English Syntax

Week 12: Phrases

Tristy Kartika Fi’aunillah, M.A.

 Phrases

Phrase Example
Noun Phrase NP a very tall girl
Verb Phrase VP walks
Adjective Phrase AdjP so dazzlingly beautiful
Adverb Phrase AdvP very slowly
Prepositional Phrase PP from the school

2
Noun Phrase
e.g: - a teacher
- Ahmad
- the red book brought by my brother
Determiner → the
Premodifier → red
NP Head → book
Post-modifier → brought by my brother

• Determiner : articles, numerals, quantifier (this, that, etc), demonstrative (all,

some, any, etc), possessive (his, her, my, etc)
• Premodifier : adj. phrase placed before a noun
• Head : the central element of a noun
• Post-modifier : phrases or clauses placed after a noun
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➢ Post-modifier of a noun
Post-modifiers may be added to a noun phrase to help identify the head noun or to give
extra information
function : form
the boy ahead Post-mod : AdvP
the boy in the room Post-mod : PP
the boy who walked into the room Post-mod : FC (finite clause)
the boy living next door Post-mod : NFC (non-finite clause)

➢ Ellipsis → removing parts of a clause for a more efficient communication

Who is Sandra, who is the girl who lives next door? PostMod: FC
Where is Sandra, the girl who lives next door? PostMod: NP

The student who has been sitting next to me all term is from Taiwan. PostMod: FC
The student sitting next to me all term is from Taiwan. PostMod: NFC

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Adjective Phrase
e.g: - good
- very good at swimming

Premodifier → very
AdjP Head → good
Post-modifier → at swimming

• Premodifier : AdvP placed before an adjective

• Head : the central element of an adjective
• Post-modifier : can be in form of AdvP, PP, or clause

5
Adverb Phrase
e.g: - slowly
- very slowly that I almost fell asleep

Premodifier → very
AdvP Head → slowly
Post-modifier → that I almost fell asleep

• Premodifier : AdvP
• Head : the central element of an adverb
• Post-modifier : AdvP, PP, or clause

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Prepositional Phrase
e.g: from the school
Head (preposition) → from
PP
Complement → the school

• Head : the preposition

• Complement: “noun-like” phrase or clause