Uses of Noun Phrases in IELTS Writing

The writing in IELTS is different from the general English writing. This is because the writing in IELTS should be more academic-oriented. The sentences used in academic English are different because they are well oriented. The meaning conveyed is similar to a general sentence, but the presentation is better. What determines our presentation in academic English is the choice of vocabulary and the linking of words. Academic English may seem complicated, but it is not so if proper words and phrases are used to form a sentence.

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In academic English, the focus is more on creating the subjects and objects than on verbs.
Academic English can be made simpler without changing the underlying meaning of the sentence. This can be done by shifting information. The shifting of information in a sentence is done by using 'noun phrases.

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Usage of Noun Phrases

Noun phrases are phrases that play the role of the noun in a sentence. They are different from the noun clauses because they do not contain verbs.
Noun phrases can be used differently in sentences. They can be used as both subjects and objects in a sentence. Let's understand noun phrases by using some examples of noun phrases.

Example: People need to eat food because they have to stay alive.

While this sentence is grammatically correct, it does not sound good from an academic point of view. This sentence can be improved to fit IELTS academic writing. Here the focus of the sentence is on staying alive. Hence ‘people’ is not a vital subject in the sentence.
We need to make the sentence more presentable so that what matters most appears first. Here what matters most in the sentence is to stay alive. So, let’s make the sentence more presentable.

Example: Continued existence is the reason we need to eat food.

While this sentence sounds better than the previous one, some improvements can still be made. Let's try to make one slight improvement.

Example: Continued existence is the reason we need to consume food.

This sentence sounds better than the previous one from an academic point of view. 'Continued existence' used in this sentence is a noun phrase and acts as a subject here. This phrase also helps convey the proper meaning of the sentence and focuses the reader's attention on the purpose of the sentence.
Let's understand how noun phrases can be used as subjects and objects in a sentence through more examples.

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Example: Vehicle ownership fell steadily during the pandemic period.

Here 'vehicle ownership' is used as a subject. This exact noun phrase can also be used as an object. These data give information about vehicle ownership during the pandemic. Here the noun phrase 'vehicle ownership' acts as an object of the preposition 'about.'

Example: The arrival of electric vehicles boosted vehicle ownership.

Here the noun phrase 'vehicle ownership' acts as an object of the verb 'boosted.'
Similarly, these noun phrases can be used in complex sentences also. Let's take the example of complex sentences where noun phrases can be used as both subjects and objects.

Example: The number of people owning electric vehicles rose in most countries.

Here the noun phrase is used as a subject. See the example below. These data give information about the number of people owning electric vehicles.
Here the noun phrase acts as an object of the preposition.
Now, taking the same example, let's understand how noun phrases differ from noun clauses.
The following sentence is an example of a noun clause. These data give information about how many people own electric vehicles in different countries. Let's take a few examples of uses on noun phrases:

Example:

• An unhealthy diet plan may result in developing health conditions
• This zoo is house to a white tiger
• Stray puppies should be up for adoption

These are some of the uses of noun phrases. Noun phrases help in making the sentence more academic. This is very helpful while writing for IELTS. Moreover, the use of noun phrases is not limited to these. Noun phrases can be used as objects with adjectives, prepositions, and IELTS participles. There are also many other uses of noun phrases. So understanding the proper uses of noun phrases can help develop the quality of academic writing.