Identify the function of the bold word(s) in the sentences.

Question

A. The student *with the highest grade* will win a free lunch.

The student with the highest grade *will win* a free lunch.

B. Jerry *gave* Maria a set of diamond earrings.

Jerry gave Maria a *set* of diamond earrings.

C. The gym is *open* until nine o'clock tonight.

The gym is open *until* o'clock tonight.

Subject, Verb, Direct Object, Indirect Object, Predicate Noun, Predicate adjective, or Prepositional Phrase?

Answer 1

Hi, Elijah,

It's important for you to be able to recognize these sentence parts, so I hope you have done this assignment and are now looking for confirmation.

A. You can always identify a prepositional phrase by its form: in the box, on the box, around the box, of the box, with the box, etc. *With the highest grade* fits that pattern. *To win* is an action verb. *Will win* is the future tense of that verb.

B. To give is an action; therefore, its various tenses are verbs. Here, *gave* is a past tense verb. *Set* is a thing; therefore it's a noun. Since it is the thing being given to Maria, it is a direct object. (Remember that the *earrings*, since they are within a prepositional phrase, cannot be the direct object.

C. *Open* describes the condition of the gym, so it is an adjective. Since it appears after the linking verb *is*, it's a predicate adjective. *Until" is a preposition. This is not listed on your anwer choices, but *until nine o'clock* would be a prepositional phrase.

Best wishes!

Answer 2

Elijah,

The word "function" in you r directions may have confused you. What part of speech is bold in each sentence? Your choices were on the bottom:

Subject, Verb, Direct Object, Indirect Object, Predicate Noun, Predicate adjective, or Prepositional Phrase?

Now lets look at each question separately.

A. The student *with the highest grade* will win a free lunch.

This one will be a Prepositional Phrase. The key word in this sentence is the word "with."

The student with the highest grade *will win* a free lunch.

Both will and win are verbs.

B. Jerry *gave* Maria a set of diamond earrings.

"Gave" is clearly a verb

Jerry gave Maria a *set* of diamond earrings.

Set is a direct object. This is what Jerry gave.

C. The gym is *open* until nine o'clock tonight.

Open is a predicate adjective. It describes the gym.

The gym is open *until* o'clock tonight.

Until is a preposition. This sentence is flawed. It needs to tell a time. If the sentence read, "The gym is open until ten o'clock tonight," then "until ten o'clock," would be the prepositional phrase.

Fro more practice identifying the part of speech in these sentences, go to https://www.funbrain.com/games/grammar-gorillas to practice.