Chapter 13: The complex noun phrase

Noun modifiers
Ex 245: Say which of the underlined noun modifiers are (a) restrictive, (b) non-restrictive
(Các bổ nghĩa cho danh từ được gạch chân dưới đây là hữu hạn hay ko hữu hạn)
 Gth:
 Complex noun phrase (13.2) = head + modification
Restrictive (13.3) the head can be identified only through the modification that has
been supplied.
explaining which particular person or thing you are talking about rather than
giving extra information about them. (oxford learner’s dictionaries)
E.g: The pretty girl standing in the corner who became angry because you waved
to her when you entered is Mary Smith.
=> the girl is only identifiable as Mary Smith provided we understand that it is the
particular girl who is pretty, who was standing in the corner, and who became
angry.

Non-restrictive (13.3) the head has been independently identified; any

modification given to such a head is additional information which is not essential
for identifying the head.
E.g: Come and meet my beautiful wife.
=> the modification “beautiful” is understood as non-restrictive vì chỉ cần nói my
wife ta đã hiểu được muốn nói đến vợ của ng đàn ông, beautiful đưa thêm thông
tin người vợ ấy xinh đẹp.

1. My poor old mother suffers from arthritis (viêm khớp). (13.3)

Poor (b), old (b): when the writer say my mother, we all know that he wants to
talk about his mother, poor and old are only additional information which are help
us have more features of his mother, and they do not limit the meaning of the head

2. Her devoted elder daughter takes care of her. (13.3)

Devoted (b) because it just adds information about her daughter, does not limit the
range of the meaning of the head noun ‘daughter’, elder (a) because it limits the
meaning of the head, without this word, we don’t know which daughter the writer
wants to talk about, which daughter? Elder daughter.
3. Where did you get that beautiful carpet in the hall? (13.3)
 Beautiful (b), giống ví dụ “Come and meet my beautiful wife.”, beautiful gives us
more information about the carpet, does not limit the noun “carpet”.
in the hall (a) because it points out where the carpet is placed, the specific position
of the carpet.
4. George was wearing a sports shirt, light cotton (s)lacks (quần vải) and open-
toed sandals (sandal hở mũi).
Sports (a) because words like sports, light, cotton, open-toed help us to identify
exactly who was George. These words also narrow the meaning of the heads and
Light (a), cotton (a), open-toed (a)
5. I often see men who went to school with me.
(13.8) identify who were being talked about
6. The great fire of 1666 started in the house of a baker.
Great (b) đưa thêm thông tin, cho ta thấy đó là trận hỏa hoạn lớn.
Of 1666 (a): gives us information when the great fire happened? Without this
phrase, we cannot determine the specific information about that fire => restrictive
7. Oh, you sensible man. Good old Henry.
Sensible (b) , good (b), old (b)
8. An old proverb (tục ngữ) says: Ill news travels apace. (tin dữ lan nhanh)
Old (b)
9. Cuzco is still a thriving (thịnh vượng, phát triển) city, its Inca buildings merged
into the buildings of the Spaniard.
Cuzco (a), thriving (b), Inca (a), the Spaniard (a)
Ex 247:
1. I have discussed the question of stocking the new pig farm with my staff.
By putting the adverbial adjunct, with my staff, after the noun phrase modifier, of
stocking the new pig farm, the writer gives the impression that the farm will be
stocked with his staff.
=> Rephrase: I have discussed with my staff the question of stocking the new pig
farm.
2. Look at that silver cup which my daughter won for dancing on the
mantelpiece.
By putting the adverbial adjunct, on the mantelpiece, after the noun phrase
modifier, which my daughter won for dancing, the writer gives the information
that the mantelpiece is the place where his daughter danced and won the silver
cup.
=> Rephrase: Look at that silver cup on the mantelpiece which my daughter won
for dancing.
3. I have to give a lecture on the disposal of industrial waste to students of
engineering.
 By putting the adverbial adjunct, to students of engineering, after the noun phrase
modifier, on the disposal of industrial waste, the reader may misunderstand that
the industrial waste is from students of engineering.
=> Rephrase: I have to give to students of engineering a lecture on the disposal of
industrial waste.
4. Last week an eighteenth century chair was bought by a dealer with
beautifully carved legs for only forty pounds.
By putting the adverbial adjunct, for only forty pounds, after the noun phrase
modifier, with beautifully carved leg, the writer may give the information that the
beautifully carved legs of that chair cost for forty pounds.
=> Rephrase: Last week an eighteenth century chair with beautifully carved legs
was bought by a dealer for only forty pounds.
5. You can buy a copy of this book on breast-feeding at your local bookstore.
By putting the adverbial adjunct, at your local bookstore, after the noun phrase
modifier, on breast-feeding, the writer may give an embarrassing
misunderstanding that breast-feeding at local bookstore is the content of this book.
=> Rephrase: A copy of this book on breast-feeding can be bought at your local
bookstore.
6. There are so many different washing machines on the market that you would
be well advised to consult an expert on the make.
By putting the noun phrase modifier, on the make, after to consult an expert, the
writer may give the impression that we should consult how an expert 'on the
make'.
=> Rephrase: There are so many different washing machines on the market that
you should seek advice on the make from an expert.
7. A radish has been grown by one of our members the size of a turnip.
By putting the adverbial adjunct, by one of our members, before the noun phrase
modifier, the size of a turnip, the writer may give the information that the size of a
turnip modify the noun "members".
=> Rephrase: A radish with the size of a turnip has been grown by one of our
members.
8. There is more to Ambridge than the mask of the bizarre behind which our
old-world village tries to hide.
By putting the adverbial adjunct, than the mask of the bizarre, before the noun
phrase modifier, behind which our old-world village tries to hide, the writer may
give the impression that our old-world village tries to hide the mask of the bizarre
and there is still more to Ambridge than this.
=> Rephrase: There is more to Ambridge behind which our old-world village
tries to hide than the mask of the bizarre.