The set of rules that govern how words are combined to form grammatically correct sentences in a language.
Here's why this is the best description:
* Focus on sentence structure: Syntax is primarily concerned with how words are arranged in a sentence, not their meanings.
* Grammatical correctness: It dictates what combinations of words are acceptable and what are not.
* Language-specific: Syntax rules vary from language to language.
* Beyond word order: While word order is a significant part of syntax, it also includes other factors like verb conjugation, noun cases, and agreement rules.
Example:
In English, the basic sentence structure is Subject-Verb-Object (SVO). This means that the subject of the sentence typically comes before the verb, and the object comes after. This is a rule of English syntax.
Other terms related to syntax:
* Grammar: Syntax is a part of grammar, which encompasses all aspects of language structure.
* Morphology: This deals with word formation and the internal structure of words.
By understanding syntax, you can better comprehend the structure of sentences and how they convey meaning.