I went through part 3 of Elliot’s English Language, Analysis & Grammar article:
I made a video of me reading through part 3 of the article and doing the questions:
My answers to the questions from Part 3 are below. The answers below have a couple of edits from the video which I’ve noted with “EDIT”.
Conclusion of Part 3 Example Sentences
Running fast isn’t fun.
Linking verb: is
Subject: Running
Complement: fun
“not” is an adverb modifying “is.”
“fast” is an adjective modifying “Running.”
I don’t want to stand on my porch when it’s wet.
Action verb: want
Auxiliary verb: do. Enables the negation of “want” by adverb “not.”
Subject: I.
Object: to stand (infinitive).
“not” is an adverb modifying “want.”
“on my porch” is an adverbial prepositional phrase describing the location where the person does not want to stand.
preposition: on.
object of preposition: porch.
“my” modifies “porch.”
“when” is a conjunction. It tells us the situation under which the person does not want to stand on their porch: when it’s wet.
Subordinate clause: it’s wet.
Linking verb: Is.
Subject: It
Complement: wet.
Conclusions: I don’t want to stand in a particular location under a particular condition. The location is my porch. The condition is when it is wet.
Swimming after work is too tiring.
Linking verb: is.
Subject: swimming (gerund).
Complement: tiring.
“after work” is an adverbial prepositional phrase describing when the swimming takes place.
Preposition: after.
Object of preposition: work.
“too” is an adverb modifying “tiring.”
John gets sweaty when he does his exercise routine.
Action verb: gets
Subject: John
Complement: sweaty
“when” is a conjunction describing the situation under which John gets sweaty.
Subordinate clause: he does his exercise routine.
Action verb: does.
Subject: he (refers to John).
Object: routine.
“his” and “exercise” modify routine. “His” is referring to “John’s.”
Conclusions: John gets sweaty in a particular situation. That situation is when he does his exercise routine.
I gave him gifts.
Action verb: gave.
Subject: I.
Object: gifts.
Indirect object (standing for “to him”): him.
I love to throw boomerangs to myself.
Action verb: love.
Subject: I.
Object: to throw boomerangs. Infinitive phrase with the object “boomerangs.”
“to myself” is a prepositional phrase describing the recipient of the object of the infinitive.
What word is the prepositional phrase modifying?
EDIT: It modifies throw. It’s not modifying “I” or “love” or “boomerangs.”
What sort of prepositional phrase is it?
EDIT: Adverbial phrase.
Conclusions: I love to engage in an activity. The activity is throwing boomerangs to myself.
When a movie is boring, I stop watching.
Action verb: stop.
Subject: I.
Object: watching (gerund).
conjunction: when.
subordinate clause: a movie is boring
Linking verb: is.
Subject: movie
complement: boring. EDIT: present participle, adjective.
“a” modifies “movie.”
Conclusions: I stop watching a movie under a particular condition. That condition is when the movie is boring.
I like reading non-fiction books out of order.
Action verb: like.
Subject: I.
object: reading books (gerund phrase with an object, with the whole phrase serving as an object in the sentence).
“non-fiction” is an adjective modifying “books”
“out” is an adverb modifying “reading.”
“of order” is an adverbial prepositional phrase describing what we’re out of.
preposition: of.
object: order.
My broken speakers don’t work for making sound.
Action verb: work.
Subject: speakers.
Auxiliary verb: do. support word for “not.”
“not” is an adverb modifying “work.”
“my” is an adjective modifying “speakers”
“broken” is a past participle adjective modifying speakers.
“for making sound” is an adverbial prepositional phrase describing what the speakers do not work for.
Preposition: for
object: sound
“making” is a present participle adjective modifying sound?
Conclusions: My speakers are broken. They don’t work for making sound.
EDIT: I think maybe “making sound” works better as a gerund object of a preposition which has its own object.
EDIT: This is a decent short quiz I found specifically on distinguishing between gerunds and participles.
FYI, working at the CIA is cooler than the FBI.
Implied words rewrite: FYI, working at the CIA is cooler than [working at] the FBI.
Action verb: is.
Subject: Working (gerund).
Complement: Cooler.
Adverbial prepositional phrase: than [working at] the FBI
preposition: than
object: working
Adjective prepositional phrase: at the FBI
preposition: at
Object: FBI
“the” modifies “FBI”
FYI is an abbreviation for “For your information.”
Conclusions: The following information is for your information: working at the CIA is cooler than working at the FBI.