FACULTAD DE FILOSOFIA Y LETRAS - UNT

DEPARTAMENTO DE INGLES
INTRODUCCIÓN A LA LINGÜÍSTICA – 2021

Syntactic Analysis

1) Analyze the structure of the following sentences by means of tree diagrams. If

the sentence is ambiguous, draw different trees and provide paraphrases to
indicate the different meanings and sentence patterns.

NP VP

VP NP

CL

NP VP

VP PP

NP

1. The country is facing a very serious financial crisis which could degenerate into a catastrophe.

NP VP

VP NP

CL

VP NP

2. The school board is considering proposals to reintroduce student grants.

 S SVO

NP VP

VP NP

PP

NP

PP

NP

3. The headmaster and the teachers talked about the problem of drugs at school.

Paraphrase: The headmaster and the teachers talked about the problem of drugs that the school
has.

S SVOA

NP VP

VP NP PP

PP

NP

NP

The headmaster and the teachers talked about the problem of drugs at school.

Paraphrase: At school, the headmaster and the teachers talked about the problem of drugs.
 S SVO

NP VP

VP NP

PP

NP

4. We heard an explosion in the supermarket.

Paraphrase: We heard an explosion coming from the supermarket.

S SVOA

NP VP

VP NP PP

NP

We heard an explosion in the supermarket.

Paraphrase: We heard an explosion when we were at the supermarket.

 S

NP1 VP1

VP2 NP2

PP1

NP3

PP2

NP4

5. The accident raised many doubts about the safety of the aircraft.

NP VP

VP NP PP

NP

PP

NP

6. The experienced mountaineer planted the flag on the summit of the mountain.
 S SVO

NP VP

VP NP

CL

NP VP

VP NP

PP

NP

7. The police caught the two men who robbed the bank in Brighton.

Paraphrase: The police caught the two men who robbed the bank that is in Brighton.

S SVOA

NP VP

VP NP PP

CL

NP VP

VP NP

NP

The police caught the two men who robbed the bank in Brighton.

Paraphrase: The police caught, in Brighton, the two men who robbed the bank.
 S SVO

NP VP

VP NP

PP

NP

8. The thief struck the security guard with a gun.

Paraphrase: The thief struck the security guard who was holding a gun.

S SVOA

NP VP

VP NP PP

NP

The thief struck the security guard with a gun.

Paraphrase: The thief struck the security guard using a gun.

S SVO

NP VP

VP CL

NP VP

VP AP PP

NP

9. A spokesman denied the company had acted irresponsibly at the mine site.

Paraphrase: A spokesman denied that the company had acted irresponsibly when they were
working at the mine site.
 S SVOA

NP VP

VP CL PP

NP VP

PP AP

NP

A spokesman denied the company had acted irresponsibly at the mine site.

Paraphrase: At the mine site, a spokesman denied the company had acted irresponsibly.

NP1 VP1

CL VP4 NP4

NP2 VP2 PP

VP3 NP3 NP5

10. The woman who lives next door has always been a strong proponent of women’s rights.

2) Indicate dominance and immediate dominance relations in sentences 5 and 10.

Sentence 5

Dominance relations

S dominates NP1, VP1, VP2, NP2, PP1, NP3, PP2, NP4

VP1 dominates VP2, NP2, PP1, NP3, PP2, NP4

NP2 dominates PP1, NP3, PP2, NP4

PP1 dominates NP3, PP2, NP4

NP3 dominates PP2, NP4

PP2 dominates NP4

Immediate Dominance relations

S immediately dominates NP1, VP1

VP1 immediately dominates VP2, NP2

NP2 immediately dominates PP1

PP1 immediately dominates NP3

NP3 immediately dominates PP2

PP2 immediately dominates NP4

Sentence 10

Dominance relations

S dominates NP1, CL, NP2, VP2, VP3, NP3, VP1, VP4, NP4, PP, NP5

NP1 dominates CL, NP2, VP2, VP3, NP3

CL dominates NP2, VP2, VP3, NP3

VP2 dominates VP3, NP3

VP1 dominates VP4, NP4, PP, NP5

NP4 dominates PP, NP5

PP dominate NP5

Immediate dominance relations

S immediately dominates NP1, VP1

NP1 immediately dominates CL

CL immediately dominates NP2, VP2

VP2 immediately dominates VP3, NP3

VP1 immediately dominates VP4, NP4

NP4 immediately dominates PP

PP immediately dominates NP5