Which term consists of a noun and its modifiers?

• A. Noun phrase
• B. Direct object
• C. Intransitive verb
• D. Elision

Answer: (A)

In English syntax, a noun phrase is a group of words built around a noun and its modifiers. This means the noun is accompanied by words that describe or limit it—determinants like the, a, this; adjectives like tall or red; and even other descriptive phrases. For example, “the tall, striped cardigan” or “a quick brown fox” are noun phrases. They can function as the subject or the object in a sentence.

A direct object is about the role a noun phrase can play in a sentence—the thing that receives the action of a transitive verb—not about the internal structure of the phrase. An intransitive verb is a verb that doesn’t take a direct object. Elision is the omission of sounds or words in speech or writing. These describe function, verb behavior, or sound changes, not the construction of a noun plus its modifiers.

So the term for a noun and its modifiers is a noun phrase.