Phrases

Phrase  A group of words that does not contain a subject and a verb.  A phrase by itself is a fragment and must be turned into a complete sentence. Example of a phrase: To find information. A phrase in a sentence: We went to the library to find information.

Types of Phrases  These types of phrases are often mistaken for sentences 1. Prepositional phrases 2. Appositive phrases 3. Verbal phrases

Prepositional Phrases  A group of words that contains a preposition, a noun, or a pronoun called the object of preposition and any modifiers of the object.  A prepositional phrase will always begin with a preposition (see page 426 in your Language book if you don’t remember your prepositions!) Examples of prepositional phrases in sentences: Devils tower is a tower of volcanic rock. During a newscast I heard Lee speak.

Appositive Phrase  Consists of an appositive and any modifiers it has (an appositive further identifies or describes another noun or pronoun [page 483]) Examples of appositive phrases and the word they further describe. The Vescuzos live on Milner Lane, a wide street lined with beech trees. Sam’s younger sister, Sue, speaks fluent Spanish.

Verbal Phrases  Phrases that contain verbals  a verbal is a word that is formed from a verb but is used as another part of speech  common verbal endings are –ing, -d, and –ed or they have the word to in front of it  see page 342 for more information on verbals To locate the verbal phrase, first find the verb in the sentence and then look for the verbal Verbal phrases: Our class interested in deserts Learning about the Gobi Desert Verbal phrases in sentences: Engineers were responsible for designing the Brooklyn Bridge. The sudden shattering of glass broke the silence. She wants to study marine biology. Note: There are three types of verbal phrases: participal, gerund, and infinitive (see pages 472 – 482)