Expanding the noun group: qualifiers

2.289 This section deals with structures which can be used to qualify headwords; that is, structures which can be used after headwords to add further information about the person or thing referred to. These are can qualifiers or qualifying structures. The headword is usually a noun but can be an indefinite pronoun or 'those'.

2.290 Qualifiers can consist of one or more words. The qualifiers which are dealt with in this section are

• prepositional phrases

...a girl with red hair.

...the man in the dark glasses.

The use of prepositional phrases as qualifiers is explained in paragraphs 2.292 to 2.307.

• adjectives followed by phrases or clauses

...machinery capable of clearing rubble off the main roads.

...the sort of weapons likely to be deployed against it.

...a concept inconceivable a hundred years earlier.

The use of adjectives followed by phrases or clauses as qualifiers is explained in paragraphs 2.308 to 2.309.

• non-finite clauses

...a simple device to test lung function.

...two of the problems mentioned above.

He gestured towards the three cards lying on the table.

The use of non-finite clauses as qualifiers is explained in paragraphs 2.310 to 2.318.

• noun groups giving further information about other noun groups. This is explained in paragraphs 2.319 to 2.320.

2.291 Some other structures can also be used as qualifiers. These are explained fully in other sections. They include

• one word qualifiers such as 'galore' and 'concerned' which are explained in paragraphs 2.62 to 2.66.

• relative clauses

Shortly after the shooting, the man who had done it was arrested.

Mooresville is the town that John Dillinger came from.

Relative clauses are explained in paragraphs 8.83 to 8.116.

• place adverbs and time adverbs

...down in the dungeon beneath.

...a reflection of life today in England.

Adverbs of time are explained in paragraphs 5.7 to 5.83 and adverbs of place are explained in paragraphs 6.82 to 6.100.

Nouns with prepositional phrases

2.292 In general, any prepositional phrase which describes or classifies something can be used directly after a noun or pronoun to qualify it.

...the man in charge.

...a film about four men on holiday.

She reached into the room behind her.

2.293 In particular, there are several kinds of prepositional phrase which are usually only used as qualifiers. Of these, prepositional phrases beginning with 'of' are the most numerous. Others include uses of 'with', 'in' and 'by'.

'of' 2.294 Many nouns referring to things and actions can be expanded by using prepositional phrases beginning with 'of' as qualifiers after them. This allows the noun to be expanded with a wide range of meanings. You can use 'of' with nouns referring to feelings such as 'love' and 'fear' to indicate what the feeling relates to; for example, 'fear of flying' and 'love of animals'. Further meanings are described m the following paragraphs.

WARNING 2.295 Personal pronouns are not usually put after 'of'. For example, you cannot say 'Joyce was the daughter of him' or 'the pages of it'. Possessive determiners are used instead to indicate possession. These are explained in paragraphs 1.192 to 1.207.

2.296 Prepositional phrases beginning with 'of' can be used to indicate what something consists of.

...gifts of olive oil.

...strong feelings of jealousy.

They can also be used to indicate what the subject matter of something is.

...a picture of a house.

...Gretchen's account of her interview with Nichols.

...the idea of death.

2.297 Prepositional phrases beginning with 'of' can be used to say that something belongs to or is associated with someone or something.

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No.28 was the town house of Sir Winston Churchill.

Joyce was the daughter of the village cobbler.

The acting ability of the pupils is admirable.

...the beauty of the Welsh landscape.

Four boys sat on the floor of the living room.

Ellen aimlessly turned the pages of her magazine.

Note that apostrophe s ('s) structures are much more frequently used to say that something belongs to someone or something. Apostrophe s ('s) is explained in paragraphs 2.180 to 2.192.

2.298 Prepositional phrases beginning with 'of' can be used to say that someone or something has a particular quality.

...a woman of energy and ambition.

...problems of varying complexity.

...a flower of monstrous proportions.

A household of this size inevitably has problems.

'Of' can also used in front of a number to indicate someone's age.

...a woman of twenty-two.

...a child of six.

Other ways of indicating age are explained in paragraphs 2.275 to 2.280.

2.299 Prepositional phrases beginning with 'of' can be used with nouns referring to an action to indicate who or what is performing the action.

...the arrival of the police.

...the growth of modern industry.

They can also be used to show who or what someone does something to. For example, if you are talking about people who support a scheme, you can call them 'the supporters of the scheme'.

...supporters of the hunger strike.

...critics of the Trade Union Movement.

...the creator of the universe.

...a student of English.

...the cause of the tragedy.

'Of' structures are also used to indicate the thing affected by an action.

...the destruction of their city.

...the appointment of Robert Courtney Smith as the official receiver.

2.300 Prepositional phrases beginning with 'of' and containing measurement are used to indicate how great an area, speed, distance, or temperature is.

There were fires burning over a total area of about 600 square miles.

It can barely maintain a speed of 25 kilometres an hour.

...an average annual temperature of 20.

Ways of measuring things are explained in paragraphs 2.267 to 2.274.

2.301 Prepositional phrases beginning with 'with' can be used to say that someone or something has a particular characteristic, feature, or possession.

...a girl with red hair.

...a girl with a foreign accent.

...a big car with reclining seats.

...a man with a violent temper.

...the man with the gun.

...those with large families.

They can also be used to indicate what something has on or in it.

...a sheet of paper with writing on it.

...a round box with some buttons in it.

...a white, plain envelope with her name printed on it.

...fragments of wrapping paper with bits of sticky tape still adhering to them.

2.302 Prepositional phrases beginning with 'in' can be used to indicate what someone is wearing.

...a grey-haired man in a raincoat.

...the man in the dark glasses.

...little groups of people in black.

2.303 Prepositional phrases beginning with 'by' can be used after a noun referring to an action to indicate who or what is performing it.

...his appointment by the King.

...the compression of air by the piston.

2.304 Some nouns, especially abstract nouns, need to be followed by a prepositional phrase to show what they relate to. There is often little or no choice about which preposition to use after a particular noun.

I demanded access to a telephone.

...his authority over them.

...the solution to our energy problem.

...the bond between mother and child.

2.305 Here is a list of nouns which usually or often have 'to' after them:

access addiction adherence affront allegiance allergy allusion alternative

answer antidote approach attachment aversion contribution damage devotion

disloyalty exception fidelity immune incitement introduction preface prelude

recourse reference relevance reply resistance return sequel solution

susceptibility testimony threat vulnerability witness

Here is a list of nouns which usually or often have 'for' after them:

admiration appetite aptitude bid craving credit

cure demand desire disdain dislike disregard

disrespect hunger love need provision quest

recipe regard remedy respect responsibility room

search substitute sympathy synonym taste thrist

Here is a list of nouns which usually or often have 'on' after them:

assault attack ban claim

comment concentrate constraint crackdown

curb dependence effect embargo

hold insistence reflection reliance

restriction stance tax

Here is a list of nouns which usually or often have 'with' after them:

affinity collision collusion connection contrast

correspondence date dealings dissatisfaction encounter

familiarity identification intersection intimacy involvement

link parity quarrel relationship sympathy

Here is a list of nouns which are usually followed by one of two prepositions. The list indicates the choice of prepositions available:

agreement about agreement on argument against argument for

battle against battle for case against case for

debate about debate on decision about decision on

transition from transition to

Here is a list of other nouns usually followed by a prepositions.

complex about crime against grudge against insurance against reaction against

safeguard against anger at bond between departure from escape from

except from freedom from quotation from foray into relapse into

awareness of authority over control over

As you can see from the lists and examples given above, it is often the case that words with a similar meaning are typically followed by the same preposition. For example, 'appetite', 'craving', 'desire', 'hunger', and 'thirst' are all followed by 'for'.

2.306 Some nouns are related to verbs which are always or often followed by a particular preposition. These nouns are followed by the same preposition as their related verbs, and they are used to indicate the thing that is affected by the action. For example, 'to' is used after both the verb 'refer' and the related noun 'reference'.

We have already referred to this phenomenon.

...reverent references to the importance of home.

They swim about busily searching for food.

...the search for food.

I want to escape from here.

...an escape from reality.

2.307 Some nouns referring to a feeling or state are related to an adjective which is usually followed by a preposition. These nouns are followed by the same preposition as their related adjectives. For example, 'of' is used after the adjective 'aware' and the related noun 'awareness'.

She was quite aware of her current situation.

...the public's increasing awareness of the problems.

He was angry at Sally Gardner for accusing him.

...her anger at the kids.

I am, of course, familiar with your work.

...familiarity with western ideas.

It is clean and free from pollutants and infections.

...freedom from oppression.