GRAMMAR I HANDOUT

I.- NOUNS Nouns are commonly thought of as "naming" or!s" an! s#ecifically as the names of "#eo#le" #laces" or things". Nouns such as John" London" an! computer certainly fit this !escri#tion" $ut the class of nouns is much $roa!er than this. Nouns also !enote a$stract an! intangi$le conce#ts such as birth" happiness" evolution" technology" management" imagination" revenge, politics" hope" cookery" sport" literacy.... %ecause of this enormous !i&ersity of reference" it is not &ery useful to stu!y nouns solely in terms of their meaning. It is much more fruitful to consi!er them from the #oint of &ie of their formal characteristics. CHARACTERISTICS OF NOUNS Many nouns can $e recogni'e! $y their en!ings. Ty#ical noun en!ings inclu!e( -er/or -ism -ist -ment -tion actor, painter, plumber, writer criticism, egotism, magnetism, vandalism artist, capitalist, journalist, scientist arrangement, development, establishment, government foundation, organisation, recognition, supposition

Most nouns ha&e !istincti&e )INGU*AR an! +*URA* forms. The #lural of regular nouns is forme! $y a!!ing -s to the singular( Singul ar car dog house Plural cars dogs houses

Ho e&er" there are many irregular nouns hich !o not form the #lural in this ay( Singul ar man child sheep Plural men childre n sheep

The !istinction $et een singular an! #lural is ,no n as NUM%-R .ONTRA)T. /e can recogni'e many nouns $ecause they often ha&e the" a" or an in front of them(
the car an artist a surprise the egg a review

These or!s are calle! !eterminers" hich is the ne0t or! class e ill loo, at. Nouns may ta,e an -'s 1"a#ostro#he s"2 or G-NITI3- MAR4-R to in!icate #ossession(
the boy's #en a spider's e$ my girlfriend's $rother John's house

If the noun alrea!y has an -s en!ing to mar, the #lural" then the geniti&e mar,er a##ears only as an a#ostro#he after the #lural form(
the boys' #ens the spiders' e$s the Browns' house

The geniti&e mar,er shoul! not $e confuse! ith the s form of contracte! &er$s" as in John's a good boy 15 6ohn is a goo! $oy2. Nouns often co-occur ithout a geniti&e mar,er $et een them(
rally car table top cheese grater University entrance e amination

COMMON AND PROPER NOUNS Nouns hich name s#ecific #eo#le or #laces are ,no n as +RO+-R NOUN).
John !ary London "rance

Many names consist of more than one or!(

John #esley $ueen !ary %outh &frica &tlantic 'cean Buckingham (alace

+ro#er nouns may also refer to times or to !ates in the calen!ar(

January, "ebruary, !onday, )uesday, *hristmas, )hanksgiving

All other nouns are .OMMON NOUN). )ince #ro#er nouns usually refer to something or someone uni7ue" they !o not normally ta,e #lurals. Ho e&er" they may !o so" es#ecially hen num$er is $eing s#ecifically referre! to(
there are three +avids in my class e met t o *hristmases ago

8or the same reason" names of #eo#le an! #laces are not normally #rece!e! $y !eterminers the or a,an" though they can $e in certain circumstances(
it9s nothing li,e the &merica I remem$er my $rother is an -instein at maths

COUNTABLE AND UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS Countable nouns are or t!ings "e #an #ount -0am#le( dog, horse, man, shop, idea.

They usually ha&e a singular an! #lural form. -0am#le( two dogs, ten horses, a man, six men, the shops, a few ideas. Un#ountable nouns are or t!e t!ings t!at "e #annot #ount -0am#le( tea, sugar, water, air, rice. They are often the names for a$stract i!eas or 7ualities. -0am#le( knowledge, beauty, anger, fear, love. They are use! ith a singular &er$. They usually !o not ha&e a #lural form. /e cannot say sugars, angers, knowledges. E$a%&les o #o%%on un#ountable nouns ( money, furniture, happiness, sadness, research, evidence, safety, beauty, knowledge. /e cannot use a,an ith these nouns. To e0#ress a 7uantity of one of these nouns" use a or! or e0#ression li,e( some, a lot of, a piece of, a bit of, a great deal of...
-0am#les(

There has $een a lot of research into the causes of this !isease. He ga&e me a great deal of advice $efore my inter&ie . They9&e got a lot of furniture. .an you gi&e me some information a$out uncounta$le nouns:

)ome nouns are counta$le in other languages $ut uncounta$le in -nglish. )ome of the most common of these are( accommo!atio n a!&ice $aggage $eha&iour $rea! furniture information luggage ne s #rogress traffic tra&el trou$le eather or,

BE CAREFUL -nglish(

ith the noun 'hair' hich is normally un#ountable in

She has long blonde hair It can also $e #ountable hen referring to in!i&i!ual hairs( My father's getting a few grey hairs now

E'ERCISE I!entify an! un!erline all the nouns in the follo ing te0t. )ay hether they are count or uncount(

T o sisters an! the cat

Stor( b( Laurie Bu#!anan

Mrs /ilson an! Mrs )mith are sisters. Mrs /ilson li&es in a house in Duncan an! Mrs )mith li&es in a con!ominium in 3ictoria. One !ay Mrs /ilson &isite! her sister. /hen her sister ans ere! the !oor Mrs /ilson sa tears in her eyes. "/hat9s the matter:" she as,e!. Mrs )mith sai! "My cat )ammy !ie! last night an! I ha&e no #lace to $ury him". )he $egan to cry again. Mrs /ilson as &ery sa! $ecause she ,ne her sister lo&e! the cat &ery much. )u!!enly Mrs. /ilson sai! "I can $ury your cat in my gar!en in Duncan an! you can come an! &isit him sometimes. Mrs. )mith sto##e! crying an! the t o sisters ha! tea together an! a nice &isit. It as no fi&e o9cloc, an! Mrs /ilson sai! it as time for her to go home. )he #ut on her hat" coat an! glo&es an! Mrs )mith #ut the !ea! )ammy into a sho##ing $ag. Mrs /ilson too, the sho##ing $ag an! al,e! to the $us sto#. )he aite! a long time for the $us so she $ought a ne s#a#er. /hen the $us arri&e! she got on the $us" sat !o n an! #ut the sho##ing $ag on the floor $esi!e her feet. )he then $egan to rea! the ne s#a#er. /hen the $us arri&e! at her $us sto# she got off the $us an! al,e! for a$out t o minutes. )u!!enly she remem$ere! she left the sho##ing $ag on the $us.

II)* PRONOUNS +ronouns are a ma;or su$class of nouns. /e call them a su$class of nouns $ecause they can sometimes re#lace a noun in a sentence( Noun John got a ne ;o$ <.e got a ne Pronoun ;o$

*hildren shoul! atch less tele&ision

<)hey shoul! atch less tele&ision

In these e0am#les the #ronouns ha&e the same reference as the nouns hich they re#lace. In each case" they refer to #eo#le" an! so e call them +-R)ONA* +RONOUN). Ho e&er" e also inclu!e in this grou# the #ronoun it" although this #ronoun !oes not usually refer to a #erson. There are three #ersonal #ronouns" an! each has a singular an! a #lural form(

Person +st ,n.r-

Singula Plural r / you we you

he,she,it they

These #ronouns also ha&e another set of forms" hich e sho

here(

Person +st ,n.r-

Singular me you

Plural us you

him,her,it them

The first set of forms 1/, you, he...2 e0em#lifies the )U%6-.TI3- .A)-" an! the secon! set 1me, you, him...2 e0em#lifies the O%6-.TI3- .A)-. The !istinction $et een the t o cases relates to ho they can $e use! in sentences. 8or instance" in our first e0am#le a$o&e" e say that he can re#lace John

John got a ne ;o$

<.e got a ne ;o$

%ut he cannot re#lace John in / gave John a new job. Here" e ha&e to use the o$;ecti&e form him( / gave him a new job. Ot!er T(&es o Pronoun As ell as #ersonal #ronouns" there are many other ty#es" hich e summarise here. Pronoun T(&e Possessi/e Me%bers o t!e Sub#lass
mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, oneself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves each other, one another that, which, who, whose, whom, where, when this, that, these, those who, what, why, where, anything, anybody, anyone, something, somebody, someone, nothing, nobody, none, no one

E$a%&le
The hite car is mine

Re le$i/e Re#i&ro#al Relati/e De%onstrati /e

He in;ure! himself #laying foot$all They really hate each other The $oo, that you ga&e me as really $oring )his is a ne car

Interrogati/e when, whatever In-e inite

#hat !i! he say to you:

There9s something in my shoe

.ase an! num$er !istinctions !o not a##ly to all #ronoun ty#es. In fact" they a##ly only to #ersonal #ronouns" #ossessi&e #ronouns" an! refle0i&e #ronouns. It is only in these ty#es" too" that gen!er !ifferences are sho n 1#ersonal he,she"

#ossessi&e his,hers" refle0i&e himself,herself2. All other ty#es are un&arying in their form. Many of the #ronouns liste! a$o&e also $elong to another or! class - the class of !eterminers. They are #ronouns hen they occur in!e#en!ently" that is" ithout a noun follo ing them" as in )his is a new car. %ut hen a noun follo s them - )his car is new - they are !eterminers. /e ill loo, at !eterminers in the ne0t section. A ma;or !ifference $et een #ronouns an! nouns generally is that #ronouns !o not ta,e the or a,an $efore them. 8urther" #ronouns !o not ta,e a!;ecti&es $efore them" e0ce#t in &ery restricte! constructions in&ol&ing some in!efinite #ronouns 1 a little something" a certain someone2. /hile the class of nouns as a hole is an o#en class" the su$class of #ronouns is close!. E'ERCISE0 In each of the follo ing sentences a #ronoun has $een highlighte!. /hat ty#e of #ronoun is it: +) Let1s #onta#t one
a2 +ersonal $2 Refle0i&e c2 +ossessi&e !2 Relati&e e2 In!efinite f2 Reci#rocal

anot!er on#e "e1/e %a-e so%e &rogress)

g2 Interrogati&e

,) S!e "ants to -o it !ersel )

a2 +ersonal $2 Refle0i&e c2 +ossessi&e !2 Relati&e e2 In!efinite

f2

Reci#rocal

g2 Interrogati&e

.) I #an1t in- t!e%)

a2 +ersonal $2 Refle0i&e c2 +ossessi&e !2 Relati&e e2 In!efinite f2 Reci#rocal

g2 Interrogati&e

2) I #an1t belie/e it1s inall(

a2 +ersonal $2 Refle0i&e c2 +ossessi&e !2 Relati&e e2 In!efinite f2 Reci#rocal

ours)

g2 Interrogati&e

3) T!e girl "!o usuall( #uts %( !air !as "on t!e lotter()
a2 +ersonal $2 Refle0i&e c2 +ossessi&e !2 Relati&e

e2 In!efinite f2 Reci#rocal

g2 Interrogati&e

4) He "ants to go to S#arboroug!)
a2 +ersonal $2 Refle0i&e c2 +ossessi&e !2 Relati&e e2 In!efinite f2 Reci#rocal

g2 Interrogati&e

5) 6!( are (ou s!outing at %e7

a2 +ersonal $2 Refle0i&e c2 +ossessi&e !2 Relati&e e2 In!efinite f2 Reci#rocal

g2 Interrogati&e

8) 9i% ga/e %e t!e last #o&()

a2 +ersonal $2 Refle0i&e

c2 +ossessi&e !2 Relati&e e2 In!efinite f2 Reci#rocal

g2 Interrogati&e

INDEFINITE PRONOUNS Co%&oun- nouns %a-e "it! SOME: AN; an- NO

)ome = Any = No = -thing -$o!y -one

+ronouns ith some- an! any- are use! in the same ay as some an! any.
Positi/e state%ents(

Someone is slee#ing in my $e!. He sa something in the gar!en. I left my glasses somewhere in the house.

<uestions0 Are you loo,ing for someone: 15 I9m sure you are2 Ha&e you lost something: 15 I9m sure you ha&e2 Is there anything to eat: 1real 7uestion2 Di! you go anywhere last night: Negati/e state%ents0 )he !i!n9t go anywhere last night. He !oesn9t ,no anybody here.

NOTICE that there is a !ifference in em#hasis $et een nothing, nobody etc0 an! not ... anything, not ... anybody(

I !on't ,no anything a$out it. 15 neutral" no em#hasis2 I ,no nothing a$out it 15 more em#hatic" may$e !efensi&e2

More e0am#les(

S M!"#$%&, S M!' (), S M!*#!+! a. I ha&e something to tell you. $. There is something to !rin, in the fri!ge. c. He ,no s somebody in Ne >or, !. )usie has somebody staying ith her. e. They ant to go somewhere hot for their holi!ays. f. 4eith is loo,ing for somewhere to li&e. ,%)' (), ,%)"#$%&, ,%)*#!+! a. Is there anybody ho s#ea,s -nglish here: $. Does anybody ha&e the time: c. Is there anything to eat: !. Ha&e you anything to say: e. He !oesn9t ha&e anything to stay tonight. f. I oul!n9t eat anything e0ce#t at Ma0im9s. % ' (), % "#$%&, % *#!+! a. There is nobody in the house at the moment $. /hen I arri&e! there as nobody to meet me. c. I ha&e learnt nothing since I $egan the course. !. There is nothing to eat. e. There is nowhere as $eautiful as +aris in the )#ring. f. Homeless #eo#le ha&e nowhere to go at night.

,%) can also $e use! in #ositi&e statements to mean 'no matter which', 'no matter who', 'no matter what'1 -0am#les( a. >ou can $orro any of my $oo,s. $. They can choose anything from the menu. c. >ou may in&ite anybody to !inner" I !on9t min!.

E'ERCISE
So%ebo-(: an(bo-(: nobo-(: so%et!ing: an(t!ing: not!ing at Auto*Englis! 8ill the ga#s ith so%ebo-(" an(bo-(" nobo-(" so%et!ing" an(t!ing an! not!ing.

?2 I can hear @@@@@@@@@@@@@@ at the !oor. A2 Does @@@@@@@@@@@@@@ ant to go to the cinema.

B2 A( /hat are you !oing on )atur!ay: %( @@@@@@@@@@@@@@ . C2 ".an @@@@@@@@@@@@@@ tell me the ca#ital of Mongolia:" D2 "/oul! you li,e @@@@@@@@@@@@@@ to eat:" E2 The film as in German so I coul!n9t un!erstan! @@@@@@@@@@@@@@ they sai!. F2 I9m sa! $ecause @@@@@@@@@@@@@@ remem$ere! my $irth!ay. G2 As it9s your $irth!ay you can or!er @@@@@@@@@@@@@@ you li,e from the menu. H2 Oh noI @@@@@@@@@@@@@@9s eaten my chocolate mousse. ) ineI ?J2 +oor thingI /e ha&e to !o @@@@@@@@@@@@@@ to hel#.

III)* DETERMINERS Nouns are often #rece!e! $y the or!s the" a" or an. These or!s are calle! D-T-RMIN-R). They in!icate the ,in! of reference hich the noun has. The !eterminer the is ,no n as the D-8INIT- ARTI.*-. It is use! $efore $oth singular an! #lural nouns(

Singula r
the ta i the paper the apple

Plural
the ta is the papers the apples

The !eterminer a 1or an" hen the follo ing noun $egins ith a &o el2 is the IND-8INIT- ARTI.*-. It is use! hen the noun is singular(
a ta0i a #a#er an a##le

The articles the an! a,an are the most common !eterminers" $ut there are many others(
any ta0i that 7uestion those a##les this #a#er some a##le whatever ta0i whichever ta0i

Many !eterminers e0#ress 7uantity(

all e0am#les both #arents many #eo#le each #erson every night several com#uters few e0cuses enough ater no esca#e

E$er#ise0
.ircle the correct ans er. + Is there @@@@@@@@ cheese left:

A some B any C the , -0cuse me. I nee! @@@@@@@@ information a$out trains to Gua!ala;ara. A some B any C an . To ma,e #anca,es e nee! @@@@@@@@ eggs an! some flour. A some B any C an 2 Do you ,no @@@@@@@@ goo! restaurants near here: A some B any C the 3 Ho @@@@@@@@ money !o e ha&e left: A many B much C !o 4 8or lunch to!ay I ha! a sala! an! @@@@@@@@ #iece of #i''a. A some B any Ca 5 Ho @@@@@@@@ cars are e ta,ing: A many B much C long

8 Ho @@@@@@@@ rice !o e ha&e left: A many B much C #eas = Ho @@@@@@@@ glasses of ine !i! you !rin,: A many B much

C !run, +> It9s col!. Don9t o#en @@@@@@@@ in!o s. A some B any Ca

+erha#s the most common ay to e0#ress 7uantity is to use a numeral. /e loo, at numerals as !eterminers in the ne0t section.

NUMERALS AND DETERMINERS Numerals are !eterminers hen they a##ear $efore a noun. In this #osition" car!inal numerals e0#ress 7uantity(
one $oo, two $oo,s twenty $oo,s

In the same #osition" or!inal numerals e0#ress se7uence(

first im#ressions second chance third #ri'e

The su$class of or!inals inclu!es a set of or!s hich are not !irectly relate! to num$ers 1as first is relate! to one" second is relate! to two" etc2. These are calle! general or!inals" an! they inclu!e last" latter" ne t" previous" an! subse2uent. These or!s also function as !eterminers(
ne t ee, last or!ers previous engagement subse2uent !e&elo#ments

/hen they !o not come $efore a noun" as e9&e alrea!y seen" numerals are a su$class of nouns. An! li,e nouns" they can ta,e !eterminers(
the two of us the first of many

They can e&en ha&e numerals as !eterminers $efore them(

five twos are ten

In this e0am#le" twos is a #lural noun an! it has the !eterminer five $efore it.

E$er#ise0
In each of the follo ing sentences" in!icate hether the highlighte! or! is a numeral or a !eterminer( +) Fi/e t"os are ten
a2 Numeral $2 Determiner

,) Se/en is %( lu#?( nu%ber

c2 Numeral !2 Determiner

.) Ea#! tea% #onsists o

e2 Numeral f2 Determiner

ele/en &la(ers

2) T!e(1/e in/ite- %e to a se#on- inter/ie"

g2 Numeral h2 Determiner

3) He "as t!e last to arri/e: as usual

i2 ;2 Numeral Determiner

PRONOUNS AND DETERMINERS There is consi!era$le o&erla# $et een the !eterminer class an! the su$class of #ronouns. Many or!s can $e $oth(

Pronoun )his is a &ery $oring $oo,

Deter%iner )his $oo, is &ery $oring

)hat9s an e0cellent film )hat film is e0cellent

As this ta$le sho s" !eterminers al ays come $efore a noun" $ut #ronouns are more in!e#en!ent than this. They function in much the same ay as nouns" an! they can $e re#lace! $y nouns in the sentences a$o&e(

)his is a &ery $oring $oo, )hat9s an e0cellent film

</vanhoe is a &ery $oring $oo, <#itness is an e0cellent film

On the other han!" hen these or!s are !eterminers" they cannot $e re#lace! $y nouns(

)his $oo, is &ery $oring )hat film is e0cellent

<K/vanhoe $oo, is &ery $oring <K#itness film is e0cellent

The #ersonal #ronouns 1/" you" he" etc2 cannot $e !eterminers. This is also true of the #ossessi&e #ronouns 1mine" yours" his,hers" ours" an! theirs2. Ho e&er" these #ronouns !o ha&e corres#on!ing forms hich are !eterminers( Possessi/e Pronoun
The hite car is mine !y car is hite

Deter%iner

3ours is the $lue coat The car in the garage is his,hers Da&i!9s house is $ig" $ut ours is $igger )heirs is the house on the left

3our coat is $lue .is,her car is in the garage

'ur house is $igger than Da&i!9s

)heir house is on the left

The !efinite an! the in!efinite articles can ne&er $e #ronouns. They are al ays !eterminers.

E$er#ise0
In each of the folo ing sentences" in!icate hether the highlighte! or! is a !eterminer or a #ronoun( +) T!ese @uestions are eas(
a2 +ronoun $2 Determiner

,) Is t!is (ours7
c2 +ronoun !2 Determiner

.) Can I borro" so%e sugar7

e2 +ronoun f2 Determiner

2) T!is &la( o (ours * "!at1s it about7

g2 +ronoun h2 Determiner

3) T!ese are reall( tast(

i2 ;2

+ronoun Determiner

MORE ON DETERMINERS Determiners are use! in front of nouns to in!icate something s#ecific or something of a #articular ty#e. hether you are referring to

Determiners are !ifferent to #ronouns in that a !eterminer is al ays follo e! $y a noun. Therefore #ersonal #ronouns 1I, you" he" etc.2 an! #ossessi&e #ronouns 1mine, yours, his, etc.2 cannot $e !eterminers. The !efinite an! in!efinite articles aLanLthe are all !eterminers. >ou use a s#ecific !eterminer hen #eo#le ,no #ersonL#eo#le you are tal,ing a$out. T!e s&e#i i# -eter%iners are0 the !efinite article ( the !emonstrati&es ( this, that, these, those #ossessi&es ( my, your, his, her, its, our, their "or e ample14"he dog barked at the boy04 4"hese apples are rotten04 4"heir bus was late04 >ou use general !eterminers to tal, a$out #eo#le or things ithout saying e0actly ho or hat they are. T!e general -eter%iners are0 The in!efinte articles( a, an e0actly hich thing1s2 or

a fe a little all another any $oth each either enough e&ery fe fe er less little many more most much neither no other se&eral some

8or e0am#le(4, man sat under an umbrella04 4.ave you got any -nglish books that / could have54 4)here is enough food to feed everyone04

E$er#ise0
I!entify all the !eterminers in the te0t an! classify them(

T o sisters an! the cat

Stor( b( Laurie Bu#!anan

Mrs /ilson an! Mrs )mith are sisters. Mrs /ilson li&es in a house in Duncan an! Mrs )mith li&es in a con!ominium in 3ictoria. One !ay Mrs /ilson &isite! her sister. /hen her sister ans ere! the !oor Mrs /ilson sa tears in her eyes. "/hat9s the matter:" she as,e!. Mrs )mith sai! "My cat )ammy !ie! last night an! I ha&e no #lace to $ury him". )he $egan to cry again. Mrs /ilson as &ery sa! $ecause she ,ne her sister lo&e! the cat &ery much. )u!!enly Mrs. /ilson sai! "I can $ury your cat in my gar!en in Duncan an! you can come an! &isit him sometimes. Mrs. )mith sto##e! crying an! the t o sisters ha! tea together an! a nice &isit. It as no fi&e o9cloc, an! Mrs /ilson sai! it as time for her to go home. )he #ut on her hat" coat an! glo&es an! Mrs )mith #ut the !ea! )ammy into a sho##ing $ag. Mrs /ilson too, the sho##ing $ag an! al,e! to the $us sto#. )he aite! a long time for the $us so she $ought a ne s#a#er. /hen the $us arri&e! she got on the $us" sat !o n an! #ut the sho##ing $ag on the floor $esi!e her feet. )he then $egan to rea! the ne s#a#er. /hen the $us arri&e! at her $us sto# she got off the $us an! al,e! for a$out t o minutes. )u!!enly she remem$ere! she left the sho##ing $ag on the $us.

THE NOUN PHRASE *i,e all #hrases" the constituents of the -nglish noun #hrase can $e analy'e! into $oth functional constituents an! formal constituents. 8rom a functional #oint of &ie " the noun #hrase has four ma;or com#onents" occurring in a fi0e! or!er(

t!e -eter%inati/e" that constituent hich !etermines the reference of the noun #hrase in its linguistic or situational conte0tM &re%o-i i#ation" hich com#rises all the mo!ifying or !escri$ing constituents $efore the hea!" other than the !eterminersM t!e !ea-" aroun! hich the other constituents clusterM an! &ost%o-i i#ation" those after the hea! hich com#rise all the mo!ifying constituents #lace!

In the !iagram $elo " notice that each functional com#onent of a noun #hrase 1N+2 can $e further su$classifie! as e trace the !iagram from left to right until e fin! that e ha&e form classes 1of the ,in! e !iscusse! a$o&e2 filling each constituent category

De#en!ing on the conte0t of situation" e choose !eterminers an! mo!ifiers accor!ing to our nee!s in i!entifying an! s#ecifying the referent of the N+. )ometimes e nee! se&eral !eterminers an! mo!ifiers to clarify the referent 1all my $oo,s in that $o02M sometimes e nee! none at all 1*i'2. That !iagram is one ay to re#resent the !ual nature of a #hrase. -ach #hrase" remem$er" is a merger of $oth form an! function" an!" as com#le0 as it loo,s" the !iagram illustrates only some of the com#le0ities of the noun #hrase in -nglish. Another ay to illustrate some of the #ossi$le arrangements of form an! function in the noun #hrase is #resente! in the ta$le $elo .
Some !xamples of the %oun -hrase in !nglish FUNCTIO +etermine (remodifier N r 1a2 N A M + * ) 1$2 1c2 1!2 1e2 1f2 1g2 1h2 1i2 1;2 some this all my se&eral such a a (ronoun &rticle FORMS $uantifier ne mystery $a!ly nee!e! the the information

.ead

(ostmodifier

lions young age each time of the chil!ren ith the family

conclusio to the story n chil!ren $oo,s hich e recently en;oye! than I (repositional (hrase

mar&elous $etter (articiple 6oun &djective 8(hrase9

!ata $an, fille! ith information #erson 6oun

&djective 7elative *lause (ronoun 6onfinite *lause *omplementation

Notice that se&eral forms classes can $e "reuse!." 8or e0am#le" in the noun #hrase it is #ossi$le to use 7uantifiers to function as #re-!eterminers or as #ost!eterminers. This ,in! of "recycling" is ,no n as recursion. Notice also that #hrases an! e&en hole clauses can $e "recycle!" into the noun #hrase. This #rocess of #lacing a #hrase of clause ithin another #hrase of clause is calle! em$e!!ing. It is through the #rocesses of recursion an! em$e!!ing that e are a$le to ta,e a finite num$er of forms 1 or!s an! #hrases2 an! construct an infinite

num$er of e0#ressions. 8urthermore" em$e!!ing also allo s us to construct an infinitely long structure" in theory any ay. 8or e0am#le" the nursery rhyme "The House That 6ac, %uilt" #lays on the #rocess of em$e!!ing in -nglish noun #hrases. The nursery rhyme is one sentence that continuously gro s $y em$e!!ing more an! more relati&e clauses as #ostmo!ifiers in the noun #hrase that en!s the sentence( This is the house that 6ac, $uilt. This is the malt that lay in the house that 6ac, $uilt. This is the mouse that ate the malt that lay in the house that 6ac, $uilt. This is the cat that scare! the mouse that ate the malt hat lay in the house that 6ac, $uilt. This is the !og that chase! the cat that scare! the mouse that ate the malt that lay in the house that 6ac, $uilt. This is the $oy ho lo&es the !og that chase! the cat that scare! the mouse that ate the malt that lay in the house that 6ac, $uilt. e coul! go on fore&er $ecause language relies so hea&ily

An! so on. In theory" on em$e!!ing.

E'ERCISE Accor!ing to the e0#lanation a$o&e concerning the noun #hrase an! hat you ha&e stu!ie! in class" i-enti ( all noun &!rases in t!e te$t an- t!e ele%ents in t!e% as in the e0am#le gi&en $elo (

T"o sisters an- t!e #at

Stor( b( Laurie Bu#!anan

Mrs /ilson an! Mrs )mith are sisters. Mrs /ilson li&es in a house in Duncan an! Mrs )mith li&es in a con!ominium in 3ictoria. One !ay Mrs /ilson &isite! her sister. /hen her sister ans ere! the !oor Mrs /ilson sa tears in her eyes. "/hat9s the matter:" she as,e!. Mrs )mith sai! "My cat )ammy !ie! last night an! I ha&e no #lace to $ury him". )he $egan to cry again. Mrs /ilson as &ery sa! $ecause she ,ne her sister lo&e! the cat &ery much. )u!!enly Mrs. /ilson sai! "I can $ury your cat in my gar!en in Duncan an! you can come an! &isit him sometimes. Mrs. )mith sto##e!

crying an! the t o sisters ha! tea together an! a nice &isit. It as no fi&e o9cloc, an! Mrs /ilson sai! it as time for her to go home. )he #ut on her hat" coat an! glo&es an! Mrs )mith #ut the !ea! )ammy into a sho##ing $ag. Mrs /ilson too, the sho##ing $ag an! al,e! to the $us sto#. )he aite! a long time for the $us so she $ought a ne s#a#er. /hen the $us arri&e! she got on the $us" sat !o n an! #ut the sho##ing $ag on the floor $esi!e her feet. )he then $egan to rea! the ne s#a#er. /hen the $us arri&e! at her $us sto# she got off the $us an! al,e! for a$out t o minutes. )u!!enly she remem$ere! she left the sho##ing $ag on the $us. !xample. /a long time0 A( general !eterminer" in!efinite article. Long( a!;ecti&e Ti%e( hea! of the N+" common uncount noun.