MLAT Identifying Grammatical Functions 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In 'There are three options available,' what grammatical function does 'There' serve?
- Subject of the sentence
- Adverb modifying 'are'
- Expletive (dummy subject) (Correct answer)
- Predicate nominative
Correct answer: Expletive (dummy subject)
'There' is an expletive that fills the subject position while the true subject 'three options' follows the verb.
Question 2: Identify the function of 'whose argument was flawed' in 'The philosopher whose argument was flawed later revised it.'
- Noun clause as subject
- Adverb clause of reason
- Relative clause modifying 'philosopher' (Correct answer)
- Appositive clause
Correct answer: Relative clause modifying 'philosopher'
'Whose argument was flawed' is a relative (adjective) clause modifying the antecedent 'philosopher.'
Question 3: In 'She asked whether the report was ready,' what function does 'whether the report was ready' serve?
- Adverb clause
- Noun clause as direct object (Correct answer)
- Adjective clause
- Appositive clause
Correct answer: Noun clause as direct object
The noun clause 'whether the report was ready' is the direct object of the verb 'asked.'
Question 4: What function does 'a celebrated architect' serve in 'Frank Lloyd Wright, a celebrated architect, changed American design'?
- Subject complement
- Direct object
- Appositive renaming 'Frank Lloyd Wright' (Correct answer)
- Predicate nominative after linking verb
Correct answer: Appositive renaming 'Frank Lloyd Wright'
'A celebrated architect' is an appositive phrase that renames the proper noun 'Frank Lloyd Wright.'
Question 5: In 'He studied hard, hoping to pass the exam,' what function does 'hoping to pass the exam' serve?
- Gerund phrase as subject
- Participial phrase modifying 'He' (Correct answer)
- Adverb clause of purpose
- Object complement
Correct answer: Participial phrase modifying 'He'
'Hoping to pass the exam' is a participial phrase that modifies the subject 'He,' indicating his state while studying.
Question 6: Which sentence uses a noun clause as a subject complement (predicate nominative)?
- The truth is that she lied. (Correct answer)
- She believed he was honest.
- Whoever calls first wins.
- He told me what happened.
Correct answer: The truth is that she lied.
In 'The truth is that she lied,' the noun clause 'that she lied' follows the linking verb 'is' and renames 'the truth.'
Question 7: In 'They painted the walls white,' what grammatical function does 'white' serve?
- Predicate adjective
- Adverb modifying 'painted'
- Object complement describing 'walls' (Correct answer)
- Attributive adjective modifying 'walls'
Correct answer: Object complement describing 'walls'
'White' is an object complement that describes the result of the action on the direct object 'walls.'
MLAT Identifying Grammatical Functions 5
In 'There are three options available,' what grammatical function does 'There' serve?