Chapter 5: The Phrase

Part 1: Prepositional Phrases-The Adjective & Adverb Phrase

What is a phrase?

• A group of words that is missing a verb, a subject, or both

• Examples:– in the kitchen (no subject or verb)– could have been hiding (no subject)– to go with them (no subject)

Practice…Are these phrases or not• when you know

– NP• in the garden

– P (missing subject and verb)• is sleeping

– P (missing subject)• how she remembered

– NP• smiling brightly

– P (missing subject)• to the supermarket

– P (missing subject and verb)

Kinds of Phrases

• 1) Prepositional Phrase:

– Begins with a preposition (remember your song…because now you really need it!!!)

– Ends with a noun or pronoun

Example Prepositional Phrases

• during the day– Preposition: during– Noun/pronoun: day

• with us– Preposition: with– Noun/pronoun: us

Kinds of Phrases cont’d

• 1A) The Adjective Phrase– A prepositional phrase that describes a noun or

pronoun – So, it begins with a preposition and ends with a

noun, but it goes back to or is giving extra information about a noun or pronoun• Charles Dickens wrote many tales {about poverty}.

– about poverty = the adjective phrase (begins with about, ends with poverty)

– tales = the noun it is giving extra information about

Adjective Phrase cont’d

• Answers the questions:– What kind?– How many?– Which one?– How much?

**TIP** Adjective phrases usually follow the word or words they describe

Adjective Phrase cont’d

• You try…– Easy-----The store with the neon sign is open.– Harder----Here’s a gift for you from Mr. B.– Hardest-----A majority of the animals in the world

sleep during the day.

Adjective Phrase Answers:– Easy-----The store {with the neon sign} is open.

• with the neon sign = adjective phrase• store = noun it is describing (answers: which one?)

– Harder----Here’s a gift {for you} {from Mr. B}.• for you = adjective phrase• from Mr. B = adjective phrase• gift = noun that BOTH phrases are describing (answers: which one?)

– Hardest-----A majority {of the animals} {in the world} sleep during the day.• of the animals = adjective phrase• majority = noun it is describing (answers: how many?)• in the world = adjective phrase• animals = noun it is describing (part of the 1st adjective phrase)

(answers: what kind?)

Kinds of Phrases cont’d• 1B) The Adverb Phrase– A prepositional phrase that describes a verb,

adjective, or adverb– So, it begins with a preposition and ends with a

noun, but it goes back to or is giving extra information about a verb, adjective, or adverb• The Ford Motor Company was founded {by Henry Ford}

{in 1903}.– by Henry Ford = adverb phrase– in 1903 = adverb phrase–was founded = verb they are giving extra info about

Adverb Phrase cont’d

• Answers the questions:– When?– Where?– How?– Why?– How often?– How long?– To what extent?

• **TIP** like adverbs, adverb phrases can move around in the sentence. Adjective phrases usually only follow the word or words they describe.

Adverb Phrase cont’d• You try…– Easy----We got our new puppy at the animal

shelter.– Harder----She drove for hours through the storm.– Hardest----The boat landed on the island near the

coast.

Adverb Phrase Answers – Easy----We got our new puppy {at the animal shelter}.

• at the animal shelter = adverb phrase• got = verb it is describing (answers: where?)

– Harder----She drove {for hours} {through the storm}.• for hours = adverb phrase• through the storm = adverb phrase• drove = verb that BOTH phrases are describing (answers: how

long? and where?)

– Hardest----The boat landed {on the island} {near the coast}.• on the island = adverb phrase • landed = verb it is describing (answers: where?)• near the coast = adjective phrase • island = noun it is describing (part of the adverb phrase)

(answers: which one?)

Chapter 5: The Phrase

Part II: Verbal Phrases-The Participle & Infinitive Phrases

What is a Participle?• A verb form that can be used as an adjective

(describes a noun or pronoun)• 1) Present Participle = ends in “ing”• 2) Past Participle = ends in “d” or “ed”– Some past participles are irregular and do not

have this ending• For example: frozen • I went ice skating on the frozen pond.

– Frozen = past participle– Pond = noun it is describing

Practice: pg 99-100• Find the participles and nouns/pronouns they describe:– Annoyed, I went inside to watch TV.

• Annoyed = past participle • I = pronoun it is describing

– I woke my sleeping father to ask about mosquitoes.• Sleeping = present participle• Father = noun it is describing

– Sucking blood for food, mosquitoes survive in many different cultures.• Sucking = present participle• Mosquitoes = noun it is describing

– Bites make the skin swell, and the swollen skin itches.• Swollen = past participle• Skin = noun it is describing

Participle Phrase

• Participle phrases are used as adjectives (describes a noun/pronoun)

• Begins with a participle and contains all describing words– Examples: • Stretching slowly• Predicted by the meteorologist• Reading the assignment

Participle Phrases

• Tips:– Look for words that end in “ing” or are past tense– Ask: Who or What is that word talking about?– Check to make sure the who or what is a noun– **Many times, these phrases have commas after

them!

You Try…• Cheering for the team, we celebrated the

victory.– Cheering for the team (uses present participle)

• Shown here, his design for the newest fighter jet was the first one in history. – Shown here (uses past participle)

• Have you ever heard of International Left-Hander’s Day, celebrated on August 13?– Celebrated on August 13 (uses past participle)

What is an infinitive?

• A verb form that can be used as a noun, adjective, or adverb.

• Most infinitives begin with the preposition “to”• **They are ALWAYS followed by a VERB**• Examples:– To remain– To meet– To dream

You Try…• My first stop would be to visit the Statue of

Liberty.– To visit = infinitive

• France gave the statue to the U.S. in 1884.– None

• It was a gift to express the friendship between the two nations.– To express = infinitive

Infinitive Phrases

• An infinitive phrase begins with the infinitive (to + a verb) and contains all describing words & prepositional phrases

• Examples:– To be a good gymnast– To fly over both the North and South Poles– To go to the gym now

You Try…

• A bird sings to claim its territory.– To claim its territory

• Human beings learned to build aircraft by carefully studying the way birds fly.– To build aircraft

• To recognize the songs of different birds takes many hours of practice.– To recognize the songs of different birds

• Birds use their feathers to push their bodies through the air.– To push their bodies through the air

Part III: Phrases

Appositive Phrases

What is an appositive?

• It is a noun or pronoun placed beside another noun or pronoun to describe or give more information about it.

• Most often, they are surrounded by commas.• Example:– My teacher, Mr. Craig, enjoys books by Jane

Austen.• Mr. Craig = appositive• Teacher = noun it is describing

Appositive Phrase• A phrase that is giving more information about

a noun or pronoun.• Examples:– Frankie, a goodhearted and intelligent girl, is a

pleasure to teach.• Set off by commas & can be taken out

– Trevor’s friend Mike sometimes gives Trevor poor advice. • Not set off by commas because Trevor has more than

one friend, so Mike’s name is important in the sentence

You Try…• My sister Alyssa is a hard worker.

– Alyssa = appositive– Sister = noun it is describing

• Chris, my next door neighbor, is a carpenter.– My next door neighbor = appositive phrase– Chris = noun it is describing

• Will your cousin Tiffany visit you this summer?– Tiffany = appositive– Cousin = noun it is describing

• Gino is playing with his favorite toy, the Thomas train set.– The Thomas the train set = appositive phrase– Toy = noun it is describing

• Jackson Square, a landmark in New Orleans, has a statue of Andrew Jackson on it.– A landmark in New Orleans = appositive phrase– Jackson Square = noun it is describing