Linguistics test question help, need answer fast!

Factual Questions
1

I received a question that has phrase structure rules as follows:

  • S -> NP VP
  • NP -> N
  • VP -> V (NP)

What do the brackets indicate for the final (NP)?

recursive? auxiliary? optional?

Thanks!

2

Optional. The verb can take a noun as an object (be transitive) or not require an object (be intransitive).

I would expect this notation to have been covered in class?