The Phrase and the Clause Adjective & Adverb Phrases

Adjective Phrases Adjective Phrases– a prepositional phrase that modifies a noun or pronoun Ex: Adjective: Icy chunks fell from the skyscraper. Adjective Phrase: Chunks of ice fell from the skyscraper.

Adjective Phrases Answers the questions: What kind? Which one? How many? How much? Ex: Mr. Arnaud ordered a dinner of boiled crawfish. The adjective phrase modifies the noun dinner. The phrase answers What kind? The one with big pockets costs a little more. The adjective phrase modifies the pronoun one. The phrase answers the question Which one? There was enough room for only three people. The adjective phrase modifies the noun room. The phrase answers the question How much?

Adjective Phrases Note: more than one adjective phrase may modify the same noun or pronoun Ex: The painting of sunflowers by van Gogh is famous. The two adjective phrases, of sunflowers and by van Gogh, both answer the question Which painting? A number of the paintings by that artist are landscapes. The adjective phrase of the paintings answers the question What kind of number? The adjective phrase by that artist answers that question Which paintings?

Practice … Identify the adjective phrase and the noun it modifies The book about birds of North America has won many awards for photography. About birds –book Of North America –birds For photography -awards The key to successful flight is the structure of the feather. To successful flight –key of the feather -structure The area inside the quill of a feather is hollow. Inside the quill –area Of a feather –quill Have you ever seen any of the birds that have these kinds of feathers? Of the birds –any Of feathers -kinds

Adverb Phrases Adverb Phrases– a prepositional phrase that is used to modify a verb, an adjective, or an adverb Ex: Adverb: We walk there every Saturday. Adverb Phrase: We walk along the lake every Saturday.

Adverb Phrases Answers the questions: When? Where? Why? How? How often? How long? Ex: The statue stands next to a large oak tree. The adverb phrase modifies the verb stands and answers the question Where? Ready by dawn, the travelers set out early to reach the capital. The adverb phrase modifies the adjective Ready and answers the question When? Are these jeans long enough for you. The adverb phrase modifies the adverb enough and answers the question How?

Adverb Phrases Note: After swimming lessons, Aunt Helen drove us home. Adverb phrases may appear anywhere in a sentence. They may come before or after the words they modify. Other words may come between an adverb phrase and the word or words it modifies Ex: After swimming lessons, Aunt Helen drove us home. Dad has been afraid of snakes since he was a boy. We rode our bikes over the bridge.

Adverb Phrases Note: As with adjective phrases, more than one adverb phrase can modify the same word. Ex: Cesar Chavez worked with the United Farm Workers for many years. Yesterday we went to an exhibit of rare coins.

Practice … Identify the adverb phrase and the verb, adjective, or adverb it modifies My hamster disappeared for three days. For three days -disappeared The cat is afraid of thunderstorms. Of thunderstorms -afraid Mom discovered several field mice in the cellar. In the cellar -discovered Jimmy Smits will speak at our school. At our school -will speak In the evenings, they played word games. In the evenings -played

Practice … Identify the Prepositional phrase. Tell whether it is an Adj. or Adv. Phrase In China, farmers are considered the backbone of the country. Adv. Phrase - In China Adj. Phrase - Of the country With over one billion people to feed, China asks much from its farmers. Adj. Phrase – With over one billion people to feed Adv. Phrase – from its farmers As you can see, water from high terraces can flow to lower terraces. Adj. Phrase – from high terraces Adv. Phrase – to lower terraces