Hamed Hashemian IELTS instructor FCE and CAE instructor

1. Noun phrases
A. Noun + noun can be used:
1. in a large number of commonly accepted compound nouns. The two nouns together
describe a single idea.
Some compound nouns are usually written as two words:
a post office a hand towel a mouse mat
Others are written as one word:
a postman a handbag a mousetrap
2. for containers.
a tea cup a water bottle an ice bucket
3. for things that occur or appear regularly.
the evening flight the January sales the weekend edition
Hamed Hashemian(Noun phrases)

2. B. Noun + of + noun can be used:
1. Where no commonly accepted compound noun exists.
the time of the year a lack of money the sound of laughter
2. With words like top, bottom, side, edge, back, front, beginning, middle, and end to
indicate a part of something.
the bottom of the stairs the front of the book the back of an envelope
Sometimes other types of noun phrases are also possible with these words:
the water’s edge the mountainside the sea bottom
3. For containers and their contents.
a cup of tea a box of tissue a bucket of water
Hamed Hashemian(Noun phrases)

3. C. Noun + ‘s/s’ + noun can be used:
1. when talking about possession by a person or animal.
Lara’s pen the woman’s house my dog’s basket
2. for things that occur or appear at specific time.
last night’s match Tuesday’s storm next week’s edition
3. to show duration.
An hour’s delay two weeks’ holiday five minutes’ rest
Hamed Hashemian(Noun phrases)