Building rich noun phrases, and making sure every pronoun clearly points to one noun. · about 15 minutes
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What is it? A noun phrase is a noun together with the words that describe it: the tall girl with the red bag. The main noun (girl) is the head; the other words are modifiers. A pronoun replaces a noun phrase, and it must clearly point back to it - its antecedent.
Why does it matter? Rich noun phrases make writing precise and vivid. Clear pronoun reference stops readers from asking "who is *he*?".
Where do we use it? Descriptions in stories, science reports ("the largest planet in the solar system"), and any writing where you refer back to someone or something.
In this lesson you will:
