1. Using phrases effectively
Grammar Unit: Phrases
The next step in learning grammar, the phrase, can benefit you in both writing and reading:
IN writing, the ability to uses phrases effectively allows for a greater range of ideas that can’t be stated in single words.
In reading, learning phrases enables you, with one eye movement, to read larger sentence units rather than read word by word.
Using phrases effectively

2. What is a phrase?
A group of words without a subject and verb, used as a part of speech.
A phrase is not a complete idea, because it is a group of words which contains no subject/predicate set and which only acts as a single part of speech.
Examples:
swinging a golf club
a publisher of books
before the first test
It’s a collection of words that may have nouns or verbs, but it does not have a subject doing a verb.
A phrase is an elaboration.
1. Gerund 2. appositive 3. prepositional

3. Phrases and Clauses
The difference between a phrase and a clause: Both phrases and clauses are groups of words, but a clause contains both a subject and a predicate, and a phrase does not.
Example: I jumped (clause)
in the boat (phrase)
Certain phrases have specific names based on the type of word that begins or governs the word group: noun phrases, verb phrases, prepositional phrases, infinitive phrases, participial phrases, gerund phrase, and absolute phrases.

4. Prepositional Phrase Example: On the table
A prepositional phrase is a phrase that starts with a preposition and ends with a noun (or a pronoun).
Example:
On the table
On the oak, dining room table
An understanding of prepositional phrases can make you a stronger reader and a stronger writer.
They can help you add detail to your descriptive writing and they can also help you fully understand the sentence you are reading.
Take for example the phrase “on the table” // even if I add some adjectives to it, it is still a prepositional phrase // there is no verb or anything in there, just a noun and a preposition

5. Prepositional Phrase Location
He put the book on the oak, dining room table.
Direction
He ran down the street.
Time
In spring, the cherry blossoms bloom.
Manner/Feeling/ Attitude
He jumped back in surprise.
Now we can use those to express different things in a sentence, they can be used to show location. READ EXAMPLE… this shows the location of the book.
It can be used to show direction. READ second example… in this case “down the street” is a prepositional phrase.
It can be used to show time. In this case, “in spring” is the prepositional phrase
It can also be used to show manner/feeling/attitude… in this case “in surprise” is the prepositional phrase

6. Prepositional Phrase I watched the rain fall.
From my window I watched the rain fall on the fields of corn behind my house.
Now as I said before, prepositional phrases are a useful way to add detail to your writing especially if you are writing a descriptive essay or paragraph.
For instance, I have a very simple sentence here… now just by adding a few prepositional phrases you can improve upon this sentence
We are just adding more detail and more specifics which create a picture for the reader to see.

7. Prepositional Phrase
Prepositional phrases cannot be the subject of a sentence
Example:
In the hallway of the school the photo of Mr. Freeborn frightened the children of all ages.
the photo frightened the children.
Around the corner from my school is a Brazilian buffet.
Prepositional phrases are also important to understand in order to fully comprehend what you are reading.
The MOST important thing to remember about them is that a prepositional phrase can never be the subject of a sentence.
Lets look at this sentence for example: …
Now if you know that a prepositional phrase cannot be the subject of a sentence, its easier for you to identify the subject.
What are the prepositional phrases in this sentence?
What is the subject?
Now if we take the prepositions away we can see the core of the sentence.
The photo frightened the children. --- Here we simply have the subject, verb, and the object
Now this is a simple example.
Sometimes in English we invert the order of a sentence in order to sound more formal or emphatic. Look at this example: ….
What is the subject of this sentence? Brazilian buffet…. This is correct because we can recognize “around the corner” and “from my school” as prepositional phrases that cannot be the subject, this leaves us with one option.
The subject and the verb have been inverted for effect. That’s why I have said that if you understand the purpose or function of a preposition phrase it can help you identify the main parts of the sentence in order to understand it.

8. The following words are the most commonly used prepositions:
about
below
excepting
off
toward
above
beneath
for on
under
across
beside(s)
from
onto
underneath
after
between in
out
until
against
beyond
in front of
outside up
along
but
inside
over
upon
among by
in spite of
past
up to
around
concerning
instead of
regarding
with at
despite
into
since
within
because of
down
like
through
without
before
during
near
throughout
with regard to
behind
except of to
with respect to

9. Gerunds & Gerund Phrases
Lets remind ourselves what a phrase is?
A phrase is two or more words that do not contain a subject-verb pair necessary to form a clause. They can be very short or long.
Recognize a gerund phrase when you see one

10. Identify the Subject
Jamming too much clothing into the washing machine will result in disaster.
Now everyone knows what a noun is….. And a verb….. Today we are going to talk about verbs that function as nouns.
Thanksgiving is a gerund.

11. What is a Gerund?
A gerund is a verb form that ends in –ing and is used as a noun.
For example:
Dribbling requires strength.
The athletes enjoy exercising.
They maintain endurance by running.
The present participial or present continuous, i.e. –ing verb form. A gerund phrase includes, its modifiers and the words that complete the idea begun by the gerund.
Blocking requires strength. (subject)
The athletes enjoy exercising. (direct object)
They maintain endurance by running. (object of a preposition)\
Example: Winning is everything. / Gardening is my hobbie.
Cramming for tests is not a good study strategy.

12. Gerunds Gerunds always, always, always end in –ing.
The act like nouns in a sentence.
They can be:
Subjects
Direct objects
Subject compliment
Objects of a preposition.
Objects – the entity acted upon by the subject.
A gerund is a verb that ends in -ing and functions as a noun. The term verbal indicates that a gerund is based on a verb and therefore expresses action or a state of being. However, since a gerund functions as a noun, it occupies some positions in a sentence that a noun ordinarily would, for example: subject, direct object, subject complement, and object of preposition.

13. Gerund Phrase
A gerund phrase includes the gerund, its modifiers, and the words that complete the idea begun by the gerund.
Gerund phrases always function as nouns.
Never requires punctuation.
A gerund phrase begins with a gerund, an –ing word, and has other attached words such as modifiers and/or objects.
A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause which functions as an adjective or an adverb to describe a word or make its meaning more specific.
Gerund phrases always function as nouns… so they will have subjects, subject compliments (predicate nominative), or objects in the sentence.
Subject compliment: noun, adjective, or pronoun that follows a linking verb. (linking verb) any form of the verb “BE”

14. Gerund Phrase For example:
Eating ice cream on a windy day can be a messy experience if you have long, untamed hair.
A more disastrous activity for long-haired people is blowing giant bubble gum bubbles with the car windows down.
Wild food adventures require getting your hair cut to a short, safe length.
What are the gerunds in the sentence?
Find the word that ends in –ing / Is it normally a verb but is doing the job of a noun? In other words, is it the subject, predicate nominative, or direct object of the sentence.
Eating ice cream on a windy day = subject of the verb “can be”
Blowing giant bubble gum bubbles iwht the car windows down = subject complement of the verb “is”
Getting your hair cut to a short, safe length = direct object of the verb “require”

15. 1. Gerund Phrase as a subject
Making the varsity in any Division I school in any sport discourages those without scholarships.
Selling boats demands product knowledge.
There are four types of gerunds and gerund phrases:
“making” is the subject of the sentence, “varsity” is its direct object, and “in any… sport” are the two modifiers.
“Selling” is the subject of “demands,” and “boats” is the object of “Selling”

16. 2. Gerund Phrases as a Direct Object
My father once considered swimming the English Channel but decided against the plan.
The rookie catcher practiced protecting the plate.
Direct objects follow action verbs and can be nouns, pronouns, phrases, or clauses. Ex. Steve and John played soccer. Soccer is the direct object
What is the gerund phrase?
“Swimming” is the direct object of the verb “considered” while “the English Channel” is the direct object of “swimming” (here is a case where the DO has its own DO.
“Protecting” is the object of “practiced” and “plate” is the object of “protecting”

17. 3. Gerund Phrase as a Subject Compliment
Rob Gourley’s great accomplishment is singing “Rocky Raccoon.”
Missy Knowlton’s forte in field hockey was slashing from the left side.
A predicated nominative or subject complement completes only linking verbs and renames the subject.
“Singing” renames “accomplishment” and therefore is the predicate nominative. The song title is the object of “singing”
“Slashing” is the predicate nominative renaming “forte” and “from the left side” is a modifier.
Forte - a thing at which someone excels.

18. 4. Gerunds as an Object of a Preposition
After hiking for two hours, we sat down to rest.
You might get in trouble for faking an illness to avoid work.
The gerund phrase is the object of the preposition after.
You might get in trouble for faking an illness to avoid work.
faking (gerund) an illness (direct object of action expressed in gerund) to avoid work (infinitive phrase as adverb)

19. Don’t mistake a gerund phrase for a present participle phrase.
Gerund and present participle phrases are easy to confuse because they both begin with an ing word.
The difference is that a gerund phrase will always function as a noun while a present participle phrases describes another word in the sentence.

20. The gerund phrase vs the present participle phrase
Bernard hates buttering toast with a fork.
buttering toast with a fork = gerund phrase, the direct object of the verb hates.
Buttering toast with a fork, Bernard vowed that he would finally wash the week’s worth of dirty dishes piled in the sink.
Buttering toast with a fork = present participle phrase describing Bernard.
Both end in –ing… gerunds function as nouns /// (laughing is good for you)
Present participle functions as an adjective (the old laughing lady dropped by for tea)