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Difficulty: MediumNouns and Noun Phrases

Pair each bracketed noun phrase in the provided sentences with its corresponding grammatical function.

  • Dr. Bakare, [a renowned professor of linguistics], delivered the keynote address at the international conference.Appositive (Noun Phrase in Apposition)
  • The unexpected cancellation of the annual summit remained [a major disappointment to the delegates].Subject Complement
  • The lead investigator handed [the newly appointed magistrate] the missing case files.Indirect Object
  • The governing council unanimously declared Mrs. Lawson [the chief executive officer of the institution].Object Complement

Answer

1. 'a renowned professor of linguistics' matches Appositive; 2. 'a major disappointment to the delegates' matches Subject Complement; 3. 'the newly appointed magistrate' matches Indirect Object; 4. 'the chief executive officer of the institution' matches Object Complement.
Each noun phrase performs a distinct syntactic role defined by its relationship to the main verb and surrounding clause elements: renaming a subject (Appositive), complementing a linking verb (Subject Complement), receiving a direct object (Indirect Object), or completing the identity of a direct object (Object Complement).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze sentence 1 for noun phrase relation to the subject
'a renowned professor of linguistics' is placed beside 'Dr. Bakare' to rename it.
Noun phrases that immediately follow another noun to rename or clarify it perform an appositive function.
2
Analyze sentence 2 for verb type and subject relationship
'remained' acts as a linking verb linking the subject to 'a major disappointment to the delegates'.
Noun phrases following linking verbs that describe or re-identify the subject function as subject complements.
3
Analyze sentence 3 for verbal arguments
'handed' takes two objects: recipient ('the newly appointed magistrate') and thing handed ('the missing case files').
The noun phrase indicating the recipient of the action verb is the indirect object.
4
Analyze sentence 4 for post-object relationship
'the chief executive officer of the institution' defines the role given to the direct object ('Mrs. Lawson').
A noun phrase that defines or renames the direct object after verbs of appointing/declaring is an object complement.

Key Concept

Syntactic Functions of Noun Phrases
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Nouns and Noun Phrases

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