The Noun Phrase
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Questions and Answers

What is the main part of a noun phrase?

  • Adjective
  • Adverb
  • Noun or pronoun (correct)
  • Verb

    • A noun phrase can consist of only one word.

    True

    Identify an element that can be part of a noun phrase.

    Determiner

    In the expression, 'The students who enrolled late', the noun _______ is the head of the phrase.

    <p>students</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the noun category with its description:

    <p>Countable noun = A noun that can be counted and has a plural form Uncountable noun = A noun that cannot be counted and does not have a plural form Proper noun = A specific name for a person, place, or organization Common noun = A general name for a class of objects or a concept</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an example of a post-modifier in a noun phrase?

    <p>who spoke to me</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The phrase 'rubbing shoulders' is a proper noun.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What often causes learners difficulty regarding nouns?

    <p>Countability</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which article is used before 'United States'?

    <p>the</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The article 'a' can be used with plural nouns.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What phrase would you use to refer to a specific cinema as a fixed lexical phrase?

    <p>the cinema</p> Signup and view all the answers

    I like ____ opera.

    <p>the</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the article with its usage category:

    <p>a = Used for singular non-specific items the = Used for specific items already known no article = Used for plural non-specific items an = Used for singular non-specific items starting with a vowel sound</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of using anaphoric reference in sentences?

    <p>To clarify which specific noun is being referred to</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The article 'the' can be used with proper nouns like country names.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which article would change from 'a' to 'the' when the reader knows which item is being referred to?

    <p>the</p> Signup and view all the answers

    We took ____ children to the park yesterday.

    <p>the</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the example, 'the children,' which concept is being referenced?

    <p>Children known to the speaker and listener</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of noun is 'politics' considered to be?

    <p>Abstract uncountable noun</p> Signup and view all the answers

    'Heart throb' can be used as a typical adjective.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does 'anyone who's anyone' mean?

    <p>Anyone important</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The word 'them' in the phrase 'gossip about them' refers to __________.

    <p>celebrities</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the determiners to their groups:

    <p>a/an = Group A many = Group B some = Group B the = Group A</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an example of an uncountable noun?

    <p>Information</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The word 'time' is considered a countable noun.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the determiner 'its'?

    <p>Possessive adjective</p> Signup and view all the answers

    'There’s some _______' is grammatically correct with uncountable nouns.

    <p>rice</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following pronouns refer to people?

    <p>All of the above</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The phrase 'puckering up' indicates a positive interaction.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does 'it’s' play in the phrase provided?

    <p>Dummy pronoun</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Learners often confuse countable and uncountable nouns, such as saying 'some _______.'

    <p>informations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which determiner indicates a specific item?

    <p>The</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is often a common issue students face when using articles?

    <p>Misuse or omission of articles</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The indefinite article 'a' is easy to perceive in spoken English.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What educational approach did one teacher suggest for tackling article misuse?

    <p>Waiting till the problem arises and tackling it with exercises.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Fumiko wrote, 'I had very __________ weekend.'

    <p>wonderful</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the error to its correction.

    <p>Fumiko: I had very wonderful weekend = I had a wonderful weekend Roberto: I like very much the music = I like music very much Stefan: We went to United States = We went to the United States Shisuka: the cost of house = the cost of the house</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why do learners struggle with articles according to the teachers?

    <p>Articles differ significantly in use compared to their native languages.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Specific nouns require the use of the definite article 'the'.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the error in Roberto's sentence, 'I like very much the music'?

    <p>He should not use 'the' before 'music' when speaking generally.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Shisuka mentioned, 'I am going to spend two weeks at the __________.'

    <p>countryside</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the student to their article error.

    <p>Fumiko = Used 'very' instead of 'a' before a singular noun Roberto = Incorrectly used 'the' before an abstract noun Stefan = Omitted 'the' before a specific place Shisuka = Missed 'the' before 'cost of the house'</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a recommended method for teaching article usage?

    <p>Use examples from students' writing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Learning articles in isolation is considered an effective teaching method.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What suggested activity could reinforce the correct use of articles?

    <p>Have students pair up and check each other’s homework for article use.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements best defines an adjective?

    <p>A word that describes a person, place, or thing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The forms ‘-ed’ and ‘-ing’ in adjectives always have the same meaning.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of adjectives in sentences?

    <p>Adjectives describe the qualities or characteristics of nouns.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    An adjective that describes something possessing great quality is termed as __________.

    <p>excellent</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the adjective to its appropriate meaning:

    <p>Difficult = Not easy to do Joyful = Filled with joy Expensive = Costing a lot of money Ancient = Very old</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of adjectives express a feeling related to a noun?

    <p>Descriptive adjectives</p> Signup and view all the answers

    All adjectives can be used interchangeably without changing the meaning of a sentence.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Identify one common problem learners face with the pronunciation of adjectives.

    <p>Confusion with word stress, such as in 'fascinated' or 'interested'.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a compound noun?

    <p>armchair</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The word 'greenhouse' describes a house that is painted green.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the common pattern observed in compound nouns?

    <p>noun + noun or adjective/verb + noun</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common issue with using ungradable adjectives?

    <p>They can only be modified with extreme intensifiers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The adjective 'wonderful' can be intensified using 'very.'

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A _____ is formed when a noun is combined with an adjective or verb.

    <p>compound noun</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a compound adjective?

    <p>An adjective made up of two parts, often involving a participle.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the compound noun types with their definitions:

    <p>greenhouse = institutionalised meaning for plants football coach = specific type of coach pen-friend = person who writes letters</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following represents an acceptable variation in spelling for a compound noun?

    <p>mail box</p> Signup and view all the answers

    You cannot say 'very _________' because it is considered an ungradable adjective.

    <p>wonderful</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the adjective with its correct category:

    <p>Terrific = Ungradable Polite = Gradable Dead = Ungradable Interesting = Gradable</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In compound nouns, stress typically falls on the second item.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following intensifiers can be used with ungradable adjectives?

    <p>Utterly</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Give an example of a compound noun that is hyphenated.

    <p>pen-friend</p> Signup and view all the answers

    An example of a compound noun spelt as one word is ______.

    <p>website</p> Signup and view all the answers

    ‘He was disappointed’ is an example of a passive construction.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which is NOT a type of compound noun?

    <p>clause-linked</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why can’t 'very' be used with the adjective 'broken'?

    <p>Because 'broken' is an ungradable adjective.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Compound nouns can often have their components separated without changing their meaning.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The pronunciation of the word ‘_________’ includes special stress, often difficult for learners.

    <p>terrific</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the intensifiers with their correct usage category:

    <p>Absolutely = Used with ungradable adjectives Quite = Used with gradable adjectives Very = Typically used with gradable adjectives Completely = Used with ungradable adjectives</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Identify a compound noun formed from a phrasal verb.

    <p>stand-by</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The definition of a _______ is when two or more nouns are joined by prepositions such as of, at, or in.

    <p>binomial</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the correct adjective form: 'politer' or 'more polite'?

    <p>Both are correct</p> Signup and view all the answers

    'Mauve' is an adjective that learners pronounce easily.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following examples to their type of compound noun:

    <p>mailbox = one word bar-top = hyphenated corner shop = two separate words further education college = more than two items</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the phrase ‘she looked at the noisy children,’ what role does 'noisy' play?

    <p>It is a descriptive adjective.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main characteristic of a compound noun?

    <p>Has its own semantic meaning</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A _________ adjective can be intensified, unlike extreme adjectives.

    <p>gradable</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A noun phrase can only have one modifying element.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the plural form of 'brother-in-law'?

    <p>brothers-in-law</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an example of a compound noun?

    <p>Health and safety</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A post-modifier can only be a relative clause.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of clause is used to provide essential information about a noun?

    <p>Relative clause</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following sentences to their type of post-modifier:

    <p>The students taking the exams = Participle clause The students who came every day = Relative clause A teacher to admire = Infinitive relative clause Exam papers from previous years = Prepositional phrase</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of a post-modifier?

    <p>To specify which person or thing is being referred to</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Noun Phrases

    • Noun phrases are groups of words centered around a noun or pronoun.
    • They can be a single word or complex (e.g., "all the words before ‘must’ in: ‘The students who enrolled late…’").
    • Example of a noun phrase: "Your more than 10 cute photos of Australia…"
    • Noun phrases are always part of a larger sentence; they are not complete sentences on their own.
    • See Units 11 (Word Classes and Phrases) and 12 (Sentence Structure) in About Language (Thornbury, 1997) or Rules, Patterns and Words (Willis, 2003), Sections 2.1 and 2.4 for more details.

    Nouns

    • Noun classification is a task students may encounter in Module One exams.
    • A key aspect of nouns, that often causes learners difficulties, is countability.

    Analysis of Noun Categories (Example)

    • Rubbing shoulders: a noun phrase, object of "fancied," followed by "with the rich and famous."
      • "rubbing" is a gerund (verb acting as a noun).
      • "shoulders" is a plural, countable, common noun.
    • The rich and famous: Adjectives functioning as nouns, used as a generalization instead of "rich or famous people."
    • Madame Tussaud’s: Proper noun with possessive.
      • Likely shortened from Madame Tussaud's Waxworks Museum. Part of a prepositional phrase.
    • Heart throb: Compound noun (heart - pre-modifying noun, throb - verb-derived noun).
      • Acts like an adjective, but not a typical adjective (e.g., "the throb is heart").
    • Who: Relative pronoun, referring to "Anyone," introducing a relative/defining clause.
    • Anyone: Pronoun complement of 'is', part of fixed expression "Anyone who's anyone" (meaning important person).
    • The media: Collective noun (can take either singular or plural verb).
    • Politics: Abstract, uncountable noun (plural in form, but singular verb).
    • You: Pronoun (subject of modal verb "can"). Refers to anyone (or people), not a specific individual.
    • Time: Uncountable noun, part of prepositional phrase "in time."

    Countability

    • Common learner errors with countable and uncountable nouns:
      • Using uncountable nouns as countable (e.g., "some informations," "a furniture").
      • Mistaking uncountable nouns in English for countable nouns in their native language.
      • Uncountable nouns can be illogical (e.g., "time," "money").
      • Countability can vary depending on context (e.g., "a beer," "beer").
      • Difficulty with determiners used with countable vs. uncountable nouns (e.g., "many," “much," "few," "little," etc.).
      • Trouble with "some" and "any", and how they relate to "there is" and "there are".

    Determiners

    • Determiners identify, specify, or quantify noun phrases.
    • They are divided into two groups:
      • Group A: Articles (a/an, the), possessive adjectives (my, your, his, etc.), demonstratives (this, that, these, those).
      • Group B: Quantifiers (one, two, some, any, much, many, etc.).
    • The choice of determiner often depends on whether the noun is countable or uncountable.

    Some and Any

    • Their use demonstrates a tension between descriptive and pedagogical grammar.
    • Understanding pedagogical rules about "some" and "any" in elementary coursebooks is crucial for teacher preparation.

    Articles

    • Articles (a/an, the) are often problematic aspects of English grammar for learners.
    • Misuse, misuse, and omission are common errors in learners' written work.

    Consolidation/Learner Errors: Examples

    • Examples of learners' errors in their written work, analysis of errors, and teaching suggestions are provided. (Examples deal with issues like article use in various contexts (specific/general, singular/plural), abstract nouns, and country names).

    Adjectives

    • Adjectives describe people, places, or things; they provide more information about the qualities of a noun, noun phrase, or clause.
    • Learner challenges arise from understanding different adjective types, their usage variations (e.g. -ed/-ing), intensifiers, word order, and phonology.
    • Ungradable adjectives (e.g., "exhausted," "terrific") cannot be intensified with words like "very" or "really."
    • Difficulty with adjective word order, particularly in the case of describing clothing.
    • Participles used as adjectives can confuse learners. "–ed" and "–ing" forms have distinct meanings and use.
    • Pronunciation and word stress in adjectives (e.g., "interested," "fascinated","bored") are significant hurdles.

    Compound Nouns

    • Compound nouns combine two or more items to convey a specific meaning.
    • The second item is typically a noun (or a gerund, etc.); the first item can be a noun, adjective, or verb.
    • Compound nouns are often one word (e.g., "whiteboard"), hyphenated (e.g., "pen-friend"), or two separate words (e.g., "French windows").
    • Stress in compound nouns commonly falls on the first item.
    • Co-text can impact stress and the interpretation of noun phrases as compounds or not.

    More Complex Noun Phrases

    • Complex noun phrases combine various elements like determiners, pre-modifiers (e.g., adjectives, other nouns), and post-modifiers (e.g., relative clauses, participle clauses, infinitive clauses, prepositional phrases).
    • Relative clauses (defining or non-defining) are frequent post-modifiers, providing essential or extra information about the noun.
    • Participle clauses (present or past participle) act as post-modifiers, describing the noun.
    • Infinitive clauses provide another type of complex post-modification.
    • Prepositional phrases can be post-modifiers, specifying which person/thing is being referred to.

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    Description

    Explore the intricacies of noun phrases and the classification of nouns in this quiz. Based on content from About Language and Rules, Patterns and Words, this quiz is perfect for students preparing for Module One exams. Test your understanding of countability and the structure of noun phrases.

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