Dr. Johanna Rubba
English Department (Linguistics)
Cal Poly State University San Luis Obispo
Last updated 2/9/11
© 2011 Johanna Rubba

Syntax: Terms & Concepts

Contents of this document: Words - Parts of Speech  - The Tenses and Aspects of English - Phrases - Clauses - Sentences

The domain of language called 'syntax' covers the structure of phrases, clauses, and sentences, as well as the functions these units carry out in language. The job of syntax in language is to provide us with patterns for putting words together into larger constructions (such as phrases), which in turn form building blocks for yet larger constructions (such as clauses and sentences). The reason we want to be able to put words together in language is in order to make the meanings of those words blend. Words stand for concepts or ideas in our mind, which we have extracted from our experience of the world. Syntax allows us to 'mix and match' the words so that their meanings also 'mix and match'. Our language provides us, for example, with two separate words 'blue' and 'sky'. When we want the meanings of these two words to combine, for instance to describe the clear weather in our location to a friend in a distant location, we can put the words together — 'blue sky' as part of message describing the weather conditions to our friend.

It is very important in syntax to distinguish between what kinds of units act as building blocks in syntax, on the one hand, and the particular roles those units play in larger syntactic constructions. The table below sets out three kinds of information: the linguistic terms for the units that appear in sentences (word, phrase, clause, sentence); the linguistic terms for different classes or categories of those units (a noun [= N] is a kind of word, a NP [noun phrase] is a kind of phrase, etc.). The third column lists the functions that these different units play in building sentences; these functions are based on meaning relationships among the units, and uses that the units are put to in communication.

Units of syntactic structure (building blocks of phrases, clauses, and sentences):
 
 

Unit type  Form/Category  Functions (roles in building larger syntactic units) Examples
word  Noun, Verb, Adjective, etc.
  1. building block for a phrase
  2. roles in phrases: head, modifier

large birds: large = adjective, modifier of head noun birds
phrase Noun Phrase, Verb Phrase,
Adjective Phrase, etc.
  1. building block for a clause or phrase
  2. roles in other phrases: modifier of head, complement of head
  3. roles in clauses: subject, direct object, indirect object, adverbial, object complement, subject complement, etc.
  1. large birds in the trees: prepositional phrase; modifier of head noun birds
  2. Large birds in the trees were making a lot of noise. Large birds in the trees is a noun phrase that is subject of the sentence.
clause -finite, nonfinite
-independent (main, matrix) 
-dependent (subordinate)
  1. building block for a sentence or phrase
  2. clauses may take the roles of phrases within phrases  (modifier, for example)
  3. a clause may take a role that a phrase usually takes within another clause (e.g., subject or direct object)
  1. - Finite clause: They are going to France. Finite because are is in present tense form; serves as the sole building block for a sentence.
    - Nonfinite clause: [We saw] the thief break into the house. The thief break into the house is a nonfinite clause; note that the verb break does not carry any kind of tense marker; it is not We saw the thief breaks/broke into the house. The function of this finite clause is direct object of saw. The whole sentence is We saw the thief break into the house
  2. Subordinate clause as modifier: The package that you sent me never arrived. That you sent me is a subordinate clause (in this case, a relative clause) modifying the head noun package; the whole noun phrase is The package that you sent me.
  3. I heard that you are going to France:  subordinate clause, direct object of heard (it is what the speaker heard)
sentence consists of at least one finite clause
  1. asserts a fact/belief
  2. asks a question
  3. gives a command
  4. etc.
  1. Assertion: The Earth is an imperfect sphere.
  2. Questions: Is global warming real? What will happen if mountain ranges no longer build up a winter snowpack?
  3. Commands: Stop making that noise! Never eat oleander leaves.
  4. Etc.:
    1. Cleft sentence: It was the large birds in the trees that were making all the noise.
    2. Pseudo-cleft sentence: What we need are some falcons to scare birds away from the vineyards.
    3. Etc. (See Sentences.)

Contents of this document:

Words
Parts of Speech
Phrases
Clauses
Sentences