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 Types of Sentence Constituent
A. Form
1. Noun Phrases
• A noun phrase is a constituent which has a noun as
its head.
Determiner Modifier Noun
(headword)
This old kettle
• Noun phrases can include subordinate clauses
The woman I told you about last night
The boy who fell off this bike
• Noun phrases also include preposition
phrases
The trouble with young people
The second road on the left
2. Verb Phrases
A verb phrase consists of the head verb
together with any auxiliaries.
Verb phrases consist of:
• A single-word main verb (e.g. wept)
• A multi-word main verb (e.g. stood up)
• One or more auxiliary verbs and a main verb
(e.g. has been weeping)
• Two main verbs (e.g. recommended staying)
Verb phrases may include not or n’t (e.g. doesn’t
drink)
3. Preposition Phrases
Preposition phrases are group of words that
begin with a preposition and contain a noun
phrase.
Preposition Noun Phrase
On the corner
With many additional features

Preposition phrase may also form part of

larger noun phrases.
Noun Preposition Phrase
The house on the corner
New software with many additional features
4. Adjective Phrases
• An adjective phrase is an constituent
which has an adjective as its head.
• An adjective phrase may follow one
or more adverbs.
not very old
really quite glamorous
• An adjective phrase may begin rather than
end with the adjective.
suitable for freezing
5. Adverb Phrases
• An adverb phrase is a constituent that
has an adverb as its head.
• An adverb phrase may follow one or
more adverbs.
rather unwisely
only once
 Types of Sentence Constituent
B. Function
1. Subjects
• Subjects often tell us what the predicate is about.
• Other kinds of subjects infinitive and ing- forms,
and certain kinds of clause.
Subject Predicate
Infinitive To lose hurts
-ing form Drinking can kill
Non-finite clauses How to make always sells
money
Noun clauses Whether or not I is irrelevant
made a promise
2. Direct objects and object verbs
a. Direct objects
• Direct objects usually come after verb phrases,
and they are normally noun phrases.

Subject Verb Phrase Direct Object

I telephoned her
I telephoned the woman I told you about
last night
b. Object verbs
Subject Object Verb Direct Object
She made mistakes
Don’t kill me
Turner influenced a whole
generations of
painters
• In the examples above the objects receive
the direct actions of the verbs
3. Complements and complement verbs
• Complements usually tell us something
about the subject.