Download Phrases-Diction

PHRASES
Prepositional
Appositive
Verbals
Syntax and Diction
Syntax-the arrangement of words and the order
of grammatical elements in a sentence or the
way in which words are put together to make
meaningful elements, such as phrases, clauses,
and sentences
Diction-word choice
Why is this important?
• As a reader, it is important to note how writers
are playing around with words to create a
stylistic effect.
• As a writer, it is important to know how to use
a variety of sentences to enhance your writing
and how to punctuate correctly.
Do You Remember the Parts of
Speech?
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Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Adverbs
Prepositions
Conjunctions
Interjections
Phrase:
a group of words that acts in a
sentence as a single part of speech; it
will be missing either a subject or a
verb—or both; not a complete
sentence; clarify meaning by adding
information or by describing the
subject, the actions, or other nouns in
a sentence
Prepositional Phrase: group of words
that begins with a preposition and
usually ends with a noun or pronoun
called the object of the preposition
• This was a day for singing,
a warm winter day, when
the touch of the sun upon
the back belied the snow
high on the distant
mountains.
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Objects of Prepositions:
for singing
of the sun
upon the back
on the distant mountains
Appositive : noun or pronoun that is
placed next to another noun or pronoun to
identify or give additional information
Appositive Phrase: appositive plus any
words that modify it
• Susan, my best
friend, told me
about her favorite
vacation place.
• A talented artist, Miles
would like to become
an illustrator of
children’s books.
Where do I put the comma in an
appositive?
• In some cases, the noun being explained is too
general without the appositive; the
information is essential to the meaning of the
sentence. When this is the case, do not place
commas around the appositive; just leave it
alone. If the sentence would be clear and
complete without the appositive, then
commas are necessary; place one before and
one after the appositive.
Examples
• My cousin Johnny likes to swim.
– General to Specific with no comma
• Johnny, my cousin, likes to swim.
– Specific to General with comma
• The girl with the brown hair, Lydia, has a crush
on Johnny.
– General to Specific but needs comma for
understanding
Verbals : verb form that functions in a
sentence as a noun, adjective, or adverb
Verbal Phrase: verbal plus any
complements and modifiers (stops after
the verb or at the end of the sentence)
Participles and Participial Phrases
Gerunds and Gerund Phrases
Infinitives and Infinitive Phrases
Participle: verb form that acts as an
adjective
Participial Phrase: contains participle
plus any complements and modifiers
• (Present Participles
always end in –ing)
• The freezing rain slowly
turned to hail.
• The heated argument
occurred among the
losing players.
• The married couple finally
took a vacation after 12
years.
• Pete Sampras, playing
tennis, draws large
crowds.
• Sitting quietly during one
of his games, Pete’s fans
watch him intently.
Identify the participle or participial phrase:
Americans, looking for more variety, often
adopt the fashions of other countries.
1. Americans often
adopt
2. looking for more
variety
3. often adopt the
fashions
4. of other countries
0%
Americans often a...
looking for more ...
often adopt the f...
of other countries
Identify the participle or participial phrase:
Chinese textile mills export silk
decorated by hand.
ts
ilk
0%
ex
po
r
d
ed
ra
t
de
co
m
ills
ha
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em
te
xt
il
ne
se
Ch
i
0%
ill
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by
h
te
d
de
co
ra
sil
k
0%
s
0%
by
1. silk decorated by
hand
2. Chinese textile mills
3. decorated by hand
4. mills export silk
Gerund: verb form that acts as a noun
Gerund Phrase: contains gerund plus
any complements and modifiers
Note: gerunds always end in -ing
• Gerund as Subject:
Reading is my favorite
pastime.
• Gerund as Direct Object:
I enjoy reading.
• Gerund as Object of Prep:
I devote hours to reading.
• Gerund as Predicate
Nominative:
My favorite pastime is
reading.
• Gerund as Appositive:
My favorite hobby, reading,
is extremely relaxing.
Gerund: verb form that acts as a noun
Gerund Phrase: contains gerund plus
any complements and modifiers
Note: gerunds always end in -ing
• Gerund Phrase as Subject:
Reading murder mysteries is one
of my favorite pastimes.
• Gerund Phrase as Direct
Object:
I enjoy reading murder mysteries.
• Gerund Phrase as Object of
Prep:
I devote hours to reading murder
mysteries.
• Gerund Phrase as Predicate
Nominative:
My favorite pastime is reading
murder mysteries.
• Gerund Phrase as Appositive:
My favorite hobby, reading
murder mysteries, is extremely
relaxing.
Identify the gerund or gerund phrase:
Surviving is a challenge for the Yanomamo,
a people from the tropical forests of South
America.
1. Surviving is a
challenge
2. Surviving
3. for the Yanomamo
4. from the tropical
forests
0%
Surviving is a ch...
Surviving
for the Yanomamo
from the tropical...
Identify the gerund or gerund phrase:
Contracting unfamiliar illnesses is
becoming all too common among
the Yanomamo.
1. Contracting unfamiliar
illnesses
2. is becoming all too
common
3. among the Yanomamo
4. becoming all too
common
0%
Contracting unfam...
is becoming all t...
among the Yanomamo
becoming all too ...
Infinitive: verb form that is usually preceded by
to acts as a noun, adjective, or adverb (to is part
of the infinitive)
Infinitive Phrase: contains infinitive plus any
complements and modifiers
Infinitives as Nouns:
• Infinitive as Subject:
To sleep is relaxing.
• Infinitive as Direct Object:
Everyone needs to sleep.
• Infinitive as Predicate
Nominative:
Her wish is to travel.
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Infinitives as Adjectives:
He has a tendency to doze.
Infinitives as Adverbs:
Stella was eager to rest.
Infinitives Phrases:
To hike the Appalachian Trail is
my dream. (noun)
The committee decided to
appoint Amber president.
(noun)
Identify the infinitive phrase:
One of the most remarkable figures to
join the American labor movement
was Mary Harris Jones.
0%
Am
th
eA
th
e
jo
in
to
bo
r..
.
0%
la
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er
ica
n
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ic
an
la
to
.. .
.. .
bl
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re
m
ar
ka
m
os
t
he
of
t
0%
jo
in
0%
jo
in
1. of the most
remarkable figures
2. to join
3. to join the American
labor movement
4. join the American
labor movement
Identify the infinitive:
Her custom was to travel from place to
place in a black gown and bonnet.
1. was to travel
2. to travel from place
to place
3. to travel
4. to place
5. to travel; to place
0%
was to tra...
to travel ...
to travel
to place
to travel;...
Parenthetical Expressions
• add voice to writing as they add editorial
comments to the text
• always need commas placed around them
– The headmistress has been in India, I suppose,
fifteen years or so, but she still smiled her helpless
inability to cope with Indian names.
– I tell you, I had to go to the dictionary.