Download Of Mice and Men

Name__________________________
Sentence-Composing Tools:
Layering Meaning with Phrases
Appositive Phrase
---A noun phrase identifying a person, place, or thing named in a sentence. Appositives often begin
with the words a, an, the. They always answer one of these questions: Who is she/he? What is it?
It was Candy, a ranch hand with an old dog.
Your Imitation:__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Absolute Phrase
---A phrase describing the rest of the sentence in which it appears. Headed by a noun, these phrases
can add detail and variety to your writing style. Instead of renaming the referent (first noun) as an
appositive does, the absolute phrase introduces a new referent (noun).
Candy stood silent, his old dog lying close to his side.
Your Imitation:__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Prepositional Phrase
A preposition such as above, about, below, beyond, with, to, etc. begins a prepositional phrase. They
can be removed without destroying the meaning of the sentence. They can also add detail and style to
the sentence.
The whole congregation prayed for me alone, in a mighty wail of moans and voices.
Langston Hughes, The Big Sea
Your Imitation:__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Participial Phrase
---A verbal ending in ing or ed used to describe. A verbal is a verb that also works like another part of
speech. Participles show action, so they act like verbs, but they also describe, so they act like
adjectives. Present participles always end in ing; past particples usually end in ed. Unlike ing main
verbs, which cannot be removed from a sentence, participles are removable.
He was clearing his throat loudly. (not removable verb)
Clearing his throat loudly, he stepped out from the shadow. (removable verbal)
Hated by the Federalists and suspected by the Republicans, John Quincy Adams returned to private
life.
John F. Kennedy, Profiles in Courage
Your Imitation:__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Gerund Phrase
A verbal ending in -ing used to name activities. A verbal is a verb that also works like another part of
speech. Gerunds show action, so they act like verbs, but they also name, so they act like nouns by
naming activities. Insert one of these phrases into the blank spot below: playing chess, learning new
things, building sand castles. Or create one of your own for each spot.
1. ______________________________ is fun.
2. We like________________________________.
3. They talked about ____________________________.
4. A great leisure activity is ___________________________.
5. Their favorite pastime, ____________________________, is enjoyed by many.
Infinitive Phrase
A verbal that always begins with to plus a verb: to sing, to read, to linger, to study, etc. A verbal is a
verb that also works like another part of speech. Infinitives can name something (like a noun does),
describe something (like an adjective does), or give a reason for something (like an adverb does).
Noun Infinitive:
To get his feet wet in such a freezing temperature meant trouble and danger.
Jack London, “To Build a Fire”
Your Imitation:__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Adverb Infinitive:
She lingered a moment or two to bathe her own face with the cool water and to smooth her hair.
Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera
Your Imitation:__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Adjective Infinitive:
It was the time to accomplish his mission or to fail.
Walter Dean Meyers, Legend of Tarik
Your Imitation:__________________________________________________________________________________________________
By the end of this unit you will be able to:
 Identify Phrases
 Create Phrases to Add Detail
Phrases in Action: Of Mice and Men
They walked in single file down the path. George was small
and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong
features. Every part of him was defined: small, strong hands,
slender arms, a thin and bony nose. Behind George walked
Lennie, his opposite, a huge man shapeless of face, with large,
pale eyes, with wide sloping shoulders who walked heavily,
dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws.
George stopped short in the clearing, and Lenny nearly ran
over him.
Identify the type of phrase used in the sentence below.
There is a path (A) through the willows and (B) among the
sycamores, (C) a path beaten hard by boys coming down
from the ranches (D) to swim in the deep pool.
A:
B:
C:
D: