Syntactic theories typically distinguish 2 types of word or phrase accompanying verbs: arguments are accompaniments that can be present if the verb permits them to be present (‘licences’ them). Some arguments of some verbs are mandatory but others are optional. adjuncts are optional accompaniments that can be present without needing permission from that particular verb.…… Continue reading Arguments and adjuncts
Tag: Adjunct
Heads, complements, specifiers and adjuncts
Theories of syntax do not view analyse sentences as an unstructured sequence of words. Instead, they analyse sentences down into immediate constituents, and then further down into sub-constituents and ultimately down into single words. For example: the sentence Jane helps John might be analysed down into the immediate constituents Jane and helps John; and the…… Continue reading Heads, complements, specifiers and adjuncts