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Question

Difficulty: HardNouns and Noun Phrases

Read the sentence below:

"Despite initial skepticism from the review panel, the lead architect's innovative structural design remained the most viable solution to the urban transit crisis."

What is the syntactic function of the bolded noun phrase in the sentence above?

  1. Subject complementAnswer
  2. B
    Direct object
  3. C
    Appositive modifier
  4. D
    Object complement

Answer

Subject complement
The bolded noun phrase follows the stative linking verb 'remained' and describes the quality and identity of the grammatical subject, 'the lead architect's innovative structural design'. In English syntax, a noun phrase in this predicate position following a copular verb functions strictly as a subject complement.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the main verb of the independent clause to determine its grammatical category.
The verb 'remained' functions as a copular (linking) verb expressing a state of being rather than a transitive action.
Linking verbs connect the subject to a post-verbal element that describes or renames it.
2
Identify the grammatical subject of the main clause.
The subject is the noun phrase 'the lead architect's innovative structural design'.
This phrase serves as the syntactic entity preceding the verb 'remained'.
3
Determine the syntactic relationship between the subject and the post-verbal noun phrase.
The bolded noun phrase 'the most viable solution to the urban transit crisis' completes the predicate by characterizing the subject.
A noun phrase that follows a copular verb and completes the predicate by describing or renaming the subject functions syntactically as a subject complement.

Key Concept

Syntactic Functions of Noun Phrases (Subject Complement)
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Nouns and Noun Phrases

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