A phrase has at least two words and functions as one part of speech.
A noun is a naming word.
A noun phrase is a group of two or more words headed by a noun that includes modifiers (e.g., ‘the,’ ‘a,’ ‘of them,’ ‘with her’).
A noun phrase plays the role of a noun. In a noun phrase, the modifiers can come before or after the noun.
It follows therefore that a noun phrase functions as a noun in a sentence. We can test this because we know that a noun can be replaced by a pronoun (e.g., he, she, it, them). Looking at the examples above, we can replace each noun phrase with a pronoun.
- It relaxes her.
- I know them.
- She saw him.
Note: A noun phrase can also be headed by a pronoun. For example:
- the dog with fleas
- the one with fleas
Examples of Noun Phrases
In normal writing, nouns nearly always feature in noun phrases. It is rare to find a noun functioning by itself (i.e., without any modifiers) in a sentence.
- Man proposes, but God disposes. (German canon Thomas à Kempis)
In real life, it is far more common for nouns to feature in noun phrases, i..e, to be accompanied by modifiers. Here is a list of noun phrases. In this list, every noun phrase consists of a head noun (highlighted) and at least one modifier.
- People: the soldier, my cousin, dopey Alan, the lawyer with the big nose
- Animals: that aardvark, one rat, a shark, funny Mickey
- Places: the house in the corner, inner London, dirty factory, no shelter
- Things: this table, our London Bridge, the sharp chisel, that nitrogen, last month, an inch, her cooking
- Ideas: utter confusion, some kindness, your faith, the Theory of Relativity, a joy
So, a noun with any sort of modifier (even it’s just “a” or “the”) is a noun phrase.
- the little boy.
- the happy puppy.
- the building on the corner.
- the sharp pencil.
- your religion.
