Phrases, Clauses and Sentences
Parts of a Sentence
A sentence is a group of words which makes complete sense. However, the sentence itself is made up of smaller elements called phrases and clauses.
Phrase:
Technically, words are the smallest units of a sentence. A group of words which has no subject or predicate is called a phrase. Grammatically, the phrase is the basic unit of English Grammar.
A phrase can be a short group of words like.
- the man
- in the jungle
- an old man
- on time
It can also be a long group of words for example:
- A small piece of jewellery which was handed down by my ancestors.
- the room no one knows about.
Phrases represent various parts of speech.
The man standing at the other end of the room gestured to me.
| Noun phrase/subject
|
He wielded a sceptre made of gold and diamonds.
| Adjective phrase
|
Manisha shifted to a house at the end of the street.
| Adverb phrase
|
Types of phrases:
Noun Phrase
| Verb Phrase
|
Adjective Phrase
| Adverb Phrase
|
Prepositional Phrase
| Appositive Phrase
|
Infinitive Phrase
| Gerund Phrase
|
Absolute Phrase
| participial phrase
|
1. Noun Phrase
A phrase which functions as a noun in a sentence is called a noun phrase.
example of noun phrase is:
- The old creaky stairs of the haunted mansion make eerie sounds when stepped on.
- I saw women with large feathers on their hats.
2. Verb Phrase
- A verb phrase contains both a verb and an auxiliary or helping verb.
- It may contain a direct or an indirect object.
- It is the main part of the predicate of the sentence.
examples of verb phrases is:
- The manager had judiciously averted the problem.
- Little Red Riding Hood was hopping and skipping her way through the woods.
3. Adjective Phrase
- An adjective phrase is a group of words which functions as the adjective in the sentence.
- The main word in the phrase is the adjective.
- It is placed before a noun or as a part of the predicate of the sentence.
examples of adjective phrases are:
- The tiny grey tabby kitten mewed for its mother.
- The Sun is a bright golden fireball.
4. Adverb Phrase
- An adverb phrase is a group of words which functions as the adverb in the sentence.
- It can modify either an adjective or another adverb in the sentence.
examples of adverb phrases are:
- They spoke very softly to avoid attracting attention.
- I can speak Tamil quite fluently.
5. Prepositional Phrase
- A prepositional phrase comprises a preposition and a noun or a pronoun which functions as its object.
- The prepositional phrase may also contain modifiers.
- It may function as an adjective or an adverb in the sentence.
examples of prepositional phrases are:
- A woman with a blue umbrella stepped out of the carriage.
- Manisha bought flowers for her mother.
6. Appositive Phrase
- An appositive is a word which is placed next to another word in order to explain it.
examples of positive phrases are:
- Shah Rukh Khan, the actor, has contributed immensely to Bollywood cinema.
- Raju, my nephew, has secured a distinction in his examination.
An appositive phrase is nothing but a noun phrase which is used for modifying or explaining another word in the sentence.
- Shivaji Maharaj, an Indian warrior king, is the greatest member of the Maratha clan.
- The Mossad, Israel’s secret service, is one of the most efficient espionage systems in the world.
7. Infinitive Phrase
- An infinitive phrase comprises an infinitive (to + verb) and modifiers and complements.
- The complement of an infinitive is its indirect object and its modifier is its adverb.
- They can act as adjectives, adverbs or nouns.
examples of infinitive phrases are:
- The patient started to slowly open his eyes.
- To know her is to love her.
8. Gerund Phrase
- Gerunds are words which end in ‘-ing’.
- They look like verbs but act like nouns.
- The gerund phrase comprises a gerund, its object and modifiers.
- It performs all the functions of a noun.
- Prepositional phrases are often part of gerund phrases.
examples of gerund phrases are:
- Working for this organisation has helped me hone my skills. (Subject of the sentence)
- Ranjani enjoys knitting sweaters for the children in the orphanage. (Object of the sentence)
9. Participial Phrase
- A participial phrase is an adjective phrase which comprises a participle (past or present) along with relevant complements and modifiers.
- It always functions as an adjective.
- It is separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma if they are used at the beginning of the sentence.
- It is separated from the rest of the sentence by two commas if it is used in between a sentence.
examples of participial phrases are:
- Leaving in a hurry, she dropped the keys with her neighbour.
- The clock, frozen in time, has been standing at half past 10 for a century.
Clause
A clause is a group of related words which contains a subject and a predicate. Unlike a phrase, a clause is complete in meaning and can function as an independent sentence.
There are two basic types of clauses:
- Main clause
- Subordinate clause
1. Main Clause
The main clause contains a subject and a verb which can stand independently as a sentence.
- One should take good care of one’s teeth or one may end up with none.
- The renowned singer rendered the song melodiously.
- To err is human; to forgive is divine.
- I admire his courage, but I cannot justify his actions.
2. Subordinate Clause
The subordinate clause contains a subject and a verb, but unlike the main clause, it cannot stand independently as a sentence. It requires the support of the main verb in order to function properly.
examples:
- Though he was a wealthy man, he never took pride in his riches.
- Unless the accused confesses to the crime, the case will not proceed any further.
- Geeta failed to understand how the thief got in because she had locked all the doors and windows.
- Sarita gasped loudly when she saw a snake slither by.
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