Question

Select Noun Phrase if the underlined group of words is a noun phrase. Select Not a Noun Phrase if the underlined group of words is not a noun phrase.

1. "If you go to a store in the United States to buy a garden hose, the prices will also vary, but the parts will probably come attached."

underlined group of words here is "the prices will also vary"


2. "Two of the biggest factors are sales taxes versus value-added taxes, and perceived value."

underlined group of words here is "Two of the biggest factors"


3. "In the United States, states need to make money to help pay for the services they provide."

underlined group of words here is "for the services they provide."


4. "There will still be a wide price range, but all the prices – from the cheapest to the most expensive – will be much lower."

underlined group of words here is "will still be a wide price range"

Answer 1

1. noun

2. noun

3. not noun

4. not noun

Answer 2

1. Not a Noun Phrase

2. Noun Phrase

3. Not a Noun Phrase

4. Not a Noun Phrase

Option number 2 is the only Noun Phrase. The Noun Phrase “Two of the biggest factors”, which has the syntactic function of Subject, is made up of the nucleus “two” which is modified by a prepositional phrase “of the biggest factors”. The underlined group of words in option number 1 is a main clause from a complex sentence, since the whole sentence is a conditional. The underlined group of words in option number 3 is part of a to infinitive clause “to help pay for the services they provide”, functioning as an adverbial of purpose. The underlined group of words in option number 4 is a verb phrase which is made up of the nucleus “will be” and the postponed subject “a wide price range”.