1. One-word Nouns, Noun Phrases, Noun Clauses
Nominals
One-word Nouns,
Noun Phrases,
Noun Clauses
Ch 7

2. Noun functions in a sentence I
Subject of the verb
Two girls made the team.
Object of the verb or verbal
direct object
While we were cooking dinner, John rang the doorbell, interrupting our evening together.
indirect object
We taught her the facts she needed to pass the test.
Ch 7

3. Noun functions in a sentence II
Object of a preposition
I placed a flowerpot on the windowsill.
Subject complement
After years of study, she became a physician.
Object complement
His teacher made him the hall monitor.
Appositive (noun in apposition)
My sister Catherine called me yesterday.
Ch 7

4. Noun Phrases--Gerunds
Gerunds are formed from the present participle, or “ing” form of the verb, and are part verb and part noun.
Like verbs, they have subjects, objects, complements, and may be modified by adverbs
Like nouns, they may be subjects, direct objects, complements, appositives, objects of prepositions, and may be modified by adjectives
Ch 7

5. Tense and Voice in Gerunds
Gerunds have two tenses and both voices
present tense and active voice
Holding me responsible for your errors will hurt you.
present tense and passive voice
Being held responsible for your errors angered me.
past tense and active voice
Having held me responsible for your errors cost you.
past tense and passive voice
Having been held responsible for your errors was unfortunate for my career.
Ch 7

6. Gerund as subject Running two laps daily is good for you. is good
Running | laps
two
daily
for
you
Main clause—pattern 2; gerund phrase—pattern 7
Ch 7

7. Gerund as direct object
He made winning the election his top priority.
winning election
the
He made
priority
top
his
Main clause—pattern 10; gerund phrase—pattern 7
Ch 7

8. Gerund as Subject Complement
Good preparation for a career on stage is interning with an off-Broadway company.
interning
preparation is
with
company
for
Good
career an on a
stage
off-Broadway
Main clause—pattern 3; gerund phrase—pattern 6
Ch 7

9. Gerund as Object of Preposition
By exercising vigorously, she lost 10 lbs.
Main clause—
pattern 7;
gerund phrase—
pattern 6
she lost lbs By 10
exercising
vigorously
Note that this prepositional phrase could be read adverbially
Ch 7

10. Gerund as noun in apposition
Our top concern, being flat broke, was not easily solved by her patronizing advice.
broke
Main clause—
pattern 7 passive;
gerund phrase—
pattern 2
being
flat
concern ( ) was solved
not by
top
easily
advice
Our
her
patronizing
Ch 7

11. Noun Phrases—Infinitives
Infinitives are formed from the base form of the verb, and are part verb and part noun.
Like verbs, they have subjects, objects, complements, and may be modified by adverbs
Like nouns, they may be subjects, direct objects, complements, appositives, and may be modified by adjectives
Unlike gerunds, infinitives are rarely object complements or indirect objects or objects of prepositions
Ch 7

12. Infinitive as Subject or Direct object
To be a teacher is her ambition.
Main clause—pattern 3
infinitive phrase—pattern 3
John really wanted to give her a Mt. Everest climbing vacation.
Main clause—pattern 7
Infinitive phrase—pattern 8
Ch 7

13. Infinitives as subject complements or appositives
His solution to his mother’s cancer is to be a research physician and find a cure.
Main clause—pattern 3
Infinitive phrases—”to be” is pattern 3 and “(to) find” is pattern 7
His burning ambition, to star on Broadway, was not realized.
Main clause—pattern 7 passive
Infinitive phrase—pattern 6
Ch 7

14. Noun clauses
Noun clauses are dependent clauses with their own subject and verb and sentence pattern, yet they are embedded in the main clause and fill a sentence slot in the main clause.
When working with embedded noun clause, FIND THE VERB in the main clause first.
Ch 7

15. Noun clause as subject in main clause
Why I bother to study for tests I always fail is a mystery to me.
I fail (that) to
study
for
tests
always
I bother
why
is mystery to a
Main clause—pattern 3; noun clause—
pattern 7; adj clause—pattern 7;
infinitive phrase—pattern 6 me
Ch 7

16. Noun clause as Direct object in main clause
My sister always wanted whatever I had just purchased.
Main clause—pattern 7; noun clause—pattern 7
“whatever is DO in noun clause
Entire noun clause “whatever purchased” is DO in main clause.
Sentences containing noun clauses need not have main clauses that can stand alone as independent sentences
Ch 7

17. Noun clause as subject complement in main clause
Your erroneous belief is that violence will not cause more bloodshed.
Main clause—pattern 3; noun clause—pattern 7
This noun clause begins with the expletive “that”:
“that” has no function in the noun clause
For example, in the noun clause above “violence” is the subject and “bloodshed” the DO of the clause
Noun clause can also begin with interrogatives—why, how, what, where, when, who, whose, whom
These interrogatives always have a function in the noun clause
Ch 7

18. Noun clause as appositive
The sorority’s spring vacation destination, wherever college boys hang out, was hotly debated by the members.
Main clause—pattern 7 passive; noun clause—pattern 6
boys hang out___________
wherever
destination ( ) was debated
hotly by
members
Ch 7

19. Noun clause as object of preposition
We should worry about why he has left the club, as it reflects badly on us.
Main clause—pattern 6; noun clause—pattern 7; adverb clause “as us”—pattern 6
We should worry
he has left club as
about
why
It reflects on
badly us
Ch 7