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TEACHING CHAPTER 2
Naming the Parts, 1: Form Classes, Noun Clusters
This chapter is an important part of the grammar foundation. You may in fact want to
begin the course with this chapter instead of with the chapter on patterns. What is
important in this section of the book is for students to understand the concepts of nouns
and their clusters. The difference between “nounness” and “verbness” is significant and
the basis for understanding many elements of style.
THE FORM CLASSES
The four form classes—noun, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs—are perhaps most easily
taught as components of noun clusters and verb clusters. I tell my students that adjectives
hang around with nouns (as do determiners and noun adjuncts) and that adverbs hang
around with verbs—and that both nouns and verbs have specific jobs to do in a sentence.
Specifically, the meat of the sentence’s meaning is contained in nouns and verbs.
Nouns, the focus of this chapter, name. They are primarily static, descriptive. Verbs
animate them to make things happen in a sentence. Together nouns and verbs make the
English language work. The other form classes, adjectives and adverbs, are in the service
of nouns and verbs. This concept is important for students to understand, along with how
nouns and verbs function or act in a pattern.
The information about each form class includes a list of ways that the form class can be
identified (position, suffixes); note that not all the identifiers apply in each circumstance.
For instance, not all nouns are preceded by a determiner, and not all nouns have a
characteristic noun suffix.
WORK WITH POSSESSIVES, page 28
Working with possessives is very difficult for many students. To master the possessive
form, students need to learn to differentiate plural form from possessive form. The rule
should be “Form the plural first; then form the possessive.”
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FOR WRITING, page 33
Here are sample noun clusters:
1. a bold plan
2. some breakable figurines from her collection
3. many dirty brown bears with long mangy hair
4. several wrong turns down dangerous alleys
5. a former director from Hollywood
6. my first-grade teacher from Northeast Elementary School
7. many hot waffles on her plate
8. the busy mall during rush hour
9. an open hearing about the murder case
10. a small room on the second floor
FOR DISCUSSION, page 34
1. Jerry broke the leg of the desk chair.
Jerry is a noun in this sentence, but it doesn’t have anything clustering around it. There is,
however, a cluster around the noun leg. The is a determiner predicting leg. Of the desk
chair is a prepositional phrase patterning with leg. The desk chair is a second noun
cluster functioning as the object of the preposition of; the is a determiner. And desk is a
noun adjunct patterning with chair.
2. Our small investment group made a lot of money before the crash of tech stocks.
There are several noun clusters in this sentence. Our small investment group is the
subject cluster with group as the headword. Our is a determiner; small is an adjective;
investment is a noun adjunct—all patterning with group.
A lot of money is a second noun cluster, with lot as the headword. A is a determiner; of
money a prepositional phrase.
The crash of tech stocks is a third noun cluster, with crash as the headword. The is a
determiner; of tech stocks is a prepositional phrase with stocks as the object and tech as a
noun adjunct.
3. Do you know the way to the computer center?
The way to the computer center is a noun cluster with way as the headword. The is a
determiner prefiguring way. To the computer center is a prepositional phrase patterning
with way. The is a determiner before way, and computer is a noun adjunct patterning with
center.
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4. In her will, Aunt Bea left her antique china cabinet to Opie.
There are several nouns and two noun clusters in this sentence. The first is her will, with
her as a determiner and will as the headword; her will is the object of the preposition in.
The second noun cluster is her antique china cabinet. Cabinet is the headword; her is a
determiner pointing to cabinet. Antique is an adjective patterning with cabinet, and china
is a noun adjunct patterning with cabinet.
5. Janet’s small clothes closet is stuffed with long coats.
This sentence has two noun clusters. The first, which functions as the subject of the
sentence, is Janet’s small clothes closet. Janet’s is a possessive noun. Small is an
adjective, and clothes is a noun adjunct, both patterning with closet. Long coats is the
second noun cluster, within coats as the headword and long as an adjective patterning
with it.
FOR WRITING, page 34
Here are sample noun clusters with noun adjuncts and determiners. Students’ responses
will vary.
1. a camera case
2. my insurance agent
3. the iron worker from Pittsburgh
4. many shiny road markers
5. no time zone
6. his first female friend
7. your incisor teeth
8. a train inspector
9. the sound quality
10. many water babies
FOR DISCUSSION, page 35
1. an ordinary inspector in a paper bag factory
In a paper bag factory identifies the inspector. Paper and bag are both noun adjuncts
patterning with factory.
2. in a dirty plastic bottle of about 200 plain white pills
Of about 200 plain white pills patterns with bottle and describes its size. The noun cluster
with pills as the headword is the object of the preposition of. Two hundred is a
determiner; plain and white are both adjectives patterning with pills.
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3. something about the whole village
About the whole village is a prepositional phrase identifying what something is. Village is
the object of the preposition about; the is a determiner and whole is an adjective
patterning with village.
4. a shrill sound of pain
Of pain is a prepositional phrase patterning with sound; the phrase identifies the kind and
source of the sound, which is the headword. A is a determiner, and shrill is an adjective.
5. a fatal accident in the gravel quarry
In the gravel quarry is a prepositional phrase patterning with accident, which is the
headword. A is a determiner patterning with accident; fatal is an adjective patterning with
accident.
6. some nasty rumors about deaths from sickness
About deaths from sickness is a prepositional phrase patterning with the noun rumors,
headword of the noun phrase. This prepositional phrase includes a prepositional phrase,
from sickness, patterning with the object of the preposition deaths. Some is a determiner,
and nasty is an adjective; both pattern with the noun rumors.
7. the greenhouse effect of pollution
Of pollution is a prepositional phrase patterning with the headword effect and acting
adjectivally. The is a determiner also patterning with effect; greenhouse is a noun adjunct
patterning with effect.
8. a report from the commodities market
From the commodities market is a prepositional phrase patterning with the noun report; it
identifies the source of the report. A is a determiner patterning with report. Within the
prepositional phrase, the is a determiner patterning with market and commodities is a
noun adjunct patterning with market.
9. the soft sound of waves on the shore
Of waves on the shore is a prepositional phrase that contains a prepositional phrase (on
the shore, which patterns with waves). The master phrase patterns with the noun
headword sound and explains what kinds of sounds are referred to. The is a determiner
patterning with sound; soft is an adjective patterning with sound.
10. a wad of cotton
The prepositional phrase of cotton patterns with the noun headword wad and explains
what kind of wad is referred to. A is a determiner patterning with wad.
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11. a quart of light beer
The prepositional phrase of light beer patterns with the noun headword quart to explain
what kind of quart is referred to. A is a determiner patterning with quart. Within the
prepositional phrase, light is an adjective patterning with beer.
12. a new battery in the radio
Battery is the headword. A is a determiner patterning with battery; new is an adjective
patterning with it. In the radio is a prepositional phrase also patterning with the noun
headword battery.
13. the carpets of the sitting room
Carpets is the noun headword, with the as a determiner and of the sitting room as a
prepositional phrase patterning with carpets. Sitting is a participle functioning as an
adjective with room.
14. an electrified fence outside the electrified fence around the perimeter
Outside the electrified fence around the perimeter is a prepositional phrase patterning
with fence. Around the perimeter is a prepositional phrase within the prepositional
phrase; it patterns with fence. An and the function as determiners. Electrified is a
participle functioning as an adjective in both prepositional phrases.
15. the light over the shaving mirror
Over the shaving mirror is a prepositional phrase patterning with light. The is a
determiner in both instances of its use. Shaving is a participle functioning as an adjective.
FOR WRITING, page 36
Students’ responses will vary. Although the advice to create the prepositional phrase
seems contrary, it is useful. Students will have fewer errors if they write the prepositional
phrase first and then attach it to a headword.
FOR WRITING, page 36
1. delta is the headword. A small stream is a prepositional phrase. The is a
determiner.
2. automobile is the headword. A is a determiner; demolished is a participle
functioning as an adjective.
3. change is the headword. The is a determiner; rate is a noun adjunct.
4. bear is the headword. The is a determiner; small is an adjective; sleeping is a
participle functioning as an adjective; female is a noun adjunct.
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5. leaves is the headword. Some is a determiner, yellow is an adjective, curling is a
participle functioning as an adjective, sycamore is a noun adjunct.
6. chords is the headword. Too is an intensifier patterning with the adjective many.
Boring is a participle functioning as an adjective.
7. Henry James is the headword. The is a determiner, and famous is an adjective.
8. embarrassment is the headword. Literary is an adjective.
9. mustache is the headword. A is a determiner, bad is an adjective, and with
sprinkles of gray hair is a prepositional phrase; all pattern with the headword
mustache.
10. towns is the headword. Four is a determiner, and in Kosovo is a prepositional
phrase.
FOR WRITING, page 37
Students’ responses will vary.
FOR WRITING, page 37
Students’ responses will vary.
FOR DISCUSSION, page 37
This observation makes Mr. Krech laugh now, a soft quick chuckle that wells
up from his broad chest. He is a tall man with a slightly forward-leaning stance
and sharp eyes that seem to spot every bird on the horizon, most of which he
can identify. One can easily imagine him a formidable hunter, even in the deep
snows of a forest that was alien to him.
The clusters are these:
1. this observation
This is a determiner; observation is the noun headword.
2. a soft quick chuckle that wells up from his broad chest
Chuckle is the noun headword. A is a determiner; soft and quick are adjectives; that wells
up from his broad chest is a clause that patterns with chuckle (students may not know that
this structure is called a clause; you might want to use this occasion as a way of
introducing that such structures exist).
3. his broad chest
His is a determiner; broad is an adjective, chest is the noun headword.
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4. a tall man with a slightly forward-leaning stance and sharp eyes that seem to
spot every bird on the horizon, most of which he can identify
Man is the noun headword. A is a determiner, and tall is an adjective. Everything
following with is a prepositional phrase patterning with man. The prepositional phrase
includes a clause. See 5, 6, and 7, for more detail.
5. a slightly forward-leaning stance
Stance is the headword. A is a determiner; forward-leaning is a compound adjective
constructed from a participle; slightly is an intensifier patterning with forward-leaning.
6. sharp eyes that seem to spot every bird on the horizon, most of which he can
identify
Eyes is the headword, and sharp is an adjective patterning with it. That seem to spot every
bird on the horizon, most of which he can identify is a clause patterning with bird.
7. every bird on the horizon, most of which he can identify
Bird is the noun headword. Every is a determiner, and on the horizon is a prepositional
phrase. Most of which he can identify is an adjective clause patterning with bird. The
word order has been altered from he can identify most of which, the typical word order.
8. the horizon
The is a determiner, and horizon the noun headword.
