Syntactic Analysis Example

Syntactic analysis is the analysis of the relationships and functions established by the different words in a sentence. Words are grouped into units called phrases or syntactic groups. The phrase is made up of a nucleus (the most important word that gives it its main function) and other words that are grouped around the nucleus as complements or modifiers.

These groupings or phrases fulfill some syntactic function within the sentence. In this way, in a syntactic analysis the following will be specified:

1. Analysis of what function each word fulfills in relation to the other words in the sentence and what function it performs within the phrase to which it belongs.
2. Analysis of which phrases are formed in the sentence.
3. Analysis of what syntactic function each of the phrases performs.

Types of syntactic functions

Phrases in sentences or statements can perform any of the following syntactic functions:

• Subject
• Predicate
• Attribute
• Direct complement
• Indirect compliment
• Circumstantial complement (of time, place, mode, purpose, company, cause, instrument, quantity, affirmation, denial or concession)
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• Predicative complement
• Regimen supplement
• Name complement
• Adjective complement
• Adverb complement

Types of phrases in sentences

Words can be grouped into any of the following phrases:

1. Noun phrase. This type of phrase is the one that has a noun as a nucleus, for example the neighbor's house (house is the core), his novel (novel is the core), the daisies (daisies is the core).
2. Prepositional phrase. This type of phrase is the one that has a preposition as a nucleus; the preposition heads the phrase, for example blue-eyed is the core), with the hands (with is the core), among all his friends (Come in is the core).
3. Verbal phrase. This type of phrase is the one that has a verb as a nucleus, for example look at this (look is the core), I have something important to tell you (I have is the core), Have you studied mathematics? (you have studied is the core).
4. Adverbial phrase. This type of phrase is the one that has an adverb as a nucleus, for example far away (far away is the core), close to you (close is the core).
5. Adjectival phrase. This phrase has as its nucleus an adjective, for example red with shame (red is the core), very important (important is the core), happy to see you (happy is the core).

17 Examples of parsing

1. "The room is very clean": the (article) room (noun) is (verb) very (adverb) clean (adjective).

• Analysis by word: the (determining) room (nucleus of the noun phrase) is (nucleus of the verb phrase) very (complement of the adjective) clean (nucleus of the adjectival phrase).
• Phrase analysis: the room (noun phrase) is very clean (verb phrase); very clean (adjectival phrase).
• Syntactic functions: the room (subject) is very clean (noun predicate); is (predicate core) very clean (attribute).

2. "These earrings cost two hundred pesos": These (demonstrative article) aretes (noun) cost (verb) two hundred (numeral adjective) pesos (noun).

• Analysis by word: These (determinant) earrings (nucleus of the noun phrase) cost (nucleus of the verb phrase) two hundred (determinant) pesos (nucleus of the noun phrase).
• Phrase analysis: these earrings (noun phrase) cost two hundred pesos (verb phrase); two hundred pesos (nominal phrase).
• Syntactic functions: these earrings (subject) cost two hundred pesos (verbal predicate); they cost (core of the predicate) two hundred pesos (circumstantial complement).

3. "The business will move to the north of the city": the (article) business (noun) will (pronoun) move (verb) to (pronoun + adj.) north (noun) of (preposition) the (article) city (noun).

• Analysis by word: the (determinant) business (nucleus of the phrase) will (verb complement) move (nucleus of the verb phrase) to the (nucleus of the prepositional phrase) center (nucleus of the noun phrase) of (nucleus of the prepositional phrase) the (determining) city (core).
• Phrase analysis: the business (noun phrase) will move to the north of the city (verb phrase); north of the city (prepositional phrase); of the city (prepositional phrase); the city (noun phrase).
• Syntactic functions: the business (subject) will move to the north of the city (verbal predicate); will translate (predicate core); north of the city (circumstantial complement of the place); of the city (complement of name).

4. "Mirna wears a silver chain": Mirna (proper noun) carries (verb) an (indeterminate article) chain (noun) of (preposition) silver (noun).

• Analysis by word: Mirna (syntactic nucleus) carries (verbal syntactic nucleus) a (determinant) chain (syntactic nucleus) of (prepositional syntactic nucleus) silver.
• Phrase analysis: Mirna (noun phrase) carries a silver chain (verb phrase); a silver chain (noun phrase); silver (prepositional phrase).
• Syntactic functions: Mirna (subject) wears a silver chain (verbal predicate); carries (predicate core) a silver chain (direct object); silver (name complement).

5. "The film tells an impossible love story": The (definite article) narrates (verb) an (indeterminate article) story (noun) of (preposition) love (noun) impossible (adjective).

• Analysis by word: The (determinant) film (syntactic nucleus) narrates (verb) a (determinant) film (syntactic nucleus) of (prepositional syntactic nucleus) love (syntactic nucleus) impossible (qualifying).
• Phrase analysis: The film (noun phrase) tells a love story (verb phrase); a love story (noun phrase); of impossible love (prepositional phrase); impossible love (noun phrase).
• Syntactic functions: The film (subject) tells an impossible love story (verbal predicate); narrates (core of the predicate) an impossible love story (direct object); of impossible love (name complement); impossible (name complement).

6. "They sent me a notification by mail": To (preposition) me (pronoun) me (pronoun) they sent (verb) a (indeterminate article) notification (noun) by (pronoun) mail (noun).

• Analysis by word: To (prepositional core) me (syntactic core) me (syntactic core) they sent (verbal syntactic core) a (determinant) notification (syntactic core) by (prepositional syntactic core) mail (core syntactic).
• Phrase analysis: A notification was sent to me (prepositional phrase) (noun phrase) by email (verb phrase); a notification (noun phrase); by email (prepositional phrase); email (noun phrase).
• Syntactic functions: A me (indirect object) me (verbal object); they sent (predicate core) a notification (direct object); by email (verbal complement); electronic (name complement). The subject of this sentence is implicit (they).

7. "They won the fencing competition this year": They (personal pronoun) won (verb) the (definite article) competition (noun) of (preposition) fencing (noun) this (determinant) year (noun).

• Analysis by word: They (nominal syntactic core) won (verbal syntactic core) the (determinant) competition (syntactic core nominal) of (prepositional syntactic core) fencing (syntactic core) this (determinant) year (syntactic core nominal).
• Phrase analysis: They (noun phrase) won the fencing competition this year (verb phrase); fencing competition (noun phrase); fencing (prepositional phrase); this year (noun phrase).
• Syntactic functions: They (subject) won the fencing competition this year (verbal predicate); they won (core of the predicate) the fencing competition (direct object); fencing (name complement); this year (circumstantial complement of time).

8. "Do not play with my feelings": Don't (adverb) play (verb) with (preposition) my (possessive adjective) feelings (noun).

• Analysis by word: Don't (verbal modifier for negation) play (verbal syntactic core) with (prepositional syntactic core) my (determinant) feelings (nominal syntactic core).
• Phrase analysis: Don't (adverbial phrase) play with my feelings (verb phrase); with my feelings (prepositional phrase); my feelings (noun phrase).
• Syntactic functions: Don't play with my feelings (verbal predicate); you play (core of the predicate); with my feelings (diet supplement). The subject of the sentence is implicit (your).

9. "The fire was put out by firefighters quickly." The (definite article) fire (noun) was (verb) put out (verb in participle) by (preposition) the (definite article) firemen (noun) quickly (adverb).

• Analysis by word: The (determinant) fire (nominal syntactic core) was quenched (verbal syntactic core) by (core prepositional syntactic) the (determinant) firemen (syntactic core) immediately (modifier verbal).
• Phrase analysis: The fire (noun phrase) was put out by the firefighters immediately (verb phrase); by the firemen (prepositional phrase); immediately (adverbial phrase).
• Syntactic functions: The fire (patient subject) was put out by firefighters immediately (predicate); by firefighters (agent complement); immediately (snap mode).

10. "Our children will arrive later": Our (possessive adjective) children (noun) will arrive (verb) later (adverb of quantity) late (adverb of manner).

• Analysis by word: Our (determinant) children (nominal syntactic kernel) will arrive (verbal syntactic kernel) later (quantity modifier) ​​late (adverbial syntactic kernel).
• Phrase analysis: Our children (noun phrase) will arrive later (verb phrase); later (adverbial phrase).
• Syntactic functions: Our children (subject) will arrive later (verbal predicate); will arrive (predicate core) later (complement of time).

11. "The game was won by the beginner." The (definite article) game (noun) was (verb) won (verb in participle) by (preposition) the (definite article) beginner (noun).

• Analysis by word: The (determinant) game (noun syntactic kernel) was won (verbal syntactic kernel) by (prepositional syntactic kernel) the (determiner) beginner (syntactic kernel).
• Phrase analysis: The game (noun phrase) was won by the beginner (verb phrase); by the beginner (prepositional phrase).
• Syntactic functions: The game (patient subject) was won by the beginner (predicate); by the beginner (add-on agent).

12. "I felt really bad in the morning": I (unstressed pronoun) felt (verb) very (quantity adverb) bad (mode adverb) in (preposition) the (article) tomorrow (noun).

• Analysis by word: I (reflexive verb complement) felt (verb syntactic core) very (quantity modifier) ​​bad (core adverbial syntactic) in (prepositional syntactic core) the (determinant) tomorrow (syntactic core nominal).
• Phrase analysis: I felt very bad in the morning (verb phrase); very bad (adverbial phrase); in the morning (prepositional phrase); the morning (noun phrase).
• Syntactic functions: I felt very bad in the morning (preached); very bad (snap mode) in the morning (snap time).

13. "They bought a bottle of wine to celebrate the victory": They bought (verb) an (indeterminate article) bottle (noun) of (preposition) wine (noun) for (preposition) to celebrate (verb) the (article) victory (noun).

• Analysis by word: They bought (predicate core) a (modifier) ​​bottle (syntactic core) of (prepositional syntactic core) wine (core noun syntactic) for (prepositional syntactic core) to celebrate (verb complement) the (determinant) victory (syntactic core nominal).
• Phrase analysis: They bought a bottle of wine to celebrate (verb phrase); a bottle of wine (noun phrase); of wine (prepositional phrase); to celebrate victory (prepositional phrase); victory (noun phrase).
• Syntactic functions: They bought a bottle of wine to celebrate the victory (preached); a bottle of wine (direct complement); of wine (complement of name); to celebrate (circumstantial complement).

14. "For that reason we decided to continue": By (preposition) that (demonstrative adjective) reason (noun) we decide (verb) to continue (verb in infinitive).

• Analysis by word: By (prepositional syntactic core) that (determinant) reason (nominal syntactic core) we decide (predicate core) to continue (verb complement).
• Phrase analysis: For that reason (prepositional phrase); that reason (noun phrase); we decided to continue (verb phrase).
• Syntactic functions: For that reason we decided to continue (predicate); for that reason (complement of cause); continue (direct object).

15. "They live far from here": They (pronoun) live (verb) far (adverb) from (preposition) here (adverb).

• Analysis by word: They (nominal syntactic core) live (verbal syntactic core) far away (adverbial syntactic core) from (nexus) here (adverbial complement).
• Phrase analysis: They (noun phrase); they live far from here (verb phrase); far from here (adverbial phrase); from here (prepositional phrase).
• Syntactic functions: They (subject) live far from here (predicate); far from here (verbal complement); from here (adverb complement).

16. "There's a lot left for you to learn": Te (unstressed pronoun) missing (verb) a lot (adverb of quantity) for (preposition) to learn (verb in infinitive).

• Analysis by word: You (verb complement) miss (verbal syntactic nucleus) a lot (adverbial syntactic nucleus) by (prepositional syntactic nucleus) learn (complement).
• Phrase analysis: You have a lot to learn (verb phrase); much to learn (adverbial phrase); to learn (prepositional phrase).
• Syntactic functions: You still have a lot to learn (predicate); te (verbal complement); much to learn (direct object); for learning (adverb complement).

17. "Children jump rope in the park": The (definite article) children (noun) jump (verb) the (article) rope (noun) in (preposition) the (definite article) park (noun).

• Analysis by word: The (determinant) children (nominal syntactic nucleus) jump (verbal syntactic nucleus) the (determinant) rope (noun syntactic kernel) in (prepositional syntactic kernel) the (determinant) park (syntactic kernel nominal).
• Phrase analysis: The children (noun phrase); jump rope in the park (verb phrase); the rope (noun phrase); in the park (prepositional phrase); the park (noun phrase).
• Syntactic functions: Children (subject) jump rope in the park (predicate); the rope (direct complement) in the park (place complement).