Introducing English Linguistics

very proficient
dancers. 
(ICE-GB S1A-001 076)
This 
somewhat idiosyncratic interpretation is no doubt coloured by the
specificities of French history 
(BNC AOK 21)
The final position in the noun phrase, which follows the head noun,
can optionally contain either a prepositional phrase or a relative clause (a
type of clause discussed in a later section on subordinate clauses). Unlike
nouns and adjectives, prepositions have no particular form: no suffix, for
instance, that uniquely marks a word as a preposition. In addition, prepo-
sitions cannot usually stand alone but require an object, typically a noun
phrase such as the hill, in on the hill, but also clauses. In the first example
below, the preposition in is followed by a clause beginning with keeping. In
the second example, of is followed by a clause beginning with what:
It plays a key role in