AboutJerry Leone Expertise I`ve taught writing or some aspect of the English language for nearly 35 years. I can answer nearly any question on grammar, usage or meanings of words above dictionary usage. An avid crossword fan and writer, I can also answer questions about business presentations and resumes.
Experience I have worked with words all my life as a teacher of the language and as an amateur and professional writer. Communication is a vital force in my life and everyone else's.
Expert: Jerry Leone Date: 6/30/2008 Subject: Grammar Questions
Question I have some more questions:
1. Why does "also" not require commas in the middle of a sentence while "too" does (since they are both acting as adverbs)?
* He also went skiing.
* He, too, went skiing.
2. Does the sentence require a predicate nominative (technically, the pronoun is not renaming the subject)?
* I am not he.
3. I purchased the Oxford English Grammar (Sidney Greenbaum) and it does not mention "predicate nominative." I labored through pages discussing "predicate," "pronoun," and "nominative," but to no avail. Is there another term for this?
Answer Pat,
1. In your first sentence, the adverb modifies the verb which means he did several other things (sledding, skating, snowboarding and swimming, etc.).
In the second sentence it modifies the subject, he. This means that several others (his mother, father, sister, uncle, etc.) went skiing.
If also in the first sentence modified he, then it would read: He, also, went skiing. And your second would be: He went skiing too. The comma allow you to know why word the adverb modifies.
2. Yes, you are saying I can't do what my brother does because I am not he!
3. The only other term I have heard used is predicate noun.
