Phrases and clauses

Phrases and Clauses

A phrase is a group of words, without a subject and verb, that functions in a sentence as one part of speech.

PHRASE

Examples: leaving behind the dog smashing into a fence before the first test

1. PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES• contain a preposition and a noun or pronoun

called the object of the preposition.

Examples:PREP OBJ OF PRE

on the freshly pressed white jacketPREP OBJ OF PREP OBJ OF PREP

beside the driftwood and seaweed

COMMON TYPES OF PHRASES

Prepositional phrases modify adjectives or adverbs and are called either adjective phrases or adverb phrases.

Adjective phrase is a prepositional phrase that modifies a noun or pronoun by telling what kind or which one.

Examples: For Tom, fame is the only reason for writing. (What

kind of reason?) The lamp on Tom’s desk was a Christmas gift. (Which

lamp?)


Adverb phrase is a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb, an adjective, or adverb by pointing out where, when, in what manner, or to what extent.

Examples: Wanting to impress Sue, Tom planned to make reservations

at an expensive restaurant. (Make reservations where?) The volcano rumbled in the early morning. (Rumbled

when?) Tom consumed the sundae in short order. (Consumed in

what manner?) The shovel bit deep into the earth. (Deep to what extent?)


2. APPOSITIVE AND APPOSITIVE PHRASES• are words placed next to nouns and pronouns to

provide additional information.

An appositive is a noun or pronoun placed next to another noun or pronoun to identify, rename, or explain it.

Examples: She did not care for his hobby, running. My friend Marilyn broke her collarbone.


An appositive phrase is a noun or pronoun with modifiers placed next to a noun or pronoun to add information and details.

Examples: My jacket, a windbreaker, fits well. (with a

subject) I bought a book, an international atlas. (with a

direct object) The man gave his wife, his partner for ten years,

a beautiful opal ring. (with an indirect object)


To set up contrasts, appositives and appositive phrase may begin with the word not.

Example: You should leave at seven o’clock, not eight

o’clock.

Appositives and appositive phrases can be compound.

Example: The family -Trapp, his wife, and his children-

escaped from Austria during World War II.


Two sentences can be combined by turning the information in one sentence into an appositive.

Examples:Two sentences: The fruit was picked. The fruit was

sun-ripened pears.Sentence with appositive phrase: The fruit, sun-

ripened pears, was picked.


3. VERBAL AND VERBAL PHRASES • A verbal is a word derived from a verb but used

as a noun, adjective, or adverb.• A verbal with modifiers or a complement is

called a verbal phrase.• There are three kinds of verbals – participles,

gerunds, and infinitives – and the phrases that can be formed around them.


3. VERBAL AND VERBAL PHRASES

• PARTICIPLES AND PARTICIPIAL PHRASES A participles is a form of a verb that acts as an

adjective.FORMS OF PARTICIPLES


Kinds of Participles

Forms Examples

Present Participle

Ends in -ing His fascinating responses convinced us

Past Participle

Ends in –ed, -t, -en

The extended table accommodated more people.

Perfect Participle

Includes having or having been before a past participle

Having exercised, I rested.

3. VERBAL AND VERBAL PHRASES A participial phrase is a participle modified by an

adverb or adverb phrase or accompanied by complement.

Examples: Burning brightly, the fire lit up the room. Holding the snake, I felt its cool skin.



• GERUNDS AND GERUND PHRASESA gerund is a form of a verb that acts as a noun.

Examples: Vaulting is my best event in gymnastics. Swallowing hurt my sore throat.



• GERUNDS AND GERUND PHRASES A gerund phrase is a gerund with modifiers or a complement, all acting together as a noun.

Examples: Worrying about the deadline prevented the

writer from sleeping. Fishing from the pier is permitted.



• INFINITIVES AND INFINITIVE PHRASES An infinitive is a form of a verb that generally appears with the word to and acts as a noun, adjective, or adverb.FORMS OF INFINITIVES


Kinds of Infinitives

Forms Examples

Present Infinitives

To plus the base form of a verb

I like to debate.

Perfect Infinitives

To have or to have been plus a past participle

I would have liked to have gone.


• INFINITIVES AND INFINITIVE PHRASES An infinitive phrase is an infinitive with modifiers, a complement, or a subject, all acting together as a single part of speech.

Examples: The baby wanted to wiggle continuously. I plan to visit during the afternoon. The student asked the college to send a catalog.


A clause is a group of words with its own subject and verb.

CLAUSES

Examples: Since she laughs at diffident men Because she smiled at him When the saints go marching in

1. INDEPENDENT CLAUSES◦ has a subject and a verb and can stand by itself

as a complete sentence.

Examples: The school will be closed on Friday. I love grammar.

TWO KINDS OF CLAUSES

2. SUBORDINATE CLAUSES◦ also known as “Dependent Clause”.◦ A subordinate clause, although it has a subject

and a verb, cannot stand by itself as a sentence; it is only part of a sentence.

Examples: After the children left for school Because I love grammar


2. SUBORDINATE CLAUSES◦ KINDS OF SUBORDINATE CLAUSES

o ADJECTIVE CLAUSES (a.k.a. relative clause)An adjective clause is a subordinate clause that modifies a noun or pronoun by telling what kind or which one.

Example: The rug, which I bought yesterday, is beige. I still remember the time when you broke your

arm.



o ADJECTIVE CLAUSES (a.k.a. relative clause) Essential Adjective Clause – begins with a

relative pronoun like that or who. An essential clause is not set off by commas.

Example: The building that they built in San Francisco sold for

a lot of money.



o ADJECTIVE CLAUSES (a.k.a. relative clause) Nonessential Adjective Clause – begins with a

relative pronoun like which or who and set off by commas.

Example: The building, which they built in San Francisco, sold

for a lot of money.



o ADVERB CLAUSESAn adverb clause is a subordinate clause that modifies a verb, adjective, adverb, or verbal. it does this by pointing out where, when, in what manner, to what extent, under what condition, or why.

Example: I’ll do the laundry when I’m out of clothes. We called because we were worried about you.



o NOUN CLAUSESA noun clause is a subordinate clause that acts as a noun in a sentence.

Example: The boy wondered if his parents bought him what

he wanted for Christmas. The dentist treated whichever patient arrived

first.


Sentences may be classified according to the kind and number of clause they contain.

THE STRUCTURE OF A SENTENCE

1. A simple sentence consists of a single independent clause.

2. A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction or by a semicolon.

3. A complex sentence consists of one independent clauses and one or more subordinated clauses.

4. A compound-complex sentence consists of two or more independent clauses and one or more subordinate clauses.

Examples:THE STRUCTURE OF A SENTENCE

Simple Sentence I received your letter last week.Either Fran or Dave will sell the tickets.

Compound Sentence

One group addressed the envelopes, and another sorted them by ZIP code.

Complex Sentence

SUBORDINATE CLAUSE

Although the old photograph had faded badly, MAIN CLAUSE

we could still see many details.

Compound-Complex

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE SUBORDINATE CLAUSE

I turned on the heat as soon as we arrived, and INDEPENDENT CLAUSE

Now the house is warm.

Do not unintentionally capitalize and punctuate phrases, subordinate clauses, or words in a series as if they were complete sentences.

Examples: Participial Fragment:

Error:oAngered by the injustice of the remark.Correction:oAngered by the injustice of the remark, Linda argued with

her friend.

AVOIDING PHRASES AND CLAUSES FRAGMENTS

Prepositional Fragment:Error:oWith his hand in the cookie jar.Correction:oThe four-year old culprit was caught with his hand in the

cookie jar.


Noun Fragment:Error:oA hurricane with fierce winds and rain.Correction:oA hurricane with fierce winds and rain lashed the coast.

Verb Fragment:Error:o Will be at the rehearsal today.

Correction:o I will be at the rehearsal today.


Phrases and clauses

Education

verbal phrases infinitives

verbal phrases gerunds

appositive phrases

verbal phrases participles

gerund phrases

infinitive phrases

calleda verbal phrase

prepositional phrases