LESSON 9
Syntax
Introductio
n
Welcome to another week of learning experience!!! This chapter hopes to give
you comprehensive discussion of syntax.
The word syntax is derived from the Greek elements syn, meaning together and
tax which means arranging. Syntax is a level of grammar that specifically refers to the
arrangements of words and morphemes in the construction of structures such as
phrases, clauses and sentences. Syntax also deals with how these combined structures
interface with external behaviors such as speech, gestures and writing to make the
combined structures useful in communication.
The study of grammar is the study of rules of language. Language is a system of
symbols that is rule-governed. Language is also a multi-level system of rules. Although
most people see grammar as synonymous with the study of sentence structure and
other forms larger than words, this is only one level of grammar called syntax. Syntax is
the study of the rules to combine morphemes and words into linguistic units larger than
words. Morphology is the grammar of words. Phonology is the grammar of sounds.
Specifically, the lesson would have the following learning outcomes.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the week, you are expected to:
Explain what syntax means.
Discuss the different types of syntactic structures.
Discuss sentence constituents.
Distinguish between dependent and independent clause.
Discuss the different types of sentences and clauses.
Discuss the different types of phrases.
Pre-Competency
Checklist
Activity 21
Before we proceed, please answer these questions?
Which of the statements is true? Copy only the item
number. Hint: There are only 5 true statements.
1. The sentence is a group of words that expresses
completeness of thought.
2. There are only three syntactic structures: sentence, phrase
and clause.
3. The sentence is composed of subject and verb phrase.
4. An independent clause is a simple sentence.
5. A dependent clause can stand alone.
6. Simple, compound, complex and compound-complex
sentences are kind of sentences according to grammatical
construction.
7. There are 3 kinds of sentences according to meaning or
Purpose.
8. Interrogative sentence asks a question.
9. Noun clauses start with an adjective.
10. Mark is hit by a ball is an example of a sentence in the active
Voice.
I guess you have based your answer to the activity above on your insights learned
from high school. I understand that you may not get it all correctly, this time. But once
you are done with reading the Explore part, I know you will understand the topic more
intently and fully.
Learning
Resources
Lecture-Discussion Text
Reference: A Concise Introduction to Linguistics 2 nd Edition, pp.112-
147
Guided Web/Internet Browsing
Activity Sheet (Uploaded/Offline Submission)
Explore
Discussion
Text
TYPES OF SYNTACTIC STRUCTURES
The type of syntactic structures are sentences, phrases and
clauses.
SENTENC
E
A sentence is a group of combined words that expresses a
complete thought. It can only be complete, if it contains both
the two sentence constituents called subject and
predicate.
The subject is the topic of the sentence.
The predicate is a comment or assertion made about the
topic. A predicate starts with the verb in the sentence.
In the sentence,
The art student looked at a very beautiful painting.
The art student is the subject and looked at a very
beautiful painting is the predicate. The predicate is started by
the verb looked.
A group of words that does not express a complete thought
is just a fragment.
Let’s see if you understood the discussion. Try this…
CHECK-UP DRILL Activity 22
Write S if the statement is a sentence and F if it is a
fragment. If it is a sentence, copy that sentence, underline
once the subject, underline twice the predicate and encircle
the main verb.
1. The audience went wild during a concert.
2. The class is silent.
3. A swarm of flies.
Discussion
Text
There you have it! Now let’s go to the next topic, which is…
TYPES OF SENTENCES
(According to the number of subjects and predicate they
consist)
1. Simple Sentence is a sentence which has only one subject
and
one predicate.
Ex: The dog ran away.
In the sentence above, there is only one subject (The dog)
and one predicate (ran away).
2. Compound Sentence is a sentence which has any of the
ff.:
a. One subject and two predicates.
Ex: The dog ran away and hid under the table.
b. Two subjects and one predicate
Ex: The dog and the cat ran away.
c. Two subjects and two predicates.
Ex: The dog and the cat ran away and hid under the
table.
The compound sentences above used the conjunction and
to combine one or more subjects and one or more predicates.
Other conjunctions aside from and can also be used.
In some cases, instead of conjunctions, a semi-colon is
used to separate the subject and the predicate.
Ex: The dog ran away; it hid under the table.
3. Complex Sentence is a sentence that contains one
independent
clause (simple sentence) and one or more dependent
clauses.
Independent Clause – it is a simple sentence.
Dependent Clause – has a subject and a predicate
but cannot stand alone as a simple sentence. It
needs to be attached to an independent clause to
make it complete.
Some examples of dependent clause are the following:
Although it is tempting
Discussion
Text
4. Compound-Complex Sentence is a sentence that contains
two
or more independent clauses (simple sentence) and one
dependent
clause.
Ex: When the teacher assigned the readings for the exam,
many
students were stunned, but they agreed to study as hard
as they
could.
In the sentence above, When the teacher assigned the
readings for the exam is the dependent clause while many
students were stunned and they agreed to study as hard as
they could are independent clauses. The two independent
clauses are joined by the conjunction but.
Let’s see if you understood the discussion. Try this…
CHECK-UP DRILL Activity 23
Write:
1. One compound sentence by replacing the words in red
with your
own words.
The dog and the cat ran away and hid under the table.
2. One complex sentence by filling up the blanks with your
own
words.
Although _____________, I _____________.
3. One compound sentence by replacing the words in red
with your
own words.
When the teacher assigned the readings for the exam,
many
students were stunned, but they agreed to study as hard
as they
could.
TYPES OF SENTENCES
(According to meaning, purpose or voice)
Discussion
Text
2. Interrogative. These sentences ask a question.
Ex: Has Christine just arrived?
3. Imperative. These sentences express a command or make
a
request.
Ex: Aaron, come here. Cindy, please do this.
4. Exclamatory. These sentences show strong emotion or
feeling.
Ex: Oh, if I were only here!
CHECK-UP DRILL Activity 24.
Write your own declarative, interrogative, imperative and
exclamatory sentence (1 sentence each).
VOICE
A sentence can be in the active or passive voice. Voice is
the relationship of the subject of a verb to the action
conveyed by that verb.
1. Active Voice. The sentence is in the active voice if the
subject
is the doer of the action.
Ex: Mark purchased a laptop.
2. Passive Voice. If the subject of the sentence is NOT the
doer of
the action.
Ex: A laptop was purchased by Mark.
Note that in the first sentence, the subject Mark is the doer
of the action. While in sentence 2, the subject laptop is NOT
the doer of the action. Notice also the difference in the
structure of the underlined verb in each sentence and the
presence of the word by in the 2 nd sentence. However, there
are cases that the by-phrase is omitted or not present.
CHECK-UP DRILL Activity 25
Determine whether the sentence is in the active or passive
voice.
Discussion
Text
CLAUS
E
A clause is a group of words which is consist of a subject
and a predicate.
TYPES OF CLAUSES
1. Independent Clause. It is a simple sentence.
2. Dependent Clause. It is a group of words which consist of a
subject and predicate but cannot stand alone as a simple
sentence. It depends on an independent clause to make it
complete.
PHRASE
A phrase is a small group of words standing together to
form the part of a clause. A phrase may be a string or group of
words but in some cases, it can also be composed of only one
word. The types of phrases are noun phrase, verb phrase,
adjective phrase, adverb phrase and a prepositional phrase.
A head of a phrase is the word that determines the
phrasal category. Meaning, the head of a noun phrase is a
noun, of the verb phrase is a verb, of adjective phrase is an
adjective, of the adverb phrase is an adverb and of a
prepositional phrase is a preposition.
TYPES OF PHRASES
1. Noun Phrase. It is a group of words started by a noun or a
determiner
and a noun. It can also be a single noun or a single
pronoun. It
functions as a subject, direct object, indirect object, and
object of the
preposition.
Ex: Julian mailed a letter.
Mary ate the hamburger.
Three people came late.
He ate twice a week.
The words written in red are noun phrases.
2. Verb phrases. It is a group of words started by a verb. Verb
Discussion
Text
Ex: Julian mailed a letter.
Mary ate the hamburger.
Three people came late.
3. Adjective phrases. It is a phrase headed by an adjective.
Adjective
phrases come before or after a noun.
Ex: The small kitten jumped.
The man covered with sweat collapsed.
The cost of cars is way too high.
4. Adverb Phrase. It is a phrase headed by an adverb. It comes
after a
verb.
Ex: They came every day.
He has been coming for the last five days.
Tim will be here at 3:00 o’clock.
You should do it this way.
I went home very quickly.
5. Prepositional phrase. It is a phrase headed by a preposition.
A
prepositional phrase also contains a noun phrase within it.
Ex: The blanket is in the box under the bed.
The book with the red cover is mine.
I hope you have understood the discussion, the first three questions in the
discussion board are the same questions found under the pre-competency assessment,
wherein your answers may be based commonly on prior knowledge. However, your
answers to the discussion board questions must be based from the insights that you
have learned from the discussion texts.
Discussion
Board
Activity 26
Questions for Discussion:
One point for each answer. Remember that the items expected
more than one answer.
1. What are the 2 constituents of a sentence?
Questions for Discussion:
2. What are the four types of sentences according to
grammatical
construction?
3. What are the four types of sentences according to
purpose?
4. What are the 2 types of voice?
5. What are the 2 types of clauses?
We are done with the lesson. Did you understand the lectures? If you feel that
some parts of the lesson are not yet clear, please feel free to post your questions and
send it to my FB messenger account.
I guess you are now ready for the evaluation of your understanding… Goodluck!!!
PHRASES BANK
B. List the five types of phrases discussed in the text and
give 2 examples of each.
