phrases and clauses

Phrases and clauses are groups of related words that serve as building blocks of sentences on a larger scale than parts of speech.

A clause contains both a subject and a verb whereas a phrase does not.

A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a verb

There are two types of clauses:◦ 1. Independent Clauses◦ 2. Dependent Clauses

An independent clause may stand alone as a complete sentence because it contains a subject and a verb and forms a complete idea.

EX: I ran down the stairs.

A dependent clause contains a subject and a verb but DOES NOT form a complete idea.

EX: While I ran down the stairs…

A phrase is a group of words that work as a single part of speech.

This means that groups of several words can have the same function as a single part of speech.

A noun phrase is a group of words that name a person, place, thing, or idea.

EX: My slightly brain-damaged dog loves to eat his vegetarian, peach-flavored dog treats.

The italicized phrases replace single nouns (1) Snickers and (2) treats; EX: Snickers loves treats.

The easiest way to identify a noun phrase is to see if the phrase can be replaced with “it” or “that”

EX: I don’t understand how to find the derivative of this function.◦ I don’t understand it.

Noun phrases always include a noun within the phrase

Adjective phrases are groups of words used to describe nouns.

EX: My first car, a 1980 Honda Accord with a duct-taped bullet hole in the bumper, was everything a teenager’s first car should be.

Just like an adjective, the italicized phrase tells you What Kind of car my first car was.

Adjective phrases are often (but not always) separated from the rest of the sentence by commas

Adjective phrases will NEVER contain the subject or object of a sentence

Adjective phrases tell you what kind, which one, or how many

A verb phrase is a group of words that express an action or state of being.

EX: My friend and I will be travelling to Los Angeles.

The phrase “will be travelling” works as a singular verb, like “go” or “went.”

Verb phrases are only constructed with verbs!

There are never any other parts of speech in a verb phrase

Make sure you know your linking verbs: is, are, was, were, am, be, been, do, did,

does, shall, should, may, might, must, have, has, had, can, could, will, would

An adverb phrase is a group of words that describes adjectives, verbs, or adverbs.

EX: Because it is now third quarter, some seniors are suffering from more severe senioritis.

The adverb phrase describes why or how you are suffering from senioritis.

Adverb phrases often start with subordinating conjunctions

Look for words like:◦ after, although, however, even though, despite,

since, whenever, while, etc