1. The Noun Phrase (Pre-modification )
Presented by
RanaHummaied Al-lehyani
Instructor
Dr. ShadiaBanjar
LANE 334
Syntax
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2. Pre-modification
Constituents which pre-modify nouns are determiners, adjective phrases and nouns.
Determiners
Determiners are of three types ,

• Predeterminers:

Specify quantity in the noun which follows them ,and they are of three major types:
1. Multiplying expressions , e.g. twice my salary
2. Fractions , e.g. half my salary
3. The words all and both , e.g. all my salary
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3. Rana Al-lehyani

• Central determiners :

The definite article the and the indefinite article a/an.
e.g. all the book half a chapter

• Postdeterminers:

Cardinal and ordinal numerals occupy the postdeterminer slot. e.g. the two children
Other determiners are :
- Demonstratives: this , that ,these ,those
e.g. this door is big
- Quantifiers: some ,any ,each , every, no ,etc.
e.g. some trees are cut
- possessives: my , your , her, his ,its ,our ,their
e.g. Her job is hard
- WH-Determiners: whose ,what , which

4. Genitives
The possessive determiner can also be realized as a phrase , for example:
-This boys clothes are very dirty
-Kates babyis crying
Where there is an NP (this boy , kate )+s. These possessive phrases (POSS) or genitives take the sentence position normally occupied by the determiner as in :
The
This boys clothes are very dirty
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5. The analysis will be as follows
S
NP VP
DET N Vgp AP
POSS [intens]
NP AUX V AdvP A
DET N TENSE deg
This boy s clothes (pres) are very dirty
S P sC
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6. Adjective Phrases
Adjective phrases are also used to pre-modify nouns
Adjective phrases (AP)
AP (AdvP)+ A
Function: 1.sC
2.oC
e.g. 1. the dog is (quite disgustingly ) fat
2. John made Kate angry
OR
Function : pre-modifier within NP
e.g. The fat brown dog chased a girl
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7. The adjective fat slots in between the determiner (the) and the noun (dog) so that the noun phrase is expanded:
- The dog chased a girl
-The fat dog chased a girl
In the sentences, the noun phrases are the subjects and the entire noun phrase with or without a pre-modifying adjective phrase is analyzed as such.
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8. To show that we will substitute a pronoun for the noun phrase , using the pronoun it for the subject :
The dog chased a girl
The fat dog chased a girl
It chased a girl
S P dO
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9. This how it shows on a tree diagram:
S
NP VP
DET AP N Vgp NP
[trans]
A AUX V DET N
The fat dog (past) chased the girl
S P dO
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10. Nouns
Nouns also serve to pre-modify other nouns . For example :

• I bought a new computer game
• 11. The electricity board sent her a nasty letter

In these cases the noun pre-modifier is closely connected to the head noun that the two can almost be considered one word.
This illustrates that when nouns pre-modify other nouns they always come next to the head noun ; nothing else can come between them:
* I bought a computer new game
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12. the tree diagram is as follows :
S
NP VP
PRO Vgp NP
[trans]
AUX V DET N
TENSE AP N
A N N
I (past) bought a new computer game
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13. Presented by
RanaHummaied Al-lehyani
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