Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

Adjuncts and complements

280a

Adjuncts modify the verb or the clause but, unlike complements, they do not complete the

meaning of the verb and are not required elements:

It rained 

in the afternoon.

(adjunct: indicates the circumstances, i.e. the time when it rained)

I’ll put it 

in my diary now.

(complement: completes the meaning of put, which must specify both an object and a

location)

Û

169c Complements versus postmodifiers for the distinction between complements and

modifiers

Û

319–337 Adjuncts for a full account of the different functions and positions of

adjuncts

502 | Introduction to sentences and clauses

Cambridge Grammar of English

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Verb complementation