(I) Word Classes and Phrases

Dr SPOCA!! S = SUBJECT A Noun Phrase which refers to the entity which is the topic of the sentence (what the sentence is about), and if the predicator of the sentence is a dynamic verb, the subject is the "doer" of the action. Usually comes first in the sentence, before the Predicator.

My son went to university in Wales. To perform at Madison Square Gardens was her highest ambition.

P = PREDICATOR A Verb Phrase which expresses the action/process or relationship in the sentence. The tiny ladybug landed on my arm. A piece of pepperoni pizza would satisfy his hunger.

O = OBJECT A Noun Phrase which refers to the entity which is the recipient of the action/process. Only occurs with transitive Predicators. Usually comes after the Predicator.

The dog bit the postman. Fifteen children from the school choir will be singing African folk songs.

C = COMPLEMENT A Noun Phrase or Adjective Phrase which normally comes after a linking Predicator and expresses some attribute or role of the SUBJECT.  He is the father of three.  Time is the great healer.  Those animals were very rare Siberian tigers.  His client became more and more angry.  The remaining problem is where to find the money.

Sometimes it expresses an attribute or role of the OBJECT.  Everyone thought him an idiot.  The accusation made me livid.  The whole town wanted the outlaw dead.

Almost always comes after the Predicator. Her voice sounds lovely. The tea tastes foul. The first thing I did was open all the windows.

A = ADVERBIAL An Adverbial, Prepositional or Noun Phrase which usually specifies some condition related to the Predicator, e.g. when, where or how some action occurred. It is by far the most mobile of the sentence elements, and can occur in many different positions in a sentence (the other four sentence elements are much more fixed). Its most normal position is at the end of the sentence, however. Hence the ordering S-P-O-C-A

More explanation can be obtained from: http://www.tesol-direct.com/guide-to-english- grammar/subjects-and-objects

What phrases will we find in each of the sentence elements? S  Noun Phrase O  Noun Phrase P  Verb Phrase C  Adjective Phrase or Noun Phrase A  Adverb Phrase or Prepositional Phrase or Noun Phrase

Word Classes and Phrases So far we have distinguished four major word classes: NOUN (N), VERB (V), ADJECTIVE (Adj) and ADVERB (Adv). We can use these word classes to define four of the five kinds of phrases which occur in English sentences: (1) NOUN A phrase (a group of words) which has a NOUN as its PHRASE (NP) head: a student; the charming student; that grotty little first year English student; that grotty little English student with green hair; a pint of Boddingtons (2) VERB A phrase which has a VERB as its head: PHRASE (VP) guzzle; has guzzled; has been guzzling; is; might have been; yawned; had been yawning (3) ADJECTIVAL A phrase with an ADJECTIVE as its head: PHRASE (AdjP) despicable; absolutely despicable; as despicable as possible (4) ADVERBIAL A phrase with an ADVERB as its head: PHRASE (AdvP) quickly; too quickly; too quickly for comfort

In addition, we need one more phrase type:

(5) A phrase which consists of a preposition with a Noun PREPOSITIONAL Phrase joined to it: PHRASE (PP) up the road; down his throat; round the grotty student's ear The Internet Grammar of English (www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/home.htm) has an explanation of phrase structure that you may find useful, as well as exercises for practising analysis

A. Noun Phrase (NP)

Slippers are the new stilettos. Power made him crazy. Stephen found mould behind the bath.

Premodifiers in NP a. determiners (articles, demonstratives, possessives)

These slippers are the new stilettos. His power made him crazy. Stephen found the mould behind the bath.

b. quantifiers and enumerators

c. adjectives

Postmodifiers in NP

a. prepositional phrase

The dictionary in the book cupboard. The cakes for those tree readers.

The dictionary in the book cupboard is huge. The cakes for those tree readers are nearly ready.

You should consult the dictionary in the book cupboard. Don’t eat the cakes for those tree readers.

b. relative clause

The trifle that Susan made for the party. The thief who stole my car. The ground where Australia lost the Ashes.

The trifle that Susan made for the party was delicious. The thief who stole my car has been caught by the police. The ground where Australia lost the Ashes will be remembered.

To summarise, the noun phrase in English is made up of three functional elements, of which only the head is compulsory: Premodification, head, postmodification.

Find the noun phrases in the sentences below:

1. The People's Palace is in the Queen's Building. 2. The teacher told the students to be quiet. 3. The James Mason Lecture Theatre is in the Francis Bancroft building. 4. The Cultural and Social Anthropology Department deal with the many aspects of the social lives of people around the world. 5. The English for Academic Purposes Modules run by the highly qualified teachers in the language and learning unit, are available to all students of Queen Mary University of London. 6. Science and Engineering degrees are run by the school of Science and Engineering.

"This is the house that Jack built..." by Mother Goose

This is the cat that killed the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the cat, That killed the rat, That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built.

B. Verb Phrase (NP)

It fulfils the role of predicator in the clause and effectively introduces a process (action, event and so on).

The party started about 9 o’clock. My brother always sings in the bath. You bring us bad luck! She has broken the glass. I had cooked the dinner. This book is the best I have ever read. The boy was playing football. C. Adjective phrase The majority of adjective phrases in English are very simple; usually an adjective on its own, or premodified by an intensifying adverb:

She is pretty. Your house is incredibly untidy.

(She is) sad about her friend’s illness (prepositional). (They are) likely to come to the party (clausal).

D. Adverb phrase The adverb phrase is the simplest of all English phrases, being made up of only an adverb and any premodifying intensifiers that are also part of the adverb class:

. . . very closely. . . . right slowly. . . . amazingly subtly.

E. Prepositional phrase It is made up of a preposition and a noun phrase

In a moment or two the cortege will emerge from the Abbey . . . Those children with the expensive trainers . . .

What phrases will we find in each of the sentence elements? S  Noun Phrase O  Noun Phrase P  Verb Phrase C  Adjective Phrase or Noun Phrase A  Adverb Phrase or Prepositional Phrase or Noun Phrase

Let’s recall the SPOCA elements:

S P Rob / laughed S P O Rob / ate / the student S P C Rob / is / crazy S P A Rob / laughed / mysteriously S P O A Rob / ate / some more students / on Thursday S P O C The rest of the students / voted Rob / maniac of the year S P O O The students / gave / Rob / his bus fare to the asylum For more notes on SPOCA, please go to: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fass/projects/stylistics/topic4a/6grammar.htm http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fass/projects/stylistics/topic7/begin7.htm http://www.grammatics.com/iel/unit6_basic%20grammar.htm http://aeo.sllf.qmul.ac.uk/Files/NounPhrases/Noun%20Phrases.html