Download Phrases and Clauses

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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.
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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
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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…
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Noun phrases always include a noun within
the phrase
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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.
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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
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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.”
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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
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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.
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Adverb phrases often start with subordinating
conjunctions
Look for words like:
◦ after, although, however, even though, despite,
since, whenever, while, etc