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Grammar & Structure  » Introductory topics-The Noun Group

The noun group 

Main points
 
1-) Noun groups can be the subject, object, or complement of a verb, or the object of a preposition.
2-) Noun groups can be nouns on their own, but often include other words such as determiners, numbers, and adjectives.
3-) Noun groups can also be pronouns.
4-) Singular noun groups take singular verbs, plural noun groups take plural verbs.
 
 
1-) Noun groups are used to say which people or things you are talking about. They can be the subject or object of a verb.
 
* Strawberries are very expensive now.
* Keith likes strawberries.
 
A noun group can also be the complement of a link verb such as ‘be’, ‘become’, ‘feel’, or ‘seem’.
 
* She became champion in 1964.
* He seemed a nice man.
 
A noun group can be used after a preposition, and is often called the object of the preposition.
 
* Isaw him in town.
* She was very ill for six months.
 
 
2-) A noun group can be a noun on its own, but it often includes other words. A noun group can have a determiner such as ‘the’ or ‘a’. You put determiners at the beginning of the noun group.
 
* The girls were not in the house.
 * He was eating an apple.
 
 
3-) A noun group can include an adjective. You usually put the adjective in front of the noun.
 
* He was using blue ink.
* I like living in a big city.
 
Sometimes you can use another noun in front of the noun.
 
* I like chocolate cake.
* She wanted ajob in the oil industry.
 
A noun with ‘s (apostrophe s) is used in front of another noun to show who or what something belongs to or is connected with.
 
* I held Sheila’s hand very tightly.
* He pressed a button on the ship’s radio.
 
 
4-) A noun group can also have an adverbial, a relative clause, or a ‘to’-infinitive clause after it, which makes it more precise.
 
* I spoke to a girl in a dark grey dress.
* She wrote to the man who employed me.
* I was trying to think of a way to stop him.
 
A common adverbial used after a noun is a prepositional phrase beginning with ‘of’.
 
* He tied the rope to a large block of stone.
* The front door of the house was wide open.
* I hated the idea of leaving him alone.
 
Participles and some adjectives can also be used after a noun. See Units 19 and 29.
 
* She pointed to the three cards lying on the table.
* He is the only man available.
 
 
5-) Numbers come after determiners and before adjectives.
 
* I had to pay a thousand dollars.
* Three tall men came out of the shed.
 
  
6-) A noun group can also be a pronoun. You often use a pronoun when you are referring back to a person or thing that you have already mentioned.
 
* I’ve got two boys, and they both enjoy playing football.
 
You also use a pronoun when you do not know who the person or thing is, or do not want to be precise.
 
* Someone is coming to mend it tomorrow.
 
  
7-) A noun group can refer to one or more people or things. Many nouns have a singular form referring to one person or thing, and a plural form referring to more than one person or thing. See Unit 4.
 
* My dog never bites people.
* She likes dogs.
 
Similarly, different pronouns are used in the singular and in the plural.
 
* Lam going home now.
* We want more money.
 
When a singular noun group is the subject, it takes a singular verb. When a plural noun group is the subject, it takes a plural verb.
 
* His son plays football for the school.
* Her letters are a/ways very short.
 
 

 

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