Noun Phrases & Gerund Phrases
Noun Phrases & Gerund Phrases
Noun Phrases & Gerund Phrases
A English)
Noun Phrases
Noun phrases are one of the most common types of phrases used in English and a grammar feature
that is good to showcase in your IELTS essay.
The examiner will notice if you use noun phrases and will also notice the complexity of the noun
phrase.
(A) Simple Noun Phrase: A noun phrase might consist of only a main noun with an article or an
article with an adjective.
a small town
a small town
determiner adjective main noun
(B) Complex Noun Phrase: A noun phrase might consist of a number of words surrounding a main
noun.
a small town with a healthy tourist trade
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Grammar for IELTS Daw Thuzar Latt (M.A English)
A noun phrase is made up of a collection of words that go before and/or after a main noun. Those
words modify the meaning of the main noun.
Noun Phrase
When you use a noun phrase, it is essential to think about the verb form that comes after it. To make
sure you get the correct Noun + Verb agreement, you need to identify the main noun in the noun
phrase. For example,
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Grammar for IELTS Daw Thuzar Latt (M.A English)
Modifying Words
Determiners
an international sports competition (sg. Verb)
the importance of culture (sg. Verb)
your future (sg. Verb)
those skills (pl. Verb)
Quantifiers
a significant number of people (pl. Verb)
a high volume of traffic (sg. Verb)
a range of skills (pl. Verb)
a lot of businesses (pl. Verb)
not all companies (pl. Verb)
most employers (pl. Verb)
very few students (pl. Verb)
Adjectives
a charismatic, dynamic person (sg. Verb)
reliable people (pl. Verb)
a large, medical research facility (sg. Verb)
Participles
For example:
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Grammar for IELTS Daw Thuzar Latt (M.A English)
Nouns
2. Post-modifiers come after the main noun in the noun phrase. They usually consist of one or more
of the following: prepositional phrases, relative clauses, non-finite clauses (i.e. clauses which
contain a verb that does not show a particular tense).
Prepositional Phrases
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Grammar for IELTS Daw Thuzar Latt (M.A English)
Relative clauses
Non-finite clauses
A noun phrase can make up the subject or object of a sentence. Their length can vary, as shown below:
➢ People with a big income are obviously successful in life.
➢ Traditional cultures and lifestyles should be preserved as much as possible.
➢ The range of a person's work experience can be more important than qualifications.
➢ Companies that pay no attention to recycling and waste disposal should be held accountable.
➢ Many people do not understand the importance of recycling plastics.
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Grammar for IELTS Daw Thuzar Latt (M.A English)
2. Complete the sentences with the best noun phrases from Exercise 1. Consider meaning as
well as grammar.
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Grammar for IELTS Daw Thuzar Latt (M.A English)
3. Complete the sentences with the correct simple present form (singular or plural) of the verb
in brackets.
1 The phenomenon speed at which a computer can process huge amounts of raw data ------------------
-------------it the edge over the human brain. (give)
2 Children who are raised with both a mother and a father ----------------------------------- into more
balanced individuals. (grow)
3 One of the many benefits citizens of all democratic countries enjoy ----------------------------------- the
freedom to elect their own representatives. (be)
4 The vast majority of parents who have a young child ----------------------------------- that a stay-at-home
parent is better able to give children the attention and affection they need. (say)
5 Many companies which produce hazardous waste ----------------------------------- it properly. (not /
dispose of)
6 A manager who cannot motivate employees ----------------------------------- unlikely to generate new
ideas. (be)
7 The number of students who opt for IT courses ----------------------------------- increasing. (be)
8 A huge number of college graduates -----------------------------------it difficult to get a job that matches
their qualifications. (find)
9 One of the best ways to deal with too many responsibilities ----------------------------------- to delegate
some tasks to other people. (be)
10 An applicant with good communication skills ----------------------------------- a better impression in a
job interview. (make)
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Grammar for IELTS Daw Thuzar Latt (M.A English)
The difference between an Adjective (Verb + -ing) and a Gerund/Noun (Verb + -ing)
A gerund noun phrase or gerund phrase is always singular. This is one of the most important things to
learn about using gerunds and gerund noun phrases.
× Having better schools in rural areas are one way to bridge the gap between quality of life in the
countryside and in cities.
✓ Having better schools in rural areas is one way to bridge the gap between quality of life in the
countryside and in cities.
The second sentence correctly shows that the gerund phrase is the subject of the verb. The word
'areas' is not the subject of the verb, it is part of the gerund noun phrase. Such mistakes are very
common when using gerund phrases. Always pay attention to this in your essay.
Gerund phrases function in the same way as noun phrases. So, just like noun phrases, they can be used
as subject or object in a sentence.
For example:
➢ Improving hotels and services is one way that a country can boost its tourist trade.
➢ Earning a high salary should depend on a person's contribution to society.
➢ More and more people enjoy working from home.
➢ When you stay in the same job for a long time, you start doing things mechanically.
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Grammar for IELTS Daw Thuzar Latt (M.A English)
1. Educating people should be a requirement in all societies. (Simple Gerund Phrases as Subject)
2. Understanding different cultures and tolerating differences creates an open-minded person.
(Complex Gerund Phrases as Subject)
3. A lot of teenagers enjoy chatting online. (Simple Gerund Phrases as Object of a Verb)
4. School-leavers worry about finding a suitable job. (Simple Gerund Phrases as Object of a
Preposition)
5. The greatest global challenge is eradicating poverty. (Simple Gerund Phrases as Complement)
6. Children would not mind being punished if they were made to understand what they did wrong.
(Complex Gerund Phrases as Object of a Verb)
7. Many drivers do not approve of using a mobile phone when driving. (Complex Gerund Phrases as
Object of a Preposition)
8. Our main priority should be dealing with the environmental issues for which we are responsible.
(Complex Gerund Phrases as Complement)
1 Increasing the number of online news outlets a) should be a priority if we want to ensure a rich
world heritage for future generations.
2 Making dinner with fresh ingredients
b) is sometimes thought to be the best way to
secure a good job.
3 Juggling work, school runs and a myriad
other daily obligation c) is one of the best ways for the health
authorities to deal with issues surrounding
4 Introducing more sport and exercise in obesity.
schools
d) is a challenge for parents who have a nine-to-
5 Preserving local languages and cultures five job.