He brought <her.> [object?]
- Thread starter ans7
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Are you thinking of this as a complete sentence? Or is it part of a longer sentence? If so, what longer complete sentence do you have in mind?
I don’t think asking for the context is gonna do anything, here’s a better mental image for you to better understand my question:
Lets say there is a blank space, in the blank space I put the word “her”. Now, is that word alone in that blank space already qualified to be an “object” OR does it have to stand with the rest of the clause, doing what objects are made to do (modifying verbs and being introduced by prepositions): “He brought ‘her’” to be qualified?
By itself, her can be an object pronoun. It can also be a determiner (or a possessive adjective).
For that reason, I need to see a sentence or a clause before I know what function the word her has: (1) (object pronoun) I saw her. (2) (determiner) They insulted her brother.
Because the words him (object pronoun) and his are different, I am pretty sure that him is an object pronoun even if I don't see that word in a sentence. However, I am not 100% sure.
Sentences like this one are possible and fairly common: (Who's there at the door?) It is me. Here, me seems to function as a subject pronoun rather than an object pronoun.
It makes some sense to believe that objects are hard to identify before you see, hear, or use them in sentences and clauses.
For that reason, I need to see a sentence or a clause before I know what function the word her has: (1) (object pronoun) I saw her. (2) (determiner) They insulted her brother.
Because the words him (object pronoun) and his are different, I am pretty sure that him is an object pronoun even if I don't see that word in a sentence. However, I am not 100% sure.
Sentences like this one are possible and fairly common: (Who's there at the door?) It is me. Here, me seems to function as a subject pronoun rather than an object pronoun.
It makes some sense to believe that objects are hard to identify before you see, hear, or use them in sentences and clauses.
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We require context with every question. The people who answer the question can decide whether or how the context affects their answer, but context must be there in case it is required.
Added: I don't know what you mean by 'modify the verb'. What is the difference between a noun that modifies the verb and one that doesn't? Please explain, using different words.
A clause:
He gave a box to her
Three nominal cases: He, a box, her.
He (subject) stands independently from the predicate.
A box (object) modify the verb, meaning it is a part of the verb phrase (predicate)
Her (object) introduced by a preposition forming a adverbial phrase in this case, the phrase then also modify the verb adding more information to it
There’s also nouns that add information to subjects called complements
If he brought her to the party, for instance, then 'her' is the object.
If she received something from him -- if he brought it 'to her' -- then your clause is incomplete. 'Brought' needs a direct object -- a noun that modifies the verb -- to have this meaning.
The full sentence could be 'He brought something to her' or 'He brought her something'. Both sentences mean the same thing, and in both of them, 'something' is the direct object. (I would say 'her' is the 'indirect object' in these sentences, but other people may use different terms.)
I hope I understood your question correctly.
Cross-posted.
(I would say 'her' is the direct object. I believe that you would say that 'her' modifies the verb.)
If she received something from him -- if he brought it 'to her' -- then your clause is incomplete. 'Brought' needs a direct object -- a noun that modifies the verb -- to have this meaning.
The full sentence could be 'He brought something to her' or 'He brought her something'. Both sentences mean the same thing, and in both of them, 'something' is the direct object. (I would say 'her' is the 'indirect object' in these sentences, but other people may use different terms.)
I hope I understood your question correctly.
Cross-posted.
An object does not "modify" the verb. Objects are not modifiers. A characteristic of modifiers is that they are optional, but in your sentence "her" is a necessary element to complete the meaning of the verb. Thus, "her" is a complement (all objects are complements).
As far as syntax is concerned, He brought her is a complete sentence. Usually, with "bring" (and its cousin, the verb "take") the manner in which he "brought" her is not important (by car? on his shoulders?); the sentence can stand on its own. Of course, the sentence can take another noun phrase as complement, in which case you distinguish the indirect object "her" from the noun phrase functioning as direct object, as in He brought her some flowers.