Expanded noun phrases
Use expanded noun phrases to describe and specify, adding adjectives and other modifiers before a noun (e.g., 'the blue butterfly', 'the old, creaky door')
What a learner can do afterwards
- Expand 'the cat' into 'the fluffy black cat' by adding adjectives
- Use noun phrases with two or more modifiers in independent writing
- Choose precise adjectives to make a noun phrase more vivid: e.g., 'a tiny, shivering kitten'
1 · Read
You already know that a noun names a person, animal, or thing, like cat or door. A noun phrase is the noun together with a few small words in front of it, like 'the door'. You can make a noun phrase bigger by adding describing words. This is called an expanded noun phrase.
Start with 'the cat'. Add two describing words: fluffy and black. Now it becomes 'the fluffy black cat'. The reader can picture the cat far better.
When you join two describing words together, put a comma between them, like 'the old, creaky door'. The comma shows there is a small pause between the two words.
Pick words that show something special about the thing, not just any word. 'A nice kitten' does not tell us much. 'A tiny, shivering kitten' helps the reader see and feel exactly what you mean.
In a story, instead of writing 'The dog ran.', you could write 'The big, brown dog ran.' The extra words paint a picture in the reader's mind.
An expanded noun phrase adds describing words before a noun to make your writing clearer and more vivid.
More to read
Glossary: Adjectives and adverbs
An adjective is a word that tells you more about a noun. It can answer questions like 'What kind?' or 'How many?'
Examples: a blue hippo, a delightful book, three cookies.
An adverb is a word that tells you more about a verb. It tells you how, when, or where something happens.
Examples: burped noisily, very chocolatey, sang yesterday.
Adjectives and adverbs
Adjectives are words that describe a noun. They tell you more about a person, place, or thing.
For example, you could call a tuna sandwich stinky or delicious. Both words are adjectives because they describe the sandwich.
Adverbs are words that describe a verb. They tell you how, when, or where something happens. Many adverbs end in -ly.
You could make your tuna sandwich quickly, carefully, or happily.
Phrases and clauses
A phrase is a group of words that work together, like a small team. A noun phrase is built around a noun.
Example: 'my brother Stu' is a noun phrase because it is all about the noun brother.
You can also have an adjectival phrase, like 'in a different shade of blue,' which describes something. Or an adverbial phrase, like 'with elegance and tact,' which tells how something is done.
3 Ways to Identify an Adjective
Adjectives describe nouns. They answer questions like 'What kind?' 'How many?' and 'Which one?'
To find an adjective, first find the noun in the sentence. A noun is a person, place, or thing. Then look for a word right before the noun that tells you more about it.
For example, in 'the fluffy black cat,' the noun is cat. Fluffy and black are adjectives because they tell you what kind of cat it is.
Coordinate adjectives
Sometimes you can use two adjectives to describe the same noun. These are called coordinate adjectives.
Example: 'the old, creaky door.' Both old and creaky describe the door, so they are separated by a comma.
Try switching the order of the adjectives, or add the word 'and' between them. If the sentence still sounds right, like 'the creaky, old door' or 'the old and creaky door,' then the adjectives are coordinate and need a comma.
2 · Watch
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