NOUN PHRASES

1. Structure
NOUN PHRASE

Determiner(s) Pre-modifier(s) Noun head Post-modifier(s)

1.1 Noun head: A noun as word head in a noun phrase

1.2 Determiners: An article, ordinal number, cardinal number as a determiner in a noun phrase
1.3 Premodifiers
1.3.1 Adjective(s) / Participle (–ING and –ED form of verb)
1.3.2 Noun(s)
1.3.3 Adverb + Adjective
1.4 Postmodifiers
1.4.1 Prepositional phrase
1.4.2 Relative clause / Adjective clause (Full or Reduced)
1.4.3 Infinitive / Relative infinitive clause
2. Functions
2.1 Subject
2.2 Object
COMPOUND NOUNS
The language of engineering in English contains an ever-increasing number of compound nouns, that is, a
group of two or more nouns which act as a single noun.
Examples:
circuit breaker address bus bar code scanner control system
It is important to be able to recognize how such compounds are formed in order to understand what they
mean.
The exact relationship between the words depends on the particular expression, but all these expressions
have one thing in common: the last word in the chain says what the thing is, while the preceding word or
group of words describe the thing. So when we read compound nouns, we have to start with the last word
and work backwards.
Example:
A circuit breaker is (a device) used to break a circuit.
A large number of possible meanings can be expressed by compound nouns. For instance, the first noun
or group of nouns can tell us what the second noun is made of, what it is for, or what it is part of.
1. Material: the first noun tells us what the second consists of.
Examples:
- a silicon chip (a chip made of silicon)
- a ferrite switch (a switch made of ferrite)
2. Function: the first noun tells us what the second is for.
Examples:
- an input device (a device for inputting)
- a battery charger (a device for charging battery)
3. Part: the second noun refers to a part of the first noun.
Examples:
- a monitor screen (the screen of a monitor)
- a computer keyboard (the keyboard of a computer)
4. Activity or person: the second noun refers to an activity or person related to the first noun.
Examples:
- a computer programmer (a person who programs computers)
- grid emission (the emission - of electron or ion - from a grid - of an electron tube)
5. Multiple nouns: sometimes a compound noun will join together with one or more other nouns to give
an expression that has three or four words. In such cases, it is important to examine the expression
very carefully to break it into its constituent parts. The secret, as always, is to read the expression
from the back towards the front.
Example:

4 3 2 1

A document image processing program (a program which processes images of

documents)
NOTES:

1. Some expressions are written separately, while others are joined by hyphens. There are no clear
rules for this. Sometimes you will see the same expression written in different ways in different text.

2. It is helpful to use a noun phrase to paraphrase an expression of verb. Look at the example.

Transistorized mechatronic circuits have replaced electromechanical devices in controlling

appliances and machinery. It is often easier and cheaper to use a standard microcontroller and write
a computer program to carry out a control function than to design an equivalent mechanical system to
control that same function.

EXERCISE 1 Make short simple explanations of the following items

1. germanium diode 6. temperature sensor

2. frequency band 7. document sorter
3. circuit board 8. fuse carrier
4. pressure regulator 9. rectifying circuit
5. power switch 10. voltage transformer
EXERCISE 2 Give names to:
1. a program which processes data
2. a unit that holds magnetic disks
3. the information about the configuration of a network
4. a system which transmits (signals), or a system of transmission, using fibre optics
5. the rate of transmission of data, or the rate of transmitting data
6. a circuit, or a device which converts analog signals to digital signals

EXERCISE 3 Identify compound nouns / noun phrases in the following sentences.

1. The clipboard pattern recognition software immediately identifies the letters and numbers written by
the stylus.

2. Semiconductor devices include the various types of transistor, solar cells, many kinds of diodes
including the light-emitting diode, the silicon controlled rectifier, and digital and analog integrated
circuits.

3. In a metallic conductor, current is carried by the flow of electrons. In semiconductors, current can be
carried either by the flow of electrons or by the flow of positively-charged "holes" in the electron
structure of the material.

4. For residential applications, where an asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) service is installed,
the issue is not so significant because the baseboard is reserved for the plain old telephone service
line.

5. When the digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM) detects that the CPE side is not
responsive it will report an alarm to a software monitor that will send the proper command to the LMS
to switch over the equipment to a POTS service.

6. At a time of increased automation in a traditionally conservative industry and as the traditional roles of
both building societies and banks become blurred, Prestel launched the most ambitious home banking
scheme in the world – Homelink.

7. Prestel meant the supply of fast, updated information for travel agency users but with the introduction
of "Skytrack", Prestel's airline reservation service, there is a move towards interaction. Linking up the
Prestel customer through a series of computer systems to US-based airline computers may seem
technically advanced - and it is. But for the end-customer the interactive benefits of Prestel are that
simplicity and user-friendliness are the two keystones of commercial success.

8. Prior to the development of nuclear power plants, all the significant contributions to be the mechanical
energy used by man had the sun as their source.

9. This is about one-to-six all optical wavelength multicasting of a short-pulse width RZ-DPSK signal
using multi-pumping four-wave mixing in fiber.
10. CMOS is also sometimes referred to as complementary-symmetry metal–oxide–
semiconductor (or COS-MOS). The words "complementary-symmetry" refer to the fact that the typical
design style with CMOS uses complementary and symmetrical pairs of p-type and n-type metal oxide
semiconductor field effect transistors(MOSFETs) for logic functions.

11. Since there is a finite rise/fall time for both pMOS and nMOS, during transition, for example, from off to
on, both the transistors will be on for a small period of time in which current will find a path directly
from VDD to ground, hence creating a short-circuit current. Short-circuit power dissipation increases
with rise and fall time of the transistors.

12. Image Diagnostics, Inc. is a highly regarded manufacturer of specialized equipment products and
accessories for the medical imaging community. The company’s focus is on mechanical and
electromechanical solutions for fluoroscopic and digital radiographic imaging applications.

13. When space is restricted or the environment too hostile even for remote sensors, fiber optics may be
used. Fiber optics are passive mechanical sensing components. They may be used with either remote
or self-contained sensors. They have no electrical circuitry and no moving parts, and can safely pipe
light into and out of hostile environments.

14. Some photo eyes have two different operational types, light operate and dark operate. Light operate
photo eyes become operational when the receiver "receives" the transmitter signal. Dark operate
photo eyes become operational when the receiver "does not receive" the transmitter signal.

15. Most kinds of integrated circuit packaging are made by placing the silicon chip on a lead frame, wire
bonding the chip to the metal leads of that lead frame, and covering the chip with plastic. The metal
leads protruding from the plastic are then either "cut long" and bent to form through-hole pins, or "cut
short" and bent to form surface-mount leads. Such lead frames are used for surface mount packages
with leads—such as small-outline integrated circuit (SOIC), Quad Flat Package (QFP), etc. -- and for
through-hole packages such as dual in-line package (DIP) etc. -- and even for so-called "leadless"or
"no-lead" packages - such as quad-flat no-leads package (QFN), etc.
 RELATIVE CLAUSES
Study these sentences:
1. Starter motor brushes are made of carbon.
2. The carbon contains copper.
Both these sentences refer to carbon. We can link them by making sentence 2 a relative clause.
1+2 Starter motor brushes are made of carbon WHICH CONTAINS COPPER.
The relative clause is in capital. Note that THE CARBON in sentence 2 becomes WHICH.
Study these other pairs of sentences and note how they are linked:
3. Consumers are supplied at higher voltages than domestic consumers.
4. These consumers use large quantities of energy.
3+4 Consumers WHO USE LARGE QUANTITIES OF ENERGY are supplied at higher voltages
than domestic consumers.
5. 33 kV lines are fed to intermediate substations.
6. In the intermediate substations the voltage is stepped down to 11 kV.
5+6 33 kV lines are fed to intermediate substations WHERE THE VOLTAGE IS STEPPED
DOWN TO 11 kV.

EXERCISE 1 Link these sentences. Make the second sentence in each pair a relative clause.

1. The coil is connected in series with a resistor.

The resistor has a value of 240 ohms.

2. The supply is fed to a distribution substation.

The supply is reduced to 415 V in the distribution substation.

3. Workers require a high degree of illumination.

The workers assemble very small precision instruments.

4. Manganin is a metal.
This metal has a comparatively high resistance.

5. The signal passes to the detector.

The signal is rectified by the detector

6. A milliammeter is an instrument.
The instrument is used for measuring small currents.

7. Workers require illumination of 300 lux.

The workers assemble heavy machinery.

8. Armoured cables are used in places.

There is a risk of mechanical damage in these places.
 REDUCED RELATIVE CLAUSES
EXERCISE 2 Identify relative clauses (full and reduced) in the following passages.

1. A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and power. It
is composed of a semiconductor material with at least three terminals for connection to an external
circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor's terminals changes the current
flowing through another pair of terminals.

2. The Zener Diodes are specially designed to have a low pre-determined Reverse Breakdown
Voltage that takes advantage of this high reverse voltage. The point at which a Zener diode breaks
down or conducts is called the Zener Voltage (Vz).

3. The detecting range of a photoelectric sensor is its "field of view", or the maximum distance from
which the sensor can retrieve information, minus the minimum distance. A minimum detectable
object is the smallest object the sensor can detect. More accurate sensors can often have
minimum detectable objects of minuscule size.

4. Remote photoelectric sensors used for remote sensing contain only the optical components of a
sensor. The circuitry for power input, amplification, and output switching are located elsewhere,
typically in a control panel. This allows the sensor, itself, to be very small. Also, the controls for the
sensor are more accessible, since they may be bigger.
5. Mines needed large pumps never before seen to keep their drafts dry.
6. Iron and steel mills required pressures and temperatures beyond levels used commercially until
then.
7. Digital circuits and microprocessors are embedded in electromechanical devices, creating much
more flexibility and control possibilities in system design.
8. Mechatronics is one of the new and exciting fields on the engineering landscape, subsuming parts
of traditional engineering fields and requiring a broader approach to the design of systems.
9. The function relies on the systematic integration of mechanical, electrical, and electronic
components connected by a control architecture.

10. Several kinds of lead wires. A lead wire is a metal wire connected from the electric pole of an
electronics part or an electronic component. The lead wire is a coated copper wire, a tinned
copper wire or another electrically conductive wire used to connect two locations electrically.
11. In electronics, a lead is an electrical connection consisting of a length of wire or metal pad (SMD)
that comes from a device. Leads are used for physical support, to transfer power, to probe circuits,
to transmit information, and sometimes as a heatsink. The tiny leads coming off through-
hole components are also often called pins.
12. Many electrical components such as capacitors, resistors, and inductors have only two leads
where some integrated circuits (ICs) can have several hundred leads to more than a thousand for
the largest BGA devices. IC pins often either bend under the package body like a letter "J" (J-
lead) or come out, down, and form a flat foot for securing to the board (S-lead or gull-lead).
13. Through-hole technology (tht), also spelled "thru-hole", refers to the mounting scheme used for
electronic components that involves the use of leads on the components that are inserted
into holes drilled in printed circuit boards (PCB) and soldered to pads on the opposite side either
by manual assembly (hand placement) or by the use of automated insertion mount machines.
14. An embedded system is a programmed controlled and operating system 'RTOS' (real time
operating system) with a dedicated function within a larger mechanical or electrical system, often
with real-time computing constraints. It is embedded as part of a complete device often including
hardware and mechanical parts.
15. With a surge in demand for electricity to power industries and households across the world, many
new sources of power generation have emerged in the past few decades. While coal still continues
to be a major source of electric generation, solar, wind and other renewable energy sources have
emerged as major alternatives to produce power in recent years. With growing energy needs,
environmental concerns and depleting fossil fuel based energy sources, scientists are looking for
alternative sources of energy.
16. Nuclear Power Plant: Using a nuclear fission reaction and uranium as fuel, nuclear power plants generate
high amount of electricity. As nuclear power plants emit low greenhouse gas emissions, the energy is
considered as environmentally friendly. When compared to renewable sources of energy such as solar and
wind, the power generation from nuclear power plants is considered to be more reliable. Though the
investments required to set up nuclear power plants are huge, the costs involved in operating them are low.
Besides, nuclear energy sources have higher density than fossil fuels and release massive amounts of
energy. Due to this, nuclear power plants require low quantities of fuel but produce enormous amounts of
power.
 FURTHER PRACTICE

EXERCISE 1
Read the following passage then answer the questions.
ANALOGUE AND DIGITAL NETWORKS

Digital technology in the telephone network is nothing new. Take all the relays in older

exchanges as an example. Relays are either "off" or "on", and there is no state in between these.

Suitable combinations of relays could build up and "remember" numbers - perhaps a far-fetched

example, but in digital, so it will serve!

What is new is the transfer of speech digitally. In other words, the sound we make when

we speak is converted to digits and sent out on to the network. In order for the person called to

understand what we are saying, these numbers must be converted back to audible sound again.

The audibility of speech transmitted in analogue form over long distances can be very bad.

Due to, for instance, noise it may be difficult to understand or recognize what the other person is

saying. But with a number, things are different. It would need very bad handwriting indeed to

distort a "one" beyond recognition! So even if the one is distorted when it arrives, it can still be

interpreted and recreated to give undistorted sound in the receiver.

In analogue lines, the sound is amplified at regular intervals. The corresponding stage in

digital lines is regeneration, i.e. the distorted number is interpreted and recreated. Herein lies an

important difference between the characteristics of the two methods of transmission. In the

analogue system the noise is also amplified. Every amplifying stage along the line leads to an

accumulation of noise. In the digital system, the information is created anew at every regeneration

stage, and can be sent on unaffected by the noise.

A. Write True (T) or False (F) for each sentence. If false, say what is true.

.....1. The telephone network has used digital technology for a long time.

.....2. It has been possible to transfer speech digitally for a long time.

.....3. Speech cannot be converted into digits.

.....4. Speech transmitted in analogue form is never very clear.

.....5. Sometimes noise on the line makes it impossible to hear what a person is saying on the phone.

.....6. Digital transmission is never affected by noise.

.....7. Even if affected by noise, digits can still be interpreted easily.

.....8. Only the sound of speech, not noise, is amplified in analogue lines. .

.....9. Digital signals are also amplified at regular intervals.

.....10. Digital transmission is superior to analogue.

B. Now complete these sentences with a word starting with prefix RE-.

Note: RE means again or back.

Example: recreate means to create again; regenerate means to generate again.

1. It is not difficult to ........................... digital signals.

2. We can ........................... the signals at regular intervals in digital lines.

3. The telephone receiver can ............................ an electrical signal to audible sound.

4. Every year I ........................ the furniture in my room.

5. I failed the test, so now my teachers will .......................... me.

C. Find the opposites of these words.

distorted ........................ important .......................

affected ......................... suitable ..........................

audible ......................... possible ........................

Now complete the sentences with a word starting with UN-, IN- or IM-.

1. The sound is ......................... by noise in digital lines.

2. Optical fibre systems are ........................ where there is not much traffic.

3. Transmission by optical fibre cables is ..................... by bad weather.

4. Sometimes it is ..................... to understand what a person is saying.

5. It's an ..................... day today. I lost my money.

6. You must speak louder - your voice is .........................

7. Don't worry about your clothes - it's.......................... what you look like.

8. I wish I could find an ........................ present for my husband.

D. Look through the reading passage again and find the nouns which go with these verbs.

Example: to arrive (verb) -> the arrival (noun),

inform.............................. interpret.................................. communicate ....................
distort.............................. recreate................................... regenerate.....................
transmit........................ .. amplify................................... combine.................................
recognise....................... accumulate............................

E. Find out noun phrases in the text above and analyze their constituents.
 EXERCISE 2
Complete the sentences, using the suitable form of the suggested words.

1. ............................in the telecommunications networks of today is, more

and more, digital in nature, and the transmission medium of choice is fiber. transmit

2. “Digital”, however, does no more than imply a string of 1s and 0s

................................ through the network. race

3. But how are these 1s and 0s to be............................? arrange

4. At what speed ........................... they to travel? be

5. What route should they..............................? take

6. Answers to questions such as these have taken many forms and have
made for the most ................. aspect of the telecommunications business. complicate

7. There has never been a ……….... of coding schemes in the industry. scare

8. Starting with Morse code, going to the Baudot code, then the ASCII
code, we have seen each providing for ………………transmission and higher
quality. good

9. These names of plants should be arranged ……………………… . system

10. It is a ……………………….high price. surprise

EXERCISE 3
Fill in the blanks with suitable noun form of the given words.
EXAMPLES OF EXTERNAL NATURAL / MANMADE FORCES
 Natural Environmental Forces
 Temperature:
Due to freezing: - Increased ground ..........................(1. resist)
- Loose poles
- Compressive collapse of cable inside duct
Due to changing temperature:
- Cracks, ..............................(2. expand)/ contraction
 Wind (mist, etc.): - Collapse, vibration cracks, ....................(3. disconnect), corrosion
 Rain, water (ground seapage, etc.): - Flooding, corrosion
 Snow: - Disconnection and ................................(4. destroy) by accumulated snow
- Insufficient ....................................(5. high) for cable due to fallen snow
- Corrosion, insulation ..............................(6. fail)
 Humidity: - Cable sheath damage, corrosion of cable conductor
 Sand storms: - Destruction
 Earthquake: - Disconnection, collapse due to land subsidence
  Geology/ geography:
+ Sun light: - ...................................(7. discolor), ..............................(8. deteriorate)
+ Mice, birds, bugs...: - ..................................(9. damage)
 Manmade Environmental Forces
 Electric power line: - .................................(10. induct)
 DC railway: - Electrical corrosion
 AC railway: - Induction
 Distribution line: - Induction
 Smoke from plants, etc. : - Corrosion
 Cars (vibration, smoke): - Cracks, breaks, corrosion
 General work: - Cuts, destruction

APPENDIX - NOUN PHRASE

1. Structure
The head of a noun phrase may be introduced by one or more determiners, and it may be modified by
one or more premodifiers and by one or more postmodifiers.
These are four constituents of a noun phrase.
NOUN PHRASE

Determiner(s) Premodifier(s) Noun head Postmodifier(s)

Predeterminer(s) Central determoiner(s) Postdeterminer(s)

e.g. One of the leading companies to produce mobile phones
A noun phrase may be co-ordinated syndetically or asyndetically. The co-ordinators of a noun
phrase may be and, but, or, of…
e.g. flower and vegetable business; information from him or her; word-of-mouth advertising
1.1 Noun head: A noun phrase has as its noun head a noun (e.g. students), a pronoun (e.g. ours), a
nominal adjective (e.g. the disabled), or a numeral (e.g. one; the first)
1.2 Determiners: Determiners come at the beginning of a noun phrase (e.g. these students). They
may consist of three subsets in a sequence (but only one or two of these may be present)
1.3 Premodifiers: Adjectives are typical premodifiers of nouns, but other word classes are also used
in this function
1.3.1 Adjective or adjective phrase (e.g. life-long learners)
1.3.2 Noun or noun phrase (e.g. one-parent families)
1.3.3 –ing participle (e.g. the coming years; a tiring schedule)
1.3.4 –ed participle (e.g. imported goods)
1.3.5 Genitive noun phrase (e.g. young children’s toys)
 1.3.6 Numeral (e.g. two secretaries)
1.3.7 Adverb (e.g. a nearby village)
1.3.8 Prepositional phrase (e.g. behind-the-scenes negotiations)
1.3.9 Clause (e.g. a do-it-yourself shop; keep-fit classes; pay-as-you-earn tax)
1.4 Postmodifiers: The common postmodifiers of nouns are prepositional phrase and relative
clauses. The types of postmodifiers are below
1.4.1 Prepositional phrase (e.g. the best view of the city; the secret behind his success)
1.4.2 Finite relative clause (e.g. A leader should be humble. He is someone who walks out in
front of his people but doesn’t get too far out in front, to where he can’t hear their
footsteps.)
1.4.3 Infinite relative clause (e.g. Ingvar Kamprad, who is the world’s 17th richest person, drives
an old Volve and buys his fruit and vegetable in the afternoons, when prices are often
cheaper.)
1.4.4 Relative –ing participle clause (e.g. He took over a company trading in silk)
1.4.5 Relative –ed participle clause (e.g. a car designed for the President)
1.4.6 Relative infinitive clause (e.g. the first man to walk on the Moon)
1.4.7 Appositive finite clause (e.g. It’s just you who have to leave.)
1.4.8 Appositive infinite clause (e.g. Bill Gate, who is the founder of Microsoft)
1.4.9 Appositive phrase (e.g. Bill Gate, the founder of Microsoft)
1.4.10 Adverb (e.g. They arrived the day before)
1.4.11 Adjective / Comparative (e.g. Let’s think of something more interesting)
1.4.12 Noun phrase (e.g. In his long speech this morning, he said…)
2. Functions The possible functions of noun phrases are listed below

2.3 Subject (e.g. Shares fall as interest rate rise)

2.4 Direct object (e.g. Sign your name here)
2.5 Indirect object (e.g. Offer him a job)
2.6 Subject complement (e.g. Faith is always a gift for your boss)
2.7 Object complement (e.g. We called this little talk a survey of consumption)
2.8 Complement of a preposition (e.g. This report is in French)
2.9 Premodifier of a noun or noun phrase (e.g. the credit side; the debit side; a multi-nation company)
2.10 Adverbial
2.10.1 In expressions of time (e.g. wait a long time; work long hours)
2.10.2 In expressions of location (e.g. He returned side-door; The flag goes up far side)
2.10.3 In expressions of direction (e.g. Come out this way)
2.10.4 In expressions of manner (e.g. Don’t design that way again)
2.10.5 In expressions of intensification (e.g. help me a great deal)
2.11 Premodifier of adjective (e.g. The train is fifteen minutes late; ten-foot tall)
2.12 Premodifier of preposition (e.g. five minutes before ten)
 2.13 Premodifier of adverb (e.g. go a long way further)
2.14 Postmodifier of noun (e.g. Many of the men his age died)
2.15 Postmodifier of adjective (e.g. He’s well-known the world)

PRACTICE
State whether the bold prepositional phrases in each sentence are used as adverbials or post-
modifiers to nouns.
1. The people in the gallery could not hear.
2. We are going to meet the new comers in the gallery.
3. He punched the man in the face.
4. He punched the man in the black.
5. The men fled from the police.
6. Everybody stared at the man from the police station.
7. The ripe apples from the biggest tree might hit the people on the head.
8. The spectators were sitting in the grandstand.
9. The spectators in the grandstand were singing.
10. I take my car to the garage in the village.
11. In the village there are several old cottages.
12. A house was destroyed near us.
13. The house next to ours was damaged.
14. Oranges in Spain are huge.