What part of speech is this?

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Paul - 23 Apr 2005 13:25 GMT

Hey there,
In the sentence "Move the house to the left", what part of speech is
"left"? The "left" strikes me as being a noun, but it's not used like
one there...

Cheers!

Reply to this Message

Einde O'Callaghan - 23 Apr 2005 13:46 GMT

> Hey there,
> In the sentence "Move the house to the left", what part of speech is
> "left"? The "left" strikes me as being a noun, but it's not used like
> one there...

I have no problems with "left" being a noun here. As far as I can see
"to the left" isn't structurally different from "to the table" and
"table" is definitely a noun.

Perhaps your problem is the fact that "to the left" is an adverbial
phrase meaning "in a leftward direction" just as "to the table" is an
adverbial phrase meaning "in the direction of the table".

If this isn't the problem perhaps you could explain exactly what is
troubling you.

Regards, einde O'Callaghan

Reply to this Message

REZA MODIRROUSTA - 24 Apr 2005 23:32 GMT

Move = verb in the imperative form.
the house = direct object.
to the left = adverbial phrase.

> Hey there,
> In the sentence "Move the house to the left", what part of speech is
> "left"? The "left" strikes me as being a noun, but it's not used like
> one there...
>
> Cheers!

Reply to this Message

wheat - 26 Apr 2005 21:50 GMT

My take it only slightly different:

[you] = implied/understood subject
move = verb (imperative form)
house = direct object
the = definite article modifying "house"
to the left = prepositional phrase modifying "move" (hence, adverbial
in function)

In the prepositional phrase, "to" is the preposition, "left" is the
object of the preposition, and "the" is another definite article--this
one modifying "left"

Reply to this Message

Discussion Groups / ESL Teaching / April 2005

What part of speech is this?