***************** Phrase Categories ***************** Below we define a number of phrase categories. We consider a phrase to be any group of words functioning as a conceptual unit. For each phrase category, we'll typically give examples (both positive and negative) to help illuminate the category and criteria for membership. For brevity, we'll use plus and minus signs (``+`` and ``-``) to indicate positive and negative examples, respectively. For example phrases that we find ambiguous, such that the criteria we've laid out are insufficient for determining category membership, we'll use a question mark (``?``) to indicate the example's ambiguous nature. For all instances on this page, the terms "Verb" and "Noun" correspond to the fully inclusive definitions previously given. =============== Unmodified Noun =============== Nouns which are not modified either morphologically or by another element within a noun phrase. Examples: * ball * That [is] *Mommy*. Negative Examples: * The *ball*. * Happy *dogs*. ============= Modified Noun ============= All nouns modified in any way. Morphologically Modified Noun ============================= Plural Noun ----------- Morphologically marked plural nouns. Does not include plurale tantum nouns (i.e. "pants"), which are considered unmodified. * trees * feet Negative Examples: * pants * they Noun Phrase ============ Determiner Noun Phrase ---------------------- Number of times a noun appears modified by any determiner, excluding numeric and possessive determiners, and excluding the word "another". * **The** green chair. * **Which** chair? * **That** chair. Negative Examples: * **Three** green chairs. * I saw **a** -- Quantifier Noun Phrase ---------------------- Count the number of times a noun appears modified by at least one quantifier, including numeric determiners and the word "another". * **No more** *chairs*. * **Three** green *chairs*. * *We* **both** know. Negative Examples: * I saw **both** of them. * There were **three**. Adjective Noun Phrase --------------------- Number of times a noun appears modified by at least one adjective. * The **green** *chair*. * Three **very comfortable green** *chairs*. Negative Examples: * It is **green**. * I colored it **green**. * I like **green**. Possessive Noun Phrase ---------------------- All examples of a possessive modifying a noun, either formed with the clitic or belonging to the closed class of possessive determiners. Subdivided into these two categories: First Person Possessive Noun Phrase +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ All examples of the first person possessive pronoun modifying a noun. * My hat. Misc Possessive Noun Phrase +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ All other types of possessives modifying nouns, excluding the first person. * His hat. * Jane's hat. Noun Noun Phrase ---------------- Number of times a noun appears modified by at least one other noun. * onion soup * computer programming troubleshooting guide * *John*, my best **friend**, is a doctor. Negative Examples: * John is my best **friend**. * Hey John, **friends** are great. Coordinated Noun Phrases ------------------------ Number of times that noun phrases are coordinated together using “and,” “but,” or “or”. * John and Mary are friends. * I like cake and pie. Negative Examples: * And me. Preposition Modifying Noun -------------------------- Number of times a prepositional phrase appears modifying a noun phrase. Examples: * The *troll* **under the bridge** is friendly. * I like the *troll* **under the bridge**. Negative Examples: * The troll who is **under the bridge** is friendly. * **Under the bridge** is a troll. =============== Unmodified Verb =============== Verbs which are not modified either morphologically or by another element within a verb phrase. Examples: * Run. * I run. Negative Examples: * He runs. * I run fast. ============= Modified Verb ============= All verbs modified in any way. Morphologically Modified Verb ============================= We do not have a count of all verbs modified morphologically in any way, but we have the following subtypes of modification using a morpheme or particle: Past Tense Verb --------------- Number of times a verb appears conjugated in the past tense. Examples: * She **was walking**. * She **walked**. * She **was going to walk**. Negative examples: * A **watched** pot never boils. Infinitive Verb --------------- Number of times a verb appears in the infinitive, including within a verb phrase that is itself finite, but excluding cases where the verb is elided. The reason we exclude these cases is that our transcription does not distinguish forms like "I want to" from the fused form "I wanna." * **To err** is human, **to forgive** divine. * I used **to walk**. Negative Examples: * I walked **to the store**. * I want **to**. Progressive Verb ---------------- Number of times a verb or auxiliary appears in the progressive aspect and serves a verbal role. * I was **going** to walk. * I’m **walking**. Negative Examples: * **Walking** is good exercise. * The **walking** man smiled. Third Person Singular Verb -------------------------- Number of times a verb or auxiliary marked for the third person singular appears, excluding the copula (i.e. the word “is” when used as a verb and not an auxiliary). * John **walks**. * John **is walking**. Negative Examples: * John **is** nice. * I saw him **walk**. Verb with Particle ------------------ Number of times a verb appears with at least one particle, as defined by our coding system. A verbal particle is a preposition that is required by the verb in order to have the meaning that it has, and does not convey real prepositional information. * I **threw up**. * I **threw** my lunch **up**. Negative Examples: * I **threw** the ball **up** the field. Miscellaneous Morphologically Modified Verb ------------------------------------------- All other forms of morphological verb modification not covered in the preceding categories (i.e. verbs with particles, infinitives, third singulars, past tense, and progressives). This includes verbs in the conditional, perfect, first singular, first/third singular, and present. * I *could* eat. * I *am* going to. Verb Phrase =========== Adverb Modifying Verb --------------------- Number of times a verb appears modified by at least one adverb. * She *ran* **quickly**. * **Gently**, I *closed* the door. Negative Examples: * She is **very** friendly. Preposition Modifying Verb -------------------------- Number of times a prepositional phrase appears modifying a verbal phrase. * He's *waiting* **under the bridge**. Negative Examples: * He’s **under the bridge**. * **Under there**. * I went **under**. Coordinated Verb Phrases ------------------------ Number of times that verb phrases are coordinated together using “and” or “or”. * I went running and I saw Mary. * I’ll go later or I won’t go at all. Negative Examples: * And then I went. Prepositional Phrases ===================== Preposition as Root ------------------- Number of times a prepositional phrase appears as the root of an utterance (i.e. does not modify any other clause or word), excluding cases where the copula is dropped but is semantically present. * **Under the bridge**. * **Over there** in the bushes. Negative examples: * [Where is that guy?] That guy [is] **over there**. * [Which guy?] That *guy* **over there**.