Today we dedicate this article to reviewing one of the syntactic functions that we can find in the parsing of sentences, theattribute. We propose a series of exercises for you to practice locating this complement. Remember that the attribute is only found in sentences whose predicate is nominal, that it can be replaced by the pronoun "it" and can be made up of a noun phrase, an adjective phrase, an adverbial phrase or a prepositional phrase.
Exercise 1. In the following sentences, indicate whether the predicate is verbal or nominal
1. The nearest town is twenty minutes from here.
2. My uncle Pepe's truck broke down in the middle of the road.
3. The tallest girl looks like a model.
4. My brother is fine now.
5. The keys are on the table in your room.
6. The altercation took place in that bar.
7. The shirt I bought yesterday is red.
8. I think the boys in Maria's class are very handsome.
9. It's very hot at this time.
10. Mercedes' stories seem wonderful to me.
Solution:
1. The nearest city is twenty minutes from here > nominal predicate.
2. My uncle Pepe's truck broke down in the middle of the road > verbal predicate.
3. The tallest girl looks like a model >nominal predicate.
4. My brother is doing very well now > nominal predicate.
5. The keys are on the table in your room > verbal predicate.
6. The altercation occurred in that bar > verbal predicate.
7. The shirt I bought yesterday is red > nominal predicate.
8. The boys in Maria's class seem very handsome to me > nominal predicate.
9. It is very hot at this time > verbal predicate.
10. Mercedes' stories seem wonderful to me > nominal predicate.
Exercise 2. In the sentences with a nominal predicate in the previous exercise, mark the attribute
1. The nearest town is twenty minutes from here.
2. The tallest girl looks like a model.
3. My brother is fine now.
4. The shirt I bought yesterday is red.
5. I think the boys in Maria's class are very handsome.
6. Mercedes' stories seem wonderful to me.
Solution:
1. The nearest city is twenty minutes from here > Attribute: twenty minutes from here.
2. The tallest girl looks like a model > Attribute: a model.
3. My brother is doing very well now > Attribute: very well.
4. The shirt I bought yesterday is red > Attribute: red.
5. I think the boys in Maria's class are very handsome > Attribute: very handsome.
6. Mercedes' stories seem wonderful to me > Attribute: wonderful.
Exercise 3. Build:
1. A sentence containing an attribute composed of a noun phrase.
2. A sentence containing an attribute composed of an adjective phrase.
3. A sentence containing an attribute composed of an adverbial phrase.
4. A sentence containing an attribute composed of a prepositional phrase.
Examples:
1. Friend Tere's oldest son is a doctor > Attribute / noun phrase: doctor.
2. That tile is broken > Adjectival attribute / phrase: broken.
3. This matter does not seem right to me > Attribute / adverbial phrase: well.
4. José's friend is from Barcelona > Attribute / prepositional phrase: from Barcelona
