The Noun Phrase

The Noun Phrase

     The Noun Phrase is a group of words that ends with a noun. It contain determiners (the, a, this, etc.), adjectives, adverbs, and nouns. It cannot begin with a preposition. Remember that both subjects and complements are generally noun phrase.

A noun phrase is a phrase which includes:

1. a noun (also called head)
2. and optionally modifiers.

Examples:

• Love is a beautiful feeling. (Love is a noun phrase without modifiers. However, a beautiful feeling is a noun phrase that includes a noun, feeling, and the determiner a and the adjective beautiful)
• My house is over there. (My house is a noun phrase which consists of the noun house and a modifier - the possessive adjectivemy)

Possible noun modifiers

A noun phrase may optionally contain noun modifiers. If these modifiers are placed before the noun they are called pre-modifiers. However, if they are placed after the noun, they are called post-modifiers. Possible noun modifiers include the following:

1. Determiners: 

• articles (the, a), 
• demonstratives (this, that)
• numerals (two, five, etc.)
• possessives (my, their, etc.)
• quantifiers (some, many, etc.).

In English, determiners are usually placed before the noun;
2. adjectives (the delicious food)
3. complements, in the form of a prepositional phrase (such as: the student of physics), or a That-clause (the idea  that the world is a small village )

Functions of a noun phrase

Noun phrases can function as subjects, objects:

1. That sophisticated woman is beautiful. (That sophisticated woman is a noun phrase that functions as a subject.)
2. I like the book that you bought. (the book that you bought is a noun phrase that functions as an object.)