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PHRASESI> DEFINITION

II> CLASSIFICATION

II.1> NOUN PHRASE

II.2> ADJECTIVE PHRASE

II.3> VERB PHRASEII.4> ADVERB PHRASE

II.5> PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE

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I> DEFINITION

A phrase is a syntax unit (astring of words that conformto the rules of English

syntax) which is usuallymade up of more than one

word, and is immediatebetween word and clauselevel in sentences (Finch,

2000 : 112)

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II> CLASSIFICATIONII.1> NOUN PHRASE

II.1.1> Structure

pre-nominal modifier+HEAD+postnominal modifier

-obligatory element: HEAD

-other two: optional elements

Ex: the new market downtownPre-nom.Mod. Head Post-nom.Mod.

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Head Noun

E.g.:-innocent Alice-the short Smith in accounting department

who is willing to help his colleagues

NOUN PRON.

PERSONAL PRON

INDEFINITE PRON.

DEMONST. PRON.

POSS. PRON.

POSS. PROPER N.

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PRE-NOMINAL MODIFIERS

Pre-nominal modifiers+HEAD NOUN

-optional elements in a noun phrase-are comprised of:

+restricters (especially, even, just,

merely, only, particularly, almost,nearly, quite)

e.g.:justgirls, even water

+pre-determiners (all, both, half,double, one-third of)

e.g.: both girls, one-third ofthe

population

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+determiners consisting of identifiers andquantifiers:

*Identifiers

articles: definite article (the) and indefinitearticles (a/an)

demonstrative adjectives (this, that, these,

those) possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her,its, our, their)

possessive of common noun (e.g.

summers roses) interrogative determiners (e.g. whatand

which as in whatrestaurant, which way).

exclamatory determiners(whata boy!)

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*Quantifiers: some, few,several, little, any, a lot of,plenty of, a piece of,

Note: some of quantifiers:

few, a few, little, a little,some, and manyare alsogrouped into (quantifying)adjectives when pre-modified by adverbs.

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+post determiners including Numerals: ordinal & cardinal,

e.g.: first2 red roses possesive of common nounwhen it is preceded by adeterminer, e.g.: the summersdays;

verb participles which consistof present participles and past

participles, e.g.:A dancingteacher

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+Adjective

E.g.: large gate

*Order of adjectives: OSSACOM +NH

opinion adj.(epithet)-size-shape-age-color-origin-material(substance)+ present particle+denominal adj+NH

- Noun modifier: nouns preceding

the head noun to modify it. Thecombination of the pre-modifyingnoun and the head noun creates acompound noun.

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PRENOMINAL MODIFIERS

restricterpredeterminerdeterminerpostdetermineradjectivenounmodifierNOUN HEAD

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HEAD NOUN+Post nominal modifiers

are optional constituents in a noun

phrase

are made up of:

- adjectives/adjective phrases

e.g. any room available; somethingundefinably strange; the man, wet &hungry,

- Adverbs, e.g.: the people upstairsare; the football game nowis

- adjective/relative clause-adjectival,

e.g.: a person who you can rely on

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- noun phrase-adjectival, e.g.: the decisionthat time was correct

- prepositional phrase-adjectival, e.g. agiftfrom God, peace at heart

- non-finite clause-adjectival which maybe an infinitive clause, or a present/past

participle clause, e.g. the person to cleanup the party, the manstanding by thedoor, the memories forgotten for twenty

years- appositive-adjectival, e.g.: Mary Evans, agraduate in journalism, became a featurewriter for the Saturday review; That was

what he wanted, a riding horse

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II.1.2>Functions

Subject

An air of quiet grief pervades the countryside.

Direct object

She recalls that summer of their engagement.

Indirect object

She gave her life to the homeless children.

Retained object

She was given choices to make. Subject complement

Love is the most beautiful sentiment the Lord

has put into the soul of men and women.

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Object complementI find it an impossible mission.

Prepositional complement/OPShe walked down the long carpeted aisle. Pre-nominal modifierThe radiant summers red roses stayed forever

in my mind Adjunct (provides circumstantialinformation about the action, process orevent talked about in the clause in whichthey occur. Circums. info. includes info.about the place, time, manner, etc. of theaction, process or event)

Ive been there three times.

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II.3> ADJECTIVE PHRASEII.3.1> Structure

PRE-MODIFIER+ADJ HEAD +POST-MODIFIER

E.g.: surprisingly strange in her thinking

Pre-modifiers:

- degree (intensifying) adverb

e.g.: very beautiful- general adverb

e.g.: breath-talkingly beautiful

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post-modifier: infinitivephrase/prepositional

phrase/that-clauseE.g.: -worried about the

unemployment

PP

-afraid to be at home alone

to Inf P-afraidthat she wont come

that-Cl

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II.3.2> Functions operates the same as an adjective;

-attributively: as apre-nominal modifierE.g.: a difficult to express feeling;-predicatively: assubject complement,

object complement

E.g.: He is totally reliable.SCI find her so kind.

OC

-post nominal modifierE.g.: Someone highly responsible to take over

this job is always out there.post n-al Mod

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III> Exercises: III.1> Ex. 14, page 17-H.Jackson

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Answer key

1. The(ident) old(adj) cupboard(head) with

the blue handles (post mod prep P)2. All(pre-det) the(ident) coal(head)

stacked outside the back door (postmod non-finite cl)

3. The(ident) third (num) unpleasant(adj)task(head) to be assigned to me(postmod non-finite cl)

4. The(ident) fourth(num) place(head)behind Jim (post mod prep P)

5. The(ident) major(adj) upset(head) of

the year(post mod prep P).

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6.The(ident) clearest(adj) instructions(head)that anybody could have been given (postmod rel cl)

7. This(ident) sudden(adj) disaster(head)approaching us(post mod non-finite cl)

8. All(pre-det) the(ident) eighty(num)

elderly(adj) passengers(head) in the firstcoach(post mod prep P)

9. Several(quant) irate(adj) gentleman(N mod)farmers(head) waiting for the PrimeMinister(post mod non-finite cl)

10. A(ident) poor(adj) little(adj) boy(head)who seems to be lost(post mod rel cl)

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III.2> Analyse the following adjectivephrases in terms of the word classes orsubclasses or other kinds of phrase or

clause that comprise them

1. Somewhat anxious

2. Rather safe for children3. Very worried about his health

4. Incredibly slow

5. Quite proud to say about himself6. Concerned that Paula will be confused

too much

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1. Somewhat(pre mod intens adv) anxious(head adj)

2. Rather(pre mod intens adv) safe(head adj)for children(post mod prep P)

3. Very(pre mod intens adv) worried(headadj) about his health(post mod prep P)

4. Incredibly(pre mod general adv) slow(headadj)

5. Quite(pre mod intens adv) proud(head adj)

to say about himself(post mod inf cl)6. Concerned (head adj) that Paula will be

confused too much(post mod that cl)