Listen First
I’ve just finished reviewing the initial draft of the Q3 market analysis report.
What’s your assessment of the section on emerging consumer demographics?
The analysis of the 18-to-25 age group’s shifting spending habits seems a bit superficial.
I agree. The report’s initial recommendations for a new, digital-first marketing strategy lack the necessary depth.
I’m specifically referring to the proposal for a short-form video campaign on social media platforms.
Ah, yes. The projected return on investment for that particular initiative is based on some rather optimistic assumptions.
We need to provide the senior management team with a more robust, data-driven proposal before the end-of-week review meeting.
Okay. I’ll schedule a follow-up with the research department to get the revised figures we need.
Want to paint a vivid picture with your words and be incredibly specific? Complex noun phrases are how you add high-definition detail to your sentences. Mastering this skill is key to making your writing more descriptive, professional, and precise. 🖼️
Function & Usage
A noun phrase is a group of words built around a single noun. A complex noun phrase adds extra information before the noun (pre-modifiers) and/or after the noun (post-modifiers) to give a much clearer picture.
- Pre-modifiers: These are usually determiners (a, the, my) and adjectives. They come before the noun.
Example: “the tall, dark-haired man” - Post-modifiers: These come after the noun and are often prepositional phrases or relative clauses.
Example: “…the man in the corner” or “…the man who is standing in the corner.”
By combining them, you can be extremely specific: “the tall, dark-haired man in the corner.”
The Structure (Form)
The information is layered around a “head noun” in a specific order.
[Determiner] + [Adjective(s)] + [Head Noun] + [Prepositional Phrase / Relative Clause]
Example: The + beautiful old + house + on the hill
Remember that adjectives also have a general order (opinion, size, age, color, etc.), e.g., “a lovely (opinion) little (size) old (age) cottage.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Incorrect Adjective Order: Placing adjectives in the wrong order can sound unnatural. For example, “a red big car” should be “a big red car.”
- Misplaced Post-modifier: The phrase after the noun must clearly describe that noun. Incorrect: “The man is my uncle with the beard.” (Sounds like the uncle has a beard). Correct: “The man with the beard is my uncle.”
Let’s see it in action! 🎬
Person A: Can you pass me that book?
Person B: Which one? There are many.
Person A: The large red book with the gold letters on the cover.
Witness: I saw a man run out of the bank.
Police Officer: Can you describe him?
Witness: Yes, he was a short, thin man in a dark blue jacket.
Friend 1: I love your new cat!
Friend 2: Thanks! She’s that little black cat from the shelter down the street.
Check Your Understanding! ✅
1. The painting is beautiful. (on the wall)
2. I bought a table. (wooden / beautiful)
3. The woman is my aunt. (in the red dress)
4. He is a man. (friendly / tall)
5. The key is on the counter. (to the front door)
6. Choose the correct order: He lives in ___.
7. The most natural sentence is:
8. “A sports car that is Italian and red” can be shortened to:
9. I’m looking for the book ___.
10. “The man who is tall and has brown hair” is best said as:
