Positional Classes

Second course assignment
University of Kufa
faculity of languges
dept.Of
English language
Parts of
Speech:Positional
Classes
Worked by : amir naseer
Ali shafiq
Sajad ahmed
Yaseen kadem
Murtada samir
Supervisor: Professor mahha
Syntax is a vast field dedicated to

understanding the arrangement of
components within phrases and sentences. It
encompasses various lexical categories (parts
of speech), including form classes, structure
classes, and most notably, positional classes.
Within positional classes, four primary
positions are crucial: nominal, verbal,
adjectival, and adverbial. We will briefly
explore each of these positions in the following
discussion.
There are certain sentence positions that are
characteristic places for nouns. These positions are
the ones occupied by words / word groups that
have these functions: subject of verb (SV),
subjective complement (SC), direct object of verb
(DO), indirect object of verb (IO), objective
complement (OC), object of preposition (OP), and
.retained object (RO)
However, the fact that certain words occupy these

positions does not always identify nouns because
words belonging to other form-classes can occur in
these positions too. Following are some examples
:that involve the SV position
1. The poor live in slums.
In this sentence the SV slot is occupied by an

adjective (poor), which is identified as such
because it can be inflected with -er and -est, thus
.The poorer live in slums
.The poorest live in slums
2. Seriously is the best way to study.
In this sentence, we have an adverb (seriously),

which is formed of the adjective serious plus the
adverbial derivational suffix –ly. This adverb occurs
.in the SV slot
3. Reading activates the brain.

The word reading is a verb in form. It consists of
the stem read plus the –ing suffix. This verb
.occupies the SV position
4. The pathos of the story convinced her.

Pathos is an uninflected word occurring in the SV
slot. It is not a noun because it cannot take the
noun plural or the noun possessive suffix, and it
.contains no noun-forming derivational suffix
In all four sentences we have seen an adjective

(poor), an adverb (seriously), a verb (reading), and
an uninflected word (pathos) each occupying a
noun position, namely that of the SV. Grammarians
set up a positional class called the nominal class.
Any word, regardless of its form-class, is labeled a
nominal if it occupies any one of the seven noun
positions mentioned above. Here are a few
:examples
5. We enjoyed the party.
Party is a noun by form, since it can be pluralized.

.It is also a nominal because it occupies the DO slot
6. What can you expect from the old?
Old is an adjective by form because it may be

inflected by –er and –est, i.e. the older and the
oldest. It is not a noun since it cannot be pluralized
(*the youngs). It is a nominal by position because it
.occurs in the OP position
7. Here is the best place.
Another positon in the sentence is the verbal.
Verbal is is the form that occupy the verb positions.
The verbal position may come a single word; Or a
word group
the burglar stole the TV
the policeman may could have caught the
thief
In a sentence, a verb that asserts with full meaning can take

two forms: finite verbs and non-finite verbs. Finite verbs inflect
:for person, number, and tense, as demonstrated by examples
A) for person— 'I see clearly, 'She sees clearly,'

',B) for number—'She sees clearly,' 'They see clearly
'.C) for tense—'They see clearly,' 'They saw clearly
On the other hand, non-finite verbs, which include the

infinitive, the present participle, and the past participle, do not
.inflect for these grammatical categories
A) for infinitive— to finish the university

B) for present participle— working hard
C) for past participle — having run fast
However, it's important to note that non-finite verbs cannot

.function as the main verb in a sentence
Adjectival is a single word or a group of
words that acts like an adjective, an adjective
phrase or a clause both function as an Adjectival.
For example:
-A helpful sign
-A fighting rooster
Adjectivals, like nominals and verbals, can occupy
multiple positions:
1- The first one is between the determiner (a,
the, that, these , those, those, her , our, their)
and the noun, for example:
A clean apron
Here we A is the determiner and apron is noun

and between them clean is the adjective.
There are two form classes that can occupy
this position:
 The noun as in: that college freshmen

 The verb as in: that laughing freshmen
 The uninflected words as in: an inside
job
2-The second adjectival position is the third slot

in Pattern 1 such as: these men are brave
3-The third position is the third slot in pattern :

the woman seemed weary
4-The fourth position is the one after the noun. It

accepts adjectives, adverbs, verbs, uninflected
words, and word groups. For example: That
boy running is my cousin.
 When an adjective is in this position
(postnoun) it usually does not occur alone but
with another adjectival as in: his demeanour,
excessively grim, annoyed the guests.
5- The fifth position it occur is at the beginning of

a sentence before an the subject:
Angry and upset, the applicant

slammed the door.
6- ‘’something’’ adjectival. Words composed of
any-, every-, no-, some-plus-body, -one. Can
be followed by an adjectival.
Nothing good was on the table.
The positional class adverbials can occupy

various positions at sentences not as preceding
:classes. There are three types of adverbials
Time: It can be answer the question "when" -1 .

.such as; today, soon, last week
Place: It can be answer the question "where" -2.
like; here, there
Manner: It can be answer the question "how" -3.
like; good, well, skilfully
In pattern 7 adverbials can come with various
,positions, don't have specific ones like
.they will study together_
Time; today place; here
Each patterns dictates its own adverbials positions
:The subclass adverbials of time

Adverbial of definite time; last week, now, .
-today
Adverbial of definite frequency; rarely, often, .
sometime
Adverbials of duration; for hour, a week, the .
whole night
:There are five basic position of adverbials

;Before the pattern, with or without juncture .1
.Now, it is time to study
After the subject and before the auxiliary or .2
verb; she never would forget her bag
;After the auxiliary or the first one .3
they would seldom make the effort
;After the verb in pattern 1,2,3 and 6 such as .4
he eats fast
l am here
After the complement of the verb Sc, Do and .5
.Oc
My friend will be quarterback today _
l will walk at 10 pm_
our teacher may give us a great assess next _
week
In analyzing language structure, understanding the

positional classes of parts of speech—nominal, verbal,
adjectival, and adverbial—provides valuable insights into
how words function within sentences. Nominal elements
establish the core subjects and objects, anchoring the
sentence's main actors and recipients. Verbal elements
convey actions and states, serving as the dynamic force
within sentences. Adjectival components enrich nouns,
offering descriptions and qualifiers that add depth to the
subject. Adverbial elements provide context and modify
verbs,. By recognizing these positional classes and their
respective roles, we gain a comprehensive understanding
of sentence structure and are better equipped to
.communicate effectively in language
:Sources
An introductory English grammar by Norman C. -
.Stageberg
The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language" by Rodney -
.Huddleston and Geoffrey K. Pullum

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Second course assignment

Syntax is a vast field dedicated to

However, the fact that certain words occupy these

In this sentence the SV slot is occupied by an

2. Seriously is the best way to study.

In this sentence, we have an adverb (seriously),

3. Reading activates the brain.

4. The pathos of the story convinced her.

In all four sentences we have seen an adjective

Party is a noun by form, since it can be pluralized.

Old is an adjective by form because it may be

In a sentence, a verb that asserts with full meaning can take

A) for person— 'I see clearly, 'She sees clearly,'

On the other hand, non-finite verbs, which include the

A) for infinitive— to finish the university

However, it's important to note that non-finite verbs cannot

Here we A is the determiner and apron is noun

 The noun as in: that college freshmen

2-The second adjectival position is the third slot

3-The third position is the third slot in pattern :

4-The fourth position is the one after the noun. It

5- The fifth position it occur is at the beginning of

Angry and upset, the applicant

Nothing good was on the table.

The positional class adverbials can occupy

Time: It can be answer the question "when" -1 .

:The subclass adverbials of time

:There are five basic position of adverbials

In analyzing language structure, understanding the

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