The Structure of Phrases
1. General structure of phrases
 each phrase contains at least one word without which the phrase would not
exist (compare the relationship between stem and root):
o this word is called the head of the phrase
the child
 other constituents of the phrase are either optional or obligatory, depending
on phrasal type
the (little) child

the minimum size of a phrase is one word
2. Phrase labels
 the phrase is labeled according to its head
the child:
child  head of the phrase, noun
the child  a noun phrase, NP
found the puppy:
found  head of the phrase, verb
found the puppy  a verb phrase, VP
 in general, if X stands for a gramatical (lexical) category that functions as a
phrasal head, then the label of the phrase is XP
3. Principal phrase types
NOUN PHRASE (NP)
each N or Pronoun is the head of an NP
The old desk collapsed.
It collapsed.
Their love for one another never died.
Slowly reading old cookbooks is great fun.
ADJECTIVE PHRASE (AdjP)
each Adj is the head of an AdjP
The old desk collapsed.
The rather old desk collapsed.
VERB PHRASE VP
each V is the head of a VP
The old desk collapsed.
The old desk suddenly collapsed.
ADVERBIAL PHRASE (AdvP)
each Adv is the head of an AdvP
The old desk suddenly collapsed.
Their love died rather suddenly.
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE (PrepP)
each Prep is the head of a PrepP
The desk by the window suddenly collapsed.
Their love died in the spring.
Types of PrepPs
1. Adnominal PrepPs occur in NPs, where they modify the head N or
Prn (after the fashion of AdjPs)
The old desk by the window suddenly collapsed. (= which desk?)
Their love for one another finally died. (= love for what?)
2. Adverbial PrepPs occur in VPs, where they modify the head V (after
the fashion of AdvPs)
The old desk suddenly collapsed after lunch. (= when?)
Their love finally died from growing indifference. (= why?)
Note:
 of the five types of phrases considered here, only the PrepP
cannot consist of a head Prep alone
 the head Prep is always followed by an object NP
In The desk by the window suddenly collapsed, the NP the window
is the object of the Prep by.
In Their love died in the spring, the NP the spring is the object of
the Prep in.