15/7/2021 Noun Phrases

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Noun Phrases
Noun phrases are groups of words that function like a noun. Typically, they act as subjects, objects, or prepositional objects in a
sentence. While that might seem tricky to grasp, the best way to understand these useful phrases is to see them in action. Let's take a
closer look at the foundation of these phrases and nouns, and explore the different ways noun phrases can be used.

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Noun Phrase Examples

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Noun phrases are simply nouns with modifiers. Just as nouns can act as subjects, objects, and prepositional objects, so can noun
phrases. Similarly, noun phrases can also work in a sentence as adjectives, participles, infinitives, and prepositional or absolute phrases.

The modifier can come before or after the noun. If it comes before the noun it's likely to be an article, possessive noun, possessive
pronoun, adjective, or participle. Modifiers that come after the noun include prepositional phrases, adjective clauses, participle phrases,
and infinitives.

The best way to clear all that up is to explore some examples of noun phrases in action:

• The spotted puppy is up for adoption.

(Noun phrase as a subject)

• The bohemian house was brightly decorated for the holidays.

(Noun phrase as a subject)

• At the zoo, I saw a striped zebra.

(Noun phrase as an object to the verb "saw")

• I want a cute puppy for Christmas.

(Noun phrase as an object to the verb "want")

• Mary lives in an eclectic household.

(Noun phrase as a prepositional object; preposition = "in")

• Jose drives to an awful job every morning.

(Noun phrase as a prepositional object; preposition = "to")

• The car wash was out of order.

(Noun phrase with "car" acting as an adjective for the noun "wash")

• The Delta Airlines flight to New York is ready to board.

(Noun phrase with "Delta Airlines" acting as an adjective for the noun "flight")

• She kindly offered water to the gardener working in the hot sun.

(Noun phrase as a participle)

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• Having been a police officer, he knew how to defend himself.

(Noun phrase as a participle)

• The ability to give to others is an important character trait.

(Noun phrase as a "to-infinitive")

• Our decision to get married was celebrated by all our friends.

(Noun phrase as a "to-infinitive")

• She crawled through the dark and musty attic.

(Noun phrase as a prepositional phrase; preposition = "through")

• He had to sit beside the horribly angry girl.

(Noun phrase as a prepositional phrase; preposition = "beside")

• Her face red with embarrassment, she took her seat beside the man she had tripped.

(Noun phrase as an absolute phrase to the subject "she")

• They walked into the sunset, their laughter carrying on the breeze.

(Noun phrase as an absolute phrase to the subject "they")

Nouns and Their Functions

Nouns name persons, places, things, or ideas. Since there are so many of them, they can be grouped into many different categories.
Some of the different types of nouns include:

• Common nouns refer to ordinary persons, places, things, or ideas, like "car."
• Proper nouns refer to a specific persons, places, things, or ideas, like "Mercedes Benz."
• Concrete nouns can be experienced through your senses, like "flower."
• Abstract nouns cannot be experienced through the senses, like "love."
• Countable nouns can be counted, like "cars."
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• Uncountable noun and mass nouns cannot be counted, like "air."

• Collective nouns name a group of things or people, like "flock."

Nouns generally function in sentences as subjects and objects. However, they can also modify other words by being possessive or an
appositive. An example of a possessive noun would be the "boss's car," meaning the car that belongs to the boss. An example of an
appositive noun would be "my brother, the human garbage disposal unit."

Sometimes, nouns can also act like an adjective, as in "water heater" where "water" modifies "heater." They can also function as an
adverb, as in "she went home" where "home" indicates where she went.

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Forming Fuller Ideas

No matter their form or function, noun phrases form fuller ideas. Instead of just talking about a dog, you can add an adjective to that
noun and discuss a spotted dog. Instead of just saying they walked into the sunset, you can describe the scene with his laughter ringing
through the air. You'll find many writers like to make use of noun phrases. It allows them to paint pictures, including a red-faced woman
who found herself in an uncomfortable position.

Given the English language's complex beauty, you may not be surprised to learn there are other types of phrases, including verb
phrases and gerund phrases. Investigate phrase examples to learn more about building illustrative sentences that will stick in your
readers' minds forever.

Kit Kittelstad
M.A. Education

6TH GRADE 7TH GRADE 8TH GRADE 9TH GRADE 10TH GRADE 11TH GRADE 12TH GRADE MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE

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