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1 Referring to people and things:
nouns, pronouns, and determiners
Introduction to the noun phrase
1.1 At its simplest, language is used to talk about people and things. People do this by using words in a variety of ways, for example to make statements, to ask questions, and to give orders. The words chosen are arranged into groups, either around a noun or around a verb. They are called noun phrases and verb phrases.
Noun phrases tell us which people or things are being talked about. Verb phrases tell us what is being said about them, for example what they are doing.
Chapters 1 and 2 of this grammar deal with noun phrases. For information about verb phrases, see Chapter 3.
position
1.2 A noun phrase can be the subject or object of a verb, it can follow a linking verb, or it can be the object of a preposition.
Babies cry when they are hungry.
I couldn’t feel anger against him.
They were teachers.
Let us work together in peace.
common nouns and proper nouns
1.3 You use a noun phrase to talk about someone or something by naming them. You do this by using a general name, called a noun or common noun, or by using a specific name, called a proper noun.
Proper nouns are mainly used for people, places, and events.
Mary likes strawberries.
I went to Drexel University and then I went to Pittsburgh to work for a psychiatrist.
We flew to Geneva with British Airways.
See paragraphs 1.52 to 1.58 for more information about proper nouns.
determiners with common nouns
1.4 If you use a common noun, you are saying that the person or thing you are talking about can be put in a set with others that are similar in some way.
If you just want to say that the person or thing is in that set, you use an indefinite determiner with the common noun.
I met a girl who was a student there.
Have you got any comment to make about that?
There are some diseases that are clearly inherited.
If you want to show which member of a set you are talking about, you use a definite determiner with a common noun.
I put my arm round her shoulders.
…the destruction of their city.
She came in to see me this morning.
See paragraphs 1.162 to 1.251 for more information about determiners, and paragraphs 1.13 to 1.92 for more information about nouns.
personal and demonstrative pronouns
1.5 You may decide not to name the person or thing and to use a pronoun rather than a proper noun or common noun.
You usually do this because the person or thing has already been named, so you refer to them by using a personal pronoun or a demonstrative pronoun.
Max will believe us, won’t he?
‘Could I speak to Sue, please?’–‘I’m sorry, she doesn’t work here now.’
Some people have servants to cook for them.
This led to widespread criticism.
See paragraphs 1.95 to 1.106 for more information about personal pronouns, and paragraphs 1.124 to 1.127 for more information about demonstrative pronouns.
indefinite pronouns
1.6 You may decide not to name the person or thing at all, for example because you do not want to, you think it is not important, you do not know, or you want to be vague or mysterious while telling a story. In such cases you use an indefinite pronoun, which does not refer to any particular person or thing.
I had to say something.
In this country nobody trusts anyone.
A moment later, his heart seemed to stop as he sensed the sudden movement of someone behind him.
See paragraphs 1.128 to 1.141 for more information about indefinite pronouns.
adding extra information
1.7 If you want to give more information about the person or thing you are talking about, rather than just giving their g...
