Help with question
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Help with question
Question:
Birmingham is in the centre of England.
Could someone tell me what the word 'centre' is? I am wavering between 'noun' and 'preposition'.
Aargh - its times like this when I question my schooling!
Birmingham is in the centre of England.
Could someone tell me what the word 'centre' is? I am wavering between 'noun' and 'preposition'.
Aargh - its times like this when I question my schooling!
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Re: Help with question
it's a preposition
Re: Help with question
Hoping there's no grammar in it ...
Re: Help with question
Beg to differ - "centre" is a noun
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Re: Help with question
I'd say noun too.
Re: Help with question
It's a noun. It's just that we're so used to seeing possessives done with apostrophes we're brought up short when they're spelt out in full. "Birmingham is in England's centre" makes it more obvious. It's also slightly confusing that it's a noun which looks a bit adjective-y. But few would doubt that "Docklands" is a noun in "Canary Wharf is in London's Docklands", would they? Expand out the possessive, and there you are.
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Re: Help with question
I still think it's used as a preposition in this sentence - 'centre' states the
position of/relation between Birmingham and England.
It is not used as a noun in this particular sentence.
position of/relation between Birmingham and England.
It is not used as a noun in this particular sentence.
Re: Help with question
Sorry, still disagree leameamum. There are two prepositions in the sentence: "in" and "of". "The centre" however is a noun, meaning the middle or mid-point. Look it up in a dictionary - it clearly says it's a noun.
Re: Help with question
I would say centre is the noun, in is the preposition
Re: Help with question
OED, "centre", "n. and adj", Section II, Sense 11. "The middle point or part, the middle or midst of anything.". Amongst the quotes supporting that sense, "Though they dwelt in the center of Spain, not far from Toledo.".leanmeamum wrote:I still think it's used as a preposition in this sentence - 'centre' states the
position of/relation between Birmingham and England.
Chambers, Collins and Cambridge agree.