# Adjunct

In linguistics, an **adjunct** is an optional, or _structurally dispensable_, part of a sentence, clause, or phrase that, if removed or discarded, will not otherwise affect the remainder of the sentence. Example: In the sentence John helped Bill in Central Park, the phrase _in Central Park_ is an adjunct.


# Adjunct

An **adjunct** is a part of a sentence — usually a phrase giving extra information about time, place, manner, or reason — that you can remove without breaking the sentence. In *John helped Bill in Central Park*, the phrase *in Central Park* is an adjunct: drop it and *John helped Bill* still works as a complete sentence.

Recognising adjuncts versus [arguments](/tags/argument) (the parts a verb actually needs) helps you understand why some elements are obligatory and others are optional — useful for spotting where commas belong and where a sentence can be tightened or expanded.


# Adjunct

When you're trying to tighten a long sentence, the first thing to ask is: which bits can I cut without breaking the sentence? Those bits are adjuncts — and learning to spot them lets you trim wordy writing fast and choose where to place commas with confidence.

An **adjunct** is an optional element of a sentence — typically a phrase about *when*, *where*, *how*, or *why* — whose removal leaves the sentence grammatically intact. In *John helped Bill in Central Park*, the phrase *in Central Park* is an adjunct. Contrast this with an [argument](/tags/argument), which the verb requires.


Adjunct

See also