Descriptive Grammar of English

Ed McCorduckEnglish 402--GrammarSUNY Cortland http://mccorduck.cortland.edu

• main units of analysis in descriptive grammaro wordo phrase – made up of words or at least one wordo sentence – made up of phrases

slide 2: main units of analysis

English 402: Grammar

• two main classes of words in descriptive grammaro form classeso structure classes

slide 3: main classes of words

English 402: Grammar

o form classes can change their form by adding an ending (a.k.a.

an inflection)

slide 4: properties of form class words

English 402: Grammar

examples

nounsdog – dogs sissy – sissies

verbstake – taking hurry – hurried

adjectiveshard – harder – hardestfat – fatter – fattest

slide 5: examples of form class endings

English 402: Grammar

generally have a clear reference to something in the “real” world

occur in characteristic positions (a.k.a. slots) in sentences

example

I saw the ______ . noun

slide 6: more features of form classes

English 402: Grammar

o structure classes cannot change their form are closed classes (more words can’t be added to

them) (the form classes are open)

slide 7: properties of structure class words

English 402: Grammar

some structure classes:

prepositions exxin through beside

determiners exxa(n), the, this, those, my, their, many, each

slide 8: examples of structure classes and words

English 402: Grammar