CGEL

CGEL separation

Word:

  • Lexical = what the word is

  • Function = what it does in a sentence

Phrase/Clause:

  • Form = phrase type

  • Function = clause role

  • Scope: Phrase or clause

  • Semantic type = meaning (optional)

Examples

We were talking in the garden

  • Form: PP

  • Function: Adjunct

  • Semantic type: locative

She spoke with confidence.

  • Form: PP

  • Function: Adjunct

  • Semantic type: manner

They met after the lecture.

  • Form: PP

  • Function: Adjunct

  • Semantic type: temporal

Frankly, I disagree.

  • Form: AdvP

  • Function: Adjunct

  • Semantic type: stance

In CGEL, predicator and predicate are not the same thing, and only predicator is a core syntactic function.

Predicator (CGEL)

A function in clause structure.

  • Realised by a VP.

  • Its head is the lexical verb (or copular verb in copular clauses).

  • It is the element that licenses complements and determines clause type.

She has never previously flown a plane.

Predicator = the VP headed by flown
has = auxiliary inside the predicator

Why not predicate?

Predicate → informal, semantic, non-constituent

Predicator → formal CGEL function realised by the VP

Predicate:

  • Not a formal constituent or function in CGEL syntax.

  • Used loosely in traditional grammar to mean: “everything except the subject”, or “what is said about the subject”

CGEL avoids it because it conflates structure and meaning.

Constituent

In CGEL, the term “constituent-level” refers to anything that applies to, modifies, or concerns a single constituent within a clause or phrase, rather than the clause as a whole.

It’s an important distinction when analyzing adjuncts, modifiers, or focus elements.

Definition

A constituent is a syntactic unit that behaves as a single unit within a sentence. It can be:

  • A word (John, quickly)

  • A phrase (the big dog, very quickly)

  • Sometimes a clause (that she left early)

Constituents have functions in the clause, like subject, object, complement, adjunct, or modifier.

Constituent-level

Meaning: Something that operates at the level of an individual constituent rather than affecting the entire clause or sentence.

Scope is limited to the constituent it attaches to.

Contrast with clause-level

Clause-level elements affect the entire clause/proposition (e.g., sentence adverbs like fortunately, frankly).

Constituent-level elements affect only a part of the clause (e.g., only modifying “students” in Only students passed).

Words

  • End with -ive, adjective, determinative, demonstrative: category, class of words

  • Ends with -er, determiner, modifier: function