Immediate Constituent
Immediate Constituent
An immediate constituent is any one of the largest grammatical units that constitute a construction. Immediate constituents are often further reducible.
(English)
In the complex noun phrase the dog that killed the cat, each of the following items are immediate constituents:
- the
- dog
- that killed the cat
Page/s: 38
Source: Quirk, Greenbaum, Leech, and Svartvik 1985
Quirk, Randolph, S. Greenbaum, G. Leech, and J. Svartvik. 1985.A comprehensive grammar of the English language. London: Longman.
Page/s: 281
Source: Mish 1991
Mish, Frederick (editor). 1991.Webster's ninth new collegiate dictionary. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster. 1,564 pages. 0877795088; indexed 0877795096; deluxe 087779510X.
Page/s: 68
Source: Crystal 1985
Crystal, David. 1985.A dictionary of linguistics and phonetics. 2nd edition. New York: Basil Blackwell.
Broader Terms
- BT↑ Constituent
Related terms
- RT⇆ Matrix Sentence
