1

TreeTree--diagramdiagram

�� A tall manA tall man

NPNP

DetDet NPNP’’

ArtArt AdjPAdjP NN

aa AA manman

talltall

� All the lines in the tree are known by the technical term

branches.

� Each point in the tree that has a category label or else

an actual word attached to it is known as a node.

� We find phrasal nodes NP, VP and PP (nodes denoting

the phrases in the tree), and also S.

� We also see the lexical nodes V, P, D and N (nodes

indicating word-level elements), and the actual lexical

items (words).

� Each node immediately dominates the next node below it, providing they are connected by abranch, and providing no other node intervenes.

� A node which immediately dominates another node or set of nodes is their mother, for example, PP is the mother of P and NP.

� P and NP2 are the daughters of PP.

� In the same vein, the set of daughters sharing the same mother are known as sisters.

�� A tall man in the cornerA tall man in the corner

�� NPNP

��

��

�� DD N'N'

��

��

�� ArtArt AdjPAdjP N'N'

��

�� AA Adj'Adj' NN PPPP

��

��

�� talltall manman PP NPNP

��

��

inin DD N'N'

��

�� ArtArt NN

��

�� thethe corner corner

�� A well written bookA well written book

NPNP

DetDet NPNP’’

aa AdjPAdjP NN

Int AInt A

wellwell

written written

book book

�� A well written book on syntaxA well written book on syntax

NPNP

DetDet NPNP’’

ArtArt APAP NPNP’’

aa Int A Int A N N PPPP

wellwell writtenwritten bookbook PP’’ NPNP

PP N N

onon syntaxsyntax

2

A former linguist with blond hairA former linguist with blond hair

�� NPNP

��

�� DD NP'NP'

��

ArtArt AdjPAdjP NP'NP'

��

��

�� AA Adj'Adj' NN PPPP

��

��

�� formerformer linguist linguist PP NPNP

��

��

withwith AdjPAdjP N'N'

��

AdjAdj‘‘ NN

��

�� AdjAdj hairhair

��

�� bblonde londe

Noun Phrase Tree DiagramsNoun Phrase Tree Diagrams

�� that man from Liverpool that man from Liverpool

�� a very recently published booka very recently published book

� a well acclaimed book about a poor man from Liverpool

� a white house near a barn with a collapsed roof

�� my mother and fathermy mother and father

� a classroom with a big screen and a projector

� a poor man’s broken dreams

� Joe’s cute little café with an outdoor terrace in the sun.

Adjective Phrase Tree Diagrams Adjective Phrase Tree Diagrams

�� curious about linguisticscurious about linguistics

�� upset about the newly released bookupset about the newly released book

�� very exciting and dangerousvery exciting and dangerous

�� extremely interested in syntaxextremely interested in syntax

Verb Phrase Tree DiagramsVerb Phrase Tree Diagrams

�� repaired the telephonerepaired the telephone

�� move towards the windowmove towards the window

�� cast a spell on the broomstickcast a spell on the broomstick

�� draw beautiful picturesdraw beautiful pictures

�� saw a person from Spainsaw a person from Spain

� send my mother a bouquet of flowers

� tell the truth to their friends

� found the guilty children

� found the children guilty

�� Kim bought that book with her first wages.Kim bought that book with her first wages.

SS

NP VPNP VP

NN VPVP’’ PPPP

Kim V NP P NPKim V NP P NP

bought Det N Det NPbought Det N Det NP’’

that book that book Adj NAdj N

with her first wageswith her first wages

�� My brother applied for this job.My brother applied for this job.

SS

NPNP VPVP

Det N Det N VV’’ PPPP

My brother VMy brother V P NP N

applied applied Det NDet N

for this jobfor this job

3

Draw the tree diagrams for the following Draw the tree diagrams for the following

sentences:sentences:

1.1. Some people are dancing on the beach.Some people are dancing on the beach.

2.2. I bought some books on Syntax yesterday.I bought some books on Syntax yesterday.

3.3. The The beautybeauty’’s kiss turned the frog into a prince.s kiss turned the frog into a prince.

4.4. In her eyes, the room was like a section of a In her eyes, the room was like a section of a

museum of bygones. museum of bygones.