Exploring the Part of Speech of 'Like' in 'They Are Men of Like Build and Stature'

Understanding the part of speech of words, especially common words, can be quite enlightening. In the sentence "They are men of like build and stature," the word "like" plays a crucial role. This article will break down the sentence, identify the individual parts of speech, and delve into the different usages of "like" as an adjective, with a particular focus on its function in this sentence.

Breakdown of Parts of Speech

The sentence "They are men of like build and stature" can be dissected as follows:

They: Pronoun (Subject) are: Linking Verb (Copula) men: Noun (Predicate Nominative) of: Preposition like: Adjective (Modifier of Nouns) build: Noun and: Conjunction stature: Noun

In this context, "like" is used to indicate a similarity between the men's build and stature. It is functioning as a modifier of the nouns "build" and "stature,

Modifiers and Prepositional Phrases

The presence of "like build and stature" in the sentence also highlights a prepositional phrase. Specifically, it is part of the phrase "of like build and stature," with "of" being the preposition leading the phrase.

Adjective Functioning Usage

Further analysis reveals that "like" is an adjective in this sentence. More formally, "like" is a substitute for the phrase "similar to," hence its role as a modifier here. This construction succinctly indicates that the men's build and stature are similar, as in "They are men of similar build and stature."

Formality and Syntax

Using "like" in this manner is considered formal and literary. It is an old-fashioned way of modifying nouns, where the shortened phrase "like build and stature" is used to indicate that there is something similar about the nouns "build and stature." While this usage is less common in modern English, it can often be found in more sophisticated or traditional writing.

Analysis of the Sentence

Let's break down the sentence "They are men of like build and stature" further for a clearer understanding:

Subject: They Copula: are Predicate Nominative: men of like build and stature Prepositional Phrase: of like build and stature (preposition: of, object of the preposition: like build and stature, adjective: like)

The term "like" modifies the nouns "build and stature," thus functioning as a short, formal adjective. The phrase "of like build and stature" could also be expanded to "of similar build and stature," demonstrating its role as a means of comparison and similarity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the part of speech of "like" in the sentence "They are men of like build and stature" is an adjective. It modifies the nouns "build and stature" by indicating a similarity, a common usage in more formal and literary contexts.

Keywords: part of speech, like, adjective, prepositional phrase