My brother fell downstairs

Many single-word adverbs and some prepositional phrases can function as both adverbs of place and adverbs of direction.

Jared is ahead/ Jared ran ahead.

Camille is downstairs./ Camille walked downstairs.

The kids are outside./ They kids have gone outside.

注:[adverbial or predicative (subject complement) ( 状语还是表语?)

【问】 He h as bee n in the ga r den .
Th e ma n was in th e corner .
句中的in the ga rde n 和in th e corn e r 究竟是表语( 主语补语) , 还是状语? 这是我在
教学中常常遇到的一个难题。请分析。

【答】 语法学家们对于这类句子的分析是不一致的。有些语法学家把in t he g a rden 分析
为表语( 主语补语) , 另一些语法学家则把它们分析为状语。后一派语法学家论证说, be
在这里不是连系动词, 而是表示存在的动词, 另外, in th e g ard en 回答wh er e 的问题。本
书编著者同意后一说法。( 参见be1 )]

在 My brother fell downstairs中 , downstairs 是adverb of place還是adverb of direction? 這產生了歧義..