Help me with English Grammar (head nouns)

[MCD]

I am asked to find two text: one written and the other spoken and they both must be recent (3 weeks top).

What I picked:

Spoken: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-11-22-the-man-who-made-conker-rares-most-adult-game

Written: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20583902

Now I need to do this:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

In this task you will analyse the structure of all Noun Phrases (NPs) in the first 200 words in each text. You should identify all NPs in each clause and underline the head noun (HN). Then,  analyse and discuss the structure of the NP in terms of the premodifiying and the postmodifying elements. After you finish doing this for each text, you should discuss the results of both texts by comparing them.

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I will be fine with just finding Head Nouns especially in that Eurogamer interview.

Problem is that our course is limited (every HN in my book starts with determiners: articles a/an/the) so I am stuck looking at the internet for other elements that are too advanced for my ass.

tl;dr help me solve my shit.

Just look at my sorry attempt:

   

spoiler (click to show/hide)

It was probably a good time to go

   Noun phrase starting with it / a is the determiner / good is the pre-modifier /  time is the head noun / to go is the post-modifier (preposition).

[close]

Making shit up.

[MCD]

NM.

[Phoenix Dark]

Need help diagraming sentences next? Please beseech your teacher to discuss english and writing topics that have real world implications, not this nonsense.

[MCD]

> Implying I know jackshit about English and real world implications

It's shitty college routines but hey - I am getting better at it. Or I like to think so.

I do have another subject on the history of English which is much better than derp herp grammar.

[Phoenix Dark]

not saying you're dumb, just the way English is taught is dumb imo

[MCD]

Doesn't help when classes are only two hours a week (about 12 weeks) and your teacher is a non native who only reads from the book. Dunno why I attend his classes.

Ah well, at least I can see myself passing this course.

[demi]

What the hell is a head noun.

[MCD]

lol I dunno

http://www.testmagic.com/grammar/explanations/head-nouns.htm

[Steve Contra]

What the hell is a head noun.

The noun that gives you head.

"The bear is in the airport bathroom"

Easy enough.

[MCD]

Determiners helps with finding them out

It's just spoken text can be tricky with pre/post modifiers and such. Written is more complex with multiple of those head nouns GRRRRRRR.

[recursivelyenumerable]

I have no idea what a head noun is either, but you're going to be learning this stuff you may as well learn to teach a computer to do it too, https://www.coursera.org/#course/nlp