They were both waiting outside the gate

题目

They were both waiting outside the gate
请问：主语是they,
谓语是were,
宾语是waiting
请问：both——在句中做什么成分,用于修饰那个句子成分
outside the gate——在句中做什么成分,我感觉它不是“状语”用于修饰“waiting”的,因为“状语”只能用于修饰动词、形容词、副、全句,而“waiting”是动名词.

答案

拜倒.
你喜欢思考是好的,但不能钻牛角尖,而且你的底子很差
主语是they,之后的都可以算是谓语,这个在语文中学过,both做的是同位语,你可以说它修饰they,但这只不过是欲加之名,没有任何意义,即使你现在记住了,下次一定会忘了．
were waiting 就是它狭义上的谓语了．
你可以将outside拿掉,宾语才是the gate ,outside是副词,用来修饰were waiting ．
好了,小弟,作为初三的大哥提醒你,这样来分解英语你会越来越糊涂,要想学好英语,就应该学习新概念英语．