ENGL 384: Syntax
Fall, 2015/1436
pages: 257 - 268
1. Merger: Words are combined to form phrases, phrases are combined to form clauses, and
clauses are combined to form complex sentences.
2. English phrases
A phrase is two words with different meanings coming together to form one phrase with
one meaning. English has different types of phrases:
a- (NV) Noun phrase, e.g. class room
b- (VP) Verb phrase, e.g. sit down
c- (AV) Adjective phrase, e.g. red book
d- (ADV P) Adverbial phrase, e.g. slowly driving
e- (PREP P) Prepositional phrase, e.g. under the table
f- (TP) Complete tense phrase, e.g. they ought to reduce taxes
The first part of the phrase is called the head. The head determines the phrase type.
3. Ought vs. Should
Ought
Should
Comes with infinitive particle
Comes with verb phrases
The infinitive phrase is its complement
The phrasal verb is its complement
e.g. They ought to reduce taxes.
e.g. They should reduce taxes.
Auxiliary verbs and "to" are called in syntax infinitive particle.
4. Tree diagram vs. Labelled bracketing
Tree diagram
Labelled bracketing
They both provide us with the same info
about the structure of the phrase.
Each category is represented by a single
Each category is represented by a pair of
point.
brackets.
VP
V
N
Reduce
taxes
[VP[V reduce] [N taxes]]
5. Some syntactic abbreviation
T= infinitive to + auxiliaries
T'= incomplete phrase
Ms. Rasha Ali
Sentence structure
1
ENGL 384: Syntax
Fall, 2015/1436
pages: 257 - 268
TP= complete tense phrase
PRN= pronoun
6. They will try to reduce taxes. I'll show you its tree and label bracketing.
TP
PRN
T'
They
T
VP
Will
V
Try
TP
T
VP
To
V
Reduce
N
taxes
[TP [PRN they] [T' [T to] [VP [V try] [TP [T to] [VP [V reduce] [N taxes]]]]
7. Let's practice. Draw in your note pad a tree for He is taking French.
Draw the bracket label in your note pad for He has taken French.
8. Agreement, case assignment and selection. Read more in page 265
Specifier-head agreement: A finite T constituent agrees in person and number with its
specifier/subject. So,
He has resigned. 
Him has resigned. 
Co-ordination = conjunctions > and, but, or
Homework:
Page 268 exercise 1 (a,b,d)
Ms. Rasha Ali
Sentence structure
2