مَنْ أَضْرِبُ؟ — زَيْدًا
Translation: Whom should I strike? — Zayd.
مَنْ: interrogative in the accusative position of object.
أَضْرِبُ: indicative present verb, implied “I” subject.
زَيْدًا: accusative object governed by an omitted imperative “Strike Zayd”.
Ellipsis is licensed by the understood question, not by arbitrary deletion in any sentence.
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Al-Mafʿūl Bih: Definition, Fronting and Omission
مَنْ أَضْرِبُ؟ — زَيْدًا
Translation: Whom should I strike? — Zayd.
مَنْ: interrogative in the accusative position of object.
أَضْرِبُ: indicative present verb, implied “I” subject.
زَيْدًا: accusative object governed by an omitted imperative “Strike Zayd”.
Ellipsis is licensed by the understood question, not by arbitrary deletion in any sentence.