Aims of the study
- Giving a systematical presentation of premodification of noun phrases in English and Vietnamese
- Making a contrast between English and Vietnamese premodification of noun phrases and a part from that, find their similarities and differences
- Giving out some suggestions for teaching noun phrases to Vietnamese learners.
Scope of the study
A noun phrase is a vital and complex component of English grammar Due to the scope and constraints of a graduation thesis, this study focuses on key features of noun phrase premodification in both English and Vietnamese It provides a comparative analysis of how premodification functions in these two languages, highlighting commonalities and differences in their syntactic structures.
Methods of the study
With the aims above, in the course of writing paper, we have followed the procedure below:
- Describing theoretical premises of premodification of noun phrases
- Collecting and classifying materials, analyzing and synthesizing all information about premodification of noun phrases in English and Vietnamese
- Contrasting English premodification of noun phrases with those in
Design of the study
Except for the acknowledgement, the abstract, the table of contents as well as the references,appendix, this study consists of three parts.
The Introduction section of the graduation thesis provides essential background information, explaining the reasons for selecting the research topic It clearly outlines the study's main aims and objectives, as well as defining its scope Additionally, this part describes the research methods employed and the overall design of the study to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the project's framework.
Part B, titled "Development," comprises four chapters that explore various aspects of noun phrase premodification Chapter 1 discusses the theoretical background underlying noun phrase structures Chapter 2 examines premodification of noun phrases in both English and Vietnamese, highlighting linguistic differences and similarities Chapter 3 offers a contrastive analysis of noun phrase premodification in English and Vietnamese to deepen understanding of cross-linguistic variations Finally, Chapter 4 presents practical suggestions for teaching noun phrases to Vietnamese learners, aiming to improve their grasp of English noun phrase structures.
Part C entitled ‚Conclusion‛ expresses a brief overview on the achievements of the thesis and gives some suggestions for further studies
Theoretical Background
An overview on Contrastive analysis
Advances in technology and increased information exchange are shrinking global distances, driving a rising demand for foreign language learning, teaching, and interpretation services worldwide.
Contrastive Analysis (CA) involves comparing two or more languages, regardless of their linguistic relationship, to identify their differences and similarities This analytical approach is essential for effective language translation, as well as teaching and learning foreign languages By understanding the contrasts and commonalities between languages, CA enhances translation accuracy and language proficiency.
There are two main types of Contrastive Analysis (CA): language contrast and sign contrast Language contrast involves comparing one language to another to identify their unique features, with a specific language serving as the base and the other as the point of comparison The goal of this approach is to uncover the distinctive characteristics of each language Sign contrast, on the other hand, focuses on examining the internal relationships within languages, such as categories and structural systems, to better understand their linguistic complexities.
In practice, CA has its usages as follows:
- The ability of discovering a great number of structural features of contrasted languages
- The ability of discovering the new interesting language phenomena which can not be recognized if not compared
Especially, by comparing the languages, CA can point out some solutions to pedagogical problems as follows:
- Solving difficulties in all aspects of languages that the learners often encounter when they learn a foreign language
- Collecting and selecting materials for language teaching
- Establishing an appropriate order of materials for learning foreign languages
- Forming a system of effective methods for teaching and explaining the materials
- Editing a system of suitable exercises and textbooks on foreign languages.
Noun phrases in English
There are different definitions of noun phrases
As far as the noun phrase in English is concerned, it is defined by Quirk,R and other grammarians (1972:127) as follow:
‚The noun phrase is the element in the sentence which typically functions as subject, object and complement‛
Noun phrases are essential components of language used to refer to people, objects, concepts, processes, and various entities, as highlighted by grammarians like Jacobs (1995), who describes them as word groups that serve the purpose of referring to things people want to discuss This referencing function is crucial in communication, enabling speakers to specify and identify the entities involved in their conversations effectively.
According to Schmidt (1999), a noun phrase is composed of one or more words used as a subject, direct or indirect object, complement, or prepositional complement within a sentence Quirk and Greenbaum (1973) further explain that complex noun phrases consist of three main components: the head, premodification, and postmodification Understanding these elements is essential for analyzing sentence structure and enhancing linguistic clarity.
Noun phrases are studied from various perspectives, including their functions, roles, and components Despite differing viewpoints, all definitions agree on the essential features of noun phrases, focusing on their components and the relationships between these elements Understanding these core aspects is key to analyzing and using noun phrases effectively in English language and grammar.
E.g (a-c) are noun phrases a The pretty girl b The pretty girl in the corner c The pretty girl who is standing in the corner
1.2.2 Parts of the noun phrases
A noun phrase consists of three potential parts, with the head being the essential component that is always present, serving as the minimal requirement for a noun phrase Additionally, a noun phrase can include optional pre-modification before the head and postmodification after the head, both of which enhance its descriptive detail Understanding the structure of noun phrases is fundamental in English grammar and enhances clarity in writing.
- That old bus in the drive
- The headmaster of the school
- Each of the heavy glass doors of the building
- The new secretary in this office
- The very tall education consultant with the roving eye
- The pretty girl in the corner who become angry because you waved Premo Head Postmo to her when you entered
To describe noun phrases like those cited above, such as the subject of
‚is‛, first of all we need to distinguish three component parts: a The head
Like ‚girl‛, ‚bus‛ in the above examples, around which dictates concord and other kinds of congruence with the rest of the sentence outside the noun phrases
Thus - The new dictionary on the table …is But - The new dictionaries on the table… are Similarly:
- He frightened the boy in the corner
But not - He frightened the table in the corner b The premodification : comprises all the items placed before the head- notably adjectives and nouns, determiners
- Some pretty university girls c The postmodification consists of all the items placed after the head- notably prepositional phrases, non-finite clauses and relative clauses;
E.g - The girl in the corner (prepositional phrase)
- The girl standing in the corner (non-finite clause)
- The girl who stood in the corner (relative clause)
Modification in English can be classified as either restrictive or non-restrictive Restrictive modification identifies a noun as a member of a specific class, essential for its identification, whereas non-restrictive modification provides additional, non-essential information about the noun Non-restrictive modifiers are used when the head noun is already clearly identified or considered unique, offering extra details without restricting its reference.
E.g - Come and meet my beautiful girl friend
The modification ‚beautiful‛ must be non-restrictive unless we imagine that he is distinguishing her from another of his girl friends who is not beautiful
Or - Mary Smith, who is upstairs, wants to see you
The phrase "who is upstairs" functions as a non-restrictive clause because Mary Smith’s identity remains independent of her location, although her being upstairs provides useful information This distinction is important in grammar because non-restrictive modifications, like in these examples, add extra details without limiting the meaning of the sentence According to Quirk, R and other linguists (1973), understanding the difference between non-restrictive and restrictive modifications is crucial for clear and precise communication Recognizing whether a clause is restrictive or non-restrictive enhances proper sentence structure and improves overall clarity in writing.
Restrictive modification typically appears after the noun head, often using premodifiers like "silly" in "the silly boy got lost," which suggests a general characteristic rather than a specific identity These modifications are usually emphasized prosodically more than the main noun, highlighting their restrictive role In contrast, non-restrictive modifications tend to be unstressed when placed before the head and are often set apart by commas or separate tone units when appearing after the head, reflecting their parenthetic or additional information function.
Premodification of noun phrases in
Premodification of noun phrases in English
In English, a wide range of lexical and grammatical items of varying complexity can precede a noun to form a noun phrase Premodification refers to all the elements placed before the noun head, including predeterminers Predeterminers are a key component of premodification, adding specific emphasis or clarification to the noun phrase Understanding how predeterminers function within noun phrases is essential for mastering English syntax and enhancing clarity in communication.
All, both, and half are quantifiers that can only appear before articles or demonstratives However, because they function as quantifiers themselves, they cannot be used together with other quantitative determiners such as every, neither, some, any, no, and enough.
All, both, and half are used with of-constructions to specify parts of a whole, and these constructions are optional when used with nouns For example, you can say "all of the meat" or simply "all the meat," but when referring to personal pronouns, the of-construction becomes obligatory, as in "all of it." Similarly, "both of the students" and "both of them" are correct, with the of indicating a specific group, and "half of the time" or "half of it" are used to specify a portion of time or an object Incorporating these constructions correctly enhances clarity and adheres to proper grammar rules in English.
- Double, twice, three/ four…times
- One-third, two-fifths, etc b Determiners
- Possessive adjectives: my, our, their, etc
- Interrogative pronouns: which,who, that, etc
- Demonstrative pronouns: this, that, etc c Postdeterminers
- Cardinal numerals: Apart from one, which can co-occur only with singular count nouns, all cardinal numerals (two, three, etc) co-occur only with plural count nouns:
E.gs He has one sister and three brothers
The two blue cars belong to me
- Ordinal numerals: except first, co-occur only with count nouns All ordinals usually precede any cardinal numbers in the noun phrase:
E.g The first three planes were American
Quantifiers are categorized into closed-system groups, including "many," "(a) few," and "several," which are used exclusively with plural count nouns, as in "The few words he spoke were well chosen." Conversely, "much" and "(a) little" are limited to non-count nouns, exemplified by "There is little water left." These quantifiers are essential in English for expressing quantity accurately and are crucial for effective communication and SEO optimization in writing.
Recent weather conditions have been mostly unfavorable, with little good weather experienced lately When using words like "several," it's important to note that they are rarely preceded by a determiner, emphasizing the quantity Additionally, "few" and "little" often create a positive/negative contrast depending on whether an indefinite article is used—for example, "a few biscuits" indicates a small but positive quantity, while "few biscuits" suggests a scarcity or negative lack Understanding these nuances can improve clarity in English descriptions related to quantity and weather patterns.
He took a little butter (=some) little butter (=not much) d Adjective e Participle
E.g - She came to her mother’s office g Noun
E.g - I visited her country inn h Adverbial phrase
E.g - She visited his far-away restaurant i A part of a sentence
E.g - I don’t know how many peolpe he asked
Although there are a lot of above-mentioned premodification, we concentrate on studying some following typical types:
A premodifying adjective, especially when it is the first item after the determiner, can itself be premodified in the same way as it can in predicative position
E.g - Her really quite unbelievably delightful house
There are cases where adjectives can be used as attribute only
But not: - The fool is utter
2.1.3 Premodification by Participles a Present participle
This depends on the potentiality of the participle to indicate a permanent or characteristic feature
E.g - He has a very interesting mind
- Anne used the boiling water to make tea b Past participle
The past participle can be active or passive but the active is rarely used in premodification Contrast E.g The immigrant who has arrived With * The arrived immigrant
E.g The vanished treasure (‘The treasure which has vanished’) and A retired teacher are exceptional, but exceptions are somewhat more general when an active participle is adverbially modified:
Here belongs also ‚born‛ and some uses of ‚hidden‛, ‚married‛,
‚troubled‛, ‚darkend‛, ect, but in premodification, participles must either have ‚permanent‛ reference or be adverbially modified:
E.g - The teacher’s house The sentence can be interpreted as:
- The house of the teacher However, we should distinguish:
And (b) These women’s nasty clothing
(b) means ‚The nasty clothing of these women‛
Or other ambiguous sentences such as
- An old woman’s hat Contrast: - A woman’s old hat
2.1.5 Premodification by Genitives without Head
In English, there is a genitive premodification with the deletion of the head especially when this denotes premises or establishment
E.g - I’ll see you at the dentist’s
This refers to the dentist’s professional establishment and the same applies to proper names where they refer to commercial firms, somebody’s place or home
- She got these medicines at the chemist’s (=chemist’s shop)
- I’ll see you at Lan’s (= Lan’s house) 2.1.6 Premodification by Nouns
This type of premodification is so closely associated with the head as to be regarded as a part of a compound noun
- The door of the cupboard
- The story of his life
But not all noun premodifiers have prepositional phrase analogues: E.g - Mary Brown was both actor and producer (the actor-producer)
- As my fellow-servant had gone to a neighbor’s (both fellow and servant)
Some features should be paid attention to here Plural nouns usually become singular
- A chair with arms = An arm chair
- The leg of the trousers = The trouser leg
But singularization is by no means universal, especially with noun premodification that is not hardening into a fixed phrase or compound
E.g The committee on promotions = The promotions committee
2.1.7 Multiple premodification a With single head
More than one modification may be related to adjective single head
- His dirty but handsome face b With multiple heads
One modification applies to more than one head
- The new dress c With modified modifier
E.g - The nasty women’s employer’s clothing
- The food price rise warning system
In short, the premodification of noun phrases in English consists of various types These include adjective, participle, S-genetive, genetive
= The new hat and dress.
A contrastive analysis of premodification
Participles
Premodification by participles in English aligns with postmodification structures in Vietnamese, highlighting a parallel sentence order in both languages In English, participles function as adjectives, placed before the nouns they modify within noun phrases.
- A working man With present participles, in Vietnamese there is a word ‚®ang‛ – ‚ing- form‛ which is often added between the head and the modification
E.g - A developing country Một n-ớc đang phát triển
In most cases, the word ‚®ang‛ is optional and in fact tends not to be used very much
E.g - He was surprised by an approaching train
1 2 3 4 Anh ta ngạc nhiên vì con tàu ‚đang‛ đến
- I was awakend by a barking dog
Past participles exhibit two key scenarios: when modification involves a single word, a clear one-to-one parallel exists between English and Vietnamese Specifically, English past participles positioned before a head correspond to a form placed after the head of a noun phrase in Vietnamese This structural similarity highlights the parallels in how past participles function in both languages, emphasizing their role in sentence construction and modification.
Một đội quân thất trận 1
In these cases, the word ‚bị‛-‚passive‛ or ‚đã‛-‚already‛ are sometimes used between the head and the modification Generally speaking, the word
‚bị‛ is used when the action is carried out by an outsider and the action has a negative effect
- The injured man was waiting for the doctor
Ng-ời bị th-ơng đang chờ bác sĩ đến
‚đã‛-‚already‛ is used when the speaker is the doer of an action and the action has a positive effect
- The completed report is on my table
Bản báo cáo đã hoàn thành đang ở trên bàn
In Vietnamese, these words are more commonly used in written language than in spoken communication Conversely, in English, such structures are equally frequent in both spoken and written forms When a modification involves two words within an English noun phrase, the corresponding modification in Vietnamese is placed after the noun head, although the word order may vary.
2 1 Một ng-ời di c- mới đến
Một chiếc ô tô mới bán
Một bài đề cập ở trên
In most cases, we see that paralleled order of compound adjectives can be seen in the two languages, but in some cases, it is different.
Genitives
One type of premodification in English is in the genitive case;
E.g - This fine old man’s scruffy bowler hat
The sentence can be analyzed as follows:
Noun phrase (genitive) - This fine old man’s Adjective - scruffy
Noun modifier - bowler Head noun - hat Noun phrases in genitive are marked by an’s added to the final word (not necessarily the head) to indicate possession
In Vietnamese, there is no case comparable to this If one wants to
- An old man’s bicycle One has to use the word ‚của‛-‚of‛
- Chiếc xe đạp của ông già
A bicycle of an old man
- Ngôi nhà của thầy giáo
1 2 3 The house of the teacher
In such noun phrases, in English, heads are placed at the end, but in Vietnamese, the situation is quite different since they stand at the beginning of the phrase
A notable feature of English genitive premodification is the deletion of the heads especially when this denotes premises of establishment;
E.g a I shall be at Bill’s Where ‚Bill’s‛ would normally mean ‚where Bill lives‛
Or b I shall be at the dentist’s The ‚dentist’s‛ here refers to a commercial premises
Such cases do not exist in Vietnamese To express these ideas the Vietnamese have to use the word ‚nơi‛ or ‚chỗ‛ place or house for (a) and
‚phòng khám‛ – a room for health examination-for (b) Thus: a Tôi sẽ có mặt / đến chỗ Bill b Tôi sẽ đến phòng khám răng
Nouns
Modification by nouns occurs in both languages, highlighting that noun modifiers are used across linguistic systems The primary difference lies in the position of the modifier relative to the noun head within noun phrases, affecting sentence structure and meaning Understanding these positional variations is essential for mastering grammatical correctness and enhancing language proficiency.
In English, they stand before the head
1 While in Vietnamese, they are placed after the head:
- Ông giám đốc nhà máy
However, it is easy for learners to learn the order because it is paralleled in the two languages
2 1 Giám đốc nhà máy ô tô
Some suggestions for teaching english noun
Mistakes in using noun phrases
People's unique ways of thinking, language habits, and cultural backgrounds often lead to mistakes when learning a new language During two months of teaching at Thanh Hoa Ethnic High School, we conducted tests with students in classes 11B and 12B to identify common errors and better understand their language learning challenges.
During high school English learning and teaching, students at various proficiency levels frequently make mistakes with noun phrases These errors often arise due to differences in how noun phrases are used in English versus Vietnamese Understanding these differences is essential for improving students’ mastery of correct noun phrase usage in English.
In this part, we are going to point out mistakes made by the Vietnamese especially the pupils in using premodifiers of the English noun phrase
In some examples, we order pupils to translate some sentences from Vietnamese into English
E.g Chiếc mũ mới màu đỏ
Most of the answers are: A hat new red (incorrect)
In fact, they are expected to give a better translation:
Students often make mistakes in their language use due to incorrect grammar and vocabulary Negative transfer from their mother tongue leads them to translate noun phrases word by word, which causes errors Additionally, many learners lack a clear understanding of the proper word order required to form accurate noun phrases in English.
E.g - Một ng-ời phụ nữ trẻ đẹp
Most of the answers are: - A woman young beautiful (incorrect)
In fact, they are expected to give a better translation:
- A young beautiful woman (correct) E.g - Ba chiếc xe hơi Mỹ lớn màu xanh đầu tiên của chúng tôi đắt tiền Most of the answers are:
- Three cars American big blue first of us are expensive (incorrect)
In fact, they are expected to give a better translation:
- Our first three big blue American cars are expensive (correct) E.g - Nhiều ch-ơng trình phát thanh Việt nam hay sẽ bắt đầu tháng sau Most of the answers are:
- Many radio programs Vietnamese good will begin next month (incorrect)
In fact, they are expected to give a better translation:
- Many good Vietnamese radio programs will begin next month (correct)
E.g - Khu v-ờn mới rộng đẹp
Most of the answers are:
- The garden new large nice (incorrect)
In fact, they are expected to give a better translation:
- The nice new large garden (correct)
Suggestions to the problem
For beginning learners such as pupils to avoid or overcome the above mistakes, the teacher should:
Introducing a table that outlines the correct order of adjectives and nouns in noun phrases can greatly enhance language learning This table helps learners memorize the sequence, making it easier to form accurate and natural-sounding noun phrases Understanding this order is essential for mastering English syntax and improving overall fluency By internalizing these rules, students can confidently create well-structured descriptions and communicate more effectively.
E.g The following table and examples
Article to indefine, genitive, etc
Other nouns Main noun Quality/degree color
An These Several two attractive interesting happy little narrow green blue black chinese silk earthenware picture dress vase boys frames
After introducing the table, the noun phrase with premodification which consists of only one adjective should be taught first, then we do the same with more than one adjectives
We ask learners to translate sentences from Vietnamese into English
E.g 1 - Một chuyến du ngoạn đáng nhớ (không thể nào quên)
Expected answer: An unforgettable trip
E.g 2 - Một cô gái xinh xắn đang nhảy ở công viên
Expected answer: A beautiful girl is dancing in the park
E.g 3 - Hai chiếc mũ to màu đỏ
Expected answer: Two big red hats
E.g 4 - Một nơi nắng ấm cúng sạch sẽ
Expected answer: A neat cozy sunshiny place
However, we should give some types of exercises By that way, the learners will have a chance to practice and have a deep understanding of them
Suggested exercises for learning include hearing and reading activities that focus on observing new grammar items in natural, communicative contexts These exercises should simulate real-life situations to enhance understanding and retention Learners can be encouraged to practice through practical questions and interactive scenarios, promoting active engagement with the language Using authentic and meaningful activities helps reinforce grammar concepts effectively and improves overall language proficiency.
- To listen to a sentence in which there is a noun phrase E.g A man in the corner is smoking a cigarette
- To read sentence E.g - I saw her pretty daughter in the post-office
Recognition exercises are essential for effective language learning, as they help learners retain grammar material through real-life auditory and visual perception These exercises activate both auditory and visual memory, reinforcing understanding through practical engagement Drill exercises are versatile tools that can be used for various language forms; however, they are particularly important for teaching noun phrases, which are fundamental to sentence structure and communication Incorporating these methods ensures learners develop a stronger grasp of grammar in real-world contexts.
Drill exercises are essential for effective foreign language learning, as learners need to actively produce language through reading and writing to truly assimilate the material Simply hearing and seeing the language is not enough; repeated speaking and writing practice enhance retention and overall proficiency Engaging in consistent drill exercises helps learners internalize vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, leading to more confident language use.
E.g We order learners to practise reading these sentences in the correct word order:
1 Do you have (a/book/new/telephone)?
2 The library has (English/easy/books/very/several)
3 Mrs Miller has (suit/pretty/a/green/very)
4 The church has (pictures/very/old/some/Spanish)
5 I like (two/silk/those/dresses/blue)
6 (black/dress/pretty/her/wool) is at the cleaner’s
7 The parents select (names/first/their/two/children’s)
8 (these/bills/one-dollar/new/five) are for you
9 He is (young/a/student/American)
10 (first/names/daughter’s/her/two) are Mary Grant
All types of exercises mentioned are suitable for pupils and beginners, but it’s impossible to teach all aspects of English noun phrases at once Therefore, materials should be carefully selected to ensure effective learning.
This article highlights common mistakes made by Vietnamese students when studying English noun phrases and offers potential solutions, although these may not be comprehensive It is hoped that these insights will assist both teachers and learners in improving their understanding Combining theoretical knowledge with practical application remains the most effective approach, and learners should keep this in mind to enhance their language skills.
Mistakes are unavoidable in the learning process, and it is the teacher’s responsibility to correct them effectively Using the most efficient correction methods ensures students understand and learn from their errors Additionally, teachers must demonstrate creativity and critical character to adopt innovative approaches in addressing learner mistakes.
Concluding remarks
Understanding the role of English and Vietnamese noun phrases is essential for constructing clear and effective sentences Premodification within noun phrases often challenges learners and users, leading to potential errors in usage Therefore, paying close attention to premodification of noun phrases in both languages is crucial for improving language accuracy and fluency.
This study provides a comprehensive overview of premodification in English and Vietnamese, beginning with the theoretical background of noun phrases in both languages We identify and categorize the main types of premodification for noun phrases in English and Vietnamese to establish a clear foundation A detailed contrastive analysis follows, highlighting similarities and differences in how premodification functions across the two languages Additionally, we examine common mistakes made by English learners related to premodification and propose effective strategies to address these errors, enhancing understanding and language proficiency.
This study reveals both similarities and differences in language usage, with differences outweighing similarities A key similarity is the placement of quantity words, as both English and Vietnamese position these words at the head of noun phrases However, a notable difference lies in premodification patterns: while English generally uses premodification in a standard way, Vietnamese often employs the opposite approach.
This article highlights common mistakes learners encounter when translating Vietnamese noun phrases into English and provides useful exercises for practice These insights significantly enhance teaching and learning English at the high school level.
Suggestions for further studies
Due to limitations in knowledge and experience, this study may not cover all aspects of the topic However, the findings aim to provide valuable supplementary information for those interested in the premodification of English noun phrases.
Further research is needed to explore additional aspects of noun phrases, including prepositional phrases in both English and Vietnamese, as well as post-modification Understanding these elements will enhance our knowledge of how noun phrases function across different languages and contribute to comprehensive linguistic analysis.
1 Diệp Quang Ban, (2001), Ngữ pháp tiếng việt (tập hai), NXB Giáo Dục
2 Diệp Quang Ban, (2004), Ngữ pháp tiếng việt, NXB Giáo Dục
3 Diệp Quang Ban, Hoàng Dân, (2000), Ngữ pháp tiếng việt, NXB Giáo Dôc
4 Nguyễn Tài Cẩn, (1996), Ngữ pháp tiếng việt, NXB đại học Quốc gia
5 Nguyễn Văn Chiến, (1992), Ngôn ngữ đối chiếu và đối chiếu các ngôn ngữ Đông Nam á, NXB đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội
6 Lê Dũng, (2002), Ngữ pháp Tiếng Anh nâng cao (Advanced English
7 Trần Văn Điền, (1998), Văn phạm tiếng anh thực hành (Practical English Grammar Course), NXB Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh
8 Đỗ Thị Kim Liên, (2002), Ngữ pháp tiếng việt, NXB Giáo Dục
9 Nguyễn Phú Phong, (2002), Những vấn đề ngữ pháp tiếng việt, Nhà xuất bản đại học quốc gia Hà Nội
1 Eastwood, J (1994) Oxford Guide to English Grammar Hồng Kông: Oxford university Press
2 Hà, Nguyễn Thị (2008) Difficulties facing 3 rd year English majors in translating English noun phrases Vinh university
3 Jacobs, R.A (1995) English Syntax: A Grammar for English
Language Professionals Oxford University Press
4 James, C (1980) Contrastive analysis Longman Group Ltd
5 Leech, G & Svartvik, J (1975) A communicative Grammar of English Singapore: Longman
6 Quirk, R & Greenbaum, S (1972) A university Grammar of English Longman
7 Quirk, R & Greenbaum, S (1973) A university Grammar of English Longman
8 Quirk, Randolph et al (1972) A Grammar of contemporary English London: Longman
9 Quirk, R.(1975) A reference grammar for students of English
10 Schmidt, H (1999) Advanced English Grammar New Jersey
Website: http://www.usingenglish.com/glossary/noun-phrase.html
I Questions to do experiment for students in Vinh university
Which answer do you prefer to provide a natural equivalent in Vietnamese for the English phrases? Do you have any other ideas for each phrase or noun phrase?
1 A fat old man a Ông già béo b Ông béo già c Both a and b accepted
2 An old blue dress a Bộ quần áo xanh cũ b Bộ quần áo cũ xanh c Both a and b accepted
3 A large enough lecture room a Một phòng giảng đ-ờng đủ rộng b Một phòng giảng đ-ờng rộng đủ c Both a and b accepted
II Questions to do experiment for pupils in Thanh Hoa Intern Ethenic High school
Translate the following sentences from Vietnamese into English:
2 Một ng-ời bạn tốt
5 Chiếc váy mới của tôi