Grammar in EAP
Structure of nominal groups
Postmodification
A typical nominal group is structured in the following way:
|
determiner |
premodifier |
head |
postmodifier |
|
a |
complicated |
solution |
to the problem |
Nouns (which themselves can be nominalisations) can be premodified or postmodified (qualified):
noun + postmodifier
relative clause - students who have no previous experience
to-clauses - the solution to the problem of inflation, the question to be debated
ing-clauses - a brake consisting of a drum divided into twelve compartments
ed-clauses - canoes preserved by a hard plaster, a brake consisting of a drum divided into twelve compartments, the curve shown
prepositional phrase (preposition + nominal group)- we need to bring to the box a special tool with a ready-compressed spring
adverb (or adverbial group) - the road back, the people outside the station
adjective (or adjectival group) - varieties common in India, the festival proper, something different
Exercises
Exercise: Identifying Postmodifiers
that complement clause - the news that the research had succeeded was unexpected
to-infinitive complement clause - the failure to provide him with adequate research facilities
of + ing complement clause - the possibility of increasing dollar receipts
wh- complement clauses - the question (of) whether there remained a distinctive philosophy of liberalism
