Homer B Wk.10 Parsing

[wendyjbh]

Could you please explain how to parse "tracking" in this sentence?

With these few words he went on tracking, and Piglet, after watching hm for a minute or two, ran after him.

It looks to us like tracking is the direct object of the subject "he" and the verb "went." It looks like a verbal but to our understanding verbals cannot stand alone in the predicate. It is also not listed in the IG as a verbal. What is it?

Thanks,
Wendy

[Lene Mahler Jaqua]

'Tracking' describes how he 'went on'.

It comes from the verb 'to track', but it acts as an adverb in its present participial form. It is a verbal. It acts adverbially.

It is not listed in the IG as a word to parse because this is advanced.

Lene

[wendyjbh]

Thanks for your explanation. Numerous verbals are listed in the parsing exercises in the IG. I guess we will just have to assume that those that are left out are left out because they are too advanced.....

Thanks,
Wendy

[Lene Mahler Jaqua]

Yes, Wendy,

I am sorry. That is not very satisfying, is it? It is difficult to choose the words to include in the parsing, but the role of "tracking" is rather involved, more so than a normal participle which would act as an adjective and modify a noun.

Lene