Types of Sentence Constituent A. Form 1. Noun Phrases • A noun phrase is a constituent which has a noun as its head. Determiner Modifier Noun (headword) This old kettle • Noun phrases can include subordinate clauses The woman I told you about last night The boy who fell off this bike • Noun phrases also include preposition phrases The trouble with young people The second road on the left 2. Verb Phrases A verb phrase consists of the head verb together with any auxiliaries. Verb phrases consist of: • A single-word main verb (e.g. wept) • A multi-word main verb (e.g. stood up) • One or more auxiliary verbs and a main verb (e.g. has been weeping) • Two main verbs (e.g. recommended staying) Verb phrases may include not or n’t (e.g. doesn’t drink) 3. Preposition Phrases Preposition phrases are group of words that begin with a preposition and contain a noun phrase. Preposition Noun Phrase On the corner With many additional features
Preposition phrase may also form part of
larger noun phrases. Noun Preposition Phrase The house on the corner New software with many additional features 4. Adjective Phrases • An adjective phrase is an constituent which has an adjective as its head. • An adjective phrase may follow one or more adverbs. not very old really quite glamorous • An adjective phrase may begin rather than end with the adjective. suitable for freezing 5. Adverb Phrases • An adverb phrase is a constituent that has an adverb as its head. • An adverb phrase may follow one or more adverbs. rather unwisely only once Types of Sentence Constituent B. Function 1. Subjects • Subjects often tell us what the predicate is about. • Other kinds of subjects infinitive and ing- forms, and certain kinds of clause. Subject Predicate Infinitive To lose hurts -ing form Drinking can kill Non-finite clauses How to make always sells money Noun clauses Whether or not I is irrelevant made a promise 2. Direct objects and object verbs a. Direct objects • Direct objects usually come after verb phrases, and they are normally noun phrases.
Subject Verb Phrase Direct Object
I telephoned her I telephoned the woman I told you about last night b. Object verbs Subject Object Verb Direct Object She made mistakes Don’t kill me Turner influenced a whole generations of painters • In the examples above the objects receive the direct actions of the verbs 3. Complements and complement verbs • Complements usually tell us something about the subject.