A noun phrase is either a single noun or pronoun or a 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. In grammar, a noun phrase (abberviated NP) is a phrase whose head is a noun or a pronoun, optionally accompanied by a modifier set. A word group with a noun or pronoun as its head. The noun head can be accompanied by modifiers, determiners (such as the, a, her), and/or complements. A NP most commonly function as a subject, object, or complement.
Noun phrases normally consist of a head noun, which is optionally modified ("pre modified" if the modifier is placed before the noun; "post modified" if the modifier is placed after the noun). Possible modifiers include:
- Determiners: Articles (the, a); demonstrative (this, that); numerals (two, five, etc.); possessives (my, their, etc.); and quantifiers (some, many, etc.). In English, determiners are usually placed before the noun.
- Adjectives (the red ball); or (my little cat).
- Complements, in the form of a prepositional phrase (such as: the student of physics), or a That-clause (the claim that the earth is around).
- Modifiers; pre-modifiers if placed before the noun and usually either as nouns (the university student) or adjectives (the beautiful lady), or post-modifiers if placed after the noun. A post modifier may be either a prepositional phrase (the man with long hair) or a relative clause (the house where I live). The difference between modifiers and complements is that complements complete the meaning of the noun; complements are necessary, whereas modifiers are optional because they just the give additional information about the noun.
Example of noun phrase:
- My coach is happy.
- I like the cars over there.
- The woman who lives there is my aunt.
- Frankenstein is the name of the scientist not the monster.
- I consider Tutdek my favorite cat.
- Small children often insist that they can do it by themselves.
- To read quickly and accurately is John's goal.
- Two of my guests have arrived.
- Mr. Jones spoke to do Dr. James.
- My friend work with her father.
- The children.
- Happy children.
- The happy Children.
The five grammatical forms that can functional as noun phrase modifiers are:
- Noun Phrases as Noun Modifiers: Noun phrase are defined as phrases that consist of a noun including pronouns and any modifiers such as adjectives, determiners, adverbs, verbs, prepositions, and clauses.
- Adjective Phrases as Noun Phrase Modifiers: Adjective phrases are defined as phrases that consist of an adjective and any modifiers such as adverbs and prepositions.
- Prepositional Phrases and Noun Phrase Modifiers: Prepositional phrases are defined as phrases formed by a preposition followed by a prepositional complement.
- Verb Phrases as Noun Phrase Modifiers: Verb phrases are defined as phrases formed by one or more verbs plus any object, modifiers, and complement such as nouns, verbs, adverbs, and prepositions.
- Relative Clauses as Noun Phrase Modifiers: Relative clauses are defined as subordinate clauses that consist of a clause usually beginning with a relative pronoun. The relative pronoun in English are that, who, whom, whose, which, where, when, and why.
Noun Phrases as Noun Modifiers- Please keep the bathroom door shut.
- Which hotel room are you staying in?
- The new table legs are made out of oak.
Adjective Phrases as Noun Phrase Modifiers
- That little girl prefers the purple blanket.
- Your mom makes the most tasteless, mind chili.
- My favorite fall treat is a steaming cup of hot apple cider.
Prepositional Phrases and Noun Phrase Modifiers
- That woman with the glasses is my mother.
- My dog is the puppy behind the fence.
- I enjoy writing articles about English grammar.
Verb Phrases as Noun Phrase Modifiers
- The girl handing students the syllabus is the graduate teaching assistant.
- The woman now singing loudly had served me my coffee.
- The cake eaten by the dog was for my grandfather.
Relative Clauses as Noun Phrase Modifiers
- The book that I found in the stacks had been marked as missing.
- Do you know the little boy who left his coat in the park?
- My grandfather is the man to whom my grandmother pledges her love.
