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Glite Dictionary
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subjectless

subjectless

1 7.9
A sentence with no named person or thing doing the action
  • adjective
  • /ˈsʌbdʒɪktləs/
  • Specialized
: sin sujeto
  • After simplifying his writing, he often created subjectless sentences that made his points clear without adding unnecessary words.
  • subjectless sentences

Examples

  • In some languages, such as Japanese, it is common to use subjectless sentences that rely on context for understanding.

  • When teaching grammar, it's important to highlight that subjectless sentences can still convey complete thoughts.

  • The the novel ends with a subjectless sentence.

Surface Forms

subjectless positive

Morphology

subjectless = subject (transparent) = subject + less

Grammatically straightforward formation: 'subject' (grammatical term) + '-less' = lacking a grammatical subject.

Etymology

Subjectless is made from subject (the person or thing that does the action in a sentence) and -less meaning 'without', so it describes a sentence that has no subject in grammar. That's why short commands like 'Go!' are described as subjectless.