An adverbial objective is a noun that functions as an adverb, expressing time, distance, weight, or manner. A retained object is a direct object that stays after the verb is made passive. Both have unique diagramming conventions.
Adverbial Objectives
An adverbial objective is diagrammed like an indirect object â on a horizontal line below the verb (or predicate adjective) with an empty diagonal (no preposition written). It can modify a verb, predicate adjective, adverb, or even a preposition.
âIt has rained every day this week.â
Step 68 â 'day' and 'week' are adverbial objectives modifying the verb 'has rained'
âThis plane can go 500 miles an hour.â
Step 72 â 'miles' and 'hour' are adverbial objectives
The Expletive There
When there introduces a sentence (e.g., "There is a bird."), it is an expletive â a filler word with no grammatical function. It is placed on a separate horizontal line above the main diagram, like a vocative.
âThere is a bird in the yard.â
Expletive 'there' on its own line; 'bird' is the true subject