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Vsuresh Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

phrase

Hi
Please help me with this.
The sentence in italics is given for phrase identification.In this sentence it is only one word.
(In the other sentences the words in bracket were to be identified. )

Can one word be called a phrase?

 Tell [him] not to worry
  

Top answer

vsuresh Can one word be called a phrase? It depends very much on the system of grammatical analysis you are using. In most modern approaches one word can indeed be a phrase, in this case a noun phrase.

— CalifJim

  • vsuresh Can one word be called a phrase?
  • It depends very much on the system of grammatical analysis you are using.
  • In most modern approaches one word can indeed be a phrase, in this case a noun phrase.
  • CJ
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17 Answers
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vsureshCan one word be called a phrase?
It depends very much on the system of grammatical analysis you are using. In most modern approaches one word can indeed be a phrase, in this case a noun phrase.

CJ
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Thank you,CJ.

Please tell me if these are correct.

She bought him a shirt.
She is buying him a shirt.

Can both be called verb phrases?
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vsureshCan both be called verb phrases?
Yes. Again it depends on the system of analysis. The one I'm most familiar with would say that the VPs (verb phrases) are bought him a shirt and is buying him a shirt. I've also seem analyses that say bought and is buying are verb phrases and bought him a shirt and is buying him a
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Thank you very much, CJ. I think you must be a great teacher, for your explanations are always overwhelmingly thorough !
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Hi CJ

Please help me with this.
  1. The picture in the antique frame was of my grandmother. Here, of my grandmother, is an adjective phrase and the picture of my grandmother is a noun phrase.
Am I correct?
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vsureshHere, of my grandmother is an adjective phrase…
I’m not nearly as neutral as CJ when it comes to grammar analysis and labeling, so I’d give that a definite ‘no’. Some traditional grammars might call that an adjective phrase in your sentence, but if they do they’re confusing category and function. The category of a phrase depends on that of its he
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Thank you,very much Aspara Gus. I'm trying to get in the ideas you have given.
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Hi Aspara Gus

Can you help me with these?
Aspara GusNo, but you’re on to something.
I'm not able to understand this.
Aspara GusComplements are usually licensed by the head word of the construction in which they’re embedded, but when the complement is licensed by another dependent of the head (or part of one), it’s an indirect com
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vsuresh“No, but you’re on to something.”
I'm not able to understand this.
You were on the right track to discovering what was going on in the sentence.
vsureshCan you help me with an example for this?
Take this sentence:

The dog is in the pool.

Here the PP complement is admitted by the head
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Thank you very much, Aspara Gus.
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