Adjuncts

Adjuncts

• definition and role.

I left London on Saturday.
(on Saturday is an adjunct specifying time).

​example:

Adjuncts are constituents (parts of a sentence) that provide additional information about how, when, where, or why of an activity/situation

Realization of Adjuncts

​Remember!!

Adjuncts give you extra information about the verb or sentence. But this extra information is optional: you could remove that part of the sentence and still understand it's meaning.

Multiple Choice

what type of information do adjuncts provide?

• information on the characteristics of the noun

• information about adjectives

• Information about the place, time, reason and manner of the verb

• Information about the weather

Realization of Adjuncts

​ Adverb Phrases and Prepositional Phrases

Adverb Phrases (AdvPs) as adjuncts (express manner, viewpoint, degree, frequency)

Example: He cleaned the house quite cheerfully.

How did he clean the house? → quite cheerfully.

Prepositional Phrases (PPs) as adjuncts

Express manner, location, instrument, time.

Example: "We met outside Paris."

The preposition "outside" indicates where the action of meeting occurs

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of an adverb phrase as an adjunct that expresses frequency?

• He often visits his grandparents.

• He visits his grandparents very often

• He visits his grandparents with joy.

• He visits his grandparents in the summer.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of a prepositional phrase as an adjunct that expresses instrument?

• She cut the cake with a knife.

• She cut the cake into pieces.

• • 
    She cut the cake for her guests.

• She cut the cake carefully.

​Noun Phrases and Finite Clauses

Noun Phrases (NPs) as adjuncts usually specify time


Example: "Helen discovered the Italian restaurant yesterday." yesterday is a noun, and at the same time it tells us when the action occurred. BUT, because yesterday is not and adverb, this is not a n adverbial phrase.

​Finite clauses as adjuncts

Express time, reason, condition, result, purpose

Example: We'll go to Paris, if you promise not to smoke.

In this case if you promise... is a condition

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of a noun phrase as an adjunct that specifies time?

• He left the party early.

• He left the party in a hurry.

• He left the party after midnight.

• He left the party with his friends

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of a finite clause as an adjunct that expresses purpose?

• She studied hard to pass the exam.

• She studied hard because she wanted to pass the exam.

• She studied hard although she hated the subject.

• She studied hard when she had free time.

​Form-Function Relationship in Language

No one-to-one relationship between form and function. Which means that prepositions, adjectives, adverbs, etc. can be adjuncts (as well as direct, indirect objects...).

The same function that an adjunct does, can be realized by different forms of other words.

ADJUNCTS ARE NOT PART OF A VERB'S ARGUMENTS

vertical axis: types of phrases

horizontal axis: the function they might have in a sentence

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form- function relationships