Unit 5: PHRASES & CLAUSES

1. Phrases
1.1 Definition:
A phrase: a combination of words, considered as a grammatical unit that is
consited of a Head word & all the words clustering around the head word.
Ex
the beautiful girl => N Phrase
Dt A/M => N
to be a good student : Infinite Phrase
A/M => N
jogging in the morning : prepositional phrase
Present participle phrase
over the rainbow: prepositional phrase
1.2.Classifications
- A phrase is recognized by its head word
=> 5 main types of phrases: noun phrase (NP); verb phrase (VP); adjective phrase
(AP); adverb phrase (AvP); & prepositional phrase (PP)
1.2.1 Noun phrase
- N Phrase: consisting of a N ( Head word) & all the words or word group belong
to the N & cluster around it.
Ex
A sleeping child
An upstairs room
- The words coming before the head: pre-modifiers.
- The words following after the head: post-modifiers.
Ex
The town hall clock
Town: NP/M/Ajal
Town hall: N/Pre-M/ Ajal
The newspaper - daily Tuoi Tre
Daily: A/pre-M/Ajal
Daily TT: NP/ post-M/Ajal => The newspaper.
*Fuction of a N Phrase.
a. Subject of a sentence.
Ex
The beautiful flowers are sent to the mother.
The beautiful flowers: NP/S/Nal
Beautiful: A/M/Ajal=> flowers
To the mother: PP/RO ( Retained Object) /Nal
Somebody sends the beautiful flowers to the mother.
NP/DO PP/IO
Somebody send the mother the beautiful flowers.
NP/IO NP/DO
The mother is sent the beatiful flowers.
NP/RO/Nal
b. Complement (C)
- Subject complement (SC) :
+ Refers, identifies, describes the subject of a sentence.
+ linking verbs
+ Can be a noun or an adj
Ex. Paurl is the man I met last night
Paurl: N/S/Nal
The man: NP/SC/Nal
I met last night: that/whom AC/M/Ajal => M for the man
Last night: NP/M/Aval.
-Object complement(OC): trang 54, mau cau 9
 Prefers, identify the Direct Object(DO) & complements the meaning of the
DO
 Some verbs are:

Ex.
They voted my mother the best doctor of the city.
My mother: NP/DO/Nal
the best doctor of the city: NP/OC/Nal
=>My mother is the best doctor of the city: NP/SC/Nal
c. Object (O) of a Verb:
c.1: Direct Object(DO): 51/mau cau7
- a N or a Pr complements the meaning of a transitive verb.
- reiceive the action of the door/ agent.
Ex
I have fast bought a new shirt
New: A/M/Ajal
A new shirt: NP/DO/Nal
c.2 Indirect Object (IO)
- reiceive an action of the verb indirectly through a preposition.
- identified by the question: to whom, for whom. Sometimes with different
preposition: 52/maucau8
- can be different parts of speech.
Some transitive verbs are:
 Give – type verbs: give, make, find , tell, buy, write, ask, play, build, teach,
assign, feed, offer, throw, hand, pass, sell, pay.
When a indirect object precedes direct object: there is no preposition. In this
case, the IO is a an NP. On the other hand, if the indirect object follows
Direct Object, a preposition is needed the indirect object is a PP / maucau8
Ex. I offer the boy next door a bouquet .
NP/IO/Nal NP/DO/Nal
Next door: NP/M/Ajal
=> I offer a bouquet to the boy next door
NP/DO/Ajal PP/IO/Nal
The teacher asks his students some questions
NP/IO/Nal
The teacher asks some questions of his students.
PP/IO/Nal
 Explain type words: explain, deliver, say, dictate, describe, introduce,read,
invite,sing..
 =>For this type of words: the IO always requires a preposition regardless its
position.
Ex
The teacher has explained that difficult lesson to his student
NP/DO/Nal PP/IO/Nal
The teacher has explained to his students that difficult lesson
NP/DO/Nal
 Some verbs as “ read, write, sing” may have an IO without DO. In this case,
an IO has a preposition.
Ex
When I arrive in America, I’ll write to you
To you: PP/IO/Nal
If I have enough time, I’ll sing for you.
For you: PP/IO/Nal.
c.3. Object of prep: OP
follows a complements the preposition & can be different parts of speech
Ex
She puts the book on the table
The table: NP/OP/Nal => M for puts
The book: NP/ DO/ Nal
On the table: PP/M/Aval.
d. Modifer (M)
d.1 Adjectional modifer
The high heel shoes were broken
NP/S/ Nal
High heel: NP/M/ Ajal M for shoes
d.2. adverbial modifier
The day something unsual happened
The day: NP/S/ Nal
Unsual: A/M/Ajal
Something unsual: NP/M/ Ajal
1.2.2. Adjective Phrase (AP)
- consisting of an Adj as a Head & its M
- fuction of an AP
a. Complement (C)
a.1 SC
That girl is very helpful
Very: Av/M/ Aval M for helpful
Very helpful: AP/SC/Ajal
The girl helpful is a newcomer.
Helpful: A/M( for the girl) / Ajal
A newcomer:NP/SC/Nal.
CoA: Complement of an Adj
a.2 OC
b. Modifier(M)
b.1 pre-M
A very handsome boy is playing chess in class.
A Very handsome boy : NP/S/Nal
Very Av/M/Aval – M for handsome
Very handsome: AP/ M/ Aval – M for boy
Chess: M/DO/Nal
In class: PP/M/Aval M for playing.
b.2 post-M
The film harmful children is not to be shown.
Harmful to children: AP/M/Ajal M for the film
To children: PP/CoA/Nal
Not : Av
1.2.3 Adverb Phrase (AvP)
- consiting of an adv as a head & its Modifier.
- telling the location, time, manner, purpose…
- modifying verb, adj, another adv, a phrase, a clause, of the while sentence.
Ex.
She drives very carefully.
Very carefully: AvP/ M/ Aval M for drives
Very: Av/M/ Aval M for carefully.
She is very extremely nice girl
Very extremely nice girl: NP/ SC/ Nal
Very extremely nice: AP/M/ Ajal M for girl
Very extremely: AvP/M/ Aval.
She was reiceived rather less enthusiastically.
rather less enthusiastically: AvP/M/Aval M for reiceived
rather less: AvP/M/Aval M for enthusiastically.
Very quickly, the boy did not die.
AvP/M/Aval M for die.
1.2.4 Prepositional phrase(PP)
- having a preposition is a head & followed by its N phrase or a Pronoun.
- fuction of a Preposition Phrase:
 A PP is fuctioned as a N
- S of a sent:
On the beach now is much better than in class
(what)On the beach now: PP/ S/Nal
Now: Av/M/Aval. M for on the beach now.
Much better than in class: AP/ SC/Ajal.
- SC
We are in class now. Maucau2, 49.
In class: PP/ SC/Aval
Now: Av/SC/Aval
My favorite hiding place is under the table.
My favorite hiding place: NP/S/Nal
Favourite hiding: GP(Gerund Phrase)/ M/Ajal M for place
Favorite: A/M/Ajal M for hiding
Under the table: PP/ SC/Aval
The table: NP/OP/Nal
- OC:

We find your explanation over our head.

your explanation: NP/DO/Nal
over our head: PP/OC/Ajal
 Your explaination is rather difficult to understand
rather difficult : AP/SC/Ajal
to understand: Inf/CoA/Nal
- DO:
+ Transitive verbs:
Ex. I prefer in class: PP/DO/Nal
Note: For the verbs that required a prepositional phrase(PP) complements
the verb through a preposition, called prepositional object (Pre O)
Ex. I do not believe in him : PP/Pre O/Nal
Your success depends on/upon their efforts: PP/PreO/Nal
You can rely on Kevin : PP/Pre O/Nal
- OP:
Ex
The mouse emerged from behind the table: PP/ OP/Nal
From: PP/M/Aval
 A PP is fuctioned as an Adj: nominal N.
Ex
My son is the boy near the window: NP/SC/Nal
Near the window: PP/M/Ajal ( M for the boy- which)
 A PP is fuctioned as a Av
Ex
Due to the bad weather, the plane arived one hour later
PP/M/Aval M for after clause NP/M/Aval
The bad weather: NP/OP/Nal latter: NP/M/Ajal - hour
Bad: A/M/Ajal
1.2.5 Verb Phrase(VP)
- consiting of a lexical verb or a linking verb as a Head &
words clustering around NP,Pr(DO)/ Av(M)/ N,A(SC) the Head Verb Av/Auxiliary
-Fuction of a VP:
 A predicator(P) of a sentence.
Ex. We drive along the new road NP/OP/Nal
Along the new road:PP/M/Aval
Drive along the new road: VP/P/Val ( verb) for Drive
-Finite& non-finite VP:
+ finite VP: main verb of the sentence & verb: finite VP → tenses, agreement with
the S
+ non-finite VP: an infinitive phrase (Inf. P), a gerund phrase (GP), a participle
phrase (Part. P) or absolute phrase (Abs.P)
Exercise on syntax - file word.

Syntax bài 1, bài 2, bài

4 – câu 33,34( Ex4)
1. small green lizard.