Means, Instrument, and Agent Adjunct

When we do something – walking, studying, swimming, and so on – we usually follow a process. Details about the process are provided by process adjuncts through the four members of its family – manner adjunct, means adjunct, instrument adjunct, and agent adjunct – each providing a different type of detail for our sentences.

We cover the latter three together in this post as they overlap, confusing many. For the first, refer to the post on manner adjunct.

1. Means adjuncts

Also called means adverbials, means adjuncts provide information about the method or way of performing a task. They show up in sentences mainly as adverb and prepositional phrase, and sometimes as noun phrase.

Examples of means adjuncts

Here are some examples of means adjuncts, categorized under the form they take:

(Comments are in [square brackets])

Adverb as means adjunct

1. It’s best to counter separatism democratically. [democracy is the way/means to counter separatism]

2. Believe it or not, decisions at the stock exchange were being partly made astrologically. [astrology is the way/means to make decisions]

Prepositional phrase as means adjunct

3. He read from teleprompter. [teleprompter is the way/means to read]

4. Rich can influence legal process through their abundant resources. [abundant resources are the way/means to influence legal process]

5. Many Google employees go to office by company bus. [bus is the way/means to go to office]

6. I flew with/by Singapore Airlines. [Singapore Airlines is the way/means to fly]

Noun phrase as means adjunct

7. I flew Singapore Airlines. [Singapore Airlines is the way/means to fly]

In the above examples, you can see that each adjunct (underlined) answers the question how. In the first, democratically answers the question How should separatism best be countered?

Position of means adjuncts

Means adjuncts mostly come at the end of a clause or sentence. It’s common though to see their adverb form placed at other positions, where it sounds odd. For example, It’s best to democratically counter separatism would sound odd.

2. Instrument adjuncts

Also called instrument adverbials, instrument adjuncts tell us the instrument used to perform a task. They show up in sentences mainly as adverb and prepositional phrase starting with with, and sometimes as participial phrase.

Examples of instrument adjuncts

Here are some examples of instrument adjuncts, categorized under the form they take:

Adverb as instrument adjunct

1. In some countries, fruits are ripened chemically. [chemical is the instrument used to ripen]

2. The industry softens meat enzymatically. [enzymes are the instrument used to soften]

Prepositional phrase as instrument adjunct

3. The police could unearth the explosives by means of sniffer dogs. [sniffer dogs are the instrument used to unearth]

4. The sheet was straightened with a hammer. [hammer is the instrument used to straighten]

5. If you want to eat with your hands – and not with knives and forks and chopsticks – while dining with others, say this proverb: fingers were made before forks.

[hands are the instrument used to eat/ knives and forks and chopsticks are the instrument used to not eat]

6. I flew with Singapore Airlines.

[Incorrect. With a with prepositional phrase, it looks like an instrument adjunct, but it’s not. Can you use an airline – like a hammer – as an instrument to do a job? No. But you can use it as means to reach somewhere. Hence, as mentioned in the last section, it’s a means adjunct.]

Participial phrase as instrument adjunct

7. I quickly found the definition, using a textbook. [textbook is the instrument used to find]

In the above examples, you can see that each adjunct (underlined) answers the question how or what… with. In the first, chemically answers

• In some countries, how are fruits ripened?

In the fourth, with a hammer answers

• How was the sheet straightened or
• What was the sheet straightened with?

Position of instrument adjuncts

Instrument adjuncts, like means adjuncts, mostly come at the end of a clause or sentence. It’s common though to see their adverb form placed at other positions, where it sounds odd. For example, The industry enzymatically softens meat would sound odd.

You’ll notice that the dependent clause in fifth example doesn’t end with an agent adjunct. That’s because as per established order of adjuncts another adjunct (while dining with others) comes after agent adjunct. Had agent adjunct been the sole adjunct, it would’ve taken the end position.

3. Agent (or agentive) adjuncts

Also called agent adverbials, agent adjuncts tell us the agent that is performing a task. They show up in sentences mainly as prepositional phrase starting with by.

Examples of agent adjuncts

Here are some examples of agent adjuncts, categorized under the form they take:

Prepositional phrase as agent adjunct

1. Why don’t you get this contract vetted by another person? [another person is the agent who would vet]

2. In Aesop’s fable, the mouse helps the lion by biting off the net in which he was trapped by the hunter. [the hunter is the agent who trapped]

3. They want to see actual work done by you to know your skills. [you is the agent doing work]

4. Nelson Mandela’s funeral was attended by several heads of the state and watched by millions. [several heads of the state are the agents who attended and millions are the agents who watched]

In the above examples, you can see that each adjunct (underlined) answers the question

• who/what for active and
• who/what…by or by whom/what for passive.

In the first example, by another person answers (hint: passive)

• Who should we get this contract vetted by or
• By whom should this contract be vetted?

Position of agent adjuncts

Agent adjuncts almost always occupy end position in a clause or sentence. In the third example, order of adjuncts pushes another adjunct (to know your skills) to the end position.

In this post, we covered means, instrument, and agent adjuncts, which come in forms such as adverb, prepositional phrase, and noun phrase. When they come as adverb, they’re called adverb of means and adverb of instrument, respectively. (Agent adjuncts don’t come in the form of adverb; hence, there is nothing called adverb of agent.)