Lesson focus

Dense noun phrases, post-modification, appositive structures, noun complements and controlled information packaging

Advanced aim: Build dense but readable noun phrases by controlling heads, modifiers, complements and apposition.

Postmodifying prepositional phrase

Use a prepositional phrase after a noun to specify its scope or relationship.

• Example: The review of procurement procedures identified several weaknesses.
• In another context: The independent assessment of procurement procedures identified several weaknesses.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.

Noun + that-clause

Abstract nouns such as fact, possibility and assumption can be followed by that-clauses.

• Example: The possibility that demand may fall further cannot be ignored.
• In another context: Follow-up case: The possibility that demand may fall further cannot be ignored.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.

Noun + to-infinitive

Many nouns can be followed by a to-infinitive expressing purpose, plan, attempt or obligation.

• Example: Their decision to withdraw surprised the rest of the consortium.
• In another context: Alternative case study: Their decision to withdraw surprised the rest of the consortium.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.

Apposition

An appositive noun phrase renames or identifies another noun phrase, often between commas.

• Example: Dr Patel, the lead investigator, will present the findings tomorrow.
• In another context: Dr Patel, the lead investigator, will present the survey conclusions tomorrow.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.

Participle postmodifier

Participle phrases can postmodify nouns to compress relative-clause information.

• Example: The concerns raised during the consultation remain unresolved.
• In another context: Separate scenario: The concerns raised during the consultation remain unresolved.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.

Compound modifier

Multiword modifiers before nouns are often hyphenated when this improves clarity.

• Example: The company announced a five-year investment programme.
• In another context: The manufacturer announced a five-year investment programme.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.

Noun modifier singular

Nouns used attributively are normally singular, even when the meaning is plural.

• Example: The department introduced a customer complaints procedure.
• In another context: Alternative case study: The department introduced a customer complaints procedure.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.

Layered modification

Complex noun phrases can combine premodifiers and postmodifiers, but the head noun must remain clear.

• Example: The newly appointed regional operations director will oversee the transition.
• In another context: Regional example: The newly appointed regional operations director will oversee the transition.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.

Of-phrase clarification

Use of-phrases to clarify relationships that would be ambiguous in long noun-noun strings.

• Example: The evaluation of the programme's long-term impact will take several months.
• In another context: The evaluation of the training scheme's long-term impact will take several months.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.

Appositive that-clause

Some nouns can be followed by a that-clause in apposition explaining their content.

• Example: We rejected the assumption that demand would recover automatically.
• In another context: Follow-up case: We rejected the assumption that demand would recover automatically.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.