Question

Thank you for your help. I'd like to ask one more similar question as follows.

1. He bought a cake for poor children.

[In this sentence, is 'for poor children' an adjective phrase, which modifies 'cake'. Or is 'for poor children' an adverb phrase, which modifies 'bought'?]

Answer 1

Thank you for your help. I'd like to ask one more similar question as follows.

1. He bought a cake for poor children.

[In this sentence, is 'for poor children' an adjective phrase, which modifies 'cake'? Or is 'for poor children' an adverb phrase, which modifies 'bought'?]

Answer 2

In this sentence, it modifies "bought", telling why they made a purchase of whatever it is (cake, shoes, clothes, whatever they bought). In the other example, the phrase tells what kind of party. Here it tells (modifies) why they took the action to buy something. It's an adverb phrase.

In the other example, it could be restated, "They will hold a birthday party or their teacher". Both "birthday" and "for their teacher" modify PARTY. Here, to repeat, the phrase tells why they bought something. It does not describe the cake, as the other phrase tells what kind of party it will be. Am I making myself clear? I hope I am.:)

Answer 3

OK. Thank you for your explanation.