Phrase Structure Ed McCorduck English 402--Grammar SUNY Cortland

all phrases have a headword (a.k.a. a head) slide 2: headword of phrases English 402: Grammar

noun phrases (a.k.a. NPs) o headword is a noun slide 3: definition of noun phrases English 402: Grammar

example the dog slide 4: examples of noun phrases English 402: Grammar dog is the headword of this phrase, dog is a noun, therefore the dog is a noun phrase

more NP examples (headword in red) a dog the dogs dogs Rover a big dog her very big dog that very big, nasty dog that very big, nasty dog in the backyard that very big, nasty dog who barks all night and pisses us off slide 5: more examples of noun phrases English 402: Grammar

verb phrases (a.k.a. VPs) o headword is a verb slide 6: definition of verb phrases English 402: Grammar

verb phrase examples (headword in red) hacks (as in “A smoker often hacks”) hacks computers (as in “The script kiddie hacks computers”) has hacked (a computer) is hacking (government computers) was hacked will be hacking (unprotected computers) may have been hacking (the bank’s central computer) is going to have been hacked slide 7: examples of verb phrases English 402: Grammar