X bar syntax

1. Press
F5
X-bar Syntax
Abolfazl Ghanbari

2. Types of sentences and clauses
• NP (The father in the library)
• PP (on the desk)
• CP (Statement with 1 constituent: I play football.)
• CP (Statement with 3 constituent: I play football at school on Mondays.)
• Wh question (Where does he work?)
• Yes/No question (Does he play football?)
• CP+CP (two sentences : I know that he goes to school.)
• CP+IP ( I want him to clean the board.)

3. The father in the library
NP
SPEC N’
N PP
SPEC P’
P NP
SPEC N’
N
the
father
in
the
library

4. On the desk
PP
SPEC P’
P NP
SPEC N’
N
on
the
desk

5. I play football.
CP
SPEC C’
C IP
SPEC I’
I VP
SPEC V’
I
V NP
SPEC N’
N
play
football
Tense
Agreement
I
Nominative case
Accusative case

6. I play football at school on Mondays.
CP
SPEC C’
C IP
SPEC I’
I VP
SPEC V’
I
V’
Tense
Agreement
I
Nominative case
Accusative case
V’
PP
P
SPEC P’
NP
SPEC N’
N
NP
V
PP
N’
N
SPEC
play
football
at
P
SPEC P’
NP
SPEC N’
N
school
on
Mondays
Accusative case
Accusative case

7. Where does he work? ( does he work where?)
CP
SPEC C’
C IP
SPEC I’
I VP
SPEC V’
he
V NP
SPEC N’
N
does
where
work
Tense
Agreement
he
where

8. Does he play football?
he
CP
SPEC C’
SPEC I’
I VP
SPEC V’
V NP
SPEC N’
N
C IP
football
play
Tense
Agreement
he
does

9. I know that he goes to school.
CP
SPEC C’
C IP
SPEC I’
SPEC V’
V CP
I VP
that he goes to school
know
I
Tense
Agreement
I
goes
he
Tense
Agreement
he
CP
SPEC C’
C IP
SPEC I’
SPEC V’
V PP
I VP
P
SPEC P’
NP
SPEC N’
N
to
school
that he goes to school

10. I want him to clean the board.
CP
SPEC C’
C IP
SPEC I’
SPEC V’
V’ IP
I VP
want
I
Tense
Agreement
I
to clean the board
N’
N
SPEC
him
V NP
SPEC I’
IP
SPEC V’
V NP
I VP
board
N’
N
SPEC
to clean the board
the
clean
to