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Question

Difficulty: HardNouns and Noun Phrases

Match each highlighted noun phrase in the sentences on the left with its exact syntactic function on the right.

  • The board designated Prof. Harrison the principal investigator for the ecological study.Object complement renaming or completing the direct object
  • Prof. Harrison, the principal investigator for the ecological study, presented the findings to the panel.Appositive providing non-essential commentary renaming the subject
  • The most crucial appointment in the institute was the principal investigator for the ecological study.Subject complement completing the sense of the linking verb
  • The international grant was awarded directly to the principal investigator for the ecological study.Complement of a preposition functioning within a prepositional phrase

Answer

Each highlighted noun phrase matches its precise syntactic role based on its structural position: object complement completes a direct object, appositive renames an adjacent noun, subject complement completes a linking verb, and prepositional complement follows a preposition.
The correct matches accurately align each highlighted noun phrase with its precise grammatical function within the sentence structure: object complement (completing the direct object), appositive (renaming an adjacent noun phrase), subject complement (following a copular verb), and prepositional complement (following a preposition).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the structural position of the highlighted noun phrase in sentence 1.
It follows the direct object 'Prof. Harrison' after the complex transitive verb 'designated', defining the role given to the object.
An object complement describes or renames the direct object.
2
Analyze sentence 2.
The noun phrase is set off by commas immediately following the noun 'Prof. Harrison' and renames it.
A noun phrase placed adjacent to another noun to rename or describe it functions as an appositive.
3
Analyze sentence 3.
The noun phrase follows the linking verb 'was' and completes the meaning of the subject 'appointment'.
A noun phrase following a linking verb that renames or defines the subject is a subject complement.
4
Analyze sentence 4.
The noun phrase immediately follows the preposition 'to'.
A noun phrase introduced by a preposition acts as the complement of that preposition.

Key Concept

Syntactic Functions of Noun Phrases
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Topics

Nouns and Noun Phrases

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