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Grammar Mini-Lesson: Syntax

Jaline Miranda
ENGL 420
Professor Gentry
December 12, 2022
What is Syntax?
● Syntax: “the way in which linguistic elements (such as words) are put together to form
constituents (such as phrases or clauses)” (Merriam-Webster).
● In others words syntax is basically about what word or words comes before and after another
word in a sentence.
● Example: The girl jumped happily.
The girl happily jumped.
Happily, the girl jumped.
- As you can see in these three sentences they are all saying the same thing but in different
ways. Also notice how the one word that is placed differently is “happily” throughout all three
sentences
Concept: Constituents
● Constituents are the idea of forming a simple sentence composed of a subject
and predicate as an independent clause.
● To simplify that, it means that all words and phrases that make up a sentence.
● Some examples or constituents can be are a morpheme, word, phrase, or clause.
● There are two important concepts that need to be addressed when identifying
constituents are Noun Phrase (NP) and Verb Phrase (VP).
● A Noun Phrase is a noun and its modifiers. Modifiers come before the noun or
even after. They include articles, possessive nouns, possessive pronouns,
adjectives, or participles.
● A Verb Phrase is made up id a verb and its dependents, which are objects,
complements and modifiers.
Example
“My little sister Lily played with her toys in the room.”

● The NP is “My little sister Lily”

- It includes the noun “Lily” and a possessive pronoun and noun “My little sister”
that modifies Lily.

● The VP includes the verb “played” and after the NP “in the room.”
Common Errors in Constituents
● In my opinion, some common errors that students or in general people disorganized
the way the sentence is suppose to play out. For example, in a sentence the Noun
Phrase can be misplaced or the Verb Phrase can be misplaced which has makes the
sentence not really make any sense.
● This mistake can easily be confusing for children when developing their language. It
can be something simple as, “Bit me the dog,” when it is supposed to be said as, “The
dog bit me.”
● It is very crucial to when the noun and the verb are placed in a sentence, that is what
helps make up the sentence. Students need to understand when and where a noun and
a verb need to be included together.
● “ A squinting modifier is a word used to describe something that is misplaced in the
sentence” (Akorbi). This can either help modify the phrase or be misplaced which is
confusing for students to comprehend.
How to Teach Constituents
● Something that has helped be grasp this concept is by separating the verb and
the noun.
● Once students understand what a noun is and a verb is, now next is
understanding how they compliment each other in a sentence. By showing them
the do’s and don’ts in a sentences when trying to include a verb and a noun.
● Creating a sentence can be so simple yet so hard because there are words that
need to be in the right place in order for it to make sense.
● Showing students when a sentence does not make sense when the verb and
noun are misplaced. For example, “Playing is the boy.” when it should be “The
boy is playing.”
Grammar’s Role in ELA
● Grammar is very important because it help with our comprehension skills,
written expression, cognitive organization and structure.
● For instance, my concept was about organization and structure. Organizing
your sentence is key when getting your point across. Words need to be placed in
the right areas in order for it to make sense.
● Grammar allows students to comprehend why words are put together in that
order. Having students being able to have that understanding allows them to
properly express themselves and even pass it on to others.
References
● Akorbi. (2021). Common Syntax Errors that Change the Meaning of Phrases.
Retrieved from
https://akorbi.com/common-syntax-errors-that-change-the-meaning-of-phrases/
● Merriam-Webster. Retrieved from
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/syntax
● Nordquist, R. (2019). Constituent: Definition and Examples in Grammar- Getting ot
the Root of a Sentence or Phrase. ThoughtCo. Retrieved from
https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-constituency-grammar-1689792
● Orton Gillingham Online Academy. The Importance of Grammar in Reading
Comprehension. Retrieved from
https://ortongillinghamonlinetutor.com/the-importance-of-grammar-in-reading-compr
ehension/