Positions and Functions of Nouns
Confused by sentence structure? This page breaks down the positions and functions of nouns (subjects, objects, possessives) in clear, easy-to-understand language. Unlock the secrets of noun placement and boost your English fluency today!
You cannot use nouns anywhere you like because they have fixed roles in sentence constructions. Knowing about the following six positions of nouns is the most essential grammar trick for ESL learners:
1. Subject
Nouns can function as the subject of verbs. Nouns as subjects mainly appear before the verb and do the action. In simpler terms, the subject is the "doer" of the action in a sentence. Here are a few examples:
- Shelly runs every morning. [In this sentence, the subject of the verb "runs" is "Shelly."]
- The students are studying for their exams. [Here, "The students" is the subject of the verb "are studying."]
- The cat and the dog play together in the yard. [In this example, the subject of the verb "play" is "The cat and the dog."]
- Ricky kicks football to Micky. [In this sentence, "Ricky" is the subject which appears before the verb "kick" and controls it.]
2. Object
Nouns can function as the object of verbs. As objects, nouns appear after the verb and receive the action. There are two main types of objects: direct objects and indirect objects.
Direct Object:
A direct object directly receives the action of the verb. It answers the question "what" or "whom."
Examples:
- She is reading a book. (The verb "reading" acts upon the direct object "a book.")
- They painted the fence. (The verb "painted" acts upon the direct object "the fence.")
Indirect Object:
Some verbs have two objects. The first object is a person, and it is called Indirect Object. [The second object is Direct Object.] Indirect Object receives the Direct Object. An indirect object answers the questions "to whom," "for whom," "to what," or "for what." Here are some examples:
- He gave his sister a gift. [In this sentence, "his sister" is the indirect object of the verb "gave" and it receives the direct object "a gift".]
- She sent Micky an email. [In this sentence, "Micky" is the indirect object of the verb "sent" and it receives the direct object "an email".]
Object of Prepositions
Nouns can function as the object of prepositions. As objects of prepositions, nouns generally appear just after the preposition. Here's an example:
- Ricky kicks football to Micky. [In this sentence, "Micky" is the object which appears after the preposition "to".]
3. Predicate Nominative
Nouns can function as the predicate nominatives. As predicate nominatives, nouns follow linking verbs and rename or identify the subject of the sentence. Nouns after linking verbs are also called subject complement. Here are some examples:
- Mary is my sister. [In this sentence, "Mary" is the subject, "is" is the linking verb, and "sister" is the predicate nominative that renames or identifies Mary.]
- Jacky is the winner of the contest. [In this sentence, "winner" is the predicate nominative that identifies or renames the subject "Jacky."]
4. Object Complement
Nouns can function as the object complements. As object complements, nouns appear after the object of the verb 'elect’, ‘select’, ‘nominate’, ‘appoint’, ‘name’, ‘call’ and ‘make’ and renames it [the object]. Here's an example:
- We made Ricky our captain. [In this sentence, "captain" is the object complement that identifies or renames the direct object "Ricky".]
5. Appositive
Nouns can function as appositives. As appositives, nouns rename or explain another noun in the sentence. Appositives are usually set off by commas, dashes, or parentheses. Here are a few examples:
- My friend, the doctor, is coming over tonight. [In this sentence, "the doctor" is the appositive that renames "my friend."]
- The famous scientist, Marie Curie, made groundbreaking discoveries in the field of radioactivity. [Here, "Marie Curie" is the appositive providing additional information about "the famous scientist."]
- My hometown, a small coastal village, is known for its picturesque views. [In this example, "a small coastal village" is the appositive that describes "my hometown."]
6. Vocative
Nouns can function as vocatives. The vocative case is primarily used for direct address, and it often involves a name, title, or term of endearment. It is often set off by commas and is not a structural part of the sentence. Here are a few examples:
- John, can you pass the salt? [In this sentence, "John" is the vocative, as the speaker is addressing John directly.]
- Sir, I have a question. [In this example, "Sir" is the vocative, indicating a respectful way of addressing someone.]
Vocative vs Object:
We use a comma (,) before a vocative or nominative of direct address. This is very important. Otherwise, the meaning of the sentence may be changed. For example, compare the following:
- I don’t know, Ricky. (Vocative)
- I don’t know Ricky. (Direct Object)
The first sentence means that the speaker is telling Ricky that he/ she does not know something. The second sentence means that the speaker does not know Ricky.