Introduction To Grammar and Syntax
Introduction To Grammar and Syntax
To remember a night
*night a remember to
*a to remember night
A. Parts of Speech
B. Agreement
A. Parts of Speech
Nouns
are words use to refer to people, objects, creatures, places, qualities, d
and abstract ideas
Articles/Determiners
are words (a, an, the) used with nouns to form noun phrases classifying
those things
Adjectives
are words used, typically with nouns, to provide more information
about the things referred to
Verbs
are words used to refer to various kinds of actions (go, talk) and states (be, have)
Adverbs
are words used to provide more information about actions, states and events.
Prepositions
are words used with nouns in phrases providing information about time,and
other connections involving actions and things
Pronouns
are words used in place of noun phrases, typically referring to people and things
already known.
Conjunctions
are words (and, but, because, when) used to make connections and
indicate relationships between events
Interjections
Words that show excitement or emotions
Problems:
The definition and its function
Meaning-based
Number
Person
Tense
Voice
Gender
Notions About Grammar
1. Prescriptive Approach
2. Descriptive Approach
Prescriptive Approach
System of rule
Linguistic etiquette
Use shall with first person; use will with second and third.
NP } can be used
Pro
B. Constituent Analysis
designed to show how small constituents (or components) in
sentences go together to form larger constituents.
Replacement Test
C. Labeled and Bracketed
Sentences
Put brackets round each constituents, then more
brackets round each combination of constituents.
It reveals the hierarchy of organization of the constituents
S = NP + VP
VP > NP
TAX
SY N
Definition:
NP VP
Art Adj N V PP
P NP
Art N
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Why Tree Diagram in
Syntactic Analysis?
1. Phrase structure rules
Dynamic format
Gives idea how to construct grammatically correct sentences
2. Lexical Rules
Specifies which words can be used under one constituent
Distinguishes the grammatical from the ungrammatical ones
Ex:
Suzzane helped Cynthia. You saw it.
*Suzzane Cynthia helped *You it saw
3. Movement Rules
Enables us to see the movement of one part of the structure to a
different position
Ex:
The boys will watch the movie.
Will the boys watch the movie?
4. Recursion
Generates a structure over and over again
Enables to put sentences inside other sentences
Ex:
Suzzane interrogated Cynthia.
Chloe heard that Suzzane interrogated Cynthia.
Jennifer said that Chloe heard that Suzzane interrogated
Cynthia.
Exercises:
1. What could be the two (2) different meanings of the
sentence The boy saw the man with a telescope?
Represent your answer through a tree diagram.
2. Analyze the following sentences using a tree
diagram.
a. The ice melted.
b. You know that I hate war.
c. Immediately, he visited the place near the river.
d. Can you pass the salt?
References:
Gelderen, E. V. (2010). An introduction to the grammar
of English. Amsterdam: John Benjamin Publishing