English Noun Phrases

Before we learn English noun phrases, click here to review English grammar phrases.

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What is a noun phrase?

A noun phrase is a word or group of words in a sentence that acts like a noun.


For example:

You could say, "I met Joan."

In this sentence the word Joan is a noun.

You could replace Joan with a group of words (a phrase) and say, "I met your sister."

Your sister is a phrase (a group of words without a finite verb), and it functions as a noun in the sentence.

So we call it a noun phrase.


Additional noun phrases examples (the noun phrase is in bold):

• All the kids were sleeping.
  
  
• The boy in the blue jeans says he'll do it.
  
  
• He bought her a beautiful red dress.
  
  
• Mom baked tasty chocolate cookies.
  
  
• Julia was thinking about her friends back home.
  
  
• Will you talk with these rude people?
  
  
• You are a true hero.
  
  
• My dog is my best friend.

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