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Grammar - subject of sentance

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Andyroo:
I have been asked to help dissect the following sentence for the subject/object and anything else “useful” for a High School student exam. It’s for a co teacher’s son who attends a different school.

Sentence is in bold.

“If we exhaust one resource, we can always switch to some other resource meeting the same need.” Optimists who make such claims ignore the unforeseen difficulties and long transition times regularly involved.
For instance, one area where switching based on not-yet-perfected new technologies has repeatedly been touted as promising to solve a major environmental problem is automobiles.

After cutting the sentence down to as small as I could make it I feel “automobiles” is the subject but aren’t sure enough to say so with any authority.

One area (noun) where switching (verb) based on new technologies is touted is automobiles.

SBracken:
short answer: 'area' is the subject. 'automobiles' is the complement.

working on the long answer.....

SBracken:
long/exhaustive/exhausting answer:

One- adjective modifying 'area'

area- subject

where- preposition introducing an adjectival clause [where switching ... environmental problem]

switching- gerund (verb as a noun), subject of the adjectival clause

based on- verb of adjectival clause

not-yet-perfected, new- adjectives modifying 'technologies'

technologies- object of adjectival clause

(that)- invisible relative pronoun, antecedent: 'area'; introduces the relative clause [has repeatedly ... environmental
problems]

has been touted- verb of the relative clause (passive voice in the present perfect tense)

repeatedly- adverb modifying 'has been touted'

as- adverb, introducing the adverbial phrase [as promising ... environmental problem], modifying 'has been touted'

promising- gerund introducing the gerund phrase [promising to ... problem], which is the object of 'as'

to solve- infinitive as an object; introduces infinitive clause [to solve problems] which is the object of 'promising'

a, major, environmental- article, adjective, adjective that all modify 'problem'

problem- object of 'to solve' in the infinitive phrase

is- main verb of the sentence, subject 'area'

automobiles- complement of 'area'


phew, pretty sure, hopefully, that I got all that right. I'm a little fuzzy on 'as' (could it be functioning as a preposition?) and everything in that clause [as promising to solve a major environmental problem], but I am certain that, getting rid of all the modifiers, we are left with 'area is automobiles'.

Andyroo:

--- Quote from: SBracken on May 25, 2012, 03:51:11 PM ---long/exhaustive/exhausting answer:



--- End quote ---

As far as I am concerned you have earned yourself a great weekend.

Thank you very much.

SBracken:

--- Quote from: Andyroo on May 25, 2012, 05:21:09 PM ---
--- Quote from: SBracken on May 25, 2012, 03:51:11 PM ---long/exhaustive/exhausting answer:



--- End quote ---

As far as I am concerned you have earned yourself a great weekend.

Thank you very much.

--- End quote ---

haha cheers. I hope it was helpful and not just excessive T_T

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