Understanding the Structure of the Sentence: ‘Warfare will evidently change during the coming century but between whom and from what motives is unpredictable.’

In this article, we break down the structure of the sentence: ‘Warfare will evidently change during the coming century but between whom and from what motives is unpredictable.’ Let’s explore the grammatical components of this sentence to understand its structure clearly.

Breaking Down the Sentence Structure

This sentence contains a main clause and a relative clause, which we need to examine to fully understand the grammar. The structure is complex and involves a future prediction with embedded clauses that modify certain parts of the sentence.

1. Main Clause

The main clause of the sentence is: ‘Warfare will evidently change during the coming century’. Here, ‘warfare’ is the subject, ‘will change’ is the future verb phrase, and ‘during the coming century’ is a prepositional phrase indicating the time.

2. The Clause ‘But Between Whom and From What Motives’

The phrase ‘but between whom and from what motives’ functions as a connecting clause. ‘Between’ and ‘from’ are prepositions, and ‘whom’ and ‘what motives’ are interrogative pronouns. This phrase sets up a contrast and expresses the unpredictability of the relationships and motives involved in warfare.

3. The Final Clause: ‘Is Unpredictable’

The final part of the sentence, ‘is unpredictable’, serves as the predicate of the sentence. It modifies the entire previous structure, suggesting that the factors mentioned (whom and what motives) are uncertain or unknown.

Grammatical Structure Summary

The sentence follows a complex structure where the main clause presents an action (the change in warfare), and the relative clauses further specify the uncertainty regarding the agents and motives involved. The use of ‘but’ introduces a contrast, and the overall meaning is about the unpredictability of future warfare.

4. The Role of ‘But’ and ‘Evidently’

‘But’ connects two contrasting ideas, while ‘evidently’ emphasizes that the change in warfare is apparent or obvious, yet the exact details remain uncertain.

5. Why This Sentence is Important

This structure is a good example of how complex sentences can convey detailed and nuanced ideas. By analyzing such sentences, you can gain deeper insights into the language’s flexibility and precision.

Conclusion

Understanding the grammatical structure of complex sentences, like the one analyzed in this article, is key to mastering advanced language skills. By breaking down sentences into their components, you can enhance your comprehension and fluency in language use.