Complex noun phrases and complex prepositions

Do exercises and extend

Author

Affiliation

Hung

Cambridge Advance Grammar in Use

1 Complex noun phrases

Long, complex noun phrases are typical of academic writing, allowing a lot of information to be included within one sentence element. They can make up ¹ substantial parts of academic texts as subjects, objects, and complements. The complex noun phrases in this extract are in italics with the main noun in each phrase in bold.

🔍 “make up” (phrasal verb)
Means:
- form
- constitute
- compose

📘 Example meaning:
> Complex noun phrases make up (= form) large parts of academic writing.

The changes in map data collection and representation that have arisen with the introduction of computers and digital techniques are remarkable. Information that used to be collected manually from surveys and ground observations can now be collected almost instantaneously by orbiting satellites that send data to Earth at the speed of light. Maps that were once hand-drawn can now be produced on a computer and printed out in a relatively short amount of time.

Note the word order in complex noun phrases -

• The most common elements before the main noun in a complex noun phrase are: determiners (e.g. a, the), and adjectives (e.g. orbiting)
• The most common elements after the main noun are: relative clauses (e.g.: that were once hand-drawn), and adjectives (e.g. orbiting)
• After the main noun in particular, elements are often embedded within others. For example, the relative clause that have arisen with the introduction of computers includes the prepositional phrase with the introduction of computers which in turn includes the prepositional phrase of computers.

In academic writing we tend to use nouns to talk about actions and processes (more typically associated with verbs), and qualities (more typically associated with adjectives). This use of a noun to convey a meaning usually expressed with a word from another class is referred to as nominalization, and this process often results in a complex noun phrase. Compare the noun phrases in these two texts:

1. Organizations have reported that the number of people volunteering has decreased rapidly in recent years. At the same time, more opportunities to volunteer have become available.

2. An extremely rapid decrease in volunteering has been reported in recent years. At the same time, the availability of opportunities to volunteer has increased.

Where (i) uses a verb (has decreased) and adjective (available), (ii), more typical of academic writing, uses nouns (decrease, availability).

2 Complex prepositions

Complex prepositions comprise two, three or four words. Some of these occur more frequently in academic writing than in general use. For example:

• As for the future, demand for electricity is expected to grow at a rate of 5% per annum. (= regarding)
• The final chapter considers inequalities in health with reference to race and gender. (= what it is about)
• Monthly average temperatures were higher than average with the exception of June. (= not including)

Also: as a result of, as distinct from, as opposed to, depending on, in comparison with, in line with, in the case of, irrespective of, on the part of, prior to, regardless of

Note that four-word prepositions usually end in of and include an article.

Complex prepositions often occur as part of complex noun phrases:

• This essay has discussed class identity with reference to gender differences.
• The study found a less positive attitude in the case of customers exposed to advertising and marketing communications.

3 Exercises

3.1 Build more complex noun phrases by adding the information in brackets to the noun phrase(s) in appropriate positions in each sentence. The main nouns in each complex noun phrase are in bold.

1. The/ decrease in price for the country’s / exports began in mid 2015. (the decrease was considerable) (the decrease was in mineral exports)

-> The considerable decrease in price for the country’s mineral exports began in mid 2015.

2. A study published in 2007 predicted a peak in the population of 9.2 billion.

(the study predicted a global peak) (The peak will be reached in 2050).

-> A study published in 2007 predicted a global peak in the population of 9.2 billion in 2050.

OR

A study published in 2007 predicted a peak in the global population in 2050 of 9.2 billion.

3. One influence that affects the character of a society is the process of communication.

(the influence is particularly important) (the influence is cultural) (the influence also affects the speed of change of a society.)

-> One particularly important cultural influence that affects the character of a society is the speed process of communication. NO

Right -> One particularly important cultural influence that affects the character and speed of change of a society is the process of communication.

4. A factor in the rise of today’s free market economy was the growth of trade in Asia in the 16th century.

(the factor was key) (today’s free market economy is globalized) (the trade was in commodities)

-> A key factor in the rise of today’s globalized free market economy was the growth of trade in commodities in Asia in the 16th century.

5. The government’s policies after World War II were influenced by the ideas of John Maynard Keynes.

(this refers to the British goverment) (the policies related to economics) (John Maynard Keynes was an economist) (Keynes lived from 1883 to 1946)

-> The British government’s economic policies after World War II were influenced by the ideas of an economist who lived from 1883 to 1946 John Maynard. NOT

Right -> The British government’s economic policies immediately after World War II were influenced by the ideas of the economist John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946) / who lived from 1883 to 1946.

3.2 Reword the italicized part of the sentence using a noun phrase with a noun + preposition. The noun should be related to the verb or adjective in bold.

1. Harris (2012) points out how important public transport is in economic development.

   -> Harris (2012) points out the importance of public transport in economic development.

2. Measuring how similar two documents are is an important process in automatically marking essays.

   -> Measuring the similarity between/of two documents is an important process in automatically marking essays.

3. Recent investment from overseas has resulted in 200,000 jobs being created.

   -> Recent investment from overseas has resulted in the creation of 200,000 jobs.

4. Expansion of tourism in the region was used to justify building the new airport.

   -> Expansion of tourism in the region was used as a justification for building the new airport.

5. The study found that the reading habits of 6 year old girls and boys were greatly different.

   -> The study found a great difference of in/between the reading habits of 6 year old girls and boys.

3.3 Complete the sentences with a complex preposition from (i) and a word phrase from (ii)

(i)	(ii)
as opposed to, on the part of, prior to, regardless, in the case of	ability, human error, marketing, plants, reader

1. In the case of plants, endangered species can be put into seed banks.
2. It is unreasonable to expect that all side-effects of a drug are identified prior to marketing.
3. Musical activities are encouraged among all children at school regardless ability.
4. The book assumes considerable prior knowledge of biology on the part of reader.
5. The mistakes were the result of software faults as opposed to human error.
6. Many people had already left the region as a result of several years of drought.
7. According to Chirstie (2006), three main approaches to the teaching of reading can be identified.
8. The idea of “the humanities”, as distinct from/ as opposed to the sciences, grew up in the 19th centuty.
9. These results are in line with to those reported in Slobin (2008) and Hilleras (2019).
10. 82% of the respondents lived in their own property. As for / in case of the rest, 12% lived in a rented property and 6% lived with a relative.

in sentence 9, we do not use “are depending on”

❌ Incorrect tense and verb choice

✅ Should be: “depend on” or “are based on” if you mean origin

❌ But in your sentence, you’re not comparing cause — you’re comparing difference, so this phrase isn’t needed at all.

Footnotes

1. 🔍 “make up” means to form, constitute, or compose.
   Used in: They can make up substantial parts of academic texts → They form a large part of…