1. Phrases & Clauses

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Examples of phrases She has been crying all day.
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)

6. 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.

7. Are these Phrases or Clauses?
was hoping
if she really knows
with Alice and me
will be writing
since Donna wrote
we found your pen
after she decides
under the tree
the American president

8. Different Phrase Types…

9. Phrase Types Noun Phrases Verb Phrases Adverb Phrases
Simple
Appositive
Gerund
Some Infinitive Phrases
Verb Phrases
Adverb Phrases
Some Prepositional Phrases
Some Infinitive Phrases
Adjective Phrases
Participial Phrases

10. 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 (sometimes)

11. Appositive Phrases: Noun Phrases that “re-name” a Noun
These phrases are non-essential because they are extra information (simply re-naming the noun that is already there); thus, use commas around them.
Jessica, my best friend, needs my help to move into a new house this weekend.
This emerald, the princess-cut stone in the store window, is the one I’d like for my engagement ring.

12. Gerund Phrases Gerunds look like verbs, but they are actually nouns!
Gerund phrases will usually be the subject of a sentence or the object of a verb or a preposition, although they can also be appositives.
Waking up early in the morning is good for you!
If there is a prepositional phrase connected to the gerund phrase, you should underline it; it counts as related information.

13. Verb Phrases Some books say the complete predicate is the verb phrase…
School is nearly over.
We have been awaiting the end of the school year.
Other books say it’s just the simple predicate (so long as it is 2+ words)
No: School is nearly over.
Yes: We have been awaiting the end of the school year.

14. Adverb Questions Where? When? How? To what extent?
We lived under the overpass.
Please step up here.
I have the ticket in my pocket.
When?
May we go tomorrow night?
Water the plant twice weekly.
How?
She agreed very quickly.
The rain fell quite softly.
To what extent?
I was frightened to the extreme.
He moved in the slightest manner.

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

16. Adjectives answer these questions:
Adjective Questions
Adjectives answer these questions:
What kind?
Sooty gray sky; superbly clever dog,
Which one?
The girl in the coffee shop
How many?
five fingers, many rivers, fewer hours, some problems

17. Some Infinitive Phrases
Adjective Phrases
Participial Phrases
Some Prepositional 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 its appearance, Tina was grossed out when she saw her dinner.
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

18. 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
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.
It can include prepositional phrases

19. Participial Phrases
Looking for our baggage, my mother headed to the front of the line.
Obliterated by the sun’s rays, my skin was extremely sunburned.
Swimming quickly, the little otter worked hard on his new home.

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

21. 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.

22. She went under the mountain.
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.
Linking Verb:
I am a teacher.
Preposition:
I am on the treadmill.

23. 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.

24. How can I tell what it is? Infinitive Gerund Participial Prepositional
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
Prepositions take an object
These act like adjectives or adverbs
Appositive
Noun w/ modifiers
Re-names another noun
Clause
Has a subject and a verb
Can be independent or dependent

25. Identifying Phrases #1
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].

26. Identifying Phrases #2 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.