Abstract
This study analyzes the students’ ability in using noun phrases in descriptive text at SMA N 1 Rao based on structures of noun phrases by Greenbaum and Nelson and also finds out the structure that the students have the most problem with in descriptive text. The sample of this research is 32 students selected by using cluster random sampling technique. The technique of data collection was writing test. In analyzing the data, the researcher used guideline that are grouped by the structures. From the result of the test, it was found the mean of students’ ability in using noun phrases was 74,53% as a fair category. In students’ writing, the structures the students have the most problem are: determiner+pre-modifier+noun (40,32%), determiner +noun (38,93%) and determiner+pre-modifier+noun+post-modifier (37,5%)