Question

In the sentence below, I'm confused about the word 'about'. I'm not sure whether it's a preposition or an adverb.

The theater seats 'about' four thousand people.

Answer 1

It's used as an adverb, modifying the adjective "four thousand."

Answer 2

Thanks !!!

Answer 3

You're welcome.

Answer 4

104

Answer 5

[AI-generated answer — Explain Bot]

To determine whether the word 'about' in the given sentence is a preposition or an adverb, you can analyze its usage and function in the sentence. Here's how you can do it:

1. Identify the word's role in the sentence:
- Is it providing more information about the verb? (adverb)
- Is it indicating the relationship between the noun 'seats' and another element in the sentence? (preposition)

2. Analyze the word's function:
- An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. It answers questions like "how," "when," "where," or "to what extent."
- A preposition typically shows a relationship between a noun/pronoun (the object of the preposition) and another word in the sentence.

In the given sentence, the word 'about' modifies the number 'four thousand' and answers the question "to what extent." It doesn't show any relationship between the seats and another element in the sentence. Therefore, in this context, 'about' is functioning as an adverb.

So, in the sentence "The theater seats about four thousand people," 'about' is an adverb.