NOUN PHRASES

Noun phrase

A noun phrase is either a single noun or pronoun or any group of words containing a noun or a pronoun that function together as a noun or pronoun, as the subject or object of a verb.

For example, ‘they’, ‘books’, and ‘the books’ are noun phrases, but ‘book’ is just a noun, as you can see in these sentences (in which the noun phrases are all in bold)

Example 1:

Shaggy: Do you like books?

Bean : Yes, I like them.

Shaggy: Do you like books over there?

Bean : Yes, they are nice.

Shaggy: Do you like the book I brought yesterday?

Bean : Yes, I like it. (Note: ‘It’ refers to ‘the book’, not ‘book’)

Example 2:

Nicko was late.

(‘Nicko’ is the noun phrase functioning as the subject of the verb.)

Some noun phrases are short: The students

Some are long: The very tall education consultant

Structures of noun phrases:

▪ A beautiful old painting on the wall

The structure of this noun phrase contains three sections:

Pre-modifier	Head noun	Post-modifier
A beautiful old	painting	on the wall
A beautiful old	painting	-
-	painting	on the wall

This is the table of the adjectives that are combined with the nouns:

Determiner	Opinion adjectives		Descriptive adjectives						Nouns
	General	specific	size	shape	age	colour	nationality	material
A	Lovely	comfortable	big	-	-	-	-	Wooden	chair
The	Cheap	-	-	-	new	black	German	-	car
			Large	round	-	-	-	metal	table

When you use a noun in front of another noun, you never put adjectives between them. You put adjectives in front of the first noun.

Example: We just spoke with a young American boy.

Noun phrase can be in form of gerund (V_base+ing) or gerund and other nouns compounding.

Example: passing the exam watching TV

preparing the equipment sliding down a rope

going to school diving board