A crash-course in linguistic syntax and word function
 located after adjectives,
 but before a verb.
 To expand your thinking; nouns…
 are often found after determinants (the, a, an, my, his, her, our, their,
your) [yes, some of these are also called articles],
 and demonstratives (this, that, those, these) [which can act as a noun in a
prepositional phrase],
 and quantifiers (few, several, three…)
 Suffixes that apply to nouns: -ment, -ness, -tion, -ism, -ist (etc.)
 Find the nouns (despite the nonsense words):
 The very fleebish gnaves were flooging those gerbins in my sherf.
 located after first noun,
 and after auxiliary verbs (am, is, be, do, does, have, has…).
 To expand your thinking:
 May follow modals (can, could, shall, should, may, might, will, would,
must), which…
 Show mood (real or not—think subjunctive).
 Verbs also…
 Show tense (location on a timeline) [past, present, future]
 Show aspect (whether the action is completed or ongoing) [Spanish
students, this is preterit vs. imperfect]
 Suffixes that apply to verbs: -s, -en, -(i)fy, -ize, -ate
 Adjectives & adverbs are found after intensifiers (very, really,
somewhat, quite, etc.)
 Comparative forms: _x_-er; more _x__
 Superlative forms: _x_-est; most _x_
 Adjectives are found:
 inside noun phrases
 after linking verbs
 Suffixes that apply to adjectives: -ish, -ous, -ful, -less, -y, -ive, -al
 Adverbs are found:
 inside verb phrases
 S = sentence
 V= verb
 N= noun
 VG= verb group
 NP= noun phrase
 May contain linking/auxiliary verbs
 Det= determinant
 VP= verb phrase
 Q= quantifier
 Adv= adverb
 Int= intensifier
 AdvP= adverb phrase
 Adj= adjective
 Prep= preposition
 AdjP= adjective phrase
 PrepP= prepositional phrase
 Dem= demonstrative
 What are the parts of speech for each of these words?
 Label above the words using the abbreviations we just
covered:
Det
Int
Adj
N
V
V
Dem
N
Prep Det
N
The very fleebish gnaves were flooging those gerbins in my sherf.
 Again, use the abbreviations and label above the words:
Q
Int
Adj
N
Adv
V
Prep
Det
N
V
V
V
N
Several extremely salty pirates casually sauntered across the docks looking to avoid arrest.
 S = NP + VP
 NP = (Det) + (Q) + (AdjP) + N
 AdjP = (Int)n + Adj
 VP = VG + (NP) + (AdvP) + (PrepP)
...or…
 VP = VG + (NP) + (AdjP) + (PrepP)
 AdvP = (Int)n + Adv + (PrepP)
 PrepP = Prep + (Det) + NP
*Items in parenthesis are not essential, but may be part of the
given phrase.
**(Det) is interchangeable with (Dem) in this context
Q
N
V
Adj
Prep
N
Several students are sleepy at Renaissance.
NP
Q
NP
N
V
Adj
Prep
N
Several students are sleepy at Renaissance.
Q
N
V
Adj
Prep
N
Several students are sleepy at Renaissance.
PrepP
Q
N
V
Adj
Prep
N
Several students are sleepy at Renaissance.
PrepP
Q
N
V
Adj
Prep
N
Several students are sleepy at Renaissance.
PrepP
AdjP
Q
N
V
Adj
Prep
N
Several students are sleepy at Renaissance.
PrepP
AdjP
VG
Q
N
V
Adj
Prep
N
Several students are sleepy at Renaissance.
PrepP
AdjP
VG
Q
N
V
Adj
Prep
N
Several students are sleepy at Renaissance.
VP
PrepP
AdjP
VG
Q
N
V
Adj
Prep
N
Several students are sleepy at Renaissance.
VP
PrepP
AdjP
VG
Q
N
V
Adj
Prep
N
Several students are sleepy at Renaissance.
S
VP
PrepP
AdjP
VG
Q
N
V
Adj
Prep
N
Several students are sleepy at Renaissance.
S
VP
NP
NP
VG
AdjP
Det
Int
Adj
N
V
PrepP
NP
V
Dem
N
Prep Det
N
The very fleebish gnaves were flooging those gerbins in my sherf.
S
VP
NP
AdjP
AdvP
VP
PrepP
VG
Several extremely salty pirates casually sauntered across the docks looking to avoid arrest.
 Diagram the following sentences (pro-tip: turn your paper
landscape-style):
 Those several really huge frenetic hyenas devoured our crooked politicians
quite enthusiastically during the night.
 An extremely offended uninvited guest has been making very unfriendly
plans at her sinister castle over the weekend.
 Shakespeare (and many other authors and playwrights) messes
with syntax.
 This is done to create rhyme, rhythm, and add to the poetic
nature of the writing.
 AND IT MAKES YOUR BRAIN HURT!
 The goal is to understand the individual pieces of the puzzle
 As well as the sections (corner and edge pieces first, right?)
 So when Shakespeare scrambles it up, you can flip over the
pieces and realize the sky is still up, so to speak.
Okay, you asked for it…
My speech pattern,
you must learn.
Adv N
V
V
Prep
Dem
Conj* Prep Dem
N
N
V
V
Adv
How I have thought of this, and of these times, I shall recount hereafter.
S
VP
AdvP NP
NP
VG
PrepP
VP
PrepP
VG
AdvP
NP
Adv N
V
V
Prep
Dem
Conj* Prep Dem
N
N
V
V
Adv
How I have thought of this, and of these times, I shall recount hereafter.
 If S = NP + VP, then “How I have thought of this, and of
these times, I shall recount hereafter,” must be re-arranged
to state:
S
VP
NP
AdvP
VG
AdvP
VG
NP
PrepP
PrepP
NP
N
V
V
Adv
Adv N
V
V
Prep Dem Conj* Prep Dem
N
I shall recount hereafter how I have thought of this, and of these times.
 Diagram the Shakespearean sentences listed below, then re-
arrange them into a modern syntax pattern:
 “Round about the caldron go: in the poisoned entrails throw.”
(from Macbeth)
 “Mother, you have my father much offended.” (from Hamlet)
Making modern language a Shakespearean “masterpiece”