Editing Mongolian language (section)

===Phrase structure===
The [[noun phrase]] has the order: demonstrative pronoun/[[Numeral (linguistics)|numeral]], adjective, noun.<ref>Guntsetseg (2008): 55.</ref><ref name=":2" /> Attributive sentences precede the whole NP. Titles or occupations of people, low numerals indicating groups, and [[topic–comment|focus]] clitics are put behind the head noun.<ref>Tserenpil and Kullmann (2005): 237, 347.</ref> [[Possessive pronoun]]s (in different forms) may either precede or follow the NP.<ref>Svantesson (2003): 164–165.</ref> Examples:

{{interlinear|indent=3
|bid-nii uulz-san ter saikhan zaluu-gaas ch
|we-GEN meet-PRF that beautiful young.man-ABL FOC
|'even from that beautiful young man that we have met'}}

{{interlinear|indent=3
|Dorj bagsh maan
|Dorj teacher our
|'our teacher Dorj'}}

The verbal phrase consists of the [[Predicate (grammar)|predicate]] in the center, preceded by its [[complement (linguistics)|complements]] and by the adverbials modifying it and followed (mainly if the predicate is sentence-final) by [[modal particle]]s,<ref>Mönh-Amgalan (1998).</ref> as in the following example with predicate ''bichsen'':

{{interlinear|indent=3
|ter khel-ekh-güi-geer üün-iig bich-sen shüü
|s/he without:saying it-ACC write-PRF PTC
|'s/he wrote it without saying [so] [i.e. without saying that s/he would do so, or that s/he had done so], I can assure you.'}}

In this clause the adverbial, ''khelekhgüigeer'' 'without saying [so]' must precede the predicate's complement, ''üüniig'' 'it-{{smallcaps|accusative}}' in order to avoid syntactic ambiguity, since ''khelekhgüigeer'' is itself derived from a verb and hence an ''üüniig'' preceding it could be construed as its complement. If the adverbial was an adjective such as ''khurdan'' 'fast', it could optionally immediately precede the predicate. There are also cases in which the adverb must immediately precede the predicate.<ref>Sečenbaγatur (2003): 167.</ref>

For Khalkha, the most complete treatment of the verbal forms is by Luvsanvandan (ed.) (1987). However, the analysis of predication presented here, while valid for Khalkha, is adapted from the description of Khorchin.<ref>Matsuoka (2007)</ref>

Most often, of course, the predicate consists of a verb. However, there are several types of nominal predicative constructions, with or without a [[copula (linguistics)|copula]].<ref>Hashimoto (2004)</ref> [[coverb|Auxiliaries]] that express direction and [[Lexical aspect|aktionsart]] (among other meanings) can with the assistance of a linking converb occupy the immediate postverbal position; e.g.
{{interlinear|indent=3
|uuj orkhison
|drink-CVB leave-PERF
|'drank up'}}

The next position is filled by converb suffixes in connection with the auxiliary, ''baj-'' 'to be', e.g.
{{interlinear|indent=3
|ter güij baina
|s/he run-CVB be-{{gcl|NPAST|nonpast}}
|'she is running'}}

Suffixes occupying this position express [[grammatical aspect]]; e.g. [[progressive aspect|progressive]] and [[resultative]]. In the next position, participles followed by ''baj-'' may follow, e.g.,
{{interlinear|indent=3
|ter irsen baina
|s/he come-PERF be-{{gcl|NPAST|nonpast}}
|'he has come'}}

Here, an explicit [[perfect (grammar)|perfect]] and habituality can be marked, which is aspectual in meaning as well. This position may be occupied by multiple suffixes in a single predication, and it can still be followed by a converbal Progressive. The last position is occupied by suffixes that express tense, evidentiality, modality, and aspect.