In English grammar, a noun phrase can function as the object of a clause. The object is a component of a sentence that receives the action of the verb or shows the result of that action. When a noun phrase serves as the object, it typically answers the question “what” or “whom” in relation to the action of the verb.
Here are a few key points about noun phrases as objects of the clause:
- Definition: A noun phrase consists of a noun or pronoun and any associated modifiers, such as articles, adjectives, or prepositional phrases. It can function as a subject, object, or other grammatical element in a sentence.
- Object Position: In a clause, the object typically appears after the verb. The verb acts upon or affects the noun phrase functioning as the object.
- Object Questions: To identify the object, you can ask the question “What?” or “Whom?” after the verb. The answer to these questions will often be the noun phrase acting as the object.
Here’s an example to illustrate the use of a noun phrase as the object of a clause:
Sentence: “She bought a new car.”
- In this sentence, the noun phrase “a new car” acts as the object of the verb “bought.” It answers the question “What did she buy?” The verb “bought” acts upon the noun phrase, indicating the action of acquiring a new car.
Example with a pronoun: Sentence: “They saw him at the park.”
- In this sentence, the noun phrase “him” functions as the object of the verb “saw.” It answers the question “Whom did they see?” The verb “saw” acts upon the pronoun “him,” indicating the action of perceiving or observing that person.
In the English Grammar Profile, A1 point 2 in the category of NOUNS is defined as:
noun phrases as objects of the clause.
Most of the following ranked results contain:
a pronoun as the noun phrase subject + a lexical verb + a direct object noun phrase.
A search in iWeb corpus for:
_P _VV _A _NN .
Gives us the most common noun phrase as object examples.
1 YOU GET THE IDEA. 11122
Many of these are questions:
Where did you get the idea for this one?
2 YOU GET THE PICTURE. 4280 understand
I don’t think you get the picture, doc.
3 YOU GET THE POINT. 3486 idea
if you can’t prove it‘s Bin Laden,
at least prove it‘s not someone else.
4 YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS. 2179 academic collocation
Eduardo, if you insist on using force,
you will not achieve your goals.
5 YOU PLACE YOUR ORDER. 2135 arrange
Hi, I ‘d like to place an order for delivery, please.
6 I FEEL YOUR PAIN. 1881
7 IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. 1800
8 IT MAKES NO SENSE. 1750
9 WE NEED YOUR HELP. 1569
10 YOU REACH YOUR GOALS. 1495
11 I NEED YOUR HELP. 1324
12 I LEARNED A LOT. 1147
13 I LOVE YOUR BLOG. 1094
14 YOU KNOW THE DRILL. 1016
15 YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND. 997
16 YOU GROW YOUR BUSINESS. 992
17 I GET A CHANCE. 986
18 YOU GET A CHANCE. 975
19 IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE. 961
20 YOU GET THE CHANCE. 948
21 YOU GET MY POINT. 946
22 HE SHOOK HIS HEAD. 893
23 YOU GET MY DRIFT. 886
24 YOU MAKE A DECISION. 870
25 YOU MAKE A PURCHASE. 851
26 I MADE A MISTAKE. 828
27 THEM ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. 815
28 I GET THE CHANCE. 808
29 IT CHANGED MY LIFE. 802
30 YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION. 787
31 SHE SHOOK HER HEAD. 754
32 IT MEANS A LOT. 749
33 YOU MAKE A MISTAKE. 713
34 YOU PLAY THE GAME. 704
35 I SEE YOUR POINT. 694
36 WE LIVE OUR LIVES. 691
37 IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE. 688
38 I LOVE MY JOB. 685
39 YOU KNOW THE REST. 658
40 I CHANGED MY MIND. 652
41 IT HELPS A LOT. 647
42 YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE. 645
43 WHO LED THE STUDY. 618
44 I REST MY CASE. 615
45 YOU REACH YOUR GOAL. 568
46 I FOUND YOUR SITE. 563
47 YOU PLACE AN ORDER. 562
48 IT BECOMES A PROBLEM. 559
49 WE USE EVERY DAY. 547
50 YOU MAKE YOUR PURCHASE. 533
51 ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS. 530
52 YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION. 525
53 I KNOW THE FEELING. 523
54 IT HITS THE GROUND. 518
55 YOU CATCH MY DRIFT. 510
56 YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE. 503
57 YOU GET THE DRIFT. 497
58 YOU VISIT OUR WEBSITE. 491
59 HE TOLD THE COURT. 490
60 I LOVE YOUR SITE. 479
61 IT WORKS EVERY TIME. 477
62 YOU USE EVERY DAY. 472
63 YOU REACH YOUR DESTINATION. 471
64 YOU CLOSE YOUR BROWSER. 470
65 I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP. 469
66 I SHOOK MY HEAD. 468
67 IT BREAKS MY HEART. 468
68 WHO LOST THEIR LIVES. 464
69 YOU VISIT OUR SITE. 436
70 I READ YOUR POST. 433
71 YOU OPEN THE DOOR. 432
72 IT TAKES A WHILE. 430
73 YOU GET THE GIST. 420
74 YOU MEET YOUR GOALS. 416
75 WE RESPECT YOUR PRIVACY. 413
76 YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL. 407
77 YOU FEEL THE NEED. 407
78 YOU HIT THE ROAD. 407
79 YOU PULL THE TRIGGER. 407
80 YOU VISIT THE SITE. 400
81 YOU KNOW THE ANSWER. 398
82 HE TOLD THE CROWD. 391
83 I LIKE THE IDEA. 391
84 ME SCRATCHING MY HEAD. 386
85 I FOUND YOUR BLOG. 378
86 YOU MADE A MISTAKE. 373
87 IT BLEW MY MIND. 370
88 IT WORKS A TREAT. 368
89 THEY MAKE A PURCHASE. 365
90 US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS. 365
91 WE SEE THE WORLD. 365
92 IT HELPED A LOT. 363
93 THEM REACH THEIR GOALS. 356
94 YOU REACH THE TOP. 356
95 YOU LEAVE THE HOSPITAL. 355
96 IT WORKED A TREAT. 354
97 I LIKE A LOT. 353
98 HE SHAKES HIS HEAD. 351
99 THEY BECOME A PROBLEM. 350
100 YOU REACH THE END. 344
Here’s a B1 example:
I keep thinking about all those wives sitting there while their husbands walk the dog,
wondering how a dog that gets walked two hours every night ends up so fat.