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In the following sentence:
补习老师主要帮她练习什么?
主要 is before a verb. In the dictionary it says it is an adjective and the uses I've seen is as an adjective like: 主要的问题, the main problem.
Can it also be an adverb? Or is it that 帮 is a noun on is own and 补习老师主要帮 is a subject+predicate, but then I don't understand the meaning of the sentence.
Fix #1
'Mainly' = '主要是'. The 是 is omitted
补习老师[主要是]帮她练习什么?
(What does the tutor [mainly] help her practice?)
Also, it would be more specific to use "补习老师的工作" or "补习老师的責任" as the subject instead of just "补习老师"
Q: "What is the tutor's job mainly help her practice?" (补习老师的工作主要是帮她练习什么?)
A: "The tutor's job is mainly help her practice English." (补习老師的工作主要是幫她練習英語)
Fix #2
Using 主要 as an adjective:
补习老师的主要工作是帮她练习什么?
补习老師的主要工作是幫她練習英語
In this case, 主要(main) would be the adjective for the noun 工作 (job) and you have to add 的 after 补习老師 to indicate possessive
Yes, it can also be an adverb. Why not?
What about fast? Is that an adjective or an adverb? It doesn't really matter, the meaning is clear: speed.
He runs fast. That was a fast run!
According to Western Grammar, words belong in word classes, but the problem is, the words won't stay in their classes. Is shop a noun or a verb? Is fast an adjective or an adverb?
他帮她。
He helps her.
她练习。
She practices.
她练习什么？
She practices what?
他帮她练习什么？
He helps her practice what?
他主要帮她练习什么？
He mainly helps her practice what?
Mainly, he helps her practice what?
He helps her practice what mainly?
In English, adverbs ending in -ly are extremely mobile in sentences.
