Phrase-level: NP: a real friend VP: make up PP: at home AP: very beautiful Phrases usually contain three elements:
2.4 Categories at different levels
Word-level: N, V, adj, prep Determiner (Det): the, a , that, these Degree word(Deg): very, quite Qualifier(Qual): often, always, seldom. Almost Auxiliary(Aux): must, should, can Conjunction: and, but, or
1 The traditional approach A sentence is a sequence of words emphasis is on the study of individual words. 1.1 Number/gender/case(Ns, Vs) Number: sing. or pl Gender: actor/actress Case: Nominative (I, he, she) genitive(my, his, her) accusative (me, him, her) I gave a book to him.
Immediate Constituent Structure using Tree Diagram
S NP ADJ N V NP PRON N VP
Poor
John
lost
his
w- the internal structure of a sentence may be demonstrated clearly. -help to avoid ambiguity e.g more expensive clothes