1. Phrases and Clauses
C. Putnam
L. Raney

2. What is the difference between a clause and a phrase?
Clause – a group of words that have a subject and a verb that must always agree
Phrase – a noun, verb, or preposition with all its modifiers
- does NOT have a subject and verb which agree

3. Types of Phrases Noun phrases Verb phrases Prepositional phrases
Appositive phrases

4. Noun Phrase Definition: -A noun with all its modifiers
-A complete subject is always classified
as a noun phrase.
Example:
The frustrated, irritated teachers...
Noun: teachers
Modifiers:
the, frustrated, irritated

5. Verb Phrase Defined as a verb with all of its modifiers EXAMPLE:
…completely frightened the seventh grade students.
Verb - frightened
Modifier - completely
…would like to improve her grammar skills.
Verb phrase - would like to improve

6. Verbals
Gerunds
– verbs that end in “ing” but DO NOT function as a verb
- function as nouns
- example: One teacher enjoys frightening new seventh graders. (noun as a direct object)
Infinitives
- verbs that begin with “to”
- function as a nouns, adjectives, or adverbs
- example: The language arts classroom is a place
students do not want to enter.
Participles
- verbs that function as an adjective
- example: The screeching teacher frightened
the students.

7. Prepositional Phrase preposition - in Defined as the preposition,
the object of the preposition (preposition who or what),
and all its modifiers
Example: The frustrated, irritated teachers enrolled
in Mr. Ruff’s “ Grammar for Dummies” class.
preposition - in
object of the preposition - class
modifiers – Mr. Ruff’s, “Grammar for Dummies”

8. Appositive Phrase Definition: A noun phrase that renames the noun it
follows.
Also known as a parenthetical phrase
Example:
Brad Ruff, the grammar guru, empowers teachers.
Appositive phrase?
- the grammar guru

9. CLAUSES Definition: Words that contain a subject and a verb
which must always agree.
Two types of clauses:
Independent Clause
Dependent Clause

10. Independent Clause
An independent clause MUST HAVE a subject and a verb which agree.
Example:
The frustrated, irritated teachers finally understood the basic grammar concepts.
All the words in an independent clause can act alone as a sentence.
They are a complete thought.

11. Dependent Clause
The subject and verb agree, but the words CANNOT stand alone as a complete sentence.
also known as subordinate clause or relative clause
Examples:
since the teachers seek proficiency in grammar
which sheltered the children from the storm

12. Joining Clauses Clauses can be joined with:
Coordinating conjunctions (join two independent clauses)
- AKA “FANBOYS” for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
Subordinating conjunctions (join dependent clause to independent clause)
Some examples:
- if, since, because, with, when, whether, while
Relative Pronouns
- who, whose, whom, which, that
- NOTE: If a relative pronoun is used to begin a dependent clause, that pronoun also has a function within the dependent clause. It will also have an antecedent in the independent clause.

13. Examples: coordinating conjunction:
- The busses lumbered along the boulevard, and the children eagerly looked for the first sight of Disneyland.
subordinating conjunction:
The busses lumbered along the boulevard while the children eagerly looked for the first sight of Disneyland.
Relative pronoun:
- The busses, which were slowly lumbering along the boulevard, were filled with eager children looking for their first sight of Disneyland.

14. Relative Pronouns: who, whose, whom, which, that
WHO OR WHOM?
WHO – used as the subject of a clause
WHOM – used as an object
Direct object
Indirect objects
Object of a preposition
Example:
Because the wind violently sliced through the branches, the toddler, who/whom was terrified, joined its howling.
- antecedent?
- function in the clause?

15. Joining Clauses: Dependent Clause (with subordinating conjunction) + TWO Independent Clauses (with coordinating conjunction) +Relative Clause (with relative pronoun)
While the frustrated teachers were industriously taking notes, they relaxed, and the light bulbs went off in their brains, which indicated miraculous understanding of the grammar concepts.

16. Combination of phrases and clauses determine FOUR TYPES OF SENTENCES
# of # of
Independent Clauses Dependent Clauses
2+ 0
1 1+
Type of Sentence -Simple Sentence -Compound Sentence - Complex Sentence -Compound/Complex Sentence