PHRASES & CLAUSES

REVIEW: WHAT IS A CLAUSE? A clause is a group of related words that contains a subject, its verb, and sometimes modifiers/compliments. An independent clause can stand alone. I walked my dog last Sunday. A dependent clause cannot stand alone. While I walked my dog, I saw my friend.

WHAT IS A PHRASE? Like clauses, phrases are groups of related words. Unlike clauses, phrases do NOT have both a verb and its subject. Phrases either lack a subject, a verb, or both. When thought of as independent units, phrases can be used as adjectives, adverbs, nouns, or verbs.

WHAT DO WE ALREADY KNOW ABOUT PHRASES? Two or more words may be used as a verb, a single part of speech. This is called a verb phrase. will be playing, were laughing, has done You have also already learned about prepositional phrases. They include the preposition, its object, and any modifiers that go with it. on the mountain, to the wall, for Betsy.

EXAMPLES OF PHRASES Verb Phrase She has been crying all day. (No subject) Prepositional Phrase We need to talk about you and me (No subject + no verb) Gerund Phrase Running marathons is his hobby. (No verb)

DEFINITIONS: Clause = group of words with a verb and its subject. Phrase = group of related words that lacks a verb, a subject, or both. Can be thought of as a single unit, and as a unit, can do an adjective, adverb, noun, or verb job.

ARE THESE PHRASES OR CLAUSES? 1.was hoping 2.if she really knows 3.with Alice and me 4.will be writing 5.since Donna wrote 6.we found your pen 7.after she decides 8.under the tree 9.the American president 10.sunning itself

NOUN PHRASES Noun phrases are groups of words that lack a verb and/or its subject (phrases) that work like nouns (so they can be a subject or an object). There are four types of noun phrases. SIMPLE NOUN PHRASE APPOSITIVE PHRASE GERUND PHRASE INFINITIVE PHRASE Note: Not all infinitive phrases are noun phrases

ADJECTIVE QUESTIONS Adjectives answer these questions: What kind? gray sky, old shoes, clever dog, low price Which one? that girl, next day, either way, last chance How many? five fingers, many rivers, fewer hours, some problems

ADVERB QUESTIONS Where? We lived there. Please step up. I have the ticket here. When? May we go tomorrow? Water the plant weekly. We’ll see you later. How? She quickly agreed. The rain fell softly. Drive carefully. To what extent? I am completely happy. He hardly moved. Did she hesitate slightly?

PHRASE TYPES Noun Phrases Simple Appositive Gerund Some Infinitive Phrases Verb Phrases Simple Complete Some Infinitive Phrases Adverb Phrases Some Prepositional Phrases Some Infinitive Phrases Adjective Phrases Some Prepositional Phrases Participial Phrases Some Infinitive Phrases

VERB PHRASES COMPLETE PREDICATE / COMPLETE VERB PHRASE School is nearly over. We have been awaiting the end of the school year. SIMPLE PREDICATE / SIMPLE VERB PHRASE School is nearly over. We have been awaiting the end of the school year.

ADVERB PHRASES Some PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES I hiked up the Himalayan trails. Hiked where? I went to hang out with my friends after I finished my homework. Went when? Some Infinitive Phrases Elyse took American Government to finish her social studies electives. Took why?

ADJECTIVE PHRASES Participial Phrases The teachers eating lunch in the cafeteria are supposed to be keeping an eye on you. Holding the telephone, my mother asked if we wanted to stay the night at grandma’s house. Shocked by his appearance, Tina was grossed out when she saw her Tinder date. Some Prepositional Phrases The birds on the telephone wire flew away quickly. Which one(s)? The code to open the front door was written in her planner. Some Infinitive Phrases

ABSOLUTE PHRASES These modify an entire sentence. My cake finally baking in the oven, I could rest for a little while. They have a noun, a participle, and (maybe) modifiers. Noun: Cake Participle: Baking Modifiers: In the oven They sort of seem like dependent clauses, but they don’t start with a subordinating conjunction.

PREPOSITIONS A preposition is a word that shows a relationship between two words in the sentence. Ex: The duck is in the lake. Prepositions are often words that are hard to define by themselves They need other words around them to have meaning.

Prepositions often show spatial relationships, so if you can “do it to the mountain,” it’s a preposition. She went under the mountain. Both linking verbs and prepositions show relationships, so you must know a linking verb when you see it. I am a teacher. I am on the treadmill.

OBJECTS OF PREPOSITIONS The object of the preposition is a noun or pronoun that the preposition is linking to some other word. Some of the construction crew built a scaffold near the tower. The library will hold the book until tomorrow. The theatre director sat behind the scenery with a small flashlight.

ADVERBIAL OR ADJECTIVAL? Adverb Questions When Where Why How To What Extent Adjective Questions Which One What Kind How Many

APPOSITIVE PHRASES: NOUN PHRASES THAT “RE-NAME” A NOUN The phrase is “essential” if it is needed to tell the reader “which one” It’s non-essential if you can take it out without creating vagueness. Non-essential = needs commas b/c it’s “extra info” #16 is really just an appositive, not a phrase, because it is one word #17 & 18 show that prepositional phrases can be a part of an appositive phrase

PARTICIPIAL PHRASES Participles look like verbs (they are formed from verbs), yet they are used as adjectives. Present participles end in –ing. Past participles often end in –ed, but there are many irregulars A participial phrase will ALWAYS be extra information, as it is acting like an adjective. It will always start with a participle. It will always modify a noun or a pronoun. *can include prepositional phrases

*PARTICIPIAL PHRASES Participles are called “verbals” because they are formed from active verbs, yet they are not verbs. They are adjectives. They include: Present participles end in –ing. Past participles often end in –ed, but there are many irregulars Note: Not all words that end in –ing or –ed are participles though! A participial phrase will ALWAYS be extra information, as it is acting like an adjective. It will always start with a participle. It will always modify a noun or a pronoun. *can include prepositional phrases

GERUND PHRASES Gerunds look like verbs, but they are actually doing noun jobs. They will be the subject of a sentence or the object of a verb or a preposition. They could also be appositives. #32 is just a gerund. There is no phrase. If there is a prepositional phrase connected to the gerund phrase, you can underline it, but you don’t have to. It is extra modification of the phrase.

HOW CAN I TELL WHAT IT IS? Infinitive To+verb Acts like noun, adjective, or adverb Gerund -ing Acts as a noun Participial -ing (present) or – ed/irregulars (past) Acts as an adjective Prepositional Preposition -> object Acts like adjective or adverb Appositive Noun Re-names another noun Clause Has a subject and a verb Can be independent or dependent

A curtain, made [of strings] [of bamboo beads], hung [across the open door]. Cramming [for tests ] is not a good study strategy. Eating [before swimming ] is often warned against. [Except Jo ], the children were remarkably [like their father ]. Tyler wanted to go [to the building ] next [to the lodge ] [by the highway ].

PHRASE WORKSHEET (6-10) He was proud of the presentation that he had made the night before. Her plan to subsidize childcare won wide acceptance among urban politicians. I’m really not interested in studying biochemistry for the rest of my life. It was very hot, and the express from Barcelona would come in forty minutes. Joe Biden, the American Vice President, traveled to Ukraine.

IDENTIFYING PHRASES John enjoyed swimming in the lake after dark. Kristen went to college to study veterinary medicine. My teacher, the best chess player in town, has won several tournaments. She wanted to raise taxes. Lisa’s goal, to become an occupational therapist, is within her grasp this year.