Department of Letters and Humanities

Degree in English Teacher Training

English Syntax I – I semester 2022

Constituency Tests

We have noted that not all sequences of words (Phrases) function as constituents in every sentences or another constituent. We very often have
intuitions about which words make up units in particular sentences or phrases. However, we need to find a more general, systematic and a more
reliable way of dividing sentences up into their constituent parts and thus demonstrate that a given sequence of words is a phrase or constituent.

These Syntactic constituents are identified by a number of different constituency tests, which are based on the principle that only entire
constituents are moveable, replaceable, delectable or conjoinable. Noel Burton-Robert (2022:9-13), Bas Aarts (2001:223-232), Carnie (2006:
111-118) and Payne (2011:158-165) address different types of constituency tests. Refer to them and examine all the tests carefully to get their
philosophy. Then, fulfil the following exercises:

1. Complete the table below by grouping the tests you studied in the sources indicated above into major classes.

CLASS TRANSPOSITION/MOVEMENT DELECTION SUBSTITUTION COORDINATION SEMANTIC

“Your teacher can open a door, but you must enter by

Manuel Jossias
yourself”.
 replacement of a If string of words
set words in a can coordinate with
sentence by a other similar strings,
single word then such string of
If a group of words can be
without changing word can act as
moved together, they are
the overall constituent of a

Main characteristic
constituent.
structure of the sentence.
sentence.

s5
Types of Tests

2. A single constituency test is not enough to conclude whether a certain sequence of words (or single word) is a constituent part of a
sentence or a Phrase. By rule, the minimum of thrdqsqsqssee tests are required to decide whether one sequence is a constituent or not.
Using three tests at your choice, show whether the elements in brackets are or are not constituents.

i) I received beautiful flowers [for my birthday].

Omission test: I received beautiful flowers…;
Movement test: For my birthday, I received beautiful flowers;
Stand alone Test: Why did you receive beautiful flowers? A: For my birthday.
Conclusion: the string [for my birthday] is constituent of the phrase in i.

ii) [For him to kill that poor fly] was wrong.

Movement test: It was wrong for him to kill that poor fly

“Your teacher can open a door, but you must enter by

Manuel Jossias
yourself”.
 Replacement Test: He was wrong.
Omission test:

iii) [The man] from New York flew only ultra-light planes.

Replacement test: He from New York flew only ultra-light planes.

Movement test: From New York the man flew only ultra-light planes.

Omission test: From New York flew only ultra-light planes.

Conclusion: the string [The man] is constituent of the phrase in iii.

iv) Ruben called [the man] with the umbrella.

Movement test: The man with umbrella was called by Ruben.
Stand-alone Test: Who did Ruben call? A: The man.
Replacement test: Ruben called him with the umbrella.
Conclusion: the string [the man] is constituent of the phrase in iv.
v) Paul placed the [book carefully] on the desk.

Movement test: On the desk, Paul placed the book carefully.

Replacement Test: Paul placed [it] on the desk.

Conjunction: Paul placed the book carefully and slowly on the desk.

vi) The president may fear [congress will regret his proposal].

3. Produce two cleft and three pseudo-clefting sentences from each of the following ones:
a) The government spends thousands of pounds on road safety every year.

“Your teacher can open a door, but you must enter by

Manuel Jossias
yourself”.
 b) The policeman met several young students in the park last night.

“Your teacher can open a door, but you must enter by

Manuel Jossias
yourself”.