Post on 27-Dec-2015
Syntax (2)
Dr. Ansa Hameed
Previously…
From Morphology to SyntaxSyntax???Importance of Syntax StudyImportance of Syntax RulesParadigmatic view of SyntaxSentences???Phrases????
Today’s Lecture
Paradigmatic view
SentencePhrasesVerb PhrasesClauses
Types of Phrases
Noun PhraseAdjective PhraseAdverb PhrasePrepositional PhraseVerb Phrase
Types of PhrasesVerb Phrase
A Verb Phrase (VP) is a phrase that is made up of at least one verb.
Verb phrases often contain noun phrases, prepositional phrases or adverb phrases that function as objects or adverbials of the verb. The verb is the head of the VP.
VPs function as the head of the clause.
Types of Phrases
Types of Verbs: Verbs can be classified in many different
ways. We distinguish different types of verbs according to the following aspects:◦according to the meaning and function: lexical, linking or auxiliary
◦according to the number of objects it requires: intransitive, transitive or ditransitive
◦according to the form: finite or non-finite
Types of PhrasesVerbs types according to meaning
& function Lexical verbs are main verbs that add the primary
meaning. A main clause must have one and only one lexical verb.
I READ a novel. Linking verbs are verbs that do not add much meaning.
They link subjects and subject complements. Peter BECAME bored.
Auxiliary verbs are verbs that are used to ‘help’ lexical or linking verbs by adding grammatical information (aspect, tense, modality). Auxiliary verbs do not add lexical meaning. Auxiliary verbs need not be present in a main clause, but sometimes there are more than one auxiliary verb in a single clause.
Andrew MAY HAVE BEEN studying too hard.
Types of Phrases
Verbs types according to number of objects
Intransitive verbs do not need any objects to complement their meaning.
Peter had to RUN. Transitive verbs need one object to complement their
meaning. The object may be a Noun Phrase or a Prepositional Phrase.
I read AN INTERESTING NEWPAPER ARTICLE.Peter looks after HIS BROTHER.
Ditransitive verbs need two objects to complement their meaning. The objects may be two Noun Phrases or a Noun Phrase and a Prepositional Phrase
I told MY SISTER A SECRET.Pam gave A PRESENT TO MY BROTHER.
Types of Phrases
Verbs types according to form All verbs have finite and non-finite forms. Finite verbs are verbs that are inflected for tense,
person and number. In a complex verb there can only be one finite form and it is always at the beginning of the complex verb. A main clause must contain a finite verb.
Sean COMES from Ireland. Laura SHOULD stay home.
Non-finite verbs are verbs that are not inflected for tense, person and number. In a complex verb there can be several non-finite forms. In a main clause the non-finite forms always follow a finite verb.
John has GONE to London.
Laura should STAY home.
Types of Phrases
The non-finite forms of verbs are:◦ The bare infinitive
go, come, speak◦ The to-infinitive
to go, to come, to speak◦ The past participle
gone, come, spoken◦ The –ing form
going, coming, speaking
Back to SentenceSo far our knowledge has defined
sentence as:
Noun + VerbNoun Phrase + verb phraseNoun Phrase + verb phrase+
adverbial phraseNoun phrase+ verb phrase +
prepositional phrase
Back to SentenceBut what about this sentence:
Peter ate dinner while he watched t.v.
Is this a sentence??? Having two main verbs??
Back to Sentence
Peter ate dinner while he watched t.v. Yes, this is a sentence. It is the sentence
from an earlier slide (Peter ate dinner) with additional information added … now we know that Peter was doing two things at once, eating dinner and watching TV.
Let’s take a look at the components of this
new sentence.
Back to Sentence verb
Subject
Peter ate dinner while he watched tv.
object
We have the original subject Peter with its verb ate and its object dinner.
But the sentence continues with a second subject, this time he, a second verb, watched, and a second object, TV.
Parts of Sentences: ClausesOur one sentence is basically two “mini”
sentences hooked together by the word while.
Peter ate dinner while he watched tv.
“Mini” sentences, units of SV/O,C or A, within a sentence are called clauses.
Clauses
Peter ate dinner while he watched TV.
This sentence is composed of two clauses.
But we can still add more to this sentence
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A Bigger Sentence…
After exercising, Peter ate dinner while he watched TV.
In addition to the two clauses we are familiar with, this sentence has the added words after exercising.
The words after exercising work together to give extra information about the clauses, but they do not form a clause. They form a phrase.
What is the difference between a clause and a phrase?
Clause – a group of words that have a subject and a verb that must always agree
Phrase – a noun, verb, or preposition with all its modifiers
- does NOT have a subject and verb which agree
What is the difference between a clause and a phrase?
Phrase Clause
A phrase is a group of words that does not have a subject or a verb /agreement.For example:•Eating a peach•Under the teacher’s desk•After seeing the Taj Mahal•To buy a new phone
A clause is a group of words that does have both a subject and a verb.For example:•After the rain stopped•They studied for the test•I decided to go home•Since the children are sleeping•The cage door was open
Clauses
Definition: Words that contain a subject
and a verb which must always agree.
Two types of clauses: Independent Clause Dependent Clause
ClauseIndependent Clause
An independent clause MUST HAVE a subject and a verb which agree.
Example:The frustrated, irritated teachers finally understood the basic grammar concepts.
All the words in an independent clause can act alone as a sentence.
They are a complete thought.
ClauseDependent Clause
The subject and verb agree, but the words CANNOT stand alone as a complete sentence.
also known as subordinate clause or relative clause
Examples:
since the teachers seek proficiency in grammar
which sheltered the children from the storm
Joining Clauses
Clauses can be joined with:
1. Coordinating conjunctions (join two independent clauses)
- AKA “FANBOYS” for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
2. Subordinating conjunctions (join dependent clause to independent clause)
Some examples:- if, since, because, with, when, whether, while
3. Relative Pronouns
- who, whose, whom, which, that - NOTE: If a relative pronoun is used to begin a
dependent clause, that pronoun also has a function within the dependent clause. It will also have an antecedent in the independent clause.
Joining Clauses Examples: coordinating conjunction:
- The busses lumbered along the boulevard, and the children eagerly looked for the first sight of Disneyland.
subordinating conjunction: The busses lumbered along the boulevard while
the children eagerly looked for the first sight of Disneyland.
Relative pronoun: - The busses, which were slowly lumbering along
the boulevard, were filled with eager children looking for their first sight of Disneyland.
More about Sentences
Combination of phrases and clauses determine FOUR TYPES OF SENTENCES
Four types of sentences????
More about sentencesTypes of Sentences1.Simple Sentences
Roxie is a dog.
2.Compound Sentences
Roxie is a dog, and Rufus is her friend.
3. Complex Sentences
4. Compound-Complex SentencesRufus loves Roxie because she is adorable, and she defers to him.
Rufus loves Roxie because she is adorable
Combination of phrases and clauses determine FOUR TYPES OF SENTENCES
Type of Sentence Number of
Independent Clause Dependent Clause
-Simple Sentence 1 0 -Compound Sentence 2+ 0 - Complex Sentence 1 1+ -Compound/Complex 2+ 1+
Sentence
Putting it all together….Sentences are composed of clauses
and phrases. Some sentences have only one clause and no phrase:
Peter ate dinner.
Others have two or more clauses.
Because Peter ate dinner while he watched TV, he got indigestion.
Putting it all together…..
Other sentences have both clauses and phrases
After exercising at the gym across the street, Peter ate dinner in the kitchen while he watched TV.
Using Clauses & Phrases
Once identifying clauses and phrases becomes easy for you, you will begin to notice how good writers put their sentence together.
Additionally, once you become comfortable finding clauses and phrases in writing, you can begin to work with the punctuation rules for correctly and effectively putting clauses and phrases together.
Test: Identify as Clauses/ Phrases
1. Before baking a pie2. Picking some apples3. Before he lit the candle4. Alice wants to be an astronaut5. Although Alice wants to be an
astronaut6. Behind the couch7. When I return from school8. While juggling avocados
Test: Correct sentences’ structure
Each of the sentences on the next slide has a problem with sentence structure. Find and correct the one sentence-structure error in each of the sentences.
Test: Correct sentences’ structure
In my opinion, speaking in English easier than writing in English.
Is a very interesting point you have raised.
My summer internship, for example, it is one way for me.
At present, I am finishing a project, and I also starting a new one.
Recap
SyntaxParadigmatic viewSentencePhrasesClausesNext: Syntactic view of syntax
ReferencesFalk, Julia. Linguistics and Language. 1978.Hocket, F. C. A Course in Modern Linguistics.
New Delhi: Oxford. 1958Parsad, Tarni, A Course in Linguistics, 2012,
New Dehli: PHI Rajimwale, Sharad, Elements of General
Linguistics, 2006. Strang, Barbara. Modern English Structure.
Edward Arnold. 1968.Tallerman. Understanding Syntax.Valin, R. D. V. An Introduction to Syntax.
Cambridge Press. 2001Yule, George. The Study of Language. 1996.