This document provides an overview of phrase structure rules in English morphology. It discusses: 1. Phrase structure rules that generate the basic underlying structure of sentences, such as S → NUC and NUC → NP AUX VP. 2. The structure of noun phrases, verb phrases, auxiliaries, modals, perfective and progressive forms, and imperatives. 3. Examples are given to illustrate each rule, such as "The boys left before the rain fell" and how it follows the rule S → NUC and NUC → NP AUX VP Advl.

1. Objectives:
Cognitive: Understand the different structure rules
in morphology.
Affective: Appreciate the effectiveness in
comprehensible structural rules in English language.
Psychomotor: Apply proper and correct rules in
constructing sentences in English language.

2. Review of the past Lesson
GAME: The Chalkboard Baseball

3. Phrase Structure Rules

4. Are rules which generate the basic underlying
structure of the sentence
The rules are arranged in a hierarchy so that
the first rule tells us the largest unit.
1. S NUC
The arrow means that the notion of S sentence is expanded (or rewritten
to include an obligatory sentence Nucleus (NUC)
S
NUC
Jun works here

5. 2. NUC NP AUX VP(Advl)
Jun works here.
S
NUC
NP AUX VP Advl
Jun works here

6. 3. The Noun Phrase
NP (det) N (pl)
pro
The braces to the right of the arrow indicate that
either “(det) N (pl) or (pro)” must be chosen, but
not both.

7. The boys work here.
S
NUC
NP AUX VP Advl
det N pl work here
the boy

8. NUC
NP
pro
they
If the sentence were “They work here.” the NP slot would be
filled by a pronoun.

9. She plays in the garden.
S
NUC
NP AUX VP Advl
pro plays in the garden
she

10. These relationship can be summed up in the following rule:
4. T
AUX M (PM) (perf) (prog)
IMPER
Auxiliary is AUX. it is made up of tense (T) or a modal(M) followed by the
other optional auxiliary elements: periphrastic modal(PM), and the
perfective(perf) and progressive(prog) aspects. (IMPER) stands for imperative,
a tenseless verb form in English.
Se have already knew that grammatical tense in English is either past or
present. This choice is stated in phrase structure rule 5.
5.
T past
present

11. 6. perf HAVE…EN
7. prog BE…ING
Leah is writing a story.
S
NUC
NP AUX VP
N T prog
Leah pres BE … ING write a story

12. Modals or Modal verbs
• An auxiliary verbs that expresses necessity or
possibility.
• English modal verbs includes:
May, might, must, shall, should, will, would, can,
could
• Periphrastic Modal – modals that composed of
several words. It is always preceded by LV or verb
BE.
- be going to, be able to, be allowed to or be
permitted to, have to
Structure: be…going to

13. Modal: Jane should bought a bag.
S
NUC
NP AUX VP
N T M V NP
Jane past should
buy det N
a bag

14. Periphrastic Modal: be…going to
S
NP AUX VP
det N pl T PM V NP
The boy pres be…going to buy det N
a food

15. Perf or Perfective
• Also referred to perfect tenses of the verb.
This is a grammatical form used to describe a
past event with present relevance or a present
state resulting to past situation
eg. I have taken it on the table, The girl has
bought a pencil.
Structure: have…en

16. perf
• The students have taken the examination.
S
NUC
NP AUX VP
det N T perf V NP
The student pl pres have…en take det N
the examination

17. Prog or Progressive verb
• A from of a verb tense used to show an ongoing
action in progress at some point in time.
It shows an action still in progress.
Three progressive tenses:
1. Present progressive. The cake is baking slowly.
2. Past progressive. The trees were waving back
and forth.
3. Future Progressive. The students will be taking
the exam.
Structure: be + -ing verb

18. prog
Leo is eating an apple.
S
NUC
NP AUX VP
N T prog V NP
Leo pres be…ing eat det N
an apple

19. Imper or imperative verb
• An imperative verb that creates an imperative
sentence that gives an order or command.
Eg. Buy a bag.
Take a medicine.
Give me the book.

20. Imper eg. Buy a bag.
S
NUC
NP AUX VP
ɸ imper V NP
buy det N
a bag

21. The girls danced tinikling.
S
NUC
NP AUX VP
det N pl T V NP
N
the girl past dance tinikling

22. He is going to paint a picture.
S
NUC
NP AUX VP
pro T PM
V NP
he pres be… going to
det N
a picture

23. A phrase structure rule that would allow us to account for all
such structural possibilities follows:
8. NP
AP
NP BE PP
V (NP) (PP)
The first three sentences could be accounted for by the following sub rules
contained within rule 8:
a. VP BE NP John is a teacher.
b. VP BE AP Alice is very pretty.
c. VP BE PP The students are here. (where P=0)

24. Phrase Structure Rules for Adverbial
Rule 9 provides us with three syntactic possibilities for each sentences.
Advl Cl
9. Advl PP
Advl P
An adverbial clause gets expanded to include an adverbial subordinator
followed by a new sentence.
10. Advl.Cl. Sub S

25. The boys left before the rain fell.
S
NUC
NP AUX VP Advl
Det N pl T V Advl Cl
The boy past leave Adv Sub S
before NUC
NP AUX VP
det N T V
the rain past fall

26. If a prepositional phrase had been selected
instead of an adverbial clause, the following rule
would be applied.
11. PP P NP

27. The girl works in the city.
S
NUC
NP AUX VP Advl
det N T V PP
the girl pres work P NP
in det N
the city

28. • The other possible expansion of the adverbial
is an adverbial phrase Advl P, which is
rewritten as follows:
12. Advl P (intents)ɳ Advl

29. The boys work very fast.
S
NUC
NP AUX VP Advl
det N pl T V Advl P
the boy pres work
Intens Advl
very fast

30. Assignment:
• Take time for advance reading about CHINESE
BOX, this is another grammatical structure
analysis.