General Structure of Phrases
The Structure of
NP, AdjP, AdvP, and PP
XP
X′
Modifier
Complement
X
2
General Structure of Phrases
Remember the Structure of VP?
•
•
Modifiers are sisters of X-bar
Complements are sisters of the head X
•
X can be V, Adj, Adv, P, or N
•
The students seemed exhausted after three
weeks of classes.
3
4
S
Remember the Structure of VP?
NP
•
The students seemed exhausted after three
weeks of classes.
– seemed exhausted after three weeks of
classes.
– seemed
– exhausted
– after three weeks of classes
D
VP
N
V′
V
PP
AdjP
Adj
P
NP
D
N′
N
5
The
students
seemed
PP
exhausted after three weeks of classes
6
1
S
S
NP
D
VP
N
NP
V′
V
PP
AdjP
P
Adj
D
students
seemed
V
•
•
•
•
PP
AdjP
P
Adj
PP
exhausted after three weeks of classes
7
The students seemed exhausted after three
weeks of classes.
seemed exhausted after three weeks of
classes is the VP.
seemed is the head
exhausted is the complement
after three weeks of classes is the adverbial
The
D
N′
students
seemed
PP
exhausted after three weeks of classes
8
Remember the Structure of VP?
•
•
Head + Complement + Adverbial
The complement may be …
– Direct object
– Indirect object
– Subject predicate
– Object predicate
9
10
The Structure of AdjP
The Structure of AdjP
•
A flightless cormorant
•
Flightless
Surprisingly flightless
Surprisingly flightless for a bird
•
•
What kind of bird
is this?
11
NP
N
Remember the Structure of VP?
•
V′
N′
N
The
N
NP
D
VP
12
2
AdjP
AdjP
Adj′
AdvP
Adj
Adj′
Adj
Adv
flightless
surprisingly
flightless
13
14
AdjP
AdvP
AdjP
Adj′
Adj
AdvP
PP
Adj
P
Adv
surprisingly
flightless
for
Adj′
NP
PP
P
P
N
a
bird
Adv
surprisingly
flightless
for
15
2
2.
3.
4.
P
N
a
bird
16
Identify the AdjPs
1.
NP
Identify the AdjPs
The Galapagos cormorant is surprisingly
flightless for a sea bird.
This lecture is too long for comfort.
comfort
Have you found anything suitable for your
needs?
His wrists are rather thick and hairy.
17
1.
2
2.
3.
4.
The Galapagos cormorant is surprisingly
flightless for a sea bird.
This lecture is too long for comfort
comfort.
Have you found anything suitable for your
needs?
His wrists are rather thick and hairy.
18
3
Draw Trees for These AdjPs
•
•
•
•
The Structure of AdjP
The Galapagos cormorant is surprisingly
flightless for a sea bird.
This lecture is too long for comfort
comfort.
Have you found anything suitable for your
needs?
His wrists are rather thick and hairy.
Modifier
surprisingly
p
gy
too
Head
fflightless
g
long
suitable
rather
Complement
ffor a sea bird
for comfort
for your needs
thick and
hairy
19
20
What about AdvP?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What about AdvP?
He talks incredibly slowly.
Her beautiful hat was very nearly ruined.
Theyy let me speak
p
now and then.
Strangely enough we received a reply the next
day.
Puck: I go, I go; look how I go,
Swifter than arrow from the Tartar’s bow.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
- Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene II
He talks incredibly slowly.
Her beautiful hat was very nearly ruined.
Theyy let me speak
p
now and then.
Strangely enough we received a reply the next
day.
Puck: I go, I go; look how I go,
Swifter than arrow from the Tartar’s bow.
- Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene II
21
22
What about AdvP?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What about AdvP?
He talks incredibly slowly.
Her beautiful hat was very nearly ruined.
Theyy let me speak
p
now and then.
Strangely enough we received a reply the next
day.
Puck: I go, I go; look how I go,
Swifter than arrow from the Tartar’s bow.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
- Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene II
23
He talks incredibly slowly.
Her beautiful hat was very nearly ruined.
Theyy let me speak
p
now and then.
Strangely enough we received a reply the next
day.
Puck: I go, I go; look how I go,
Swifter than arrow from the Tartar’s bow.
- Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene II
24
4
What about AdvP?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What about AdvP?
He talks incredibly slowly.
Her beautiful hat was very nearly ruined.
Theyy let me speak
p
now and then.
Strangely enough we received a reply the next
day.
Puck: I go, I go; look how I go,
Swifter than arrow from the Tartar’s bow.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
- Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene II
He talks incredibly slowly.
Her beautiful hat was very nearly ruined.
Theyy let me speak
p
now and then.
Strangely enough we received a reply the next
day.
Puck: I go, I go; look how I go,
Swifter than arrow from the Tartar’s bow.
- Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene II
25
26
Swifter
than arrow from the Tartar’s bow
The Structure of AdvP
Modifier
Head
incredibly
slowly
very
nearly
l
Complement
now and then
enough
strangely
swifter
than arrow
from the
Tartar’s bow 27
28
What about PP?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What about PP?
We rested in the shade underneath the
arches.
His g
grave is right
g beneath yyour feet.
According to our records you still owe
$970.
He was determined to go straight across
the desert.
What are you going to talk about?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
29
We rested [in the shade [underneath the
arches]].
His g
grave is right
g beneath yyour feet.
According to our records you still owe
$970.
He was determined to go straight across
the desert.
What are you going to talk about?
30
5
What about PP?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What about PP?
We rested [in the shade [underneath the
arches]].
His g
grave is right
g beneath yyour feet.
f
According to our records you still owe
$970.
He was determined to go straight across
the desert.
What are you going to talk about?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
We rested [in the shade [underneath the
arches]].
His g
grave is right
g beneath yyour feet.
f
According to our records you still owe
$970.
He was determined to go straight across
the desert.
What are you going to talk about?
31
32
What about PP?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What about PP?
We rested [in the shade [underneath the
arches]].
His g
grave is right
g beneath yyour feet.
f
According to our records you still owe
$970.
He was determined to go straight across
the desert.
What are you going to talk about?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
We rested [in the shade [underneath the
arches]].
His g
grave is right
g beneath yyour feet.
f
According to our records you still owe
$970.
He was determined to go straight across
the desert.
What are you going to talk about?
33
In the shade underneath the arches
34
The Structure of PP
Modifier
right
Head
Complement
underneath
the arches
beneath
your feet
according to our records
straight
35
across
the desert
about
what
36
6
The Structure of NP
•
The Structure of NP
The functions of elements within an NP are …
1. Pre-determiner
2. Determiner
3. Modifier
4. Head
5. Complement
6. Modifier
•
The best thing in life
is free.
37
38
The Structure of NP
•
•
•
•
•
The Structure of NP
The best thing in life
The
The best
The best thing
The best thing in life
•
The best thing in life
•
DETERMINER
MODIFIER
HEAD
COMPLEMENT
•
•
•
the
best
thing
in life
39
40
NP
D
NP
N′
D
AdjP
Adj
N′
N′
AdjP
N
PP
P
Adj
NP
N′
N
PP
P
N
the best thing in
NP
N
life
the best thing in
41
life
42
7
Money (That’s What I Want)
•
•
The best thing in life is free.
You can give it to the birds and
bees.
I need money
I need money
I need money, oh yeah!
That’s what I want.
•
Your love give me such a thrill
But your love don’t pay my bill.
I need money
I need money
I need money, oh yeah!
That’s what I want.
•
NP
Money don’t get everything it’s
true.
What it don’t get I can’t use.
I need money
I need money
I need money, oh yeah!
That’s what I want.
D
N′
AdjP
Adj
N′
N
PP
P
A whole lot of money, yeah!
A whole lot of money, yeah!
A whole lot of money, oh yeah!
That’s what I want.
NP
N
a whole lot
of
money
43
44
Structure of the NP
•
Structure of the NP
Identify the heads, (pre)determiners, modifiers,
and complements in these NPs.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
•
Heads are in red.
1.
1
2.
3.
4.
5.
The man from nowhere
Such a thrill
All the nice things you said to me
A tiny error on the exam
The student of grammar on the bus
The man from nowhere
Such a thrill
All the nice things you said to me
A tiny error on the exam
The student of grammar on the bus
45
46
Structure of the NP
•
Structure of the NP
Determiners and predeterminers are in yellow.
–
–
–
–
–
•
The man from nowhere
Such a thrill
All the nice things you said to me
A tiny error on the exam
The student of grammar on the bus
Modifiers are in brown.
– The man from nowhere
– Such a thrill
– All the nice things you said to me
– A tiny error on the exam
– The student of grammar on the bus
47
48
8
Distinguishing
Complements from Modifiers
Structure of the NP
•
Complements are in pink.
•
– The man from nowhere
– Such a thrill
– All the nice things you said to me
– A tiny error on the exam
– The student of grammar on the bus
When complements and modifiers follow
the head, …
p
is closer to the head.
1. The complement
2. The N′ phrase can be replaced by ‘one.’
3. You can coordinate two complements
or two modifiers, but you can’t
coordinate a complement and a
modifier.
49
50
Identify
the Complement and the Modifier
•
The student of grammar on the bus
1. The complement is closer to the head.
2 The N′ phrase can be replaced by ‘one
2.
one.’
3. You can coordinate two complements
or two modifiers, but you can’t
coordinate a complement and a
modifier.
Distinguishing
Complements from Modifiers
•
When complements and modifiers precede
the head, …
1 The complement is closer to the head.
1.
head
2. Their order cannot be reversed.
3. There can only be one complement but
there can be many modifiers.
51
Identify
the Complements and the Modifier
1.
The complement is
closer to the head.
2.
Their order cannot
be reversed.
3.
There can only be
one complement but
there can be many
modifiers.
53
52
General Structure of Phrases
XP
X′
Modifier
X
Complement
54
9
Homework
•
Exercises E, F, and G on page 158 of van
Gelderen
55
10