Syntax - Sentence Structure

Question 1

Utterance

Answer 1

something that is said by a person; may/not be a whole sentence

Question 2

Sentence

Answer 2

largest unit of syntactic analysis, a complete idea expressed in a set of words

Question 3

clause

Answer 3

a set of words with a subject and predicate

clauses form sentences

independent clause can be a sentence

dependent clause must link up with an independent clause

Question 4

Phrase

Answer 4

a set of words that works together in a sentence but does not include a subject and predicate

Question 5

Basic Sentence Structure

Answer 5

Subject - Predicate (SVO)

subject: the who/what referred to by the predicate

predicate: everything not included in the subject, must have a verb

Question 6

Sentence Functions

Answer 6

declarative: make a statement

imperative: give a command

Exclamatory: express a strong feeling

Interrogative: pose a question

Question 7

Sentence types by clause structure

Answer 7

simple

compound/coordinate
complex
compound/coordinate-complex

Sometimes just simple vs complex

Question 8

Simple Sentence

Answer 8

One independent clause standing alone

Question 9

Phrase Types

Answer 9

Syntactic units that cannot stand alone (don’t have subject and predicate); have a word as the “head” this determines the type of phrase

Noun phrase, verb phrase, prepositional phrase, infinitive phrase, participle and gerund phrase

Question 10

Noun Phrase

Answer 10

include a noun or pronoun as the head, plus any determiners or modifiers that go with it

can serve various syntactic functions:
- subject: MY SISTER JUDY is a great dancer
-Complement: my sister Judy is A GREAT DANCER
-object: Judy borrowed SOME DANCING SHOES

Question 11

Verb Phrase

Answer 11

includes a main verb plus any auxiliaries and modifiers that go with it

each clause must have a verb phrase

Question 12

Prepositional Phrase

Answer 12

begin with a preposition and include the object of the preposition (typically a NP)

typically function as adjectives or adverbs, also specify indirect objects of verbs

Question 13

Infinitive Phrase

Answer 13

begin with the infinitive form of a verb and do not include a subject

can be considered a clause

eg. she wants TO BAKE A CAKE

Question 14

Unmarked infinitives / Wh-marked infinitives

Answer 14

unmarked example: she let the ball FALL IN THE WATER

wh-marked: tell me WHEN TO START

Question 15

Participle Phrases

Answer 15

do not include a subject, so sometimes are considered phrases but may be considered as clauses

eg. BEING A DILIGENT STUDENT, she studied every night

eg. BEFORE ENTERING THE ROOM, make sure you are prepared

Question 16

Gerund Phrases

Answer 16

includes a gerund plus any modifiers and functions as a noun

may be considered a clause

eg. STUDYING PHYSICS is her favorite activity

eg. SWIMMING is fun for them

Question 17

Clause

Answer 17

typically includes a subject and predicate, so is made up of phrases

can be independent (main) or dependent (subordinate)

Independent clauses stand alone OR encode the main meaning of the sentence

dependent clauses provide elaboration or complement to an independent clause

Question 18

Compound/Coordinate Sentence structure

Answer 18

two or more independent clauses that carry equal importance, joined by a coordinating conjunction or conjunctive adverb

eg. Alonzo like bananas BUT Adam prefers mangoes

Question 19

Complex Sentence Structure

Answer 19

an independent clause plus one or more dependent clauses

dependent clauses can fulfill various syntactic roles including noun, adjective adverb and so on

eg. WHERE WE WILL GO FOR DINNER is a surprise (noun role)

eg. they saw the movie BEFORE THEY WENT FOR DINNER (adverb role)

Question 20

Compound/Coordinate-Complex Structure

Answer 20

Includes both coordination and subordination of clauses

THE TWINS LEARNED TO READ and THEY LEARNED TO ADD BEFORE THEY STARTED KINDERGARTEN

Question 21

Merge

Answer 21

phrases and clauses are constructed by joining together words

creates “deep structure”

Question 22

Move

Answer 22

elements can be moved to create new structures

creates “surface structure”, includes some complex sentence types

Question 23

Canonical Sentences

Answer 23

simple main clauses that are positive, declarative and in the active voice

other sentence types are built by applying merge and move operations

Question 24

Move operations / transformations

Answer 24

some sentence types are created by moving sentence elements to create surface structure

questions (yes/no and wh-) the move operation is “inversion”

relative clauses

passives: active and passive voice

move operation leaves behind a trace in the tree diagram of the sentence which marks the position of the element before it is moved

Question 25

Cleft sentences

Answer 25

result from a move operation that is done for emphasis

consider the sentence: the skilled carpenter built the chair
- it was the skilled carpenter who built the chair (emphasizes subject)
- it was the chair that the skilled carpenter built (emphasizes object)

clefts can be introduced with words such as “all that” and wh- words