Phrases, sentences, clauses explanation best of luck

1. Phrases, Sentences & Clauses
By: Anza Afzal Dar

2.  Phrase:
 A phrase is a group of words in English.
 A phrase can be short or long, but it does not include the subject
and verb.
 Types of phrases
 Noun Phrase
 A noun phrase is any noun or pronoun along with its modifiers:
 The school children, Yesterday’s newspaper, An old man and a boy
 Verb Phrase
 A verb phrase is any number of verbs working together
 Had been sleeping, Will contact, May have written

3.  A prepositional phrase always starts with a preposition and
ends with a noun or pronoun
 During the year, Despite complaints, In the summer
 Adverb phrase
 A simple adverb phrase usually contains an adverb and at
least one other word before or after it.
 Surprisingly well, Very carefully, Quite easily, Around the
sun,
 Yesterday afternoon, After a few minutes

4.  An adjective phrase is a group of words that describe a
noun or pronoun in a sentence.
 The adjective in an adjective phrase can appear at the
start, end, or in the middle of the phrase.
 The adjective phrase can be placed before, or after, the
noun or pronoun in the sentence.
 The final exams were unbelievably difficult.
 Everyone was extremely delighted when the winner was
announced.

5.  A sentence is a group of words that makes complete sense,
contains a main verb, and begins with a capital letter.
 Sentences
 are used to convey complete thought.
 Types of Sentences
 There are four main types of sentences:
 Declarative or Affirmative Sentences
 Command or Imperative Sentences
 Question or Interrogative Sentences
 Exclamatory or optative Sentences

6.  A Simple sentence is one which has only one Subject and one Predicate.
 It ends with period (.)
 I took some money out of the bank.
 The shop stays open until 9 p.m.
 There are three types of simple sentences
1. Compound Sentence
 A compound sentence has two independent clauses joined by a linking word (and,
but, or, so, yet, however).
 I‘m happy, but my kids are always complaining.
 Robert doesn’t eat meat, so mom made a special vegetarian dish for him.
 My brother and I went to the mall last night, but we didn’t buy anything.
 This new laptop computer has already crashed twice, and I have no idea why.
 Note that each sentence has TWO subjects and TWO verb phrases.

7.  A complex sentence has one independent clause and one or more dependent
clauses.
 A dependent clause cannot be a complete sentence by itself.
 I’m happy, even though I don’t make much money.
 Robert, a friend I’ve known since high school, doesn’t eat meat.
 After getting home from work, my brother and I went to the mall last night.
 This new laptop computer, which I bought yesterday, has already crashed twice.
3. Compound-Complex Sentence
 A compound-complex sentence contains 3 or more clauses: 2 independent and at
least 1 dependent clause.
 I’m happy, even though I don’t make much money, but my kids are always
complaining since we can’t afford to buy the newest toys.

8.  to ask questions or make requests. It ends with question mark (?)
 Can I help you?
 Could you open the door?
 3-Command or Imperative Sentence
 to give orders or to express wish, Sharing an invitation, Giving instructions,
 Sharing a request, Giving a demand. It ends with period (.) or exclamatory mark (!)
 Come here at once!
 Bring a glass of water.
 May you live ling.
 4-Exclamatory Sentence
 to express or share strong feelings or excitement. It ends with exclamation mark.(!)
 Alas! We have lost the match.
 Hurrah! I have got first position in the exam. .
It’s so cold!

9.  A clause is a group of words that includes a subject and a verb.
 A clause may form part of a sentence or it may be a complete sentence in
itself. For example:
 An independent clause can express a complete thought.
 An independent clause can stand alone in a sentence.
 It contains a subject and a verb in its smallest form.
 A clause may also include modifiers and a verb predicate.
 It is a complete thought and the smallest unit of grammar that is syntactically
accurate.
 Every sentence contains at least one main clause.
 A main clause may form part of compound sentence or a complex
sentence, but it also makes sense on its own, as in this example:
 Example of Independent Clauses:
 I eat bananas in the kitchen.
 In the kitchen, I eat bananas .

10.  Dependent clause definition: Dependent clauses contain a subject and verb.
 However, they cannot stand alone as an independent thought.
 They must be joined with an independent clause to be grammatically correct.
 A dependent clause is usually a supporting part of a sentence, and it cannot stand by itself
as a meaningful proposition (idea).
 A complete thought is also called a main clause or independent clause
 Example of Dependent Clause:
 Every night before I go to bed, I eat bananas.
 This example contains the IC, “I eat bananas.” However, a dependent clause now opens the
sentence. While the dependent clause contains a subject and a verb (“I go”), the dependent
clause itself cannot stand alone a complete thought.
 Example of Dependent Clause:
 Every night before I go to bed
 This is not a complete thought and therefore not a sentence in English. Every night before I
go to bed…what happens? This idea must be joined with an independent clause to be
grammatically correct.

11.  A conditional clause is one that usually begins with if or
unless
 and describes something that is possible or probable:
 You would have passed your exam if you had worked
harder.
 I would have believed you if you hadn't lied to me before.
 You can not achieve success unless you work hard.

12.  A relative clause is one connected to a main clause by a word
such as which, that, whom, whose, when, where, or who:
 We can use relative clauses to join two sentences, or to give
more information about something.
 I bought a new car. It is very fast.
→ I bought a new car that is very fast.
 She lives in Lahore. She likes living in Lahore.
→ She lives in Lahore, which she likes.
 It’s a film that should be seen by everyone.
 She has a son who / that is a doctor.
 We bought a house which / that is 200 years old.

13.  A restrictive relative clause (also known as a defining relative clause)
 gives essential information about a noun that comes before it:
 without this clause the sentence wouldn’t make much sense.
 A restrictive relative clause can be introduced by that, which, whose, who,
or whom.
 You should not place a comma in front of a restrictive relative clause:
 A restrictive clause can also have a limited function.
 Children who eat vegetables are likely to be healthy.
 If the restrictive clause who eat vegetables were removed from this
sentence, the intended limits on the noun children would be no more.
 Children are likely to be healthy.

14.  Noun Clause
 A noun clause is a dependent clause that acts as a noun.
 Noun clauses begin with words such as how, that, what, whatever, when, where,
whether, which, whichever, who, whoever, whom, whomever, and why.
 Noun clauses can act as subjects, direct objects, indirect objects, or objects of a preposition.
 Example of Noun Clause:
 I remember what you said yesterday.
 Here, the underlined portion is the independent clause that can stand alone.
 The italicized words, “what you said yesterday,” serve as a dependent noun clause.
 The noun clause is acting as the object of the sentence.
 In the noun clause “you said” is a subject plus a verb. This creates the clause (a subject plus
a verb).
 However, “what you said yesterday” cannot stand alone and therefore must be paired with
an independent clause.
 I thought what she wore was so stylish.
 Do you know what the weather will be?

15.  An adjective clause is a type of dependent clause that acts as an adjective in the
sentence.
 An adjective clause will always contain a subject and a verb.
 However, it cannot stand alone as a complete thought.
 .An adjective clause will always begin with one of the following words:
 Relative Pronouns List: That, where, who, whom, which
 Relative Adverbs List: When, where, why
 Example of Adjective Clause:
 The boy whom you saw at the store committed a robbery.
 The adjective clause is acting as an adjective in this sentence.
 The adjective clause describes the boy.
 It contains a subject and a verb, “you saw.”
 However, it cannot stand alone as a complete thought.
 “Who you saw at the robbery” is not a complete statement

16.  Adverbial clause definition:
 An adverbial clause is a type of dependent clause that acts as an
adverb in the sentence.
 An adverbial clause will always contain a subject and a verb.
 However, it cannot stand alone as a complete thought.
 Adverb clauses are of many kinds and may be classified as
Adverb Clauses of:-
 1. Time 2. Place. 3. Purpose. 4. Cause.5. Condition.
 6. Result.7. Comparison. 8. Supposition or Concession


17.  Whether you like it or not, you have to go to bed now.
 She likes the red car more than her husband does.
 If you pay your bills, you will have a good credit score.
 Unless you run fast, you will miss the bus.
 So that she would have a tan for her vacation, she went to a
tanning salon.
 John kept his schedule open, in case of emergencies.
 Because he was ill, he didn’t attend the meeting.
 Once they saw the car coming, the birds flew away from the
street.
 Although she has a business degree, she is working as a retail
clerk.
.

18.  A non-restrictive relative clause (also called a non-defining
relative clause) provides extra information
 that could be left out without affecting the meaning or structure
of the sentence.
 Non-restrictive relative clauses are normally introduced by
which, whose, who, or whom, but never by that. You should
place a comma in front of them:
 The paint, which he bought at the hardware store, was
bright red.
 Ms.Ayesha, who lives next door, claims to be an artist.