3.2.

Phrasal Constituents
3.2.1. Noun Phrases.
Noun Phrases (NPs) are traditionally thought of as consisting minimally of a head
noun, together with any number of NP modifiers (Abney 1987). y!ical NP modifiers in
"nglish are# determiners ($"%$et%$)& 'uantifier (() and 'uantifier !hrases ((P)&
ad)ecti*es (Ad)) and ad)ecti*e !hrases (AP)& nouns (N) and noun !hrases (NP)&
ad!ositions (!re!ositions + P) and ad!ositional% !re!ositional !hrases (PP) and clauses
(,P).
3.2.1.1. Determiners
$eterminers form a closed class of functional words which ha*e the general
!ro!erty of not themsel*es !ermitting modification. he class of determiners includes#
articles (a, an, the)& !ersonal determiners (my, his, her)& demonstrati*es (this, that etc.)&
interrogati*e determiners (which/what)& e-clamatory determiners (What an idiot.)& 'uality
determiners ( Such an idiot .).
NP NP
$" N $" N
a house my toy
3.2.1.2. Quantifiers and Quantifier Phrases
(uantifiers (() ha*e the general function of indicating the 'uantity of elements
referred to by the NP. /nli0e determiners, they !ermit *arious 0inds of modification and
therefore ha*e their own !hrasal structure. y!ical 'uantifiers in "nglish are# all, both,
half, every, each, any, either, some, much, enough, several, many, few, little, neither,
together with the cardinal numerals one, two, three etc.
NP NP
( N ( N

much noise fi*e balls
1ith the modification of the 'uantifier, it is !ossible to form 'uantifier !hrases#
virtually all the houses, not nearly enough houses, almost two hours.
NP
(P N
$" (
almost two hours
3.2.1.3. Adjectives and Adjective Phrases
Ad)ecti*es and ad)ecti*e !hrases (AP) are NP modifiers !ar e-cellence. 2ere we
include# general ad)ecti*es& ordinal numerals such as first and second& related ad)ecti*es
such as next and last& ad)ecti*es such as same and other& the whole class of 'uantifiers.
(i) Ad)ecti*es in "nglish are generally !ositioned between determiners and the head
noun, for e-am!le, that first tentative try, a large red apple.
NP
$" Ad) Ad) N
a large red a!!le
1hile there is a certain natural ordering relationshi!s between the ad)ecti*es
themsel*es, orders which de*iate from this ordering are ty!ically !ossible# that tentative
first try, a red large apple.
(ii) APs in "nglish may be formed by !re3modification of the ad)ecti*e by ad*erbs, or
!ost3modification by PPs and clauses, e.g. very proud; proud of his success; proud that
she has got the job.
NP NP
$" AP N Ad) PP
$" Ad)

a *ery !roud man !roud of his success
he ty!e of modification has an influence on the order of noun head and
ad)ecti*e3!hrase modifier within the noun !hrase. 4nly !re3modified ad)ecti*e !hrases
!attern with single ad)ecti*es occurring before the head noun# a very proud man.
Post3modified ad)ecti*e !hrases must occur after the head# a woman proud of her
children, a woman proud that she has got the job.
NP

$" N Ad) ,on) 5

a woman NP 6P

!roud that
N Au- 6 NP

she s en ha*e get the )ob

3.2.1.4. Nouns and Noun Phrases
Nouns themsel*es may act as noun3!hrase !re3modifiers, e.g. a rubber factory.
he item rubber is a noun rather than an ad)ecti*e because it can itself be modified by an
ad)ecti*e a corrugated rubber factory. Ad)ecti*es themsel*es do not !ermit modification
by ad)ecti*es, so there is no alternati*e but to consider rubber as a noun. Noun3!hrase
modifiers of this ty!e cannot contain determiners, although they may contain 'uantifiers#
a party committee, a two-party committee, etc.
NP NP
NP N NP N
$" N $" (

a rubber factory a two3!arty committee

3.2.1.5. Adpositions and Adpositional Phrases
Ad!ositions are !re!ositions or !ost!ositions, ty!ically ta0ing NP com!lements.
(i) Post!ositional !hrases are a common form of NP !ostmodifiers in "nglish# the cat on
the roof, a house without a roof. 5ome !re!ositions can occur alone as !ostmodifiers# the
room underneath.
NP
NP
$" N PP $" N P
P NP
$" N


he cat on the roof the room underneath

(ii) Pre!ositional !hrases in "nglish with thes geniti*e !ost!osition are !remodifiers
with a *ariety of functions including# the !ossessor function, e.g. the girls eyes which
induces the so3called definiteness effect# the uni'ue eyes belonging to the girl& the sub)ect
function, e.g. the governments decree that roads should be tested; the ob)ect function,
e.g. the boys punishment; the descri!ti*e function, e.g. a womans dress of latest
fashion.
NP NP
$" PP N $" PP NP
N PP
he girl7s eyes a woman7s dress of latest fashion