PHRASE STRUCTURE RULES

BABY LYN O. EUSEBIO

MAEd- ENGLISH
 OBJECTIVES
a. Identify the different phrase structure rules
b. Appreciate the effectiveness of comprehensible structural
rules in English language
c. Apply proper and correct rules in constructing sentences
in English language
Basic Concepts
a. Every word belongs to a lexical category.
b. Lexical categories form heads of phrases.
c. A phrase is built up around a single word (head), which extends it’s
properties to the entire phrase.
d. Phrases are generated by rules of the grammar (phrase structure
rules). In a tree, each subtree needs to correspond (ie “be licensed”) by a
phrase structure rule in the grammar. (Crowgey, 2012)
Phrase Structure Rules illustrate
mathematically our knowledge of how the
basic units of a sentence are assembled.
SUMMARY OF THE PHRASE
STRUCTURE RULES
PHRASE STRUCTURE RULES
FOR NOUN PHRASE
 PREPOSITIONAL
PHRASE

DETERMINANT

ADJECTIVE
PHRASE
NOUN PLURAL FORM
rb
PHRASE STRUCTURE RULES
FOR THE AUXILIARY
 AUXILLARY VERB
• Is used to add functional or grammatical content to information expressed
by another verb (considered to be a main verb)
Ex. John had to have been writing a book.
PERIPHRASTIC/PHRASAL MODAL- composed of several words
EX. MODAL- may PERIPHRASTIC MODAL- be allowed to
auxiliary
Thus, we can summarize the relationships as: tense phrasal modal

modal
perfect and progressive
aspects

imperative mood
tense

phrasal modal perfect and progressive

aspects
 phrasal modal

Phrasal modals (have to, be

able to, etc.), also called
preriphrastic modals, pseudo
modals, or quasi-modals, are
multiword forms ending in
infinitive to which function
semantically like true modals.

modal
Modals (can, will, would, etc.) are
tenseless auxiliaries that take no subject-
verb agreement and no infinitive to before
the verb that follows.
imperative mood

Imperatives are commands, also

known as directives, whose function is to
get someone to do something. (note:
diffuse imperatives, let’s imperatives, etc.)
Why do we have a separate node for the AUX elements?

a. Auxiliary is syntactically very important in forming

interrogative and negative sentences.
b. It carries tense, mood, modality, and voice
and accounts for most of the morphological
complexity in English.
PHRASE STRUCTURE RULES
FOR THE VERB PHRASE
verb phrase
 noun
copula phrase

adjective
phrase

prepositional
phrase
a. is a teacher (be) a teacher
b. is very pretty (be) very pretty
c. is in the rest room (be) in the rest room

AUX carries the tense (and number)

d. gave the money to Sally (give) the money to Sally

e. gave Sally the money (give) Sally the money
copula
verb
SYNTACTIC ROLES OF NPs IN
PREDICATE
 NPs can function as
OBJECTS and PREDICATES
a. direct objects a. Subject noun predicates
Jim read a book. Jan is a teacher.

b. indirect objects b. Object noun predicates

Sarah gave me some flowers. We elected Sam treasurer.

c. objects of prepositions
Sam lives in a big house.
NP
PHRASE STRUCTURE RULE FOR
ADVERBIAL
Advl.Cl. Sub S
PP P NP
Advl P (intents)ɳ Advl
TRANSFORMATIONS IN PHRASE
STRUCTURE RULES
Q: How are superficially different sentences closely related?
A: Transformation

Every language has a set of basic or kernel sentences [simple, (one

clause), active, declarative, positive sentences]. All other sentences in the
language could be described as reflecting systematic changes or
transformations of the underlying structure underlying one of these basic
sentences.
a. Chris won the fellowship.
b. The fellowship was won by Chris.
c. Did Chris win the fellowship?
d. Chris did not win the fellowship.
e. Wasn’t the fellowship won by Chris?
 Transformations operate on kernel
Phrase Structure Grammar generates
sentences to generate non-kernel
kernel, more abstract sentences
sentences
(Deep Structure)
(Surface Structures)

The dog bit the cat. (D-Structure) The cat was bitten by the dog (S-Structure)
where an optional transformation called “passive/passivization” has applied
 Negation and
“NOT” Placement
“not” placement

mapping rules
 Yes/No Questions

Q placement

mapping rules
 Imperatives

mapping rules

“you”
placement
 Wh-Questions

Q-wh placement
 Passive Voice

“pass” placement
 LET’S TRY:
• The students have taken the examination.
• A very beautiful lady sits in the garden.
• She needs to refrain from doing illegal things.