SYNTAX

Definition of syntax 

The way in which words are put together to form phrases, clauses, or sentences

1. Phrases

“ Phrases “ is synonymous with the term “ clause”

The phase therefore is a formal categorization of sentence structure or grammatical analysis .

1.     The noun phrase (NP) the basic structure the NP is premodifier + head (postmodifier) . all NPs must have a headward, with or without modifiers (both pre and post ,with no structural mening necessarily). Thus we can have: 

                                 i.            Head ‘ → cats

                               ii.            Premod + head’→ the cats from the jungle

                              iii.            Head + postmodifier ‘→cats from the jungle

                            iv.            Premodifier + head + postmodifier ‘→ the cats from the jungle

      2 .     The verb phrase (VP) . the basic structure of the vp is (AUX) + head +  object               complement)+ (modifier) . thus a vp must have a headword , producing
              examples such as

                                 i.            Head – he eats (np vp )

                               ii.            (aux) + head – he has eaten (vp)

                              iii.            Head +object (complement) – he ate a pie (0bj, comp. vp )

                            iv.            Head + modifier hect (complement) – he ate a pie (0bj, comp. vp )

                              v.            Head + modifier he ate a lot (adv. Prep ,vp)

                       vi.        Combination of the above aux+ head + prep p modifier – she Has bee speaking on phene + head + prep p modifier – she Has bee speaking on phene ( aux headaux head vp pe vp prep (ph)

     

      3.     Verbal Phrase . Verbal phrase are to be distinguished from verb   Participles     are    verbal phrases whose first   verb is ving or ven ( funcition as pre or post modifier of a noun head).Gerunds are verbal phrases whose first verb is ving . they function  in the rang of nps . gerunds resemble participles formally .Infintives – are verbal phrases unsually beginning with to and which function in range of naun  phreses as modifiers of complements.   

 

2. Clauses

The categorizing of the phresscearlier info  NP. VP ADJ P ADV P and Prep.  P was the formal categorization of sentences which contain futher elements known as :

•     Subject –s

•      Verb-v

•      Object –o direct od ;  indirect oi

•     Complement – c- subject cs object co

•     Subject –s  

3. Basic clouse patterns / types

There are serveral basisc clausen   possible  in English . they are

1.     Intransenstive( an intritivans vervd does not tion  an object)

Subject   verb (functional formula)

Np  vp formal formula

•    Simple transitive ( subject  + Verb + Direct object )

•    Subject Compliment ( subject verb + Subject compliment )

•     Object Compliment

•      Indirect Object

•     Adverbial ( location )

With simple sentences this may seem clear enough. We can see that just on a linear basis.

4. Categorisation of Sentences:

.              

  a.  Statements / Declaratives

.                  b. Question / Interrogatives

.                  c..   Command / Imperatives

                d..    Exclamatives

5. Sentence Contruction Type:

a. The Simple Sentence

b. The Compound Sentence

c. The complex Sentence

d. The Compound – complex Sentence

Reference: A linguistic Primer for Malaysians, Logo Mahesan Baskaran, University Malaya Press