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Do 我吃早飯了 and 我吃了早飯 mean the same thing (I have eaten breakfast), slightly different things? Or is one of them wrong? Which is better?
(For context, the second option was marked incorrect by an app and I can't figure out if it's a problem with an app or something I don't understand.
From my answer to this question:
了: aspect marker, indicating completed action.
了: final particle, indicating change of situation.
了: final particle, indicating sentence has ended; emphasize sentence; soften tone
我吃了早飯:
我吃早飯了 :
If 了 is treated as a aspect marker, the sentence would mean "I have eaten breakfast" (the verb phrase 吃早飯 is completed)
If 了 is treated as a final particle (indicating change of situation), the sentence would mean "I (now) eat breakfast (from previously not eating breakfast to now eating breakfast)
or more likely, 了 indicates 1. the sentence has ended, 2. adding emphasis or soften the tone of the sentence
"我吃早飯" sounds blunt and make the sentence sound incomplete
In "我吃了早飯了", the first 了 indicates the verb 吃 is a completed action and the second 了 indicates the sentence is finished (also emphasize the sentence / soften the tone)
我吃早飯了 and 我吃了早飯
Both are possible, but used in different context.
A: 你吃早饭了吗？ // Have you eaten your breakfast?
B: 我吃早飯了 // I have eaten the breakfast.
A: 你吃了什么？ // What have you eaten?
B: 我吃了早飯 // I have eaten the breakfast.
