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  • Simply let a semicolon take the place of a conjunction with a comma.

Is "let" and the infinitive "(to) take" considered a verb phrase, or is "let" the lone verb in the sentence? Also, what word is the infinitive phrase "to take the place of a conjunction with a comma" modifying?

Thank you very much.

Edwin Ashworth
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cookie234
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  • Is the first paragraph of your question supposed to be an example sentence? (If so, put a "> " before it in your question so that it shows up as a block quote.) – alphabet Dec 18 '23 at 16:35
  • And you need to tell us what definition of "verb phrase" you're using. – alphabet Dec 18 '23 at 16:39
  • let to take is not a verb phrase. "let x take the place" is one. – Lambie Dec 18 '23 at 17:02
  • Compare https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/539504/function-of-verb-to-let-someone-do-something https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/17791/is-this-grammatical-construction-an-imperative-for-the-third-person – Stuart F Dec 18 '23 at 17:14

2 Answers2

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Simply let a semicolon [take the place of a conjunction with a comma].

This is an imperative clause in a catenative construction where "let" is the catenative verb and the bracketed subordinate clause as its catenative complement.

The whole sequence is a clause consisting of a verb phrase, and likewise the subordinate clause. The intervening NP, "a semicolon", is the object of "let" and the understood (semantic) subject of the subordinate clause.

The subject of the matrix clause is omitted (as is usual in imperative clauses), but understood as "you".

BillJ
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  • @cookie234 Incidentally, I've glossed over the fact that the sentence doesn't make any sense. What purpose does the PP "with a comma" serve? – BillJ Dec 19 '23 at 14:02
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Consider:

Let him go to town -> (S (VP let (NP him) (VP go (ADVP to town))))

Your example is over-complex. The additional words are not significant

Simply let a semicolon take the place of a conjunction with a comma.

  1. In “take the place” take is a light verb and the meaning is “replace”

  2. “with a comma” is not needed

-> Let a semicolon replace a conjunction-> (S (VP Let (NP a semicolon) (VP replace (NP a conjunction))))

Greybeard
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