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Until can be used as a subordinate conjunction (subordinate clauses follow until) and a preposition (noun/noun phrase/gerund/to infinite follows it.)

What is the grammar of these sentences?

Example 1: We will wait here until called. (called is a past participle) (until calling is okay as 'calling' is a gerund. 'until the call' is okay as well.)

Example 2: You are innocent until proven guilty. (guilty is an adjective. Proven is an adjective/past participle)

PS: If 'called' is a short form accepted by English grammar for 'we are called" then it is very confusing. Also, it doesn't make sense why then Grammar books say that subordinate conjunctions are followed by dependent clauses.

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  • Yes, it is short for 'until we are called'. Grammar books can only do their best to describe how the language is actually used; so-called 'rules' are not always universally true.
    – Kate Bunting
    Commented Apr 7 at 15:59
  • Contemporary grammar treats "until" solely as a preposition. In your examples "called" and "proven guilty" are clausal complements of "until". They both have ellipsis of the subject "we / you" and the auxiliary verb "be".
    – BillJ
    Commented Apr 7 at 16:43
  • Do you have more examples of other conjunctions or prepositions like this?
    – A_Mendes
    Commented Apr 7 at 16:44
  • 1
    Do not move if hurt" / "Stand up when called".
    – BillJ
    Commented Apr 7 at 17:21

1 Answer 1

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We will wait here until [called].

You are innocent until [proven guilty].

Contemporary grammar classifies "until" solely as a preposition.

In both examples there is ellipsis of the subject pronoun + the auxiliary verb "be" in the bracketed subordinate clauses functioning as complement of "until".

If the ellipsis is filled out, the subordinate clauses would be "we are called" and "you are proven guilty".

"Proven" is a past participle verb, not an adjective.

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  • I have upvoted your answer.
    – A_Mendes
    Commented Apr 7 at 17:33

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