MLAT Identifying Grammatical Functions 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In 'The proposal seemed reasonable to the committee,' what function does 'reasonable' serve?
- Attributive adjective modifying 'proposal'
- Predicate adjective after linking verb 'seemed' (Correct answer)
- Adverb modifying 'seemed'
- Object complement
Correct answer: Predicate adjective after linking verb 'seemed'
'Reasonable' follows the linking verb 'seemed' and describes the subject 'proposal,' functioning as a predicate adjective.
Question 2: What function does 'in the morning' serve in 'She prefers coffee in the morning'?
- Direct object
- Adverbial prepositional phrase modifying 'prefers' (Correct answer)
- Adjective phrase modifying 'coffee'
- Subject complement
Correct answer: Adverbial prepositional phrase modifying 'prefers'
'In the morning' is a prepositional phrase functioning as an adverb, telling when she prefers coffee.
Question 3: In the sentence 'What he said shocked everyone,' what is the grammatical function of 'What he said'?
- Adjective clause
- Adverb clause
- Noun clause functioning as subject (Correct answer)
- Prepositional phrase
Correct answer: Noun clause functioning as subject
'What he said' is a noun clause that functions as the subject of the main verb 'shocked.'
Question 4: Which sentence contains an appositive phrase?
- She ran and he walked.
- My sister, a talented pianist, performed tonight. (Correct answer)
- They left because it was late.
- He drove carefully on the highway.
Correct answer: My sister, a talented pianist, performed tonight.
'A talented pianist' is an appositive phrase that renames and further identifies 'My sister.'
Question 5: In 'The decision to postpone the meeting angered the staff,' what function does 'to postpone the meeting' serve?
- Adverbial infinitive of purpose
- Infinitive phrase as subject
- Infinitive phrase modifying 'decision' (Correct answer)
- Direct object of 'angered'
Correct answer: Infinitive phrase modifying 'decision'
The infinitive phrase 'to postpone the meeting' functions as an adjective modifying the noun 'decision.'
Question 6: What is the function of 'them' in 'The coach made them run extra laps'?
- Direct object of 'made' (Correct answer)
- Indirect object of 'made'
- Subject of 'run'
- Object complement
Correct answer: Direct object of 'made'
'Them' is the direct object of 'made,' while 'run extra laps' is the object complement (bare infinitive phrase).
Question 7: In 'Although tired, she completed the marathon,' what function does 'Although tired' serve?
- Participial phrase modifying 'she'
- Elliptical adverb clause of concession (Correct answer)
- Prepositional phrase
- Appositive
Correct answer: Elliptical adverb clause of concession
'Although tired' is an elliptical adverbial clause (with 'she was' omitted) that expresses concession.
MLAT Identifying Grammatical Functions 4
In 'The proposal seemed reasonable to the committee,' what function does 'reasonable' serve?