Nominal Definition and Examples

In English grammar, the term nominal is a category that describes the usage of parts of speech in a sentence. Specifically, the nominal definition is a noun, noun  phrase, or any word or word group that functions as a noun. It is also known as a  substantive.  The term comes from the Latin, meaning name.  Nominals can be the subject of a sentence, the object of a sentence, or the predicate nominative, which follows a linking verb and explains what the subject is. Nominals are used to give more specifics than a simple noun. Key Takeaways: Nominal Nominal is a grammatical category for words or groups of words that function as nouns in a sentence.Nominals can do whatever nouns can. They can be a subject, an object, or a predicate nominative.Nominal groups give more specifics about a noun.Nominal groups can contain other parts of speech such as prepositions, articles, adjectives, and others. What Is a Nominal? As a grammatical category, nominal describes words or groups of words that function together as a noun. The words in a nominal grouping give more detail about the noun (the headword), making it specific. Nominal phrases and clauses can include other parts of speech such as articles, prepositions, and adjectives. For example, in the noun phrase  a nice cup of tea, it makes sense to say that  nice  is a modifier of a  cup of tea, rather than just the  head  noun  cup, says Author Geoffrey Leech in A Glossary of Grammar. In this phase, nice cup of tea is a nominal; it provides more description than simply saying cup. Using a nominal gives the reader a more complete sense about what the writer is trying to convey. Nominal Phrases When constructing a nominal phrase, the headword for the phrase is a noun or pronoun, though it may not always be at the front of the phrase, as you would  think from just looking at the term. Headwords can have articles, pronouns, adjectives, or even other phrases before them, and they may be followed by prepositional phrases, subordinate clauses, and more. Author G. David Morley gives these examples of nominal phrases. The headwords are in italics. This Russian courseMy most enjoyable climbHer sisters new bicycleAll of our recent holidaysA voice from the pastThe song that Jill sangThe secretary general In all of these examples, the nominal gives more context to the noun. Its not just a course; its this Russian course. Its more than just a climb; it was my most enjoyable climb. And, its much more than just a bicycle; its her sisters new bicycle. To illustrate how nominals can function in a sentence just like nouns, here are ways to use the attorney general as a nominal phrase in different parts of the sentence: The attorney general is running for reelection. (Its the subject.)We took our concerns to the attorney general. (Its the indirect object.)A bulletproof limo took the attorney general to the conference. (Its the direct object.)The staff members went to lunch with the attorney general. (Its the object of a preposition.) Authors have made great use of nominal phrases in literature. For example, using a version of the nominal phrase from the last section, authors Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin authored a book called Three Cups of Tea: One Mans Mission to Promote Peace — One School at a Time. The book is about one mans quest to promote peace by sharing three cups of tea (together with thoughts of friendship and peace) with various individuals in Pakistan. In this title, Three Cups of Tea is the nominal phrase. Its not just a cup, but three cups of tea that Mortenson shared with others. Nominal Clauses Nominal clauses contain a verb and often begin with words such as what (or other wh- words) or that. These are called that- clauses and wh-  clauses  or relative clauses. Consider, for example, the sentence He can go  wherever he wants. The clause starts with a wh- word, contains a verb, and functions, taken whole, as a noun. You can tell it functions as a noun because you could replace it with a noun or a pronoun. For example, you could say, He can go home, He can go to Paris, or He can go there.   Because the wh- clause doesnt have a headword, its called a  free (nominal) relative clause.   Nominal clauses are dependent clauses. They cannot stand alone as a sentence but do contain a verb. I believe that grammar is easier than it seems. (The noun clause acts as an object, as in I believe it.)What I had for lunch was delicious. (The noun clause acts as a subject, as in The soup was delicious.)Beth is whom I was referring to. (The clause acts in this sentence as a predicate nominative. First, its a wh- clause because it has a subject and a verb. Next, it follows a linking verb. Third, it fills in information about the subject, as in Beth is she or She is Beth.) Nominalization The act of creating a nominal from a verb, adjective, or  other words  (even another noun) is known as  nominalization. For example, take  blogosphere. Its a new noun created from another plus the addition of a suffix. Its easy to create nouns (nominals) in English from other words. Even just adding  -ing  to a verb to make a  gerund  is nominalization, such as  firing  from  fire.  Or adding a suffix to an adjective, such as adding -ness  to  lovely  to make  loveliness.   Source Mortenson, Greg. Three Cups of Tea: One Mans Mission to Promote Peace — One School at a Time. David Oliver Relin, Paperback, Penguin Books, January 30, 2007.