|
ESL Forum:
Techniques and methods
in Language Teaching
Games, activities
and teaching ideas
Grammar and
Linguistics
Teaching material
Concerning
worksheets
Concerning
powerpoints
Concerning online
exercises
Make suggestions,
report errors
Ask for help
Message board
|
ESL forum >
Ask for help > To native speakers of English
To native speakers of English
|
Abdou1980
|
To native speakers of English
|
|
Today afternoon, we were discussing some notions of x-bar theory. Surprisingly enough, a colleague of mine made up a sentence, "it looks similar to theirs in shape. In this sentence we have two prepositional phrases, � to theirs � and � in shape �. He suggested that � to theirs � is a complement to the adjective �similar � and �in shape � as an adjunct. He argued that � to theirs � is a complement because we the complement should be adjacent to the head and went on to say that we mustn´t re-order the two prepositional phrases. On my part, I suggested that the two prepositional phrases should be adjuncts since we could reorder the two phrases and the meaning would remain the same. thus, we might say: 1. it looks similar in shape to theirs. 2. it looks similar to theirs in shape.
I would like a native speaker to make it clear for me whether �it looks similar in shape to theirs � is grammatically correct and and accepted in terms of meaning and structure".
Thanks a million for your help:)
|
4 Feb 2013
|
|
|
|
yanogator
|
|
Both options sound fine to my native ears. I �m not even sure which one I would be more likely to use. Bruce |
4 Feb 2013
|
|
|
|
|
spinney
|
|
Both. Couldn �t tell you why, though. |
5 Feb 2013
|
|
|
almaz
|
|
You�re right, Essalhi. The meaning remains the same whether you re-order them or not and are perfectly grammatical. You can put them in either position since both phrases are adjuncts of the complement �similar� (I suppose you might also call this a predicative adjective) and are not only optional here but interchangeable.
|
5 Feb 2013
|
|
|
douglas
|
|
I agree with Spinney and Bruce. |
5 Feb 2013
|
|
|
Abdou1980
|
|
Thanks a million dear Colleagues for your precious help. I do really appreciate it a great deal.
|
5 Feb 2013
|
|
|
