He demanded something to eat. (Sub + Verb + NP with infinitive)
She took tea. (Sub + Verb + Noun)
She took tea early. (Sub + Verb + NP + Adverb)
Praising is a good virtue. (Noun as Sub + Verb)
Praising all is equal to praising none. (NP + Verb + Adjective + NP)
He showed me a computer. (Sub + Verb + Noun)
He showed me how to assemble a computer. (with how to)
In first sentence ‘something’ is a noun and it is object of verb (demanded).
In second sentence ‘something to eat’ is also object of the verb (demanded) this group of words is used for noun, so this group of words is called Noun Phrase.
In fourth sentence ‘Tea Early’ is object of verb Took. But this group of words is worked as noun, so this group of words is called Noun Phrase.
In five sentence ‘praising’ is a noun and this subject of verb (Is)
In sixth sentence ‘praising all’ is a subject of verb (is) but this is a group of words and used for noun, so this is also called a Noun Phrase.
In eight sentence ‘ how to assemble a computer’ is also a noun phrase, so here let`s define Noun Phrase;
Definition of a Noun Phrase
A noun phrase is a group of words that acts as a noun. It may be a subject or object or complement of a verb. For example;
Playing hockey, II. Reading Books, III. Early to bed, IV. To win a prize
Playing hockey keeps man active.
We have enjoyed reading this book.
Early to bed is a good habit.
To win a prize is a hard task.
More examples:
Bird`s eye view, 2.Reading novels, 3.At sixes and sevens, 4.ups and down, 5.kith and kin, 6.wear and tear, 7.without rhyme or reason, 8.long and short, 9.to learn driving, 10.part and parcel
The above phrases can be turned into sentences, as such;
We had a bird`s eye view of the city from the tower.
Everything in the room was at sixes and sevens.
We should be kind to our kith and kin.
He left his service without rhyme or reason.
He wants to learn driving.
I am fond of reading novels.
We should learn the ups and downs of life.
Wear and tear of roads causes problems.
The long and short of discussion is that he was killed.
TV is a part and parcel of a modern house.
Note: In order to understand the Noun Phrase more clearly, question “What” should be asked after the “Verb” and what follows, is either a Noun , a Noun Phrase or Noun Clause as;
He wants “what”……………..to learn driving. Hence “to learn driving” is a Noun Phrase.