Compound noun phrases
What do you notice about this next sentence?
1. My friend worked at the diner and his cousin worked at the diner.
While it’s a perfectly grammatical sentence, we often choose to make it less repetitious and say instead:
2. My friend and his cousin worked at the diner.
Since and, a coordinating conjunction, is joining two noun phrases here, my friend and his cousin is called a compound noun phrase.
Quick tip
Two noun phrases joined by a coordinating conjunction is called a compound noun phrase.
Here are some more examples, with the compound noun phrases underlined.
3. She slipped the photograph and both letters in to her pocket.
4. The senator or his assistant will attend the event.
5. I’ll be traveling to Kansas and Missouri next week on business.
Answers
