Jurnal Pendidikan Multidisipliner

Volume 7 Nomor 7, Juli 2024
ISSN: 27342488

EXPLORATION OF THE FUNCTION AND POSITION OF ADJUNCTS
IN ENGLISH SENTENCES
Nadya Yustiara Putri Parhusip1 , Rahel S.Purba2 , Rachel Silalahi3
Email: ndyaaap24@gmail.com1 , purbarahel89@gmail.com2 , rchlsllh@gmail.com3

Universitas HKBP Nommensen Pematangsiantar
ABSTRACT
This study presents a comprehensive exploration of the function and position of adjuncts within
English sentences. Adjuncts, which serve to provide additional information concerning time, place,
manner, and other contextual details, are essential elements that contribute to the syntactic
complexity and semantic nuance of sentences. The research employs a syntactic analysis to
investigate various types of adjuncts and their syntactic roles across different sentence structures. By
examining both written and spoken English contexts, the study elucidates the diverse syntactic
positions of adjuncts and their implications for sentence meaning and disco urse coherence.
Furthermore, the research explores how adjuncts interact with other grammatical components,
shedding light on their syntactic integration and communicative effectiveness. Through empirical
examples and theoretical insights, this study aims to deepen our understanding of adjuncts' syntactic
functions and their pivotal role in shaping English language expression.
Keywords: Definition, functions in a sentence, position, improve grammatical competence.

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INTRODUCTION
Sentence is a device which is used by people to utter their thought. In order to transfer
messages from one person to the others, a sentence must be conveyed either verbally or in
writing. A sentence is built from a group of words and of course it must have complete
meaning. In a sentence, adjuncts can be either optional or obligatory. An adjunct can be a
single word, a phrase, or an entire clause (Spasić, Babić-Antić, & Spasić-Stojković, 2015).
Adjunct is a word or phrase used to amplify or modify the meaning of another word or words
in a sentence. However, most adjuncts are realized by adverb and prepositional phrases and
this makes them difficult to be distinguished from the other types of adverbials. Not only are
adjuncts built by those mentioned phrases, but also by noun phrases, adverb phrases, and
even clauses.
The realization of adjunct itself must be the same as adverbials. Syntactically, adjuncts
may appear in initial, medial, or even final position of a sentence. Meanwhile, semantically,
they express a wide range of ideas, depending on what they refer to.There are three main
types of adjuncts; adverbial adjuncts, noun adjuncts, and adjectival adjunct. The adverbial
adjuncts can have different functional meanings that they contribute to a phrase or sentence.
When used for this purpose, an adjunct can indicate place, time, manner, degree, frequency,
or reason. a noun adjunct is an optional noun that modifies another noun. This is called a
compound noun. Again, in order for a word, phrase or clause to be a noun adjunct, the
sentence must still be grammatically correct when the noun adjunct is removed. Adjective
adjuncts, also known as adjectival adjuncts, are words or groups of words that modify or
characterize a noun (a person, place, object, or concept) in a phrase. The common meanings
carried by adjuncts can be related to place, time and process. They can also be referred to as
attributive adjectives. Its removal from the sentence will not compromise the grammatical
correctness of the sentence.
Adjuncts may show position, direction and distance, in reference to spatial aspect.
Position is associated with static condition, where it denotes certain point of location. Simply,
it can be said to answer the question where, and then will be respectively elicited by the
questions where to/from. Finally, the only adjunct representing place which can be measured
is known as distance. It is elicited by question how far, and most of adjuncts indicating
distance are realized by noun phrases. Regarding to time aspect, there are time position,
duration, frequency and time relation. Adjuncts of time may indicate a temporal scale, where
it is considered static because it explains the time when an action takes place, or the time to
which a state applies. This kind of adjunct conveys the meaning of position. Then the
meaning of every position can be related to one another as participate in the sentences as a
position in the beginning, in the middle of the sentences and at the end of each sentences, so
to knows where the adjuncts place in the sentences look forward to the position of it, where
the parts of adverb types places in a sentences. As a essential part of sentences adjunct must
be controlled by rules and characterized in grammar english: 1. Optional: Adjuncts are not
necessary for the grammatical structure of a sentence. They can be removed without making
the sentence ungrammatical. 2.Modifier: Adjuncts function as modifiers, adding specificity or
meaning to a sentence. They provide extra information about the verb, such as time, place,
manner, frequency, reason, or degree. 3. Can be varied: Adjuncts can appear in different
positions within a clause, depending on the sentence structure. They can come at the
beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a sentence. 4. Not part of the core structure:
Adjuncts are not part of the core structure of a clause. They are additional elements that add
extra meaning to the sentence. 5. Can be adverbs or phrases: Adjuncts can be adverbs,
adverbial phrases, or even whole clauses. They provide additional information about the verb
and can be used to modify other forms, words, phrases, or clauses. It's important to note that
the terminology used to denote arguments and adjuncts can vary depending on the theory of
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syntax and semantics being used. The distinction between arguments and adjuncts is central
to most theories of syntax and grammar, and the study of predicates, their arguments, and
adjuncts is known as valency theory. An adjunct in grammar serves several functions within a
sentence. It adds extra information, modifying the verb by providing details about how an
action is performed, when it takes place, or where it occurs. Adjuncts contribute to a better
understanding of a sentence by providing descriptive details and enhancing the context. They
are not essential to the core structure of a sentence and can be removed without making the
sentence ungrammatical. However, their presence adds additional information and nuance.
The specific function of an adjunct may vary depending on the linguistic theory used, but
these general functions are widely recognized.
METHOD
The research approach applied in this study was qualitative approach be cause the data
were shown descriptively by using words rather than showing numeric analysis. There are
four steps which were conducted in writing this meaning cle: determining the data source,
collecting the data, analyzing the data and pre sending the results of analysis.
It is necessary to consider the sources on which to base and confirm the research and
findings. In this article, the novel entitled Fifty Shades of Freed by Erika Leonard Mitchell
(also known as E.L. James) was used as the data source. The data are sentences which
contain adverbials functioning as adjuncts. This nov el was released in 2012 and it has 579
pages. This novel was selected because there are various kinds and forms of adjuncts to be
analyzed. Moreover, the language used in this novel is formal English and this novel also
becomes New York Times Bestseller.
After determining the data source, the next step was collecting the data. Collecting data
means putting all the data together in one place in such a way that they can be easily analyzed
and interpreted. Library research was the method used to collect the data in this study. It was
done through reading the novels first and marking the sentences which contain adverbials
functioning as adjuncts. The next step was note-taking where the sentences which contain
adverbials function ing as adjuncts were written down into a list, and then they were
categorized based on their forms and meanings.
After all the data were collected and classified, then they were analyzed one by one one
based on the theories applied. There were at least two examples for each category found.
Some elaborations on each example were also given to analyze the data. The last step was
presenting the results of the analysis. Since the data analysis in this study was presented by
using sentences, the presenting method applied was informal method.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The term ‘adjunct’ is actually very complex because it can be constructed by various
forms. As what has been stated previously, the realizations of adjuncts are similar as
adverbials. It means that adjuncts in the forms of phrases do exist. Even, certain clauses are
also able to realize them. The meanings carried by adjuncts can be much more specific than
what is commonly known.
Adjuncts in linguistics serve several important functions within sentences. These
functions include:
1) 1)Providing Additional Information: Adjuncts typically convey supplementary details
that expand upon or modify the main clause of a sentence. They can describe when,
where, how, why, or under what conditions something occurs.
2) 2)Enhancing Sentence Clarity and Precision: By specifying temporal, spatial, modal, or
other contextual information, adjuncts help to clarify the meaning and intent of the
sentence, making communication more precise.
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3) 3)Adding Nuance and Emphasis: Adjuncts contribute to the stylistic and rhetorical
aspects of language by adding nuance, emphasis, or perspective to the information
conveyed in the sentence.
4) 4)Modifying Verb Phrases or Clauses: They often modify entire verb phrases or clauses,
indicating aspects such as time (e.g., "yesterday"), place (e.g., "in the park"), manner
(e.g., "carefully"), or condition (e.g., "if necessary").
5) 5)Offering Flexibility in Sentence Structure : Adjuncts provide flexibility in how
information is organized within sentences, allowing for varied syntactic structures
without altering the core meaning of the sentence.
6) 6)Contributing to Discourse Coherence: By linking sentences and paragraphs through
cohesive ties, adjuncts contribute to maintaining coherence and flow in discourse.
7) 7)Supporting Sentence Variety: They play a role in creating diverse sentence structures,
which is crucial for effective writing and oral communication.
Adjuncts can be categorized into different types based on their grammatical function
and the parts of speech they modify:
1) Adverbial Adjuncts: These modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, providing
additional information about time, place, manner, frequency, degree, etc. They typically
answer questions like "when?", "where?", "how?", "how often?", "to what degree?", etc.
Examples include:
a. Place
Place adjuncts can provide context as to where something being described in a sentence
is occurring, (ex: in the garden).
b. Time
Time adjuncts can provide context about when something being described in a sentence
is occurring. (ex: yesterday).
c. Manner
Manner adjuncts can provide context about how something being described in a
sentence is occurring, (ex: Carefully).
d. Degree
Degree adjuncts can provide context about the extent of an action or event, (ex: very
quickly).
e. Frequency
Frequency adjuncts can provide context as to how frequently something being
described in a sentence is occurring, (ex:every day).
f. Reason
Reason adjuncts can provide context as to why something being described in a sentence
is occurring, (ex:because of the rain).
2) Noun Adjuncts : A noun adjunct is an optional noun that modifies another noun. This is
called a compound noun. Again, in order for a word, phrase or clause to be a noun adjunct,
the sentence must still be grammatically correct when the noun adjunct is removed.
Some examples of noun adjuncts are as follows:
a. In the word 'farmhouse', the noun 'farm' is an adjunct, as it modifies 'house' - farmhouse
is a single-word compound noun.
b. In the phrase 'chicken soup', the noun 'chicken' is the adjunct, as it modifies 'soup'.
c. In the phrase 'toy soldier', the noun 'toy' is the adjunct, as it modifies 'soldier'. The only
reason toy is included is to add context to the noun 'soldier', it is thus not necessary to the
phrase.
In the sentence 'He was chased by the policeman', the word 'policeman' is a single-word
compound noun. Removing the noun adjunct 'police' does change the meaning of the
sentence, but does not make it grammatically incorrect.
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3) Adjectival Adjuncts : An adjectival adjunct is simply an adjective that comes immediately
before the noun it describes in a sentence. They can also be referred to as attributive
adjectives. Its removal from the sentence will not compromise the grammatical correctness
of the sentence.
Take the following sentence: The red door would not close.
The adjectival adjunct here is 'red'.
However, if the sentence was 'The door that is red would close', red is no longer an
adjectival adjunct as its removal from the sentence would make the sentence grammatically
incorrect.
A few more examples of adjectival adjuncts are:
a. The fluffy white rabbit hid under the bed.
b. Her dark eyes connected with mine.
c. He threw his sharpened spear.
The position of an adjunct in a sentence can vary depending on the type of adjunct and
the context of the sentence. Here are some common positions in which adjuncts can be
placed:
1) Start of Sentence: Adjuncts are often placed at the beginning of a sentence to provide
additional context or background before the main information.
Example: "In the morning, he reads the newspaper." (Adjunct of Time)
2) Middle of Sentence: Adjuncts can be placed in the middle of a sentence, usually between
the subject and the verb, or between the verb and the object.
Example: She went to the store yesterday, after finishing her work. (Adjunct of Time)
3) End of Sentence: Adjuncts are also often placed at the end of a sentence to add additional
information after the main statement has been made.
Example: "She sings beautifully." (Adjunct of Manner)
So, the position of an adjunct can be at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence
depending on the type of additional information provided and the focus of the sentence.
Adjuncts in sentence patterns refer to additional elements that provide additional
information such as time, place, manner, reason, or condition. They are not necessary to
establish the basic structure of the sentence but add additional details or context that enrich
the overall meaning of the sentence. Here are some examples of common sentence patterns
that include the use of adjuncts:
1) Subject + Verb + Adjunct
(Amy laughed loudly)
S
v
a
2) Subjetc + Verb + Subject Compliment + Adjunct
(My tea is cold as usual)
S v sc
a
3) Subject + Verb + Direct Object + Adjunct
(The soldiers destroyed the village deliberately)
S
v
do
a
4) Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object + Adjunct
(We gave david the prize in the end)
S v
io
do
a
5) Subject + Verb + Direct Object + Object Compliment + Adjunct
(The dye turned the water blue in just a few second)
S
v
do
oc
a

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CONCLUSION
In grammar, an adjunct is a word, phrase, or clause that modifies or provides additional
information based on the form that structurally affect the remainder of the sentence. In
another sight to identify the adjunct more clearly to understand and the reason why is it so
important to added the phrase because adjunct are not essential for the basic grammatical
structure of a sentence. However, they do contribute to the overall meaning and clarity of a
sentence. Some adjuncts, such as adverbial phrases or clauses, can be crucial for conveying
specific information like time, place, manner, frequency, reason, degree, or condition. To
proved that removing certain adjuncts may result in a sentence that lacks important details or
becomes ambiguous. For example, consider the sentence "She danced." Adding an adjunct
like "brilliantly" provides crucial information about the manner in which she danced. Without
the adjunct, the sentence becomes less informative and may not convey the intended
meaning. In summary, while adjuncts are not always necessary for the grammatical structure
of a sentence, they play a significant role in providing additional details and enhancing the
overall meaning and clarity of a sentence. Therefore an Adjuncts can be adverbs,
prepositional phrases, or subordinate clauses, and they typically appear after the main verb or
within a sentence to enhance its meaning. In grammar, an adjunct is a versatile linguistic
element that modifies or provides additional information about another element in a sentence.
They are optional components that enrich the meaning and context of a sentence without
being essential to its grammatical structure. For instance, time adjuncts like "yesterday" or
"last week" provide temporal information, while place adjuncts such as "on the table" or "in
the park" specify a location. Manner adjuncts like "loudly" or "carefully" describe how an
action is performed, while frequency adjuncts such as "twice a week" indicate how often
something occurs. Reason adjuncts, such as subordinate clauses like "because she had an
appointment," explain the motive behind an action. Degree adjuncts like "very" intensify the
level or extent of something, and condition adjuncts, like conditional clauses starting with
"if," introduce a condition for a specific outcome. Adjuncts can be positioned after the main
verb or appear within a sentence, enhancing its meaning and providing a deeper
understanding of the context.
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