2. What is a phrase?
A phrase is a group (or pairing) of words in
English. A phrase can be short or long, but it
does not include the subject-verb pairing
necessary to make a clause.
Some examples of phrases include:
after the meal (prepositional phrase)
the nice neighbor (noun phrase)
were waiting for the movie (verb phrase)
3. Phrases vs. Clauses:
a Hierarchy of Word Units
A phrase is any group of words that does
not contain a subject completing an action.
When a group of words contains a subject
doing an action (subject-verb), it becomes
a clause.
4. Purpose of phrases:
Phrases can be added to sentences to make them
more complex.
Concepts can begin with a single word and develop into
a compound sentence.
Example:
meal (word)
after the meal (phrase)
that mom prepared (clause)
After the meal that mom prepared I felt full. (sentence)
After the meal that mom prepared, I felt full because I ate
too much. (complex sentence)
After the meal that mom prepared I felt full, but my brother
was still hungry. (compound sentence)
5. Different Types of Phrase
What is a noun phrase?
Noun phrases consist of a noun and its
modifiers.
Examples:
the nice neighbor
a soft, comfortable bed
Noun Phrase:
6. Verb Phrase:
What is a verb phrase?
Verb phrases consist of a verb and its
modifiers.
were waiting for the movie
felt a prick on his arm
7. Adverbial Phrase:
What is an adverbial phrase?
Adverbial phrases are phrases that act
as adverbs. They modify verbs, adverbs,
or adjectives.
around the block (modifying where)
after the meal (modifying when)
in silence (modifying how)
8. Gerund Phrase:
What is a gerund phrase?
Gerund phrases are essentially noun phrases
that begin with a gerund.
running through the woods
jumping like a kangaroo
9. Infinitive Phrase:
What is an infinitive phrase?
Infinitive phrases begin with a verb infinitive
and include any modifiers. Infinitive phrases
function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.
to run out of food
to visit to the countryside
10. Appositive Phrase:
What is an appositive phrase?
An appositive is essentially a noun phrase but
one that renames another noun in the
sentence.
The tree, a tall redwood, was beautiful.
The curtains were made of lace, a beautiful
and delicate fabric.
11. Participle Phrase:
What is a participle phrase?
A participle phrase begins with a present (-ing)
or past (-ed) participle. A participle phrase
includes the participle and its modifiers.
Participle phrases function as adjectives.
The girls giggling and playing in the park never
seemed to tire.
Fatigued and dehydrated in the desert the
men traveled on.
12. Prepositional Phrase:
What is a prepositional phrase?
A prepositional phrase is a group of words
that includes a preposition and a noun. A
prepositional phrase will function as either
an adjective or an adverb.
before church
under the stairs
13. Absolute Phrase:
What is an absolute phrase?
An absolute phrase includes a noun and a
participle and any modifiers.
the flag flying at half-mast
her hair streaked with sunlight
