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ENGLISH SYNTAX.
Bekmurodova Laylo Bahodir qizi.
2nd-year student of Bukhara Pedagogical Institute.
ARTICLE INFO
ABSTRACT
Qabul qilindi: 11-dekabr 2024 yil
Ma’qullandi: 13-dekabr 2024 yil
Nashr qilindi: 17-dekabr 2024 yil
All exist languages in the world have their own
word order, word arrangement and the branch of
grammar dealing with such notions is called
syntax. In the following article, the ideas of what
syntax is exactly, which grammatical units are
included in syntax and the main parts of this
branch are highlighted.
Sentence, clause, phrase, subject,
predicate, word order, agreement.
Syntax is a branch of grammar referring to the arrangement of words helping learners speak
and write correctly. Sentence, clause, phrase, subject, predicate, word order and agreement
are the main terms this branch includes.
To begin with, sentence is a grammatical unit which consists of mainly a subject and a
predicate. To add, sentence has a complete thought or statement that conveys complete
meaning. For example: I would like a cup of tea. The pronoun I is subject, would like is
predicate, a cup of tea is an object. So this can demonstrate that the subject, predicate and
object allows this unit to be considered as a sentence. The next main term of syntax is the
notion of clause. A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a predicate. To be more
precise, clause sounds like a sentence, however, there are some differences though. To clarify
it deeper, it would be better to continue with the types of clauses in English syntax. They are
called main and subordinate clauses. The disparity between main and subordinate clauses is
that the former is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb and can stand on its own
as an independent complete sentence. It expresses a complete thought and does not depend
on any other clause for its meaning. Subordinate clauses, on the other hand, are group of
words consisting of a noun, a verb and other parts, but cannot stand on its own as an
independent complete sentence. Subordinate clauses, also known as dependant clauses,
always depend on the main clause to give them context and meaning. Let`s clarify it with
examples: I at sandwich that my mom had prepared.” I ate sandwich” is main clause while
“that my mom had prepared is subordinate clause. The main clauses express a complete
meaning whilst the dependant one do not. Only when attached to the independent clause, it
tells that sandwich was prepared by speaker`s mom and ate it.
Subsequently, the notion of phrase is a group of words acting as a unit within a sentence such
as a noun phrase or a verb phrase. A phrase does not contain a subject or a verb. A noun
phrase definition is that it is a phrase (a group of words) headed by a noun. The noun in a
noun phrase can be preceded or followed by any number of modifiers. A noun phrase can
have all the functions that a noun can have in a sentence. For example, it can be a subject,
object, or subject complement. A noun phrase is consisted of at least two words. However,
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there is no limit on how long a noun phrase should be. In the sentence “Jason is the man with a
beard” the man with a man is a noun phrase is headed by the noun man.
A verb phrase is the portion of a sentence that contains both the verb and either a direct or
indirect object. Verb phrases form tenses besides present and past tense, including
progressive tenses and perfect tenses. They also demonstrate the sentence’s mood, intention
and other information. A verb phrase can be the predicate of the clause or sentence. It
functions as the verb in a sentence, even when it has more than one word. Examples:
1.She is singing beautifully.
Verb phrase: "is singing"
"Is" is an auxiliary verb, and "singing" is the main verb.
2. They have been waiting for hours.
Verb phrase: "have been waiting"
"Have" and "been" are auxiliary verbs, while "waiting" is the main verb.
3. He will arrive soon.
Verb phrase: "will arrive"
"Will" is an auxiliary verb, and "arrive" is the main verb.
4. She might have gone to the store.
Verb phrase: "might have gone"
"Might" and "have" are auxiliary verbs, and "gone" is the main verb.
A predicate is the part of a sentence, or a clause, that tells what the subject is doing or what
the subject is. The predicate must contain a verb, and the verb requires or permits other
elements to complete the predicate, or else precludes them from doing so.
1. The cat is sleeping on the couch.
Predicate: "is sleeping on the couch"
The subject is "The cat," and the predicate tells us what the cat is doing.
2. John ate the sandwich.
Predicate: "ate the sandwich"
The subject is "John," and the predicate tells us what he did.
The term ‘word order’, as the name suggests, refers to the sequence or order in which words
are to be placed in a sentence. The general structure of a sentence or the order of words in a
sentence is Subject (S) + verb (V) + object (O). Remember that a sentence should always have
a subject and predicate and that the subject comes first:
I like ice-cream,
I go to institute everyday,
I love chocolates and etc.
Finally, the last term I would like to explain here is something called agreement. first, second
and third person. It will be more clear and precise with examples. In the sentence “she goes to
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school everyday”, we can see the agreement. Because, the subject she is in singular form
which it requires a verb in singular form (s, es, ies). The sentence “They likes eating chocolate”,
however, does not have a subject-verb agreement for the reason that the subject is they-plural
pronoun meaning that, according to grammar rule, plural subject cannot be used with
singular verb. So, in this sentence, the subject does not agree with the predicate. These are the
main units of syntax.
Conclusion.
In conclusion, English syntax refers to the rules and structure that govern the
arrangement of words and phrases to create meaningful sentences. It determines how
subjects, verbs, objects, and other sentence components interact to convey clear and coherent
ideas. Understanding elements such as phrases, clauses, and sentence structures (like
declarative, interrogative, or complex sentences) is essential for effective communication.
Mastery of syntax allows for flexibility in expression, helping speakers and writers craft
precise and engaging language in both written and spoken forms.
REFERENCES:
1. Peter Fenn, Introducing English syntax - 2017
2. Olga Fischer, Hendrik De Smet, Wim van der Wurff - A brief history of English-2017
3. C.T. Onions – Modern English syntax – 2022
4. Andrew Radford – English Syntax: An introduction – 2004
5. Noel Burton – Analysing sentences: An Introduction to English Syntax – 2016
6. Robert Freidin – Adventures in English Syntax – 2020
7. Christina Tortora – Understanding sentence structure – 2018
