SYNTACTIC

CATEGORIES
 SYNTACTIC CATEGORIES
SENTENCES
CLAUSES
PHRASES
WORD
CLASSES
 WORD CLASSES
The paradigmatic principle asserts that those words that can occur in the same syntactic
context, belong to the same paradigm and share
the same word class.

The cat hit the mouse and the mouse was very sad
NOUNS
DETERMINERS

The cat hit the mouse and the mouse was very sad
Det N V Det N Conj Det N V Int Adj
WORD CLASSES (traditional)
WORD CLASSES (structuralist)
 PHRASES
Syntactic units that consist of one or more words. The intermediate constituent between
words and clauses and sentences. Consist of HEADS and MODIFIERS

A HEAD is the central element which determines the type and distributional properties of the
phrase.

A MODIFIER adds some information to the head.

If a modifier stands in front of the head is called PRE MODIFIER
If a modifier stands after the head is called POST MODIFIER

MOVEMENT TEST
The cat hit the mouse and the mouse was very sad
M H The mouse is hit by the cat and the mouse was very sad
 PHRASES
SUBSTITUTION TEST Phrases are formed out of the main word classes:
The cat hit the mouse… Adjectives, Adverbs, Nouns, Verbs and Prepositions
M H

HE-SHE-IT
 PHRASES
Phrases can be nested

en
 CLAUSES
A clause is a group of words that includes at least a subject and a verb.

The cat hit the mouse and the mouse was very sad
Clause 1 Clause 2
COMPOUND SENTENCE
SEVERAL MAIN CLAUSES

When the cat hit the mouse, the mouse was very sad
Clause 1 Clause 2
SUBORDINATE SENTENCE INDEPENDENT SENTENCE

COMPLEX SENTENCE
ONE MAIN CLAUSE AND ONE OR MORE SUBORDINATE CLAUSES
 THE SENTENCE
It is the highest ranking unit of syntax. Although there are issues in the
construction that can hardly be considered a “standard sentence”
MAJOR MINOR
Have a subject- Fixed units that cannot be rearranged
predicate structure. FIXED PHRASES
A cat has hit the mouse “Merry Christmas”
CRITERIA TO DISTINGUISH MAJOR FROM MINOR SENTENCES
• Substitution
• Transformation
• Subject – Predicate
Structure
 THE SENTENCE
MAJOR
• Declaratives (statements) A cat has hit a mouse
• Imperatives (commands) Hit a mouse, cat! ONE CLAUSE
• Interrogatives (questions) Has a cat hit a mouse? SIMPLE SENTENCES
• Exclamatory (exclamations) What a cat has hit a mouse!

CRITERIA TO DISTINGUISH MAJOR FROM MINOR SENTENCES

• Substitution A dog has hit the mouse
• Transformation A mouse has been hit by a cat
• Subject – Predicate Structure
 SYNTACTIC CATEGORIES
The cat hit the mouse and the mouse was very sad
Det N V Det N Conj Det N V Int Adj
WORD CLASSES

NP NP NP AdjP

VP VP
PHRASES
 SYNTACTIC CATEGORIES
The cat hit the mouse and the mouse was very sad

CLAUSE 1 CLAUSE 2
CLAUSES

SENTENCE
 LET’S WORK
Make the analysis from word to sentences using Syntactic
Categories of this excerpt from the song “Snuff” by Slipknot.

So if you love me let me go

And run away before I know
My heart is just too dark to care
I can't destroy what isn't there
 TO BE
CONTINUED