2.1 Giving information in noun groups
As you have seen, extra information about the main noun may come before or after the main noun. The different ways in which this can be done are summarised in this activity.
Activity _unit9.2.1 Activity 1
Look at the list of examples of noun groups below. The main nouns in each sentence are in bold.
The activity is split into two: ‘Before the main noun’ and ‘After the main noun’. You need to:
- Look at the type of word you are being asked to look for. Use the examples (in italics) or a dictionary if you are unsure of any of the terms.
- Choose the noun group from the examples given below.
- Type the relevant part of the noun group into the text boxes.
- Broadcasting rights for sports events
- competition between media providers
- The large-scale media coverage that is devoted to sport, and especially football
- Béthune’s open-air market
- The setting, place du Maréchal Foch, with its surrounding Art Deco and Flemish style houses
- The open-air market
- Electromagnetic radiation
- some of these
- The energy contained in these photons
- different aspects of the spectrum
- Technological advances
- One of the best forms of communication
- papers published in one country
Part 1: Before the main noun
Adjectives (describe a noun), e.g. primary research
Answer
- Electromagnetic
- Different
- Technological
- Best
- The open-air
Other nouns, e.g. government statistics
Answer
- Media coverage
- Setting, place du Maréchal Foch
- Forms of communication
Suffix -ing, e.g. smoking ban
Answer
Broadcasting rights
Noun + possessive ‘s’, e.g. children’s health
Answer
Béthune’s
Articles, determiners, e.g. this decision
Answer
- some of
- One of the
Part 2: After the main noun
Word groups starting with a preposition (e.g. to, for, in), e.g. travellers to the USA
Answer
- for sports events
- between media providers
- with its surrounding Art Deco and Flemish style houses
- of the spectrum
Defining relative clauses, e.g. items that were found during an investigation.
These can be ‘reduced’, e.g. items found during an investigation.
Answer
- that is devoted to sport, and especially football
- contained in these photons
- published in one country
Discussion
Sometimes noun groups are extended by adding extra examples with the conjunction and, for example:
- with its surrounding Art Deco and Flemish style houses
- that is devoted to sport, and especially football