Morphemes are combined into phrases and sentences according to ____.

• A. pragmatic cues
• B. semantic associations
• C. syntactic rules
• D. phonological processes

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that morphemes are the smallest units of meaning in a language, and they combine to form larger structures like phrases and sentences.
2. Recognize that the way morphemes are combined follows specific patterns or rules that govern sentence structure.
3. Identify that these patterns or rules are known as syntactic rules, which dictate the correct order and arrangement of words and morphemes in sentences.
4. Differentiate syntactic rules from other options: pragmatic cues relate to context and use, semantic associations relate to meaning, and phonological processes relate to sound patterns.
5. Conclude that the correct answer is 'syntactic rules' because they specifically govern how morphemes combine into phrases and sentences.