Syntax: Constituents 1.1

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This exercise will help you better understand the concept of constituents. These are words, or groups of words that constitute a syntactic unit. This tutorial looks at three tests by which you can know whether or not a group of words forms a constituent. 1. Replace: Can I replace a group of words with a type of pronominal? ex: Martha and Karine made dinner for all the students on their floor. The NP 'all the students on their floor' can be replaced with 'them' thus it forms a constituent. Martha and Karine made dinner for them. 2. Move: Can I move the group of words as a unit? ex. Francine found the clean towels in the bathroom. The PP 'in the bathroom' can move as a unit to the front of the sentence. In the bathroom, Francine found the clean towels. 3. Stand-alone: Can the group of words stand alone and maintain meaning? ex. Too many students do not understand the importance of studying on a regular basis. The NP 'too many students' constitute a well formed noun phrase that cannot be further divided into meaningful parts.

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Question 1

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

Batman loves to shop at Walmart.

A	false
B	true Hint: 'Shop' is part of the VP 'to shop' and 'at' is the head of the adjunct PP 'at Walmart'. This group of words does not pass any of the constituency tests.

Question 2

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

Batwoman honestly thought that she was in the wrong.

A	true Hint: The words ‘thought that’ consist of the verb ‘thought’ and the head of the CP ‘that’ which is the head of the embedded CP ‘that she was in the wrong’. Thus this group of words does not pass any of the constituency tests.
B	false

Question 3

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

The game should be over before ten o’clock.

A	true
B	false Hint: The underlined words constitute the main clause (NP and VP) and pass the tests: stand-alone: all the obligatory components of the NP and VP are present. move: Before ten o'clock, the game should be over.

Question 4

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

Several journalists who had crossed the border illegally were sent back to their country.

A	true
B	false Hint: The phrase ‘who had crossed the border illegally’ constitutes a relative clause that modifies the NP and is generated as a CP adjunct. It passes the constituency tests: move: Several journalists were sent back to their country who had crossed the border illegally. stand-alone: all the obligatory components of the CP are present.

Question 5

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

The angry painter threw his canvas across his studio.

A	false
B	true Hint: The words ‘angry painter' are only a part of the NP ‘the angry painter’. The NP cannot be separated from between the Det ‘the’. This group of words does not pass any of the constituency tests. Replace: *The he threw his canvas across his studio.

Question 6

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

My computer froze on me right when I was in the middle of writing an English paper.

A	false Hint: The phrase ‘froze on me’ consists of a VP with a PP adjunct. This constituent passes the following constituency tests: move: My computer, right when I was in the middle of writing an English paper, froze on me. stand -alone: all the obligatory components of the VP are present replace: My computer did right when I was in the middle of writing an English paper.
B	true

Question 7

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

Cinderella cried because she couldn't go to the ball.

A	true
B	false Hint: The CP (complementizer phrase) is a well-formed constituent which passes the tests: stand-alone: all the obligatory components of the CP are present move: Because she couldn't go to the ball, Cinderella cried.

Question 8

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

Pauline was disappointed when she heard that we were not coming to her party.

A	true
B	false Hint: The phrase ‘when she heard that we were not coming to the party’ constitutes an embedded clause. This phrase passes the tests: move: When she heard that we were not coming to her party, Pauline was disappointed. stand-alone: all the obligatory components of the CP are present.

Question 9

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

Let me know if you decide to go to Florida for Spring Break.

A	true
B	false Hint: The phrase ‘if you decide to go to Florida for Spring Break’ constitutes a Complementizer Phrase (CP) that is the complement to the verb ‘know’. This phrase passes the constituent tests: move: If you decide to go to Florida for Spring Break, let me know. replace: Let me know it. stand-alone: all the obligatory components of the CP are present

Question 10

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

Mable and Francis were married in 1908.

A	false
B	true Hint: The elements of a conjunctive structure cannot be separated. These words as a phrase do not pass any of the constituency tests. * Mable he were married in 1908. *And he Mable were married in 1908.

Question 11

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

The twins were brought up to establish their own identities.

A	true Hint: The group of words ‘up to establish’ does not pass any of the constituency tests since the preposition ‘up’ is actually a verb particle which must be attached to the verb ‘brought’. The verb is ‘brought up’ and not simply ‘brought’.
B	false

Question 12

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

Two hundred people attended the concert.

A	false
B	true Hint: 'Two hundred' is only a part of the NP 'two hundred people'. It does not pass any of the constituency tests. *Two hundred they attended the concert.

Question 13

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

The hairy dog chased the ball.

A	false Hint: This is a well formed verb phrase. It passes the tests: stand-alone: all the obligatory components of the VP are present and replace: the VP can be replaced i.e., The hairy dog did.
B	true

Question 14

The underlined words forms a constituent. If you propose any questions to the editor, be ready to catch some grief.

A	false
B	true Hint: The verb 'propose' is transitive, meaning it requires an direct object complement. It cannot stand alone as a well-formed VP. It does not pass any tests. Replace: *If you did any questions to the editor, be ready to catch some grief.

Question 15

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

Yesterday Linda showed up to work thirty minutes late.

true

Hint:

The words up to work seem to function as a PP however the preposition up is a particle which must be attached to the verb showed. Since the VP has been separated between the verb and its particle (showed up), these words cannot form a constituent. They do not pass any of the constituency tests. Replace: *Yesterday Linda showed there thirty minutes late. or *Yesterday Linda did up to work thirty minutes late.

false

Question 16

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

The maid cleaned the house inside and out.

A	true
B	false Hint: The VP cleaned the house passes the tests: stand-alone: all the obligatory components of the VP are present replace: The maid did inside and out.

Question 17

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

I found my wallet under the bed.

A	true
B	false Hint: The words 'under the bed' constitute a well-formed prepositional phrase. This constituent passes the constituency tests. move: Under the bed I found my wallet. stand-alone: all the obligatory components of the PP are present replaced with the pronoun: I found my wallet there.

Question 18

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

The blue dress looked great on the mannequin.

A	false
B	true Hint: The determiner 'the' must be included in the noun phrase. This group of words does not pass any of the constituency tests. Blue dress looked great on the mannequin. The it looked great on the mannequin.

Question 19

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

The soldiers have no use for comrades who complain.

A	false
B	true Hint: This group of words does not form a constituent since the preposition 'for' is the head of the PP ‘for comrades who complain’. It does not pass any passes the constituency tests.

Question 20

The underlined group of words forms a constituent.

The boy who had the measles missed two weeks of school.

A	false Hint: The underlined phrase constitutes a relative clause (under CP) which passes the test: stand-alone: all the obligatory components of the CP are present, i.e., subject, verb, etc. Additionally, the entire phrase can be removed from the sentence without affecting its well-formedness. The boy missed two weeks of school.
B	true

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Syntax: Constituents 1.1

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