Thousands: Adjective (modifies "years")
of: Preposition (relates "years" to "thousands")
years: Noun (object of the preposition "of")
ago: Adverb (modifies the verb "were caught")
, Comma (separates the introductory phrase from the main clause)
fish: Noun (subject of the verb "were caught")
were: Verb (past tense of "to be," part of the passive voice construction)
caught: Verb (past participle, used in passive voice)
in: Preposition (relates "caught" to "nets" and "traps")
nets: Noun (object of the preposition "in")
and: Conjunction (connects "nets" and "traps")
traps: Noun (object of the preposition "in")
Explanation:
* Passive Voice: The sentence is in passive voice, meaning the action (catching) is done to the subject (fish) rather than by the subject. This is why we have "were caught" instead of "caught."
* Prepositional Phrases: "of years ago" and "in nets and traps" are prepositional phrases that modify the verb "caught."
* Conjunction: The conjunction "and" joins the nouns "nets" and "traps," indicating that fish were caught in both.