Understanding Sentence Structure: Words, Phrases, and Clauses

Words, Phrases, and Sentences

Different kinds of words are combined into units of meaning called phrases, and these in turn are grouped to form sentences, which are communication units with full meaning.

Phrase

A phrase is larger than a word and smaller than a sentence. It plays a role within a sentence as a subject, predicate, or complement.

Noun Phrase (SN)

The noun phrase consists of a core noun, which can be accompanied by other elements that modify its meaning.

The Prepositional Noun Phrase (SPREP)

This is a special case where the term used to designate the phrase is not the core word itself, but the preposition that introduces it.

The Verbal Noun Phrase (SV)

The verbal noun phrase is composed of a verb, the nucleus of the phrase, which may have additions.

Adjectival Phrase (Sadja)

The adjectival phrase consists of an adjective that functions as the core, sometimes with other components like quantifiers or complements that change its meaning.

Adverbial Phrase (PADV)

The adverbial phrase is formed by an adverb, the core of the phrase, which can be modified by other elements such as quantifiers and adjuncts.

Statement

A statement is a word or set of words that, in a given situation, acquire a complete sense.

Sentence

A sentence is a set of words with complete meaning, marked by pauses and intonation, issued with a specific purpose, containing at least one verb in person, and having a subject and predicate.

Subject

The subject is a noun phrase indicating the person or thing about which we are speaking. It is a noun phrase without a preposition that agrees in number and person with the verb.

Predicate

The predicate is a verb phrase that expresses what we say about the subject.

Impersonal Sentences

Impersonal sentences lack a noun phrase that can function as the subject, not because it is missing, but because it does not exist.

Types of Predicate

Predicate Nominative (PN)

The predicate nominative uses a copula (like 'be' or 'seem') to link the subject and the attribute.

Verbal Predicate (PV)

The verbal predicate is composed of a predicative verb (verbs other than 'be' or 'seem') that may be accompanied by various accessories.

Components of the Predicate Nominative

The predicate nominative obligatorily consists of two parts: the copula and the attribute.

Copula

These are linking verbs that have little semantic meaning on their own, such as 'be' and 'seem'.

Attribute

The attribute is the element that provides information about the subject when linked by a copula.