Structure, Writing – Noun Phrase SS1 English Studies Lesson Note

NOUN PHRASES WITH THE DEFINITE ARTICLE 

What Is A Noun Phrase?

A noun phrase is a group of words that has a noun as its headword. 

Examples:

A heavy container, a big bag, an empty treasury, my sister’s old handbag, the last drop of blood.

NOUN PHRASE WITH THE DEFINITE ARTICLE “THE”

In the English language, the definite article is the word “The”. 

One of the easiest ways of forming a noun phrase is by attaching the definite article “the” to a noun. 

Thus: The man, the book, the nation, the rich, the glory

FUNCTIONS OF THE NOUN PHRASE

The noun phrase functions as a single noun in a sentence. It may function as:

1. A subject
2. An object

1. Definition Of A Subject.

The subject of a sentence is the noun or pronoun that executes or performs the action of the verb in a sentence. 

Example:

1. Auta bought a new house. (Auta is the subject because he performed the action of buying- a single noun)
2. They respect their teachers. (“They” is the subject)

Noun Phrase as the subject of a sentence.

1. Musa makes good benches. (Who makes good benches? Musa. Then Musa is the subject of the sentence.). Musa is a single noun.
2. The carpenter makes good benches. (Who makes good benches? The carpenter. “The carpenter is the subject of the sentence-a noun phrase). 

2. Definition of Object

The object of a sentence is the noun or pronoun that is acted upon. It is also the noun or pronoun that suffers the action of the verb.

Examples:

1. My mother cooked rice. (The rice which was cooked is the object of the sentence).
2. John killed a snake. (The snake that was killed is the object of the sentence)

Noun Phrase As Object

1. Jide married Zainab, Who was married? Zainab (Object-single noun)
2. Jide married the beautiful girl. (Who was married? A beautiful girl-an object- a noun phrase)

ASSIGNMENT 

Go to the New Oxford Secondary English Course, read pages 2 and 3, and do the following

1. Identify ten (10) single nouns 
2. Identify any three (3) noun phrases
3. The lucky fisherman wins a prize.

“The lucky fisherman”

1. What grammatical name is given to the above expression?
2. What is its grammatical function?

NARRATIVE ESSAY: Write a narrative essay on the story of the Governor who stole millions from the state treasury