English Grammar

ADJ&ADV
PHRASE
Group
members:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Le Thi Hoai Thanh

Nguyen Hanh Le
Tran Thi Ut Tram
Hoang Thi Thu Huong
Le Thi Thu Phuong
Nguyen Thi Thu Trang

ADJECTIVE
PHRASE

Adjective phrase
1.Definition
An adjective phrase is a phrase with an
adjective ( or adjectivalized participle) as
the head. An adjective phrase consists of
an adjective which may be preceded
and/or followed by other words.
Ex1 :
1.It is a nice cat
2. I was very excited
3. They have been very curious about this
(strange )guy

Adjective phrase
II.Structure:
Full Structure: Pre-modification + head
+ postmodification
1.Pre-modification:
modifying,describing,or qualifying
constituents which precede the head.
Pre-modifier types
Adverb phrase
ex: Yesterday was a very unusually hot day

Use

very,quite,partly,perfectly.ect
Ex: This exercise is relatively hard
Adjective can be premodified by either
+ Grading:
( slightly,somewhat,very,overly)
Ex: A slightly bent wire,an extremely
overweight dog
+ comparison : (more,less,least,most)
Ex: The more he eat,the fatter he is.

Not

all adjectives can be graded or

compared:
Comparable: more beautiful, the
most red
Noncomparable (ungradable):
NATIONALITIES: French, Spanish
MISC.: dead, alive, broken, etc
Comparison can also be done
morphologically:
the bigger/biggest

A few intensifier may pre-modify noun phrase: quite,

rather and the pre-determiners such and exclamatory
what, the noun phrase is normally indefinite and the
intensifiers precede and determines
Ex:
- I was rather a mess
- He was quite some player
- I have never heard such wickedness

Noun

phrase: We can put a phrase of

measurement before some adjs
Ex : The man is about forty years old

I am 1,67 metres tall

2.The

Head
Is an adjective or participle serving as the
focus of the phrase
Ex: She is a nice cat
adj

I was very excited.

past participle

They have been very curious

about this (strange) guy
adj

3.Post-modification:
Modifying constituent which follows the
head; and complementation,(the major
subcategoryof postmodification here) is
the constituent which follows any
postmodification and completes the
specification of a meaning implied by the
head

Adverbs as postmodifiers
( enough/indeed)
Ex: This fruit is not ripe enough to eat

He doesnt do it badly.He is sucessfull indeed

+ complements of adj

That-clause:
Ex:

We were confident that he was still

alive

To-infinite clause:
Ex: Bob was slow to catch the
ball
This meal is too expansive to enjoy

Ing-clause
Ex:

Im busy getting the house redecorated

Were fortunate having Aunt Agatha as a baby-sistter

Prepositional

phrase:
Ex: Bobby is fond of maths

Comparative
clause
Ex: It was easier than they said

Diagram summary
Adverb phrase
Pre-modification

Noun phrase
Adjective

Adj.p

Head

Participle

Ed-participle
Ing-participle

Prepositional phrae
Adverb

Post-modification
complementation

Infinitive clause
Ing-clause
That-clause

Comparative clause

ADJECTIVE PHRASE

Syntactic functions

1. NOUN PRE MODIFIER

( attributive adjs)

Adjs are attributive when they premodify nouns, appear

between the determiner and the head of the NP.
Ex:

2. COMPLEMENTS
(predicative adjs)

2. COMPLEMENTS
(predicative adjs)

3.POST-POSITIVE

3.POST-POSITIVE

4.THE HEAD OF NOUN PHRASE

Adjective can often function as heads of NPs as the following cases:

+ adjs having personal reference:
Ex: The poor get poorer, the rich get richer.
H
H
These seats are for the disabled.
H
+ Adjective denoting nationalities
Ex:

The French like eating well.

The Dutch are the tallest in the world.

+ Adjective having abstract reference

Ex:

The newest is that he is going to China.

He ventured into the unknown.

6.EXCLAMATORY ADJ SENTENCE

An

adj as head of an adj. P or as its

sole realization can be an exclamatory.

Ex.

How beautiful!
Great!
What a nice day!

5.VERBLESS ADJ CLAUSE

Verbless clauses are clauses in which the verb and
sometimes other elements have been deleted.
+An adj can function as a verbless clauses. The
clause may be mobile in sentence.
Ex:
(By then) nervous, the man opened the gift.
The man, (by then) nervous, opened the gift.
The man opened the gift, (by then) nervous.

Contingent adjective clause

An adj Contingent clause expresses the circumstance or
condition under which what is said in the superordinate
clause applies.

Ex: Enthusiastic, they make good students.(when

enthusiastic)
(When) ripe, these apples are sweet.

THE HEAD

Attributive
only

Adjectives

Predicative
only
Central

Syntactic classification of adjs

attributive only
Adjectives which are restricted to
attributive position do not characterize
the referent of the noun directly
eg. A small businessman
a businessman whose
business is small
not a businessman is small
My old friend
One who has been a friend
for a long time
not a friend is old

Note:
words with strongly emotive value:
poor man, my dear lady, wretched
lady
Inherent adjs
Non-inherent adjs
Characterize the referent of the Do not characterize the referent of
noun directly
the noun directly
Eg:
Distant relatives
Distant hills
a complete idiot
a complete chapter
a heavy smoker
a heavy bag
A social animal
a social survey
an old friend
an old man

Attributive
only

Intensifying
adjs

Limiter
adjs

Related to
adverbials

Denominal
adjs

INTENSIFYING ADJECTIVES
Emphasizers:

have a general heightening effect on the noun

and convey speakers attitude toward the referent
eg. Utter despair, pure bliss, a real hero, a
certain winner
Amplifiers:

denote the upper extreme of the scale

are central(inherent)
eg. A complete victory the victory was
complete
are attributive only(non-inherent)
eg. A complete idiot (not the idiot is
complete)
Notes: mere, sheer, utter (always attributive
only)

LIMITER ADJECTIVES

Particularize the reference of the noun

eg. the main topic, the only person,
etc.
Note: some of adjectives have homonyms
Ex:
a certain person
a limiter a particular person
a certain winner
an intensifier a sure winner( one
who is certain that he will win )

RELATED TO ADVERBIALS
adjs that are attributive only can be related
to adverbials.
eg. my former friend ~ formerly my
friend
adjs premodify agentive nouns >have a
relationship to the verb base
eg. a hard worker ~ a worker who works
hard.
the implied process can be associated with
an inanimate object
eg. a fast car ~ a car that one can drive
fast

DENOMINAL ADJECTIVES
are derived from nouns and attributive
only
Ex:
a criminal law (a law concerning
crime)
Note:
a criminal law ~ a law seems
criminal
a central adjective
a medical school ( a school for
students of medicine)

II.PREDICATIVE ONLY
Eg. she

is

alive ( not alive girl )

S
V
Cs
Adjectives which are restricted to predicative
position refer to condition rather than to
characterize
Some group of adjs must take
complementation: afraid(that, of, about);
fond(of); conscious(that, of) etc
Ex: i
am intersted in listening to music
S
V
adj
C

Some of the common predicative only and

attributive ony adjectives in English are:
Attributive adjectives: Predicative adjective s
alive
east/west/south/north
alone
eastern/wetern/southern/
apart
indoor/outdoor
aware
maximum
glad
nationwide
ill
occasional
likely
supplementary
ready
woolen
safe
etc.
sorry
sure
unable

III.CENTRAL
central = both attributive and
predicative
eg: a (1)lazy student the
student is (2)lazy
attributive
predicative
(2)blue

the (1)blue sea

attributive

the sea is

predicative
note: (1) attributive position
(2) predicative position

Semantic classification
of adjectives

Stative adjectives
Dynamic adjectives

Semantic
classification

Stative adjectives
Stative adjectives

Stative adjectives
Stative adjectives

Stative adjectives
Dynamic adjectives

Semantic
classification

Stative adjectives
Stative adjectives

Stative adjectives
Stative adjectives

Stative and Dynamic

Adjectives
Stative

adjectives are the adjectives that denote a

state or condition, which may generally be
considered permanent, such as big, red, and small.
Stative adjectives can not normally be used in
imperative constructions, so we cannot say: be
red/big/small.
In contrast, dynamic adjectives denote attributes
which are, to some extent at least, under the
control of the one who possesses them. All
dynamic adjectives can be used in imperatives.

Stative and Dynamic

Adjectives
Calm
Careful
Cruel
We can say Disruptive
Person may Foolish
Friendly
Good
impatient

Mannerly
Patient
Rude
Be careful! to
Shy
someone, and
Suspicious then this control
Tidy
himself to
vacuous
become more
Vain
careful

Stative adjectives
Dynamic adjectives

Semantic
classification

Stative adjectives
Stative adjectives
Stative adjectives
Stative adjectives

gradable and non-gradable adjectives

Gradable

- Most everyday adjectives are gradable

- They denote qualities, properties, states,
conditions or relations. Which vary in
their degree or extent?
- Gradable adjectives can be pre-modified
by degree expression.

gradable and non-gradable adjectives

Gradable

He is

Very
Quite

Selfish

Degree adv

Gradable adj

-Gradability includes comparison.

Ex
My sister is taller than I

gradable and non-gradable adjectives

non-gradable

Can not be pre-modified by

degree adverbs or used in
comparative sentence such as
automatic, dead\ alive; \male;
Irish\English; married\
unmarried\single.
Ex She is
single
Non- gradable

Stative adjectives
Dynamic adjectives

Semantic
classification

Stative adjectives
Stative adjectives

Stative adjectives
Stative adjectives

Inherent and non-inherent

Ex
An old man = a man who is old.

A small businessman a businessman who

is small.
small is non-inherent
inherent adjs: are the adjs which directly
denote attribute and quality of the noun they
modify.
Non-inherent adjs: are the adjs which dont
denote attribute and quality of the noun they
modify.

Adverb Phrase
Definition: An adverb phrase is a
word What
group with
as its
is an
anadverb
AdvP?
head.
Ex:
studies
very well.
This He
adverb
may English
be accompanied
by modifiers or qualifiers.
AdvP

Adverb phrase
Morphological
Characteristics
of the Adverb

Functional

Characteristics
of the Adverb

Morphological

Adv

Adj
Ex:

badly=bad+ly
happily= happy+ly
quickly=quick+ly

-ly

Characteristics
of the Adverb

Morphological

Adv
N

Ex:

-ward/wise/ways

northward=north+ward
clockwise=clock+ wise
sideways=side + ways

Characteristics
of the Adverb

Adv

Morphological

Adj

Ex: hard, late, high, deep, etc.

Note: In this case, if adding suffixly, the meaning
of these adverbs will change:
Ex: hardly: almost not
lately: recently
highly= deeply: very, very much

Adverb phrase
Morphological
Characteristics
of the Adverb

1. Adverbial
2. Modifier of adj & adv

Functional

Structure of Adverb phrase

Adverb Phrase

Premodifiers

Adv(head)

Postmodifiers

Structure of Adverb phrase

Adverb Phrase

Premodifiers

Adv of degree: too, very, quite, etc.

PostEx: He
runs
very
fast.
Adv(head)
modifiers
Comparison: more
Ex: He runs more slowly than me.

Structure of Adverb phrase

Adverb Phrase
1. Adverb: enough, indeed
Ex: He works hard enough to pass
the exam.
PreAdv(head)
2. To infinitive clause:
modifiers
Ex: He talks too quickly to follow.
3.Comparative clause:
Ex: He works as hard as we do.

Postmodifiers

Adverb phrase
Syntactic functions of
adverb phrase
AdvP as adverbial

AdvP as modifier

AdvP as complement of
preposition

Adverb phrase
Syntactic functions of
adverb phrase
AdvP as adverbial
Ex: John always comes late.
NP
AdvP
VP
AdvP
S
A
V
A
Adverb as modifier
Adverbs as complement of
preposition

Adjuncts: are integrated within the

structure of the clause to at least some
extent.
Ex: They are waiting outside.

Classes of
adverbial

Disjuncts: are not integrated within

the clause. They express an evaluation
of what is being said.
Ex: Frankly, he is not a nice guy.
Conjuncts: have a connective
function. They indicate the
connection between what is being
said and what was said before.
Ex: If they open all the windows,
then Im leaving.

Adverb phrase
Syntactic functions of
adverb phrase
AdvP as modifier

Modifier of adjective
Modifier as Adverb

Modifier of prepositional
phrase
Modifier of determiner, predeterminer, postdeterminer
Modifier of Noun phrase

Adverb phrase
Syntactic functions of
adverb phrase
Modifier of adjective

AdvP as modifier

- Adverbs and adverb phrases can perform is

the adjective phrase modifier. Adjective phrase
modifiers are defined as words and phrases
that describe an adjective or adjective phrase.
Ex:

Im not quite sure of When to set off.

AdvP

advP

adj

Adverb phrase
Syntactic functions of
adverb phrase
Modifier of Adverb

AdvP as modifier

-An adverb may pre-modify adverb, and

function as intensifier :
ex:.

He smokes very heavily

adv

advP

adv

Adverb phrase
Syntactic functions of
adverb phrase
AdvP as modifier

Modifier of prepositional
phrase

-The few adverbs that pre-modify particles in

phrasal verbs also pre-modify prepositions or
(perhaps rather) prepositional phrase.

Ex: His score was right above the average.

advP

preP

PP

NP

Adverb phrase
Syntactic functions of
adverb phrase
Modifier of determiner,
pre-determiner, postdeterminer

AdvP as modifier

-Intensifying adverbs can premodify indefinite pronouns,

predeterminers, and cardinal numerals :

Ex: Almost the students voted for him

advP

Almost
advP

det

NP

NP

all

pre-modifier
NP

the
det

students voted for him.

NP

Adverb phrase
Syntactic functions of
adverb phrase
AdvP as modifier

Modifier of Noun phrase

-A few intensifiers may pre-modify noun phrase: quite, rather, and the
pre-determiners such and exclamatory what.
Ex Such a nice day.
advP NP
Some adverbs signifying place or time can be used as a
Pre-modifier or Post-modifier:
The students abroad
NP
advP

The upstairs neigbour

advP
NP

Adverb phrase
Syntactic functions of
adverb phrase
AdvP as complement of
preposition
-Some place and time adverbs function as
complement of a preposition.
Ex: It is over there
PP AdvP

Thank you
for
listening!