 at 6:33
Chappo
2,53741225
asked Dec 14 at 20:19
Raghda Yousef
61
New contributor
Raghda Yousef is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
4
Did the breakfast wander out to the garden?
– Spencer
Dec 14 at 20:21
2
This is one of the times a clarity comma would be useful.
– miltonaut
Dec 14 at 20:37
Agree with @miltonaut. Here is the rule, "Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words that come before the main clause."
– MikeJRamsey56
Dec 14 at 20:44
"After breakfast" is functioning as an adverb. There is only one verb in the sentence for it to modify.
– Hot Licks
Dec 14 at 20:45
1
@araucaria You are incorrect, questions like this give OP a chance to use their own reasoning to get the answer.
– Spencer
Dec 14 at 23:10
|
show 7 more comments
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
Where is the subject in a sentence that starts with a prepositional phrase. For example the preposition phrase beginning with after below:
After breakfast the boys wandered out to the garden.
Is the subject the boys only or After breakfast the boys,
and why?
It would be helpful if someone did a tree diagram and explained the function of the prepositional phrase.
syntax subjects prepositional-phrases grammatical-roles
edited Dec 15 at 6:33
Chappo
2,53741225
asked Dec 14 at 20:19
Raghda Yousef
61
New contributor
Raghda Yousef is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Where is the subject in a sentence that starts with a prepositional phrase. For example the preposition phrase beginning with after below:
After breakfast the boys wandered out to the garden.
Is the subject the boys only or After breakfast the boys,
and why?
It would be helpful if someone did a tree diagram and explained the function of the prepositional phrase.
syntax subjects prepositional-phrases grammatical-roles
syntax subjects prepositional-phrases grammatical-roles
edited Dec 15 at 6:33
Chappo
2,53741225
asked Dec 14 at 20:19
Raghda Yousef
61
New contributor
Raghda Yousef is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited Dec 15 at 6:33
Chappo
2,53741225
asked Dec 14 at 20:19
Raghda Yousef
61
New contributor
Raghda Yousef is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited Dec 15 at 6:33
Chappo
2,53741225
edited Dec 15 at 6:33
Chappo
2,53741225
edited Dec 15 at 6:33
Chappo
2,53741225
2,53741225
asked Dec 14 at 20:19
Raghda Yousef
61
New contributor
Raghda Yousef is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked Dec 14 at 20:19
Raghda Yousef
61
asked Dec 14 at 20:19
Raghda Yousef
61
61
New contributor
Raghda Yousef is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Raghda Yousef is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Raghda Yousef is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
4
Did the breakfast wander out to the garden?
– Spencer
Dec 14 at 20:21
2
This is one of the times a clarity comma would be useful.
– miltonaut
Dec 14 at 20:37
Agree with @miltonaut. Here is the rule, "Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words that come before the main clause."
– MikeJRamsey56
Dec 14 at 20:44
"After breakfast" is functioning as an adverb. There is only one verb in the sentence for it to modify.
– Hot Licks
Dec 14 at 20:45
1
@araucaria You are incorrect, questions like this give OP a chance to use their own reasoning to get the answer.
– Spencer
Dec 14 at 23:10
|
show 7 more comments
4
Did the breakfast wander out to the garden?
– Spencer
Dec 14 at 20:21
2
This is one of the times a clarity comma would be useful.
– miltonaut
Dec 14 at 20:37
Agree with @miltonaut. Here is the rule, "Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words that come before the main clause."
– MikeJRamsey56
Dec 14 at 20:44
"After breakfast" is functioning as an adverb. There is only one verb in the sentence for it to modify.
– Hot Licks
Dec 14 at 20:45
1
@araucaria You are incorrect, questions like this give OP a chance to use their own reasoning to get the answer.
– Spencer
Dec 14 at 23:10
4
4
Did the breakfast wander out to the garden?
– Spencer
Dec 14 at 20:21
Did the breakfast wander out to the garden?
– Spencer
Dec 14 at 20:21
2
2
This is one of the times a clarity comma would be useful.
– miltonaut
Dec 14 at 20:37
This is one of the times a clarity comma would be useful.
– miltonaut
Dec 14 at 20:37
Agree with @miltonaut. Here is the rule, "Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words that come before the main clause."
– MikeJRamsey56
Dec 14 at 20:44
Agree with @miltonaut. Here is the rule, "Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words that come before the main clause."
– MikeJRamsey56
Dec 14 at 20:44
"After breakfast" is functioning as an adverb. There is only one verb in the sentence for it to modify.
– Hot Licks
Dec 14 at 20:45
"After breakfast" is functioning as an adverb. There is only one verb in the sentence for it to modify.
– Hot Licks
Dec 14 at 20:45
1
1
@araucaria You are incorrect, questions like this give OP a chance to use their own reasoning to get the answer.
– Spencer
Dec 14 at 23:10
@araucaria You are incorrect, questions like this give OP a chance to use their own reasoning to get the answer.
– Spencer
Dec 14 at 23:10
|
show 7 more comments
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
0
down vote
After breakfast the boys wandered out to the garden.
"After breakfast" is a prepositional phrase. In this case the phrase functions as an adverb.
"The boys wandered out to the garden" is the "meat" of the sentence. "The boys" is the subject, "wandered" is the verb, "out to the garden" is (depending on your religion) either another prepositional phrase, functioning as the object of the verb, or an adverbial phrase, modifying the verb.
"After breakfast" tells when this wandering occurs and hence is modifying "wandered".
(I don't identify the "predicate" here because different religious cults define "predicate" differently. Some believe that the predicate includes the object while others don't.)
edited Dec 16 at 1:58
A Lambent Eye
60914
answered Dec 14 at 23:45
Hot Licks
18.9k23677
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
Subject: the boys, predicate: wandered. After breakfast: adverbial modifier of time. Out into the garden: adverbial modifier of place and direction. 'Breakfast'can't possibly be the subject in this sentence since it doesn't denote the doer of the action like "the boys" (who performed the action of wandering out into the garden).
answered 13 hours ago
Tasha
1
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
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active
oldest
votes
up vote
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After breakfast the boys wandered out to the garden.
"After breakfast" is a prepositional phrase. In this case the phrase functions as an adverb.
"The boys wandered out to the garden" is the "meat" of the sentence. "The boys" is the subject, "wandered" is the verb, "out to the garden" is (depending on your religion) either another prepositional phrase, functioning as the object of the verb, or an adverbial phrase, modifying the verb.
"After breakfast" tells when this wandering occurs and hence is modifying "wandered".
(I don't identify the "predicate" here because different religious cults define "predicate" differently. Some believe that the predicate includes the object while others don't.)
edited Dec 16 at 1:58
A Lambent Eye
60914
answered Dec 14 at 23:45
Hot Licks
18.9k23677
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
After breakfast the boys wandered out to the garden.
"After breakfast" is a prepositional phrase. In this case the phrase functions as an adverb.
"The boys wandered out to the garden" is the "meat" of the sentence. "The boys" is the subject, "wandered" is the verb, "out to the garden" is (depending on your religion) either another prepositional phrase, functioning as the object of the verb, or an adverbial phrase, modifying the verb.
"After breakfast" tells when this wandering occurs and hence is modifying "wandered".
(I don't identify the "predicate" here because different religious cults define "predicate" differently. Some believe that the predicate includes the object while others don't.)
edited Dec 16 at 1:58
A Lambent Eye
60914
answered Dec 14 at 23:45
Hot Licks
18.9k23677
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
After breakfast the boys wandered out to the garden.
"After breakfast" is a prepositional phrase. In this case the phrase functions as an adverb.
"The boys wandered out to the garden" is the "meat" of the sentence. "The boys" is the subject, "wandered" is the verb, "out to the garden" is (depending on your religion) either another prepositional phrase, functioning as the object of the verb, or an adverbial phrase, modifying the verb.
"After breakfast" tells when this wandering occurs and hence is modifying "wandered".
(I don't identify the "predicate" here because different religious cults define "predicate" differently. Some believe that the predicate includes the object while others don't.)
edited Dec 16 at 1:58
A Lambent Eye
60914
answered Dec 14 at 23:45
Hot Licks
18.9k23677
After breakfast the boys wandered out to the garden.
"After breakfast" is a prepositional phrase. In this case the phrase functions as an adverb.
"The boys wandered out to the garden" is the "meat" of the sentence. "The boys" is the subject, "wandered" is the verb, "out to the garden" is (depending on your religion) either another prepositional phrase, functioning as the object of the verb, or an adverbial phrase, modifying the verb.
"After breakfast" tells when this wandering occurs and hence is modifying "wandered".
(I don't identify the "predicate" here because different religious cults define "predicate" differently. Some believe that the predicate includes the object while others don't.)
edited Dec 16 at 1:58
A Lambent Eye
60914
answered Dec 14 at 23:45
Hot Licks
18.9k23677
edited Dec 16 at 1:58
A Lambent Eye
60914
edited Dec 16 at 1:58
A Lambent Eye
60914
edited Dec 16 at 1:58
A Lambent Eye
60914
60914
answered Dec 14 at 23:45
Hot Licks
18.9k23677
answered Dec 14 at 23:45
Hot Licks
18.9k23677
answered Dec 14 at 23:45
Hot Licks
18.9k23677
18.9k23677
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
Subject: the boys, predicate: wandered. After breakfast: adverbial modifier of time. Out into the garden: adverbial modifier of place and direction. 'Breakfast'can't possibly be the subject in this sentence since it doesn't denote the doer of the action like "the boys" (who performed the action of wandering out into the garden).
answered 13 hours ago
Tasha
1
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
Subject: the boys, predicate: wandered. After breakfast: adverbial modifier of time. Out into the garden: adverbial modifier of place and direction. 'Breakfast'can't possibly be the subject in this sentence since it doesn't denote the doer of the action like "the boys" (who performed the action of wandering out into the garden).
answered 13 hours ago
Tasha
1
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
Subject: the boys, predicate: wandered. After breakfast: adverbial modifier of time. Out into the garden: adverbial modifier of place and direction. 'Breakfast'can't possibly be the subject in this sentence since it doesn't denote the doer of the action like "the boys" (who performed the action of wandering out into the garden).
answered 13 hours ago
Tasha
1
Subject: the boys, predicate: wandered. After breakfast: adverbial modifier of time. Out into the garden: adverbial modifier of place and direction. 'Breakfast'can't possibly be the subject in this sentence since it doesn't denote the doer of the action like "the boys" (who performed the action of wandering out into the garden).
answered 13 hours ago
Tasha
1
answered 13 hours ago
Tasha
1
answered 13 hours ago
Tasha
1
answered 13 hours ago
Tasha
1
1
add a comment |
add a comment |
Raghda Yousef is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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4
Did the breakfast wander out to the garden?
– Spencer
Dec 14 at 20:21
2
This is one of the times a clarity comma would be useful.
– miltonaut
Dec 14 at 20:37
Agree with @miltonaut. Here is the rule, "Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words that come before the main clause."
– MikeJRamsey56
Dec 14 at 20:44
"After breakfast" is functioning as an adverb. There is only one verb in the sentence for it to modify.
– Hot Licks
Dec 14 at 20:45
1
@araucaria You are incorrect, questions like this give OP a chance to use their own reasoning to get the answer.
– Spencer
Dec 14 at 23:10