Download AvoidingConfusionwithPhrases - CMS-Grade8-ELA-Reading-2010

THE PHRASE PHASE
9th grade English
Mrs. Catherine Jones
This week’s topic…phrases!
•Prepositional phrases
•Verbal phrases
•Appositives
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 an adjective or adverb
•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.
Test your skill!!
Adjective or Adverb
phrase?
The girl
with green
eyes is my
sister.
ANSWER
ADJECTIVE
Test your skill!!
Adjective or Adverb
phrase?
The car
raced
down the
street.
ANSWER
ADVERB
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:
• Infinitive
• Gerund
• Participial
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.
“To be or not to
be, that is the
question.”
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)
Preposition or Infinitive?
• Be sure not to confuse an infinitive--a
verbal consisting of to plus a verb--with a
prepositional phrase beginning with to,
which consists of to plus a noun or
pronoun and any modifiers.
Test your skill!!
Preposition or Infinitive
phrase?
to fly, to draw, to
become, to enter,
to stand, to catch,
to belong
ANSWER
INFINITIVE
Test your skill!!
Preposition or Infinitive
phrase?
to him, to the committee, to my house,
to the mountains, to us,
to this address
ANSWER
Prepositions
Punctuating the Infinitive
• If the infinitive is used as an
adverb and is the beginning phrase
in a sentence, it should be set off with a
comma; otherwise, no punctuation is needed
for an infinitive phrase.
–To buy a basket of flowers, John had to
spend his last dollar.
–To improve your writing, you must
consider your purpose and audience.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
1.An infinitive is a verbal consisting
of the word to plus a verb; it may be
used as a noun, adjective, or adverb.
2. An infinitive phrase consists of an
infinitive plus modifier(s), object(s),
complement(s), and/or actor(s).
“To be or not to
be, that is the
question.”
3. An infinitive phrase requires a comma
only if it is used as an adverb at the
beginning of a sentence.
Gerunds:
A gerund is NOT
a gerbil!
A gerund is a verbal that ends in
ing
and is used as a noun.
• Therefore, a gerund will occupy
some positions in a sentence that a
noun ordinarily would, for
example: subject, direct object,
subject complement, and object of
preposition.
Gerund Examples:
• Getting up each morning is the first
challenge. (subject)
• 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)
Points to Remember!
1. A gerund is a verbal ending
in -ing that is used as a noun.
2. A gerund phrase consists of a
gerund plus modifier(s), object(s),
and/or complement(s).
3. Gerunds and gerund phrases
virtually never require punctuation.
Participles
• A Participle is not a
Partysicle
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 tests and improved
assignments must be appealing.
WARNING
Your participle is dangling!
A dangling participle
(or modifier) does
not sensibly modify
anything in its
sentence.
Test your skill!!
Correct or Incorrect?
Walking down
the crowded
street, the
traffic light
turned red.
ANSWER
INCORRECT!
Correct:
Walking down the crowded street,
I noticed the traffic light turning red.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
• A participle is a verbal ending in -ing
(present) or -ed, -en, -d, -t, or -n (past) that
functions as an adjective, modifying a noun
or pronoun.
• 2. A participial phrase consists of a participle
plus modifier(s), object(s), and/or
complement(s).
POINTS TO REMEMBER
3. Participles and participial phrases must be
placed as close to the nouns or pronouns they
modify as possible, and those nouns or
pronouns must be clearly stated.
4. A participial phrase is set off with commas
when it: a) comes at the beginning of a
sentence, b) interrupts a sentence as a
nonessential element, or c) comes at the end of
a sentence and is separated from the word it
modifies.
Other phrases: APPOSITIVES
Appositive does not mean
“I am certain!”
Do you
know the
answer?
Ugh yea.
I’m
appositive!
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.
Appositive phrases: Examples
Examples:
•Mrs. Jones, my English teacher, is
a bibliophile.
•Books, for example Ulysses and
Paradise Lost, inspire her.
EXAMPLES
POINTS to REMEMBER!
• An Appositive can be essential or nonessential. Commas are used to set off nonessential appositives.
• EX:
Enough about phrases!
HOMEWORK:
You guessed it…
1. Study for your test
2. Check my web-page!
I will upload a list of funny misplaced modifiers
and this PowerPoint!