A group of words having specific meaning, and that includes, noun, modifiers, and determiners, is called noun phrase. Within the sentence, noun phrase functions like noun in the form of subject, object, or complements. Being important basic grammatical unit, deeper insight through examples and functions of elements of noun phrase deserves attention.
Explaining elements of noun phrase
Some words come before and after the head noun in a sentence to enrich the meaning of sentence called as elements of noun phrase. Here are some major elements of noun phrase listed below.
- Determiners
- Modifiers – Pre and post
Functions of elements of noun phrase
Basically, there are three major elements of noun phrase. But, sometimes, it can be included two sub category in the form of pre and post determiners and modifiers before and after “Head noun”.
Determiners of the noun phrase
Determiners are the certain words that determine the numbers of noun in the phrase or head. They are usually placed earlier to the “Noun head”
- Many people
- Three dogs
- Seven days
- Several examples
In these examples, “Many, three, several, and seven” are the determiners which determine the numbers of noun.
Describing functions of modifiers
Modifiers are the certain types of words that add extra information on the head noun without changing the basic meaning of noun. These words may be adjectives and used before the noun head.
Warm water, Strong wind
Deep water, Long distance
Precious metal, Beautiful picture
In these examples, different adjectives are placed before the head nouns, which function like modifiers to make noun more informative.
Pre – determiners and modifiers
Pre determiners and modifiers are labelled in case of more than one determiner and modifier in the single noun phrase.
Head – noun
It may be a single word or compound word around which determiners and modifiers are placed accordingly. It may be person or thing.
Post – determiners and post – modifiers
Whenever the determiners and modifiers are placed after the head noun, such words are called post determiners and modifiers.
Overall structure of noun phrase
The length of noun phrase could be a single word or more than even five words, as per the requirements of sentence. Here are some useful examples:–
- The man – single determiner,
- The dancing man – single determiner and modifier,
- The dancing young man – single determiner and two modifiers,
- The twenty years old young man – more than two determiners and modifiers,
- The twenty – five years old young man – complex form,
- The twenty – five years old young man with curly hair – more complex form.
“Pre – determiner + determiner + Pre – modifier + modifier + Head + post determiner + post modifier”
It is the correct placement of modifiers and determiners around the noun head increases the length and complexity of noun phrase.
Explaining functions of noun phrase
Like noun, noun phrase does the work of noun in the sentence in which it is used. Noun phrase may be used as a
Subject of sentence
Object of sentence
Complement of sentence
These examples and functions of noun phrase as well as elements of noun phrase will definitely help you to use it in the sentence.
Solved questions on elements of noun phrase
Q.1 Define what is mean by noun phrase?
Ans: Noun phrase is a group of words having specific meaning and acts as noun in the sentence. It includes noun, modifiers and determiners. Being the grammatical unit and plays the role of subject, object and sometimes complement.
Q. 2 Which are elements of noun phrase? State their importance?
Ans: The word or words come before the noun head in a sentence is called as elements of noun phrase. Noun, determiners and modifiers are sime major examples of elements of noun phrase. Elements of noun phrase add extra information to ni un head and enrich the meaning of it before which they come.
Q. 3 What are the major functions of noun phrase?
Ans: Noun phrase is a group of words which has specific meaning and acts like as a noun in a sentence. According to how noun phrases are used in the sentence, they function as subject of the sentence, object of the sentence and complement to the sentence.
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Explaining role of complements
Describing functions of Preposition
Transition words and phrases explained