Homer B Week 1 Parsing Review (p. 16 of SW)

[mjwheelers]

FL Greetings,

We are plugging along through Homer (just starting Level B) and have a question on p. 16 of the SW (Week 1: Scylla and Charybdis); this concerns the Parsing Review 3rd sentence.

The sentence reads:

On the one side there WAS a cave, in which there DWELT a terrible monster, Scylla by name, and on the other side there WAS a dreadful whirlpool.

Our question concerns the verb: was

We parsed "was" in "there was a cave" as a LINKING verb with "cave" as the SC. The IG says that "was" is an INTRANSITIVE VERB with "cave" as the subject.

We understand why "dwelt" is INTRANSITIVE because it represents being/existence. You could reword it as "a terrible monster dwelt." There is no DO or SC. Monster is the subject. What is "there?"

We also understand why "was" in "there was a dreadful whirlpool" is a LINKING verb based on the same logic we used for the above clause with "was."

In both instances of "was," why is one an INTRANSITIVE verb and one is a LINKING verb?

We are still a little shaky on INTRANSITIVE verbs and appreciate the extra insight on this particular sentence.

Look forward to hearing back,
KIM

p.s. It was wonderful to see Kathy presenting on the HSLDA home events recently. Great exposure for an excellent curriculum !!

[Lene Mahler Jaqua]

"Was" in both cases is the same type of verb, obviously, as you also saw.

Transitive verbs can take objects (stated or unstated objects). That is, these verbs carry the action of a subject and apply it to an object. They tells us what the subject (agent) does to something else (object).
Example: He bought a shirt.
(agent) (did something) (object- answers the question "what?")
He baked a cake.
He fixed his car.

The action of the verb is transferred onto the direct object.


An intransitive verb by definition [ 'in' (as in NOT) 'transitive' (as in does not transfer the action)] CANnot take a direct object; it expresses actions that do not require the agent's doing something to something else.

Example:
They ran down the road.
I jumped high.
I walked far

But to tie in with linking verbs: In general intransitive verbs are simply verbs that do not take objects, that is linking verbs are 'intransitive' too. That is, they are not transitive, as you know.

Like their name suggests, they simply link the sentence subject to the predicate. The most common linking verbs are all versions of the verb to be: am, is, are, was, were, has been, will be, etc.)
Here are several examples of linking verbs that are intransitive verbs, followed by the appropriate descriptors.

The cat was friendly.
The cave was there.
The fish smelled funny.
The dog seemed hostile.

A linking verb connects a subject to a subject complement which identifies or describes the subject.

BUT for the answer key for Homer level work, the AK should have been consistent and said linking verb for both.

(Fact remains, linking verbs are INtransitive, so it's not incorrect, but it is an oversight on our part not to make the AK consistent.)

Thanks for letting us know,

Lene

[mjwheelers]

Lene,

Sorry for the delay in closing the loop on this thread. We are alternating Homer and Poetry and I'm just now getting back to Homer.

Your explanation on the verbs: intransitive vs. transitive vs. linking was very helpful. Thank you.

One last item, what is "there" functioning as in all three of these clauses:

there was a cave
there dwelt a terrible monster
there was a dreadful whirlpool

Based on my understanding, "there" is typically an ADVERB. But in this case, is it a PRONOUN linking with "cave," "monster," and "whirlpool?"

I think an answer to this last question will close the loop for us. Thank you again for your time in facilitating this forum.

Blessings,
Kim in Merritt Island, FL

[Carolyn]

Descriptive English Grammar calls that use of there an "expletive". It serves no function in the sentence, which would do quite nicely without it.

"An expletive, in the purely grammatical sense, is a particle whose sole function is to herald, or introduce, a certain order of parts in the sentence or clause, or a certain type of grammatical structure. Expletives do not constitute a special part of speech. They are allied by origin with conjunctions, adverbs, and pronouns."