When separate words are combined into a sentence, they become its members, and each of them has its own syntactic role. Syntax is the study of how coherent text is created from words. Definition, circumstance, addition - these are the names of the words participating in the sentence, which are combined into a group of secondary members.
Gentlemen and Servants
If the sentence has minor members, then there are major ones. These are subject words and predicate words. Each proposal has at least one of the main members. More often, syntactic constructions consist of both - the subject and the predicate. They represent the grammatical basis of a sentence. But what do the secondary ones (definition, circumstance, addition) do? Their task is to complement, clarify, explain the main members or each other.
How to distinguish minor members from major members in a sentence?
First, let's remember that the main members of the sentence contain basic information about the subject, person, action, state. In the sentence “Recently it has rained (predicate) (subject)”, the phrase “it has rained” forms the basis, which concludes the main meaning of the statement.
Minor members (definition, circumstance, addition) do not contain statements about objects, persons, states and actions, they only explain the statements contained in the main members. “It rained (when?) recently.”
Secondly, you can recognize the main black points by the questions that are asked to them. The subject will always answer the question "who?" or "what?". The predicate in the sentence will answer the question “what is it doing?”, “Who is it?”, “What is it?”, “What is it?”. The members of the proposal, which are called secondary, also have their own, only peculiar to them, questions. Let's talk about them in more detail.
Questions of definition, additions, circumstances
- Definition linguists call a member of a sentence that describes a feature, quality of an object or person. "Which, which, whose?" - questions asked for the definition.
- An addition is that minor member that contains the name of a person or object, but not the one who performs or experiences the action, but the one that has become the object for the action. Questions of indirect cases (this does not include the nominative) are questions of the object (circumstances and definitions are never answered).
- A circumstance is a minor member denoting insentence a sign of action or another sign. “Where, from where and where, when, how, why and why?” are questions to ask about the circumstance.
We have considered questions of definition, addition, circumstances. Now let's find out what parts of speech can be expressed by each of these minor members.
Characteristic definitions, examples
On the questions that are asked for the definition, it is clear that adjectives, ordinal numbers, participles act as this member of the sentence.
- "There was a (what?) rising noise." The participle "increasing" is the definition here.
- "I'm already taking (which?) third exam." The ordinal number "third" plays the role of a definition.
- "Katya was wrapped in (whose?) mother's jacket." The adjective "mother's" is a definition.
When parsing, this member of the sentence is underlined with a wavy line.
Specific circumstances
The groups of words that can express a circumstance are huge, and therefore this member of the sentence has several types - place and time, purpose and reason, comparison and mode of action, conditions, and concessions.
Circumstances of the place
They characterize the direction and place of action. They are asked questions “where, from where and where”?
"Man has not been (where?) on Mars yet." The circumstance in this case is expressed by a preposition and a noun in the prepositional case: "on Mars"
Circumstances of time
They characterize the time period in which the action takes place. They are asked questions like “since when, until what time, when?”.
- "We haven't seen each other (since when?) since last winter." The circumstance is expressed by the phrase of an adjective and a noun, which is in the genitive case and has a preposition: “from last winter.”
- "I'll be back (when?) the day after tomorrow." The adverb "the day after tomorrow" is used as a circumstance.
- "We need to get across the border (by what time?) before evening." The circumstance of time is expressed by the noun in generative. case with the preposition: “until the evening.”
Circumstances of purpose
They explain what the action is for. "Why, for what purpose?" - his questions.
- "Raisa Petrovna went to the sea (why?) to swim." The circumstance is expressed here by the infinitive "to bathe".
- "Sergey came to the set (for what?) to audition." The circumstance was a noun, which is in the accusative case and has a preposition: “for tests.”
- "Masha cut the rug (why?) to spite the governess." The circumstance is expressed by the adverb "out of spite".
Circumstance cause
It characterizes the reason for the action. "On what basis, why and why?" - questions of this kind of circumstances.
- "Artem was absent from the rehearsal (for what reason?) due to illness." The circumstance is expressed by a noun in gender. n. with the pretext: “due to illness.”
- "I told herstupidity (why?) in the heat of the moment.” The situation is expressed by the adverb "in the heat of the moment".
- "Alice opened the door, (why?) Taking pity on the traveler." As a circumstance, the adverbial turnover “taking pity on the traveler” is used.
Circumstances of course of action
They describe exactly how, in what way it is performed, to what extent this action is expressed. His questions are also relevant.
- "The master worked (how?) easily and beautifully." Circumstances are adverbs "easy" and "beautiful".
- "The dress was (to what extent?) very old." The circumstance is expressed here by the adverb "completely".
- "The boys ran (how fast?) headlong." The circumstance is expressed by a phraseological unit.
Circumstances of comparison
We also ask the question “how?” to them, but they express a comparative characteristic.
"The locomotive, (like who?) Like a beast, flickered with headlights." Obst. expressed by a noun with the union: “like a beast.”
Circumstances conditions and concessions
The first shows under what conditions an action is possible, and the second describes in spite of what it happens.
- "He will remember everything (on what condition?) if he sees Victoria." The combination “conjunction, verb, noun” acts as a circumstance: “if he sees Victoria.”
- "The club will not cancel the competition (despite what?) despite the rain." Obst. expressed in participle turnover: “despite the downpour.”
When parsing, this member is underlined by a dot-dotted line.
This is the definition and circumstance. Complement can be expressed by nouns or pronouns.
Examples of additions
- "The sun illuminated (what?) the clearing." The complement is expressed by the noun in vin. p.
- "Marina suddenly saw (whom?) him." Complement - a pronoun in the accusative case.
- "Children were left without (what?) toys." As an addition, a noun in gender is used. p.
- "We recognized (who?) Marfa by her walk." Complement is a noun in gender. p.
- "Irina was happy (why?) at the sea like a child." As a complement - a noun in the dative case.
- "Alexey gave (to whom?) the manuscript to me" (expressed by a pronoun in the dative case).
- "Last summer I got into (what?) drawing" (noun in the instrumental case).
- "Ivan became (what?) a programmer" (noun in the creative case).
- "The child enthusiastically talked about (what?) space" (noun in a sentence).
- "Don't tell him about (who?) her." As an addition, a pronoun in the prepositional case was used.
When parsing, this minor term is underlined with dotted lines.
Place and role of secondary members of the sentence
Minor members can clarify and explain the main ones in different configurations, Example: "The mother's gaze warmed (who?) The baby, (how?), Like the sun, (what?) Affectionate and hot." The scheme of this proposal is as follows:definition, subject, predicate, object, circumstance, definition.
And here is a sentence in which only the predicate is present as a basis: “Let's spend (what?) the year (what?) gone (how?) with a song.” Sentence scheme: compound predicate, object, definition, circumstance.
We can make sure that these members are secondary only grammatically, but not in content. Sometimes the meaning of a definition, circumstance, addition is more important than the information conveyed by predicates and subjects.
