Download Because you know you love my sentence structure lectures, here is

Because you know you love my sentence
structure lectures, here is yet another…
This week’s topic…phrases!
•Prepositional phrases
•Verbal phrases
•Absolute phrases
•Appositive phrases
What is a phrase?
A phrase is a group of related
words that lacks either a
subject or a predicate or both.
•amazing triumphs of technology (lacks a predicate)
•can be found (lacks a subject)
•in ancient civilizations (lacks a subject and predicate)
Amazing triumphs of technology can be found in
ancient civilizations.
Prepositional phrases
•Consist of a preposition and an object
•Function as adjectives or adverbs
•Used to show relationship
•Can be added or deleted without affecting the
meaning or structure of the sentence
Life on a raft was an opportunity for adventure.
adj.
adj.
Huck Finn rode the raft down the river by choice.
adv.
adv.
With his companion, Jim, Huck met many types of people.
adv.
adj.
Verbals
A verbal is a word that is derived from a verb, has the power of a
verb, but acts as another part of speech. Like a verb, a verbal may
take an object, a modifier (adj/adv), and sometimes a subject;
however, unlike a verb, a verbal functions as a noun, an adjective,
or an adverb. Also, a verbal cannot serve as a verb.
Three types of verbals:
•Gerund
•Infinitive
•Participle
Gerunds
A gerund is a verbal that ends in -ing and
is used as a noun.
Examples:
Getting up each morning is the first challenge. (subject)
I start moving around seven o’clock. (direct object)
I work at jump-starting my weary system. (object of prep)
Like Woody Allen once said, “Eighty percent of life is
showing up.” (predicate noun)
Infinitives
An infinitive is a verb form that is usually introduced
by the word to.
An infinitive may be used as a noun, adjective, or adverb.
Examples:
To succeed is not easy. (noun subject)
Students are wise to work hard. (adverb)
The quiet environment of the library
encourages the desire to study. (adjective)
“To float or not
to float, that is
the question.”
Participles
A participle is a verbal ending in -ing or -ed.
A participle functions as an adjective.
Examples:
The students listening to this lecture are definitely interested.
The prospects of aced assessments and improved skills must be
appealing.
Don’t let your participles dangle!
A dangling participle (or modifier) does
not sensibly modify anything in its
sentence.
Examples:
Incorrect:
Walking down the crowded street, the traffic light turned red.
Correct:
Walking down the crowded street, I noticed the traffic light turning red.
Incorrect:
Although intact, graffiti covered every inch of the walls and windows.
Correct:
Although the walls and windows were intact, graffiti covered every
inch of them.
Absolute phrases
•Consist of a noun or pronoun and a participle, plus any
modifiers.
•Unlike a participial phrase, an absolute phrase always
contains a noun that serves as a subject.
Examples:
Absolute phrase
Their own place established, many ethnic groups
are making way for new arrivals.
Learning English, many immigrants discover American culture.
Participial phrase
Immigrants having learned English, their opportunities widen.
Absolute phrase
Appositive phrases
•An appositive is usually a noun that renames another
noun; it also adds new information about the noun
it follows.
•An appositive phrase also includes modifiers.
•Appositives and appositive phrases sometimes begin with
that is, such as, for example, or in other words.
Examples:
Mrs. Scow, my English teacher, is a bibliophile.
appositive phrase
Books, for example Tortilla Curtain and To Kill a Mockingbird, inspire her.
appositive phrase
ilearn
You guessed it…
Use each vocabulary word in a sentence:
4 absolute phrases
4 appositive phrases
4 gerunds
4 participles
4 infinitives