Noun Phrases

Noun phrase is the name of the combination of a noun with other words. The combination functions in a sentence just like the Simple nouns do -- as subject (first example), object (second example), or complement. Examples: My class had finished at 11:50 a.m. I always think about my dear father. A noun phrase can include several different kinds of structures. In the examples, the first phrase is article + adjective + noun. The second is article + adjective + adjective + noun Examples: a wonderful time the most beautiful place A complex noun phrase is a noun pharse that is long and complicated, with words attached before or after the main noun. The first example shows an article + main noun + prepositional phrase (preposition + noun). The second shows an article + adjective + main noun + relative clause. Examples: the science of detection and measurement the civil war that went on in my country.