Classification, structure, syntactic functions noun phrase

Classification, structure, syntactic functions noun phrase Classification, structure, syntactic functions noun phrase Classification, structure, syntactic functions noun phrase Classification, structure, syntactic functions noun phrase Classification, structure, syntactic functions noun phrase Classification, structure, syntactic functions noun phrase Classification, structure, syntactic functions noun phrase Classification, structure, syntactic functions noun phrase Classification, structure, syntactic functions noun phrase Classification, structure, syntactic functions noun phrase Classification, structure, syntactic functions noun phrase Classification, structure, syntactic functions noun phrase Classification, structure, syntactic functions noun phrase

Ngữ pháp Lý thuyết – EN13 ASSIGNMENT ON UNIVERSITY GRAMMAR

(1) Write about the Noun phrase in English

Notes: You should write in 1000-1200 words Your assignment should be in 3 parts: Introduction, Development (the main one) and Conclusion Your writing should focus on some aspects: classification, structure, syntactic functions You should give examples to illustrate your ideas

I Introduction 3

II Development 4

1 Structure 4

2 Classification 6

3 Syntactic functions: 8

III Conclusion 10

I Introduction

A noun phrase is a phrase that has a noun as a head or performs the same grammatical function as a noun A typical noun phrase consists of a noun (the head of the phrase) together with zero or more modifications Noun phrases are very common and play an important role in a sentence

II Development

1 Structure

George Yule (2006) defines a noun phrase as “a phrase in which the main word is a noun and which is used as a subject or an object” (p.269) When analyzing the structure of a noun phrase, Baker examines individual modifiers as well as complements that can follow the main word, i.e., a noun (1995) For example, he concerns about “elementary noun phrases introduced by quantity words”, “elementary noun phrases introduced by a(n)”, etc It means he just examines modifiers separately rather than arranges them into an order Jackson (1989), however, suggests all the possible elements that can combine into a single noun phrase According to Jackson’s viewpoint, a noun phrase has the following formula:

Pre-modification + Head + Post-modification Therefore, a noun phrase consists of three parts: pre-modification, head, post-modification In a noun phrase, the head is obligatory but the Pre-modification and the Post-modification are optional As their names have suggested, the function

of the pre-modification and post-modification is to elaborate or limit the head noun’s meaning Noun phrase gets its name from the head word

We can modify nouns with Multiple premodification or Multiple postmodification

Here are the examples of premodifiers where the main noun (head) is in bold:

1 The sofa (determiner + noun)

2 Delicous cakes (adjective + noun)

3 My biggest coat (determiner + adjective + noun)

4 All the books (quantifier + determiner + noun)

5 Both of my recent successes (quantifier + determiner + adjective + noun) Here are the examples of post modified nouns where the main noun (head) is

in bold

1 Prepositional phrases (preposition + noun) Prepositional phrases starting with the preposition ‘of’ are very common in academic writing: the amount of… / the number of … / the percentage of …

The percentage of people in full time work increased steadily.

2 ing-verb phrase

People owning their own homes are angry with the new tax.

3 Relative clause

Both of the people who I share a flat with are nurses.

4 'That' clause (often used to explain, summarize or report)

I dislike the idea that public transportation is only for the poor.

5 To Infinitive (to +verb) This is very common after indefinite pronouns and adverbs

I like anything to do with astronomy.

2 Classification

Overall, noun phrases could be classified into two categories: basic noun phrases or complex noun phrases

Firstly, Basic noun phrases are noun phrases which consist of (Pre-modification) + Head and function as Subject, Object or Complement Basic noun phrase is only one word and the head of the Basic noun phrase is realised by a common noun with zero modifier The proper noun with/without modifier is realised by closed system items For example, a book (determiner + noun), all the potatoes (quantifier + determiner + noun)

The following diagram shows the Pre-modification of a Basic Noun Phrases:

Basic Noun Phrases

- fractions - pronouns

- interrogative deter.

- indefinite deter.

- quantifier

Secondly, Complex noun phrases are noun phrases with three components Premodification + Head + Postmodification and functioning as Subject, Object or Complement Their heads are the items around which the other components cluster and which dictate concord with other elements in the noun phrases For example, Our fattest cat (determiner + adjective + noun)

The following diagram shows the elements of Complex noun phrases:

Complex noun phrases

Pre.deter Deter Post.deter Adjs Parts N Adv/Prep NFCl Rel.Cl

- multipliers - dem - quantifiers

- inter deter.

- indef deter.

- quantifier

3 Syntactic functions:

Typically, there are following syntactic functions of Noun phrases

The first grammatical function that noun phrases perform is the Subject A subject is a word, phrase, or clause that performs the action of or acts upon the

verb For example, the following italicized noun phrase functions as a subject:My colleague is an expert.

The second grammatical function that noun phrases perform is the Direct object A direct object is a word, phrase, or clause that follows a transitive verb and answers the question “who?” or “what?” receives the action of the verb For example, the following italicized noun phrase functions as a direct object: He

studies science.

The third grammatical function that noun phrases perform is the Indirect object An indirect object is word, phrase, or clause that indicates to or for whom or what the action of a ditransitive verb is performed For example, the following

italicized noun phrase functions as an indirect object:I bought my mother a pair of

shoes

The fourth grammatical function that noun phrases perform is the Subject complement A subject complement is a word, phrase, or clause that follows a

copular, or linking, verb and describes the subject of a clause The terms predicate nominative and predicate noun are also used for noun phrases that function as subject complements For example, the following italicized noun phrase functions

as a predicate nominative: My neighbour is a college student.

The fifth grammatical function that noun phrases perform is the object complement Object complements are defined as nouns, pronouns, noun phrases, adjectives, and adjective phrases that directly follow and modify the direct object For example, the following italicized noun phrase functions as an object

complement: They elected Barack Obamapresident.

The sixth grammatical function that noun phrases perform is theprepositional complement A prepositional complement is a word, phrase, or clause that directly follows a preposition and completes the meaning of the prepositional phrase For example, the following italicized noun phrases function as prepositional

complements: In the dining room, my children is watching television.

The seventh grammatical function that noun phrases perform is theappositive An appositive is a word, phrase, or clause that modifies or explains another noun phrase For example, the following italicized noun phrases function as

appositives:The president, Obama, shared his viewpoints.

The eighthgrammatical function that noun phrases perform is the adjunct adverbial An adjunct adverbial is a word, phrase, or clause that modifies an entire clause by providing additional information about time, place, manner, condition,

purpose, reason, result, and concession For example, the following italicized noun

phrases function as adjunct adverbials: Next year, we will go to the sea.

III Conclusion

Language is complicated category Only human beings can use language to express their ideas, concepts and feelings When we learn the second language, they usually understand the target language based on the knowledge of his mother tongue Because they use their first language to study the second language, the analysis will basse on the mother language We know that English have their own value and feature Therefore, as English teachers we should give students the clear explanation about the organization of Enghlish noun phrases So, we can affect the wrongness of student because we can correct the error directly in class We must be the correct model of students When the students are confused about noun phrase, teacher can help them by giving some funny exaples or real examples to show noun phrase ti help them remember easily When they can see and understand the situation they will do it correctly and make their brain used to the correct form