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Primary English · Year 6Chapter 5 · Relative clauses and expanded noun phrases
Year 6 English · Relative clauses and expanded noun phrases · Lesson 5.4

Year 6 English: Expanded noun phrases

Part of the Year 6 English relative clauses and expanded noun phrases chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page

5.4

Expanded noun phrases

Year 6
Use expanded noun phrases that convey complicated information concisely, e.g. the old man who lived at the end of the lane (Y5-6 grammar)
Story. A newspaper report describes a famous race. It says the old man who lived at the end of the lane won the cup, and that the scruffy brown dog that guarded the farm gate came second.

An expanded noun phrase packs a lot of information into one noun phrase. It may use adjectives, a phrase or a relative clause. The noun is the main word, and the other words describe it. For example: the old man who lived at the end of the lane.

Expanded noun phrases

Short noun phraseExpanded noun phraseMain noun
the manthe old man who lived at the end of the laneman
the dogthe scruffy brown dog that guarded the farm gatedog
the bookthe thick book about ancient Egyptbook
the girlthe quiet girl with the red scarfgirl
the roadthe narrow road that winds up the hillroad
the letterthe long letter from my grandmotherletter

Key ideas

  • The main noun is the word that the other words describe.
  • An expanded noun phrase can use adjectives, a prepositional phrase, or a relative clause.
  • Keep the phrase clear: too many words can confuse the reader.
Worked example 5.4.1
Which is the main noun in the old man who lived at the end of the lane? Write the word only.

Method. Find the noun that the other words describe.

  1. Find the words. Old describes the man, and who lived describes him too.
    old, who lived
  2. Find the noun. Man is the noun that the other words describe.
    man
  3. Write the answer.
    man

Check. man is the main noun. ✓

Worked example 5.4.2
Expand the road with an adjective and a relative clause.

Method. Add an adjective before the noun, and a clause after it.

  1. Find the noun. Road is the noun.
    road
  2. Add an adjective. Narrow describes the road.
    the narrow road
  3. Add a relative clause. That winds up the hill tells the reader more.
    that winds up the hill
  4. Write the answer.
    the narrow road that winds up the hill

Check. The phrase has an adjective and a clause. ✓

Worked example 5.4.3
Expand the girl with an adjective and a phrase that starts with with.

Method. Add an adjective, then a prepositional phrase after the noun.

  1. Find the noun. Girl is the noun.
    girl
  2. Add an adjective. Quiet describes the girl.
    the quiet girl
  3. Add a phrase. With the red scarf tells the reader what she wears.
    with the red scarf
  4. Write the answer.
    the quiet girl with the red scarf

Check. The phrase has an adjective and a phrase. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: an expanded noun phrase is still one noun phrase. Do not start a new sentence in the middle of it.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask your child to expand a noun such as the bag three times, each time adding more detail.

Exercise 5D  Practice: expanded noun phrases

1
FWhich is the main noun in the phrase the old man who lived at the end of the lane? Write the word only.
2
FWhich is the main noun in the phrase the scruffy brown dog that guarded the farm gate? Write the word only.
3
FWhich is the main noun in the phrase the thick book about ancient Egypt? Write the word only.
4
FWhich is the main noun in the phrase the quiet girl with the red scarf? Write the word only.
5
FWhich is the main noun in the phrase the narrow road that winds up the hill? Write the word only.
6
FWhich is the main noun in the phrase the long letter from my grandmother? Write the word only.
7
PSExpand the coat by adding an adjective and a phrase that begins with of. Write the phrase.
8
PSExpand the noun phrase the house so that it gives more detail about the house. Write the phrase.
9
PSExpand the noun phrase the boat so that it gives more detail about the boat. Write the phrase.
10
RWhich phrase is an expanded noun phrase: ran fast or the fast runner who won the race? Write the phrase only.
11
FWrite the main noun in the scruffy brown dog that guarded the farm gate. Write the word only.
12
PSExpand the letter using a phrase and a relative clause, so that it tells the reader more.
13
FWhich word in the thick book about ancient Egypt describes the book? Write the word only.
14
PSWrite an expanded noun phrase about a bird, using an adjective and a relative clause.
15
RExplain in one sentence why an expanded noun phrase can be more concise than two sentences.
16
FWhich is the main noun in the phrase the quiet girl with the red scarf? Write the word only.

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