Adverb or Adjective

[Jennifer Nevsky]

In this sentence, a friend is just a text message away, what part of speech is away. We thought it was an adverb, but someone suggested it was an adjective. Could you explain this.

 

[RonBee]

What word does "away" modify in that sentence?

 

[Jennifer Nevsky]

I am not sure what word away modifies. I am confused.

 

[RonBee]

A friend is ____________________ away.


If it doesn't modify "is" it's an adjective.

 

[Nightmare85]

If it doesn't modify "is" it's an adjective.

It's an adjective anyway.
Whenever an adjective belongs to is (or any form of be), it's an adjective.

He is nice.
A friend is away.
Have you been late to class?

They are all adjectives.

Cheers!

 

[MrPedantic]

How about here, Night?

1. I'm off. (i.e. I'm going away)

How about here, Jennifer?

2. It's a text away.
3. It's a mile away.

 

[TheParser]

In this sentence, a friend is just a text message away, what part of speech is away. We thought it was an adverb, but someone suggested it was an adjective. Could you explain this.

***NOT A TEACHER***I, too, am very confused. Take the sentence: The place is six miles away. Some of my grammar books and dictionaries say it is an adjective; the others list it as an adverb.

 

[RonBee]

Yes, Nightmare85, you are right, but I was trying to get Jen to figure it out.

 

[Nightmare85]

How about here, Night?

1. I'm off. (i.e. I'm going away)

I would say:
I'm off -> off = adjective
I'm on -> on = adjective
I'm away -> away = adjective

I'm going away -> going away = adjective (although I'm not 100% sure if away is an adverb which describes going, but I believe it's an adjective.)

@RonBee:
Okay, thanks and sorry :-?

Cheers!

 

[MrPedantic]

But then:

1. It's a good dog. What is the dog? Good.
2. ??? It's a text away. What is the text? Away.

Cf.

3. It's a good dog. (It's a dog.)
4. It's a heartbeat away. (??? It's a heartbeat.)
5. It's a text away. (??? It's a text.)

MrP

 

[Nightmare85]

But then:

1. It's a good dog. What is the dog? Good.
2. ??? It's a text away. What is the text? Away.

Cf.

3. It's a good dog. (It's a dog.)
4. It's a heartbeat away. (??? It's a heartbeat.)
5. It's a text away. (??? It's a text.)

MrP

When a word describes a noun, it's an adjective.
When a word belongs to any form of be (is, am, are, been, etc.), it's an adjective.
When a word describes an adjective, it's an adverb.
When a word describes a verb, it's an adverb.

The dog is good. -> good = adjective, because it belongs to a "be-form".
The dog listens well to its orders. -> well = adverb, because listen is a verb.
The dog is incredibly big. -> how big is it? incredibly -> incredibly = adverb, because big is an adjective.

"Text away" is an unknown thing for me anyway.
I've never heard it.
(I'm not a native speaker.)

I hope I could help.

Cheers!

 

[Kondorosi]

It's an adjective anyway.
Whenever an adjective belongs to is (or any form of be), it's an adjective.

He is nice.
A friend is away.
Have you been late to class?

They are all adjectives.

Incorrect.

A friend is away = SVA; away = obligatory predicate adjunct (adverb)

- Where is he? - Oh, he is away? :tick: (is a pred adjunt)
- What is he like? - He is away. :cross: (is not a pred adj)
- Who is he? - He is away. :cross: (is not a pred. nom)

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A friend is just a text message away.

A friend is away.
He is away.
He is far away.
He is a text message away. = SVA

He = S
is = CopV
(a text message) away = A (adverb)
text message = noun in form but adverb in function; it says how far away (he is); it modifies 'away'
a = determiner

 

[MrPedantic]

Yes; hence the ??? of:

2. ??? It's a text away. What is the text? Away.

The adverbial nature of "away" becomes clearer with a different verb:

6. He is going | away.
7. He is going | far away.
8. He is going | 6 miles away.

Cf.

9. six miles away
10. six miles hence

MrP