T h e A d v e r b ia l M o d if ie r

The adverbial modifier is another secondary part of the sentence, w hich modifies a v erb, an
adjectiv e or another adverb It is rendered by an adv erb or by an adverbial phrase.
According to their function in the sentence adverbial modifiers may be classified into:
1. Adverbial modifiers of time, which in their turn, are subdivided into:
• adverbial modifiers of definite time and
• adverbial modifiers of indefinite time. The former are connected with:
- the past tense indefinite (yesterday, last week, a couple of days ago);
- past perfect (a few days before):
- future indefinite (tomorrow).
They are usually placed at the end of the sentence. The latter denotes the anteriority of the action in
relation to the moment of speaking: they may be considered adverbial modifiers of recent time:
lately, of late, just, recently, in the last weeks or so. etc.
The other subcategory of adv erbial modifiers of frequency express the habitual character of the
action: usually, sometimes, ever, never, always, often, seldom, rarely, as a rule, etc. They are
employed with:
- the present perfect tense, when the moment or period of action is not mentioned;
- past tense w hen the period of action is stated
I have neve’- been interested in such a matter.
I was never interested in such a matter as a pupil.
I. As to their place in the sentence, we have to distinguish between short adverbial modifiers of
indefinite time of frequency and long ones
1. The short ones are usually placed with the predicate.
a) , if the predicate is made up of one verb alone, the adverbial preceding the latter:
He often comes here.
b) if the predicate includes an auxiliary or modal verb, the adverbial is placed between
the auxiliary and the notional verb
He has often come here.
c) . if the predicate includes several auxiliaries or modals. the adverbial is placed
immediately after the first of them:
/ should could might would often have come here.

Note: Sometimes may also appear in initial position

2. The long adv erbial modifiers normally take the last or even the first (with a slight degree of
emphasis or for the sake of contrast) place in the sentence.
As a rule, he had to face all the hardships alone.

II. Most adv erbial modifiers of time show ing the moment of action take the last place in the
sentence.
Note: Nowadays and presently usually take initial position (or 0 position).
Nowadays all children attend school.
If in a sentence there are more adverbial modifiers of time denoting the moment (now. nowadays,
today, then), they occur from the most to the least precise or from the shortest to the longest period
He was born on Monday, the 19th o f February 1970.
III. Adverbial modifiers indicating sequence of actions (afterwards, before, eventually, formerly,
soon) usually occur in initial or medial position:
First he rang the bell. He then knocked on the door.
IV'. The order of dflcrent adverbial modifiers of time is: duration - frequency - moment
1 went to the country for a month even year during my childhood.
 2. Adverbial modifiers of place (here, there, somewhere) are placed before those of time:
They are to arrive in London at ten.
There are however exceptions.
a) . If the D O. is too long or is expressed by an object clause, the adverbial modifier of
place precedes it:
They took into the reading room all the books they needed.
b) . Adverbial modifier of place can also take O position, especially if prepositional
constructions:
Somewhere near the river the children were playing football.
c) . When showing direction it usually follows the verb
He went to school by bus.
They may even appear in initial position:
1) in literary language, for emphasis, with verbs in the Simple Present or Past:.
e.g.In they come! Away they went!
2) in the colloqial speech, with verbs like go. come, get at Present or Imperative:
e.g. Here she comes! There they go! In (bed) you get!
3. Adverbial Modifiers of Manner denoting the manner in which the action is performed: they
are placed either before the main verb (when shortjor after the verb(when long)
e.g. Hendel Hull so obviously adored his wife.
Their conversations were conducted with icy formality.
Adverbial modifiers of manner emphasizing the idea carried by the verb or another part of speech (actually,
certainly, obviously, reallv. surely, honestly, simplv. just) generally procede the part of speech they are
referring to:
e.g. 1 simply don't understand your behaviour.
Note: indeed may also take final position
e.g. Thank you very much indeed.
(Very) much usually preceds a participle but follows a notional verb
e.g He was very much impressed
I like E. very much.
Enough follows an adjective or an adverb
e.g. This lesson is long enough.
However, if used attributively. he either precedes or follow s it
e.g. He has time enough.
He has enough time.
4. Adverbial Modifiers of Degree denote the degree, extent, measure, intensity of an adjective or
another adverb:
e.g. He ran much faster than they all.
The movie was awfully disappointing
They may also denote approximation, size, depth, length, that is whatever refers to measurements or
quantities. Besides them are: quite nearly almost, to a certain extent, quite a lot, a great deal, prettv well,
etc.
5. Adverbial Modifiers of Attending Circumstances refer to the condition beyond or outside the
subject in which the action is performed. They usually take the last place in the sentence.
e.g. They managed to get out in the dim light.
Sow I can go to bed at last without dreading tomorrow
6. Adverbial Modifiers of Comparison hat e a comparative function.
e g. Judice is as white as mud. He's as perfect as sin.
He much beha\'ed like a father to him.
They are often employed as similes.
7. Adverbial Modifiers of Comparison and Concession are formed by contracting adverbial
clauses of comparison and concession (comparative-concessive clauses) through the ellipsis of a verb
e.g. He shouted as i f frightened (as if /as though he had been frightened)
8. Adverbial Modifiers of Concession Proper are formed without a predicative verb and arc
introduced by the prepositions despite and in spite of.
e.g. In spite o f his carelessness he is a good fellow.
They may also derive from contracting concessive adverbial clauses through ellipsis of the predicate or
another verb
e.g. Though frightened he carried it o ff very well.
Notwithstanding the success achieved by Napoleon in the initial stage o f the war in 1812 he was
finally aefealed.
y 9. Adverbial Modifiers of Purpose are the equivalents of a final clause, being introduced bv in
order to or simply by to.
e.g.He left to pick us out the largest boat he had.
(so that he could pick
in order that he could pick)
10. Adverbial Modifiers of Condition are equivalents of adverbial clauses of condition: if
necessary, with perseverance . as well as in phrases beginning with given.
e.g. Given patience the problem can be solved
I f necessary he will assume all the risk.
She never would have been able to make a success o f the dining-room, but for the kindness and
assistance o f the men
11. Adverbial Modifiers of Cause/Reason denote the motivation of an action, usually placed in
the first part of the sentence: because of the weather, considering the circumstances, for having done this.
for having behaved like that
e.g. The men were weary, ha\’ing run behind the beasts all day
1 hc\>e great fear o f the knife fo r my poor boy, his mother ha\-ing died under it due to
negligence.
12. AdverbiaI Modifiers of Result/Consequence are the opposite of the previous type of
adverbials. show ing the effect, result
e.g. lie is too fond o f the child to leave it.
It is too hard for me to ca n y it out only in a few days.

Ways of Expressing the Adverbial Modifier

It can be expressed by:

1. an adverb
e.g. Rachel turned instinctively to prevent a possible intruder from entering.
2. a noun with or without accompanying words; the noun may show:
a) space: He tra\>els mites ton end).
b) time: He worked monthston end).
c) size: He is only five feel tall.
d) price It costs a pound.
c) manner: They rose arms in hands
3 a p rep o sitional p h ra se
e.g. The red dust spread up and out and over everything.
I walked straight up the lane.
4. a noun, pronoun, ad jective, infinitive, participle, or prepositional phrase w ith a subordinating
conjunction
e.g. Mary swims better than her sister.
My sister plays tennis better than I.
I f necessary she must see Mr. If
He shrank back, his arms lifted as though to ward o ff physical violence
While waiting dor the water to boil, he held his face over the stove.
Sometimes he, when with her, noted an unusual brighteness in her eves
5. a participle or a participle phrase
e. g. Having decided to accept his sister's council he was anxious to perform his duty.
Turning away, she caught sight ofhte extra special edition
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When questioned, she explained everything.

6 absolute constructions
a) the nominative absolute participial construction
He had wrapped her up with great care, the nisht being dark and frosty
She burst in, the terror o f the streets written on her face.
b) the nominative absolute construction
He stopped and turned around, his eyes brightly proud.
c) the prepositional absolute participial construction.
He looked at her attentively, with his whole face breathing short and quick in every feature.
d) the prepositional absolute construction
He rushed forward with fury inhis looks and fire in his eves.
7. a prepositional phrase or costuction with a gerund
e.g. Her father looked up without speaking.
He vra.s arrested for being a member o f the Communist Party.
On her going to his house he happened to see her through a window.
I left the room without anybody noticing it.
8 an infinitive, an infinitive phrase or an infinitive construction
e.g. They rose to go into the drawing-room
We assembled to discuss and arrange our plans.
He put it on the table for George to set a better view o f it.

T he A p p o s it io n

The App. is an attribute expressed by a noun or a pronoun which defines the noun it
accompanies .It can be close or loose.
The Close Apposition is made up of one or two nouns closely linked in point of meaning to the noun it
qualifies and having no determiner itself. It is not separated by a comma
Graham Green the River Thames
Uncle Sam number six
Prof. Daniel Jones the adverb never
The city of London
The Loose Apposition is made up of noun accompanied by its attributes and in fact it is equivalent to a non
restrictive elliptical relative clause.
“Bvron .(who was) the famous English romantic poet o f the 19th century .fought for the freedom of
Greece"
” Mr.Smith .a friend o f hers, visited us last week"
The Apposition takes gender and number concord with the word it qualifies
"June and Olivia ,my sisters.have not reached school-age yet"
(Subj. pi. fern.) (App PI. fern)
“We .Romanians, have greatly developed our industry'
Unlike Romanian where the App. is always in the Nominative case, the App. m E. can also take the G case
"Admiral (Nom.-S) Nelson (noin -App) defeated Napoleon at Trafalgar"
“She bought the meat at Johnson the butcher s ' (app G)

Appositional Structures
By way of extension, t. grammar uses die term App for odier parts of the sentence or even for
sentences w ith the sense of sy ntactical relationship in w hich the second construction qualifies die first
“He gave us his promise to write" (app. to the D O.)
"It is kind of him behaving like that "(gerundial constr. logical subject, app to "it")
 T h e O bje c t

The part o f the sentence called in the Romanian grammar “complement” is translated into English as
“Object” for the Direct, Indirect and Prepositional Object, and Adverbial for the Adverbial Modifier, corresponding
to the Romanian “complement circumstanpal”. The English “complement” is not used as an equivalent o f the
Romanian “complement”, but for the Romanian “nume predicativ”, or Predicative in English.
The Object is a secondary part of the sentence, which is closely connected with a verb, completing,
restricting or modifying its meaning. It may refer to a finite verb or to a non-finite verb in any of the functions in the
sentence.
He closed the door.
1 was very proud o f it.
All the morning was devoted to digging. (the object refers to a finite form)
He dislikes s pea km 2 to strangers, (gerund taking an indirect object)

Note
1. As to the form of the pronoun found before a gerund, the Object form is used especially in the spoken language:
Do you mind me comine as well?
It is also preferred in cases where die use of a possessive would entail a difficult construction:
I remember him and his sister coming to that party.
*his and his sister's coming
The possessive case tends not to be used with objects:
I object to the car being left here.
And not to the car’s being
Some other examples with the object referring to a finite form:
She ’.S'been doing the room since morning.

2. The Object may also refer to some adj. or nouns of verbal or adjectival nature: hope, doubt, surprise, possibility.
=> To adj.: He urn so fond of painting.
He was not very eood at cashinz in wood.
All the customers were delighted with their boots.
=> To nouns: He forgot his promise of a rim .
Our trust in his abilities was deceived.
Shedidn't mind the possibility o f an error.

The Object may be expressed by:

1. a noun: We ought to give him a present, too.
2. a substantivized adjective or participle:
Y ou’d better not champion the unfortunate.
In old times nomadic tribes when moving to another place left the dying behind.
3. a pronoun:
Our little discussion has given me quite an appetite.
You ought to know all about such issues.
Note:
We must mention the peculiar use of the pronoun it in the function of an object, similar to its use in the function of the subject:
She pulled out a cigarette and let it dangle between her lips unlighted.
But sometimes it only introduces a real object expressed by an infinitive or gerundial phrase or by a subordinate clause. In this case
it is a formal introductory object. The formal it is characteristic of literary style and is mostly used after vbs. followed by adjectives
(sometimes nouns). Here belong such vbs. as to think, tofind, to consider, to make etc.
He found it impossible to utter the next word.
He made it a point to save so much every week.
She made it clearfrom the beginning that she had come with Bins.

4. a numeral: He ran over the nicely bound books; then he took the two leather bound.
5. an infinitive, an infinitive phrase or an infinitive construction:
The sergeant ordered his men to stop.
When he saw someone come toward them, he avoided him.
 2
The old woman held the child tight and waited for the storm to pass.
6. a gerund, a genmdial phrase or a gerundial construction:
Could they prevent flvins in war-time?
I remember seeins you at the Grand opening.
I don't like him soins away with Lady Illineworth.
7. a prepositional phrase with a norm or a gerund: '
Several times he had sought for a suitable opportunity to disclose his exciting secret.
They all approved o f his not beine beaten by that cousin o f his.
Do you object to mv going away for a month?
8. a syntactical combination:
You shall like a sood deal o f that story.
She liked neither o f them.
I have quite a number o f books on this subject matter.

In English we distinguish the following kinds o f objects: Direct, Indirect and Prepositional.

The Direct Object

The Direct Object is a secondary part of the sentence indicating the person, thing or abstract notion that
directly receives, suffers or attracts the action o f a transitive vb. as well as o f a transitive verbal phrase. It always
stands in the objective case and it corresponds to the DO. in Romanian, but in case o f some vbs. it also corresponds
to the 10. in Romanian: to address, to answer, to approach, to suit, to oppose, to escape, to resemble, to reproach, to
resist, to thank.
They w on’t answer my question.
She addressed him.
It answers the questions whom? and what?

Note: Not all Romanian transitive vbs. are transitive in English; the same holds good for the intransitive ones:
R: L-avisat astd-noapte.
E: She dreamt o f him last night.
R: Ai ascultat concertul?
E: Have you listened to the concert?
R: R&spunde-mi la intrebdri.
E: Answer my questions.

There is a tendency in contemporary English of replacing certain intransitive vbs. by a transitive construction
containing an almost meaningless transitive vb. followed by a DO. which is a noun having the actual semantic
value.
To walk - to have a walk
To dance - to have a dance
There are some transitive vbs. in English which take two DO.: to answer, to ask, to forgive, to excuse, to envy, to
strike. Some o f them may have two passive constructions, while others are used in the passive only with the name
of the person as the passive subject:
They answered him nothing.
1. He was answered nothing.
2. *He was answered some questions.
3. ?Nothing was answered him. (hardly possible)
They struck him a heavy blow.
1. He was struck a heavy blow.
2. A heavy blow was struck him (less usual)
They envied him his luck
1. He was envied his luck.
2. 7His luck was envied by him.
 3

Such vbs. as to order, to bee, to implore, to allow, to help, to permit, to advise, to persuade usually have two
objects: a noun or a pronoun - the first object, and an infinitive - the second object.
He helped me to do that.
For the complex object with some o f the above vbs. we may take such examples as:
He taught him to sit up at table and not put his elbows on it.
Reflexive pronouns may be used in the function o f a DO. to some transitive vbs. importing diem a reflexive
meaning. In this function, reflexive pronouns are unstressed.
The young couple settled themselves into the little room.
A reflexive pronoun may also be used as a DO. or as a prepositional 0 . importing a reflexive meaning to the verb.
She saw herself in the mirror. (DO)
She is too young to look after herself. (PO)
Reciprocal pronouns are also used in the function o f a DO. The meaning o f this object shows that the action
performed by two or more persons passes from each person to the other.
Mr. A and I nodded at each other.
They took terms whispering cheerfully to one another.
They kissed each other and Lucy went away.
They meet (tr. vb.) each other (its DO.) every day.
They meet every day. (intr. vb. with reciprocal meaning)
When the vb. is used without a reciprocal pronoun acquires a new intransitive reciprocal meaning.
The use o f a gerund as a DO. occurs with vbs. associated with the gerund such as: to avoid, to delay, to put off, to
mind ( in the interrogative and negative), to excuse, to need, to want.
Avoid making mistakes.
These shelves need mending.
It also occurs with adj. such as: like, busy, worth.
We saw all the plays that were worth seeing.
Also with can’t bear, can’t afford, can’t help or with to enjoy, like, dislike.
The infinitive as a DO. occurs when the action refers to the object of the sentence.
I want you to give me some further information.
The objective infinitive is used as a DO to verbs expressing order, request, permission.

Note: The infinitive may also refer to the subject of the sentence and in such a case it is a subjective infinitive
We 'd better take shelter.
I'm glad to hear that.

A complex object is also referred to in connection with the use o f the infinitive as an object.
He saw Irene come in, pick up the telegram and read it.

Classification of Direct Objects

DO. can be classified in terms o f semantic value and o f composition (structure).

As to their semantic content, they are divided into:
significant (meaningful)
- impersonal (non-significant, meaningless)
- cognate
The significant is the usual kind o f DO.
They have been playing football fo r halfan hour.
The impersonal is a formal object generally expressed by it.
Suffice it to say.
The cognate (internal) usually accompanies vbs. normally intransitive (to die, to laugh, to sleep, to dream, to live,
to smile), taking no object. It is called internal because the nouns which express it are related (cognate) to the verb
in meaning as well as in etymology.
To smile a smile, sing a song laugh a laugh, fig h t a fig h t / a battle, dance a dance.
 4
He lived a long and happy life.
Last night I dreamt a strange dream.

Note: Internal / cognate objects are specific to formal language and as could be noticed from the examples above they are generally
accompanied by attributes or rather modified by them.
f

As to their structure or composition DO may be:

simple
- compound
double
complex
Simple objects are expressed by a single word, modified or not by attributes or by a whole attributive clause:
He told several funny stories.
Coordinated objects are two or several nouns or noun-equivalents in the accusative (connected either by
conjunctions or asyndetically), discharging an identical syntactical function in relation to a trans. vb. or a verbal
phrase.
They brought famine, starvation, pestilence, scourge.
Compound objects are made up of two or more nouns referring to one person or thing or abstract notion; compound
objects are quite rare in both written and spoken language.
I resent your question and innuendo.
Double objects designating the DO’s connected with the same tr. vb., but answering different questions, usually
accompany such vbs. as: to ask, to answer, to envy, to forgive.
They envy (him) his success.
Forgive (me) my curiosity.
Complex objects are objective constructions used to complete the meaning o f many tr. vbs. A characteristic of such
objects is that they include two inseparable parts: a nominal part - an object proper (a name or pronoun in the
objective case) linked with another part which completes it- which may be either a non-fmite form of the verb or an
adj., noun or adverb.
They often hear him say that necessity is the mother o f invention.
I thought I would be able to make things perfectly clear.
Sometimes the predicative to the object is closely connected with the predicate vb. —as a result of the action
performed by the subject and the object assumes the state denoted by the predicative:
They painted the house white (the house became white)
She swept the floor clean.
We boiled the ess, hard.
They elected him chairman
They called the baby Jim
A complex object is also expressed by an infinitival or participial construction
He watched her ring the bell
He watched her playing the piano.
A. by an accusative with the past participle having a resultative meaning. Usually these constructions follow to get
or to have
Get it done till noon
I had my hair cut last week
The same resultative force may be involved by constructions with accusative followed by an adjective or a noun
I suppose we can make it clear.
I think it a great success
B. by a gerundial construction
a) the genitive with the gerund
1 appreciate your coming over
b) the accusative with the gerund, very often used colloquially instead o f the former
I appreciate you coming over?
C. by an adverb with the accusative
 5
1 ordered him away
By changes from the active to the passive voice, DOs of all kinds may become subjects o f passive constructions.

The Indirect Object

The 10 is that secondary part of the sentence which completes the meaning of the verb, denoting the person who the
action of the verb affects or influences. It points to the person or thing or concept indirectly receiving the action of
the verb.
The 10 is usually employed together with DO. Nevertheless, there are also cases o f utilization o f without the
D one especially after verbs which are normally transitive but also intransitive: to write, to read, to sing
Reading to my father is not always a pleasure

The indirect object is built up with the preposition to (or with the prep for). But if it is formed of a single word -
especially if a personal pronoun or a proper name, the preposition is omitted. The construction
a - 1 wrote him a letter yesterday
is preferred to the construction
b - 1 wrote a letter to him yesterday
a is often used in contemporary English because the object designating persons naturally precede those which
designate things or abstract notions and also because spoken English prefers shorter constructions.
We may distinguish two kinds of IOs : long or prepositional IQ and short or non-prep os itional IQ,
There may even be a difference in emphasis between the two
Compare I've brought a message to you - it is confidential
I ’ve brought you a message - unemphatic form

or I ’ve brought a present fo r her - it is only for her and not for Somebody else - even possibly “you
shouldn’t touch it”
I've brought her a present - neutral, normal form

As we have already mentioned, the prepositional IQ is used:

a. to emphasize the 10 or to contrast it with another 10 (explicit or implicit)
1 shall show the letter to you (but not to her)
b. when the DO is expressed by a pronoun, while the 10 is expressed by a noun
She sent him to the manager
c. when both objects are expressed by a personal pronoun
Show them to me
d. when the 10 is placed at the head of the sentence which is interrogative
To which o f the boys did you give the sweets?
To whom did you lend it?
Who did you lend it two? - colloquial
also in emphatic clauses
To him I gave the orded, not to you
e. with a range o f verbs, the most common being:
to administer convey observe reveal
to announce deliver post say
to appear describe prescribe secure
to ascribe devote propose seem
to attribute explain prove speak
to beckon impute relate submit
to belong introduce repeat suggest
to communicate leave reply swear
to confide listen represent translate
to consign mention resign yield
 6
W on’t you explain to her how did you did it?

Non-Prepositional 10 are the most frequently met with and are used when the 10 immediately follows the verb
She gave Jane her tea a moment ago
There are several verbs which take only non-prep os itional 10: to do a favour/an honour/a service; to spare
expanse/labour/money/trouble
Do Jane a favour, will you?
Reach me down that vase, please!
This saved him needless expense.
But: to play a trik on somebody

The position of the IO

The DO generally precedes the 10. This happens especially the following verbs: to arrange, begin, describe, drive,
explain, finish, introduce, post, pronounce, propose, say, speak, start, etc.
However, when the DO is longer or accompanied by attributes, the order changes due to the fact that:
a. in English the shorter element precedes the longer one due to the fluency, stressing of the nucleus and intonation
b. it may give undesirable emphasis
I ’ve brought a message to you
I ’ve brought you a message
But if the DO is the pronoun it the 10 follows the DO
He gave it them. We usually use a preposition here He save it to them.
We may also take into consideration a syntactical analysis where the presence o f the prep to or for in front of an
object gives rise to the difficulties in discriminating between Io and Prep O

There are several criteria to follow, namely:

a. the essence o f the IO is that of “receiving and “ or “target” of a verb of conveyance a transmission
b. only the IO allows o f the possibility to transform the prepositional construction into a non-prepositional one.
Thus in:
I ’m appeling to you to help me
I want you to know what this chance means to me

to you, to me are Prep Objects because the verbs in the sentence (appeal,mean) do not convey or transmit anything
to them, or the persons do not bought from or suffer by the action, and since, on the other hand, from the formal
point of view, they cannot be transformed into non-prepositional dative constructions, as could be done in:
Tell the truth to me - tell me the truth
1 offered a chair to him - 1 offered him a chair
The confusion usually arises with verbs with obligatory prep and when that preposition is to difficulties of
interpretation appear. For eg. the verb to belong which many people consider it is followed by an IO, yet there are
several elements which contradict it due to the fact that it does not involve a genuine dative relation while in
contemporary British and especially American English it may be followed by other prepositions besides to (to
belong in/with/among) as well as by adverbs o f place (it belongs here, sailors belong ships).

Difficulties also appear when the IO is in the form of a reflexive pronoun:

I told myself that I was not right
The confusion with a possible reflexive verb “to tell oneself’ should be avoided by comparing
“/ told m yself' with “he told me"
Therefore the presence of the non-prep os itional IO appears quite clear.
The Prepositional Object

It is not always easy to state whether a prepositional phrase stands for an object or for an adverbial modifier. It is an
object when it denotes a certain person or thing connected with the action expressed by the verb and an adverbial
modifier when it denotes the time, place, manner, etc., o f an action. The difference o f meaning is shown in the
question asked to an object or to an adverbial modifier: we use a pronoun to ask of an object and an adverb when
the prepositional phrase is an adverbial modifier:
With whom did he talk about that?
He talked about that with the manager? (object)
How did they manage to get in the house?
With great difficulty, (adverbial modifier).
The prepositional object is a secondary part o f the sentence completing the meaning of a verb, not necessarily
the predicate, of a noun or o f an adjective and consisting o f a noun or of a noun-equivalent preceded by
prepositions:
He drank his tea with lemon and with satisfaction.
(Prep. O) (adv. modifier o f manner)
The prepositional object is closely connected with verbs taking an obligatory preposition such as: to dream
of, to wait for, etc. It may also follow adjectives and nouns: surprise, satisfied, contended, concerned, angry and
surprise, concern, satisfaction, reaction, preoccupation, anger, attitude, etc.:
I was surprised at his behaviour.
His usual reaction was surprise at any event.
When active sentences containing a prepositional object are turned into the passive, the prepositional object may
generate a subject:
The are looking into the matter.
Turns into: The matter is being looked into.
Usually the preposition remains at the end o f the sentence or clause

Classification of Prepositional Objects

1. Prepositional object of agent denoting the person performing the action that is the real/logical subject
within the passive constructions. The common preposition employed with thus type is by and sometimes through:
The two disobedient boys were punished by their father.
2. Prepositional object of instrum ent, denoting the instrument, the agency through which the action is
performed:
This national stu ff was made by hand.
It was paved with brick.
3. Prepositional object of means, referring mainly to the means of transport. The common preposition is by:
All these goods have been brought by plane.
4. Prepositional object of association, denoting the person who takes part in an action:
They dined at the Ritz with the Smiths.
5. Prepositional object of relation, including different kind of relations as well as attitudes, feelings:
They were against such a cruel punishment.

The Place of the Prepositional Object

Usually it is placed after the direct object:

You’d betier inform them o f your intentions.
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When there are all the three kinds o f objects in the sentence the order is: direct object (with or without
attributes), indirect object (if followed by attributes), prepositional object (with or without attributes).
She sent those good poems to the editor by post.
The prepositional object may be placed at the beginning o f a sentence, acquiring special prominence, when
emphasis is intended:
With your cousin 1 ’ll never go out again.
When adverbial modifiers o f place are closely bound up with the verb so that they form syntagms, the
prepositional object may be moved after the adverbial modifier, such as in: to go to school / church / the cinema /
the theatre / home:
The little girl went home with her elder brothers.
Prepositional objects often turn into direct objects (of an instrumental value). Thus:
He wiped his face with a tovel.
often turns into: He wiped a towel all over his face