Types of phrase
Corresponding to each type of lexical word, there is a major phrase type with the lexical word as head and a number of accompanying elements:
Noun phrase
Verb phrase
Adjective phrase
Adverb phrase
Prepositional phrase
Genitive phrase
Numeral phrase
Noun phrase:A noun phrase consists of a noun as head, either alone or accompanied by determiners (which specify the reference of the noun) and modifiers (which describe or classify the entity denoted by the head noun). The head is in bold in the following examples:
a house
the house
her gold watch
the little girl next door
Verb phrase: Verb phrase contain a lexical verb as head or main verb, either alone or accompanied by one or more auxiliaries. The auxiliaries specify the way in which the action, state, or process denoted by the main verb is to be interpreted. In addition the first auxiliary has the special role of operator. The main verb is in bold in the following examples:
was walking
had been making
can see
should have said
Adjective phrase: Adjective phrases contain an adjective as head, optionally accompanied by modifiers in the form of single words, phrases, and clauses. The adjective head is in bold in the following examples:
so lucky
desperately poor
slow to respond
good enough
Adverb phrase: Adverb phrases contain an adverb as head, optionally accompanied by modifiers in the form of single words, phrases, and clauses. The head is in bold in the following examples:
hardly ever
quite melodiously
so quickly you don’t even enjoy it
much more quickly than envisaged
Prepositional phrase: Prepositional phrases consist of a preposition and a complement, most typically in the form of a noun phrase. The typical prepositional phrase may indeed be viewed as a noun phrase extended by a link showing its relationship to surrounding structures. The complement is in bold in the following examples
to town
in the morning
on the night
in a street
Genitive phrase: Genitive phrases are structured like noun phrases, except for the addition of a genitive suffix
the Queen’s press secretary
the President’s dramatic decision
in a month or two’s time
Numeral phrase: Combinations of numerals generally conform to the structure of noun phrases, but they also have special characteristics which make it natural to teat them separately. For example, they may be spoken and written in quite different ways
225 two hundred and twenty-five
2 + 2 two plus two
$25 twenty-five dollars
22.08 twenty-two point zero eight
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