cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc Noun Phrases

A noun phrase is a group of words with a noun as its main part.

Information about the noun can be before the noun or after the noun.

Information that comes before the noun in a noun phrase is usually expressed through:

Àc îeterminers

Ã
 
 


Àc Adjectives and adverbs

V

 V
ÃVÃ

Information that comes after a noun is usually expressed through:

Àc Yrepositional phrases:

V V
V

VÃ 

Àc Yast participle clauses:

à  
 
 ÃV


à V

Àc Yresent participle (-ing) clauses:

à  
 
VÃÃ ÃÃ Ã  V

Àc o-infinitive clauses:

V



 ÃV

Noun + Prepositional Phrase

½e can add information after a noun by using a prepositional phrase. Common prepositions in
these phrases are 
 Ã
à :



Ã
à   
 


 V

 V
ÃVÃV V
V

VÃ 

 is the most common preposition used in prepositional noun phrases. It is used after nouns
of quantity or containers:

V V
V

 (quantity)

 VV
Ã


Ã(container)
½e also use  to show belonging or possession:

à  à Và (not à VÃ )

VÃ

VVVÃ  V

½e often use VÃ,
and  to talk about physical location:

Ã
 
 

VÃÃ ÃÃ Ã  V 



 Ã





V

Yrepositional phrases containing 
à often express the same information as a relative clause
with the main verb V:

V
Ã
à   
 
 (= harbor sites which have submerged rubbish)

Noun + Past Participle Clause

A past participle clause gives the same information as a relative clause with a passive verb.

VÃ  
 

 ÃV


à V 
 



 ÃV


à V

Noun + Present Participle (-ing) Clause

A present participle clause can give the same information as a relative clause with an active
verb, often in the present or past continuous:

à à 


 Ã V (= the other debris which is lying on the sea floor) 

Noun + to-infinitive Clause

-infinite clauses are used to show a purpose or inte ntion and usually follow nouns of time,
place manner and quantity:

Ã
Ã

 Ã V
Ã

Ã

 VVÃVÃ
Ã

Nouns followed by the Ã-infinitive are related to verbs also followed by the Ã-infinitive (e.g.








 V V ):

V



 ÃV
(decide to)

 V Ã

V  
ÃV (plan to)

Examples:

he teacher was sitting next to the door.

wo girls arrived at the party.

èy grandmother is a kind lady.