This document defines and provides examples of different phrases, clauses, and sentence structures. It discusses noun phrases, verb phrases, prepositional phrases, and other phrase types. It also covers independent and dependent clauses, as well as simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentence structures. Key elements like subjects, predicates, and modifiers are explained.

1. Phrase, Clause and Sentence
Structure Chapter 1

2. Phrase
• Defination
• A group of words which make sense but not complete sentence is called a
phrase.
• For Example “In a corner”
• Types of Phrase
• Noun Phrase
• Verb Phrase
• Prepositional Phrase
• Infinitive Phrase
• Participle Phrase
• Gerund Phrase
• Absolute Phrase
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3. Noun Phrase
• A noun phrase include noun, a person, Place or thing and modifiers (change the
meaning of) either before or after which distinguish it. The pattern looks like
this:
• Optional Modifier(s) + Noun + Optional Modifier(s)
• For Example:
• “A great English teacher”.
• In this sentence “teacher” is a noun and “A, great, English” are modifiers.
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4. Verb Phrase
• A sentence that use a verb phrase, multi-verb word, to express more action or
condition. A verb phrase can have up to three parts. The pattern looks like this
• Auxiliary verb(s) + Main Verb = Verbs Ending
• For Example:
• “Had cleaned”
• “Had” is Auxiliary verb, “clean” is main verb and “ed” is verb ending.
• “Should have been writing”.
• “Should, have, been” are auxiliary verbs, “write” is main verb and “ing” is verb
ending.
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5. Prepositional Phrase
• A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition and ends with a noun, pronoun,
gerund or clause the object of the preposition. The object of the preposition will often
have one or more modifiers to describe it. The patterns for a prepositional phrase are:
• Preposition + noun, pronoun, gerund or clause
• Preposition + modifier(s) + noun, pronoun, gerund or clause
• For Example:
• On Time
• “On” is preposition and “time” is noun.
• Underneath the sagging yellow couch
• “Underneath” is preposition, “the, sagging, yellow” are modifiers and “couch” is noun.
• From eating too much
• “From” is preposition, “eating” is gerund and “too, much” are modifiers.
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6. Infinitive Phrase
• An infinitive phrase begin with an infinitive (to + simple form of verb). It will
often include objects and/or modifiers that complete the thought. The pattern
looks like this:
• Infinitive + object(s) and/or Modifier(s)
• For Example:
• To send the document before the deadline.
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7. Participle Phrase
• A participle phrase will begin with a present or past participle. If the participle is
present, it will dependably end in ing. A regular past participle will end in a
consistent ed. The pattern looks like this:
• Participle + Object(s) and/or Modifier(s)
• For Example:
• Flexing his muscles in front of the bottom mirror.
• “Flexing” is Participle and “the bottom mirror” is Modifier
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8. Gerund Phrase
• A gerund phrase will begin with a gerund, an “ing” word and will often include
other modifiers and/or objects. The pattern looks like this:
• Gerund + object(s) and/or modifier(s)
• For Example:
• A good strategy for avoiding dirty dishes is eating every meal-off of paper
towels.
• “Eating Every meal-off of paper towels” subject complement of the verb “is”.
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9. Absolute Phrase
• An absolute phrase combines a noun and a participle with any accompanying
modifiers or objects. The pattern looks like this:
• Noun + Participle + Optional object/modifier
• For Example:
• Her fingers flying over the piano keys.
• “Fingers” are noun, “flying” is participle and “her, over the piano keys” are
modifiers.
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10. Clause
• A group of words which forms part of sentence and contains subject and
predicate is called a clause.
• For Example:
• He has a chain made out of gold. In this sentence “which is made of gold” is a
clause. The word “which” is subject and “is made of gold” is predicate.
• Types of clauses
• Independent clause
• Dependent clause
• Noun clause
• Adjective clause
• Adverb clause
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11. Independent Clause
• Independent clause contains both a subject and a verb and can stand alone as a
sentence.
• For example
• She found the covers very useful.
• “She” is subject and “found” is verb.
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12. Dependent clause
• Dependent clause contains both a subject and a verb but cannot stand alone as
a sentence. Dependent clauses are introduced by subordinating conjuctions
such as because, what, if.
• For example
• Altough denise had some doubts.
• “Denise” is subject and “had” is verb.
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13. Noun clause
• A dependent clause that functions as a noun in a sentence is called a noun
clause. A noun clause performs same function as a noun performs in a
sentence.
• For Example
• What he did make a problem for his family.
• “What he did” is noun clause.
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14. Adjective Clause
• A dependent clause that functions like a adjective in a sentence is called
adjective clause. An adjective clause works like an adjective in a sentence.
• For example
• He wears a shirt which looks nice.
• “Which looks nice” is adjective clause.
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15. Adverb clause
• A dependent clause that functions as an adverb in a sentence is called adverb
clause. It modifies the situation in main clause in terms of time, frequency,
cause and effect, contrast, condition and intensity.
• For example
• Don’t go before he comes. (Time)
• She takes medicine because he is ill. (Cause and Effect)
• Altough he tried a lot, he couldn’t climb up the tree. (Contrast)
• Unless you study for the test, you can’t pass it. (Condition)
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16. Sentence and Sentence Structure
• Sentence
• A group of words which makes complete sense is called a sentence.
• For Example
• Faiza goes to school.
• Parts of Sentence
• Subject
• Predicate
• Subject
• The word or words denoting the person or thing about which something is said is/are
called subject of a sentence.
• For Example
• Rimsha is reading a novel.
• “Rimsha” is subject in this sentence bsf1704470@ue.edu.pk 16

17. Sentence and Sentence Structure
• Predicate
• The word or words which say something about the subject is/are called
predicate.
• For example
• Rimsha is reading a novel.
• “is reading a novel” is predicate.
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18. Sentence Structure
• Usually sentences are made by specific structures in which subject, verb and
object involve. To make a sentence, first of all we’ll place subject, verb and then
object.
• For example
• Faiza goes to school.
• “Faiza” is subject, “goes” is verb and “school” is object.
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19. Structural Types of Sentences
• Simple Sentences
• Compound Sentences
• Complex Sentences
• Compound-Complex Sentences
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20. Structural Types of Sentences
• Simple Sentences
• A simple sentence can be two words, twenty or more. It just has to have a verb
and a subject.
• For example
• “ The cat” (subject) + “fell” (action verb)
• “I am”. “I” (subject) + “am” (being verb)
• “kelly” (Subject) + “has” (possesing verb) + “it” (what she has)
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21. Structural Types of Sentences
• Compound sentences
• Two simple sentences can be put together with a semicolon or with a comma
before on of the following words: and, but, so, or, for, nor, yet.
• For Example
• Randy moved pipe last summer; kim drove a truck.
• OR
• Randy moved pipe last summer, but Kim drove a truck.
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22. Structural Types of Sentences
• Complex Sentences
• A complex sentence is a sentence that combines one independent clause with
atleast one dependent clause. A clause contains subject and verb. An
independent clause forms a complete thought. A dependent clause
(subordinate) doesn’t form a complete thought.
• For example
• Altough denise had some doubts, she found the courses very usefull.
• It has a dependent clause (a subject “Denise” and a verb “had”), followed by an
independent clause (subject “she” and a verb “found”) and forms a complete
thought.
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23. Structural Types of Sentences
• Compound-Complex Sentences
• Long sentences often combine several dependent clauses. The clauses are
combined according to the same rules that apply to compound and complex
sentences.
• For Example
• While Randy moved a pipe last summer, kim drove a truck; Casey worked in
Alaska.
• Randy moved pipe last summer, and Kim drove a truck; Casey worked in Alaska,
saving money for school.
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