This document summarizes the structure and function of adjective phrases in English. It defines an adjective phrase as consisting of an optional adverb phrase followed by an adjective. Adjective phrases can modify nouns attributively as part of a noun phrase, or predicatively after a linking verb. They allow adjectives and adverbs to combine flexibly to provide descriptive information about nouns.

1. Adjective phrase Presented By Tahani Al- Amri Syntax LANE 334 Supervised By Dr. Shadia Banjar

2. The phrase structure rule of Adjective phrase : AP ( AdvP ) + A Function : 1- sC e.g. The dog is (quite disgustingly) fat 2- oC e.g. John made Kate angry OR 3- pre-modifier within NP e.g. The fat brown dog chased a girl

3. Adjectives: Adjective (A) is a descriptive word that qualifies and describes nouns, usually making its meaning more specific. Adjectives are sometimes called “describing words” in that, as far as meaning is concerned, they define attributes characteristics. Adjectives are used in: an attributive manner (precede the noun) e.g. The fat dog chased a girl. or a predicative manner (follow a linking verb) e.g. The dog is fat .

4. - When adjectives and adjective phrase work in attributive manner to modify nouns, they form part of the noun phrase. e.g. (25) The fat dog chased the thin girl. NP = the fat dog , NP= the thin girl - It is possible to modify a noun with more than one adjective as in: The fat brown dog chased the girl

5. An adjective phrase ( AP ), like all other phrases, can consist of one or more than one word. For example: The fat dog chased a girl The ( disgustingly) fat dog chased the ( amazingly) thin girl. the adjectives fat and thin are being modified by the adverb phrases disgustingly and amazingly . The inclusion of an adverb phrase is optional. The adverb phrase itself can have more than one constituent within the AP . e.g. The quite disgustingly fat dog chased the amazingly thin girl .

6. The adverb phrases form part of the adjective phrase: (27a) (27b) AP AdvP disgustingly Adv A fat AP AdvP amazingly Adv A thin

7. Adjective phrase : is a group of words which modifies a noun . Like adjectives , words can be either : Attributive e.g. The completely mad dog loves cats. Or predicative e.g. The dog is completely mad.

8. The dog The fat dog The disgustingly fat dog chased a girl It