The Adjective Phrase
The adjective phrase in English has four functional constituents,
premodification, those modifying, describing, or qualifying constituents which precede the head;
the head, which is an adjective or participle serving as the focus of the phrase;
postmodification, that modifying constituent which follows the head; and
complementation, (the major subcategory of postmodification here) that constituent which follows any postmodification and completes the specification of a meaning implied by the head.
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To see some examples of adjective phrases, examine the table below.
Some Examples of the Adjective Phrase in English |
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FUNCTION |
Premodifier |
Head |
Postmodifier |
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(a) |
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happy |
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E |
(b) |
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excited |
indeed |
X |
(c) |
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partly |
cloudy |
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A |
(d) |
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young |
in spirit |
M |
(e) |
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very |
energetic |
for his age |
P |
(f) |
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so extremely |
sweet |
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L |
(g) |
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too |
good |
to be true |
E |
(h) |
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hot |
enough for me |
S |
(i) |
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quite |
worried |
about the results of the test |
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(j) |
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unusually |
sunny |
for this time of year |
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FORM |
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Adverb |
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Adverb |
Adjective |
Prepositional Phrase |
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Adverb Phrase |
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Infinitive Clause |
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Notice that the order of constituents in the adjective phrase, like all other phrase structures in English, is relatively fixed, helping us determine the constituent elements.
The Adverb Phrase
The adverb phrase in English is nearly identical to the adjective phrase, with only the expected changes in form. In the adverb phrase, an adverb functions as head.
To see some examples of adverb phrases, examine the table.
Some Examples of the Adverb Phrase in English |
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FUNCTION |
Premodifier |
Head |
Postmodifier |
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(a) |
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quietly |
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E |
(b) |
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quite |
honestly |
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X |
(c) |
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very |
hard |
indeed |
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A |
(d) |
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however |
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M |
(e) |
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really |
early |
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P |
(f) |
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so very |
well |
indeed |
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L |
(g) |
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too |
quickly |
to see well |
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E |
(h) |
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likely |
enough for us |
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S |
(i) |
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formerly |
of Cincinnati |
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(j) |
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more |
easily |
than ever |
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FORM |
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Adverb |
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Adverb |
Adverb |
Prepositional Phrase |
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Adverb Phrase |
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Infinitive Clause |
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