Main points- Noun groups can be the subject, object, or complement of a verb, or the object of a preposition.
- Noun groups can be nouns on their own, but often include other words such as determiners, numbers, and adjectives.
- Noun groups can also be pronouns.
- Singular noun groups take singular verbs, plural noun groups take plural verbs.
1 Noun groups are used to say which people or things you are talking about. They can be the subject or object of a verb.
- Strawberries are very expensive now.
- Keith likes strawberries.
A noun group can also be the complement of a link verb such as `be', `become', `feel', or `seem'.
- She became champion in 1964.
- He seemed a nice man.
A noun group can be used after a preposition, and is often called the object of the preposition.
- I saw him in town.
- She was very ill for six months.
2 A noun group can be a noun on its own, but it often includes other words. A noun group can have a determiner such as `the' or `a'. You put determiners at the beginning of the noun group.
- The girls were not in the house.
- He was eating an apple.
3 A noun group can include an adjective. You usually put the adjective in front of the noun.
- He was using blue ink.
- I like living in a big city.
Sometimes you can use another noun in front of the noun.
- I like chocolate cake.
- She wanted a job in the oil industry.
A noun with 's (apostrophe s) is used in front of another noun to show who or what something belongs to or is connected with.
- I held Sheila's hand very tightly.
- He pressed a button on the ship's radio.
4 A noun group can also have an adverbial, a relative clause, or a `to'-infinitive clause after it, which makes it more precise.
- I spoke to a girl in a dark grey dress.
- She wrote to the man who employed me.
- I was trying to think of a way to stop him.
A common adverbial used after a noun is a prepositional phrase beginning with `of'.
- He tied the rope to a large block of stone.
- The front door of the house was wide open.
- I hated the idea of leaving him alone.
Participles and some adjectives can also be used after a noun. See Units 19 and 29.- She pointed to the three cards lying on the table.
- He is the only man available.
5 Numbers come after determiners and before adjectives.- I had to pay a thousand dollars.
- Three tall men came out of the shed.
6 A noun group can also be a pronoun. You often use a pronoun when you are referring back to a person or thing that you have already mentioned.
- I've got two boys, and they both enjoy playing football.
You also use a pronoun when you do not know who the person or thing is, or do not want to be precise.
- Someone is coming to mend it tomorrow.
7 A noun group can refer to one or more people or things. Many nouns have a singular form referring to one person or thing, and a plural form referring to more than one person or thing.
See Unit 4.
- My dog never bites people.
- She likes dogs.
Similarly, different pronouns are used in the singular and in the plural.
- I am going home now.
- We want more money.
When a singular noun group is the subject, it takes a singular verb. When a plural noun group is the subject, it takes a plural verb.
- His son plays football for the school.
- Her letters are always very short.
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