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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)
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