This document presents a definition of phrases and describes a general approach to developing a theory of grammar based on universal grammar and native speaker intuitions. It defines phrases as groups of words that do not contain subjects or verbs. It then outlines a theory of grammar involving lexical categories that form phrase heads and phrase structure rules that determine phrase constituents and their orderings. Several example phrase structure rules are given for noun phrases, verb phrases, and prepositional phrases.

2.  Presented to:
Madam Amna Shahid
 Presented by:
Ammara Ahsan
Ayesha Amjad
Najia Majid
Rashda Meraj

3. by
Ammara Ahsan
Ayesha Amjad
Najia Majid
Rashda Meraj

4. DEFINITION
A phrase is a group of words that does
not have a subject or a verb.
For example:
Eating a peach
Under the teacher‟s desk
After seeing the Taj Mahal
To buy a new phone

5. General Approach
Universal Grammar (UG) / Language Instinct
Data
Native speakers‟ intuitions (acceptability
judgments)
Resulting Theory of Grammar
Words, phrases, categories for words and phrases
(e.g. nouns, verbs, noun phrases, verb phrases)
(basic concepts any theory of grammar must have
in order to capture the data)

6. 1) Every word belongs to a lexical category
2) Lexical categories forms heads of phrases
3) How phrases are formed is governed by rules
(= „phrase structure rules‟)

7. Rules that determine…
what goes into a phrase („constituents‟)
how the constituents are ordered
Constituent: a word or group of words that
function as a unit and can make up larger
grammatical units
The component that determines the properties
of the constituent is the head, and the
constituent can be referred to as a phrase: e.g.
noun phrase
“noun phrases have a Det and a N”
NP Det N

8. 1. S NP VP
2. NP {Det N, Pro, PN}
3. VP V (NP) (PP) (Adv)
4. PP P NP
5. AP A (PP)

9. • NP (Det) N
• PP P NP
The boy (NP)
The
NDet
boy
the boy in the yard
NP
The
NDet
boy
PP
in
NPP
the
Det N
yard

10.  In P
 from a boy in a bubble P NP
Phrase structure rule for PPs:
PP  P (NP)

11. PP PP
P P NP
in from Det N PP
a boy P NP
in Det N
a bubble

12.  “Verb phrases have a V, (sometimes) an NP, and
(sometimes) a PP”
 VP -> V (NP) (PP)
 sang
 ate the cake
 ate the cake hungrily
 sang a song in the shower
 fell into the pond slowly
Phrase structure rule for VPs:
VP  V (NP) (PP) (Adv)

13. VP VP VP
V V NP V NP PP Adv
sang ate Det N sang Det N P NP badly
the cake a song in Det N
the shower

14. Thank You