Building Complex Noun Phrases

What you’ll learn

Identify a head noun and organize its modifiers.

កំណត់នាមស្នូល និងរៀបពាក្យពង្រីកក្នុងកន្សោមនាម។

Meaning and use

A noun phrase can contain determiners, premodifiers, a head noun, and postmodifiers. Agreement depends on the head, not the nearest noun in an of-phrase. Noun modifiers are often singular, though established exceptions exist. Avoid piling up modifiers when a prepositional phrase or clause would make the meaning clearer.

កន្សោមនាមមាននាមស្នូល និងពាក្យពង្រីក។ កិរិយាសព្ទត្រូវស្របនឹងនាមស្នូល មិនមែននាមដែលនៅជិតបំផុតក្នុង of-phrase ទេ។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Phrase structure	the two new training rooms on the first floor
Head controls agreement	The quality of the answers is high.

Examples

1. The main purpose of these meetings is clear.

   គោលបំណងសំខាន់នៃកិច្ចប្រជុំទាំងនេះច្បាស់លាស់។

2. Two experienced language teachers joined us.

   គ្រូភាសាមានបទពិសោធន៍ពីរនាក់បានចូលរួម។

3. The students in the room near reception are waiting.

   សិស្សក្នុងបន្ទប់ជិតកន្លែងទទួលភ្ញៀវកំពុងរង់ចាំ។

4. We need a policy for storing student records.

   យើងត្រូវការគោលការណ៍សម្រាប់រក្សាទុកកំណត់ត្រាសិស្ស។

Everyday conversation

Dara: Why is is correct in The quality of the books is high?

Maly: Because quality is the singular head; books belongs to the modifying phrase.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
The purpose of these forms are unclear.	The purpose of these forms is unclear.	Purpose is the singular head noun.
We opened two classrooms new.	We opened two new classrooms.	The ordinary adjective premodifier precedes the noun.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Find the head: the cost of the new computers.
2. Complete: The answers to this question ___ (be) surprising.
3. Clarify the compressed phrase student record storage policy.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. cost

   Of the new computers modifies cost.

2. are

   Answers is the plural head.

3. a policy for storing student records

   A prepositional phrase makes the relationships easier to read.

Quick recap

• Phrase structure: the two new training rooms on the first floor
• Head controls agreement: The quality of the answers is high.