1

In the following sentence, I say that (Nancy) is a subject, but the test corrector says it is a direct object. Which one is correct?

Here comes Nancy.

Improve this question
2
  • 1
    You're right. The test incorrector is wrong.
    – Jack O'Flaherty
    Jan 7 at 4:24
  • 2
    You are right: this is an inversion construction in which "Nancy" is the subject. It's comparable to a running commentary, describing a situation that is taking place as it unfolds.
    – BillJ
    Jan 7 at 9:12

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
2

The structure is called subject-verb inversion after place adverbials, and is well described here. From the name of the structure you can determine that "Nancy" is the subject, and "here" is an adverbial of place.

You can see this by reorganizing the words to their deep structure like this:

Here Nancy comes.

Also, the verb "come" is intransitive, which means it cannot take a direct object.

Further, if Nancy is a direct object, then where's the subject?

The options are:

  1. "Here" is the subject
  2. The sentence has an implied subject

"Here" cannot be the subject because "here" can only be used as a noun after a preposition, like "from here", and in this sentence, it clearly is an adverb because it describes how something comes, in particular, where it's coming.

There is no implied subject because English only does that in particular structures like commands, like "Come here!, and this is not one of those structures.

So, your test corrector is wrong.

Improve this answer
2
  • 1
    Thank you. You have convinced me
    – Maria Rodriguez
    Jan 7 at 4:58
  • @MariaRodriguez I have added a paragraph to the top with a relevant link.
    – gotube ♦
    Jan 7 at 5:59

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .