The Phrase

Prepositional, Verbal, and Appositive Phrases

Chapter 3, Grammar Book

What is Phrase?

• A phrase is a group of related words that is used as a single part of speech and that does not contain both a verb and its subject.

• If a group of words contains both a verb and its subject, it is called a clause.

Examples

• Are the following groups of words as a phrase or not a phrase?– Was hoping• Phrase

– On Miriam’s desk• Phrase

– If she really knows• Not a phrase

Prepositional Phrases

• A prepositional phrase includes a preposition, the object of a preposition, and any modifiers of that object.– To the pool; at the Jackson’s house; instead of

them• The noun or the pronoun in a prepositional

phrase is called the object of the preposition.– Claire went to the ballet.

Adjective Phrase

• A prepositional phrase that modifies a noun or pronoun is called an adjective phrase.

• Unlike a one-word adjective, which comes usually comes before the word it modifies, an adjective phrase almost always follows the noun or pronoun it modifies.

• An adjective phrase may also modify a the object of another prepositional phrase.

The Adverb Phrase

• A prepositional phrase that modifies a verb, an adjective, or an adverb is called an adverb phrase.

• An adverb phrase tells how, when, where, or to what extent.

How to tell the difference between adjective and adverb phrases?

• Adjective phrases almost always follow the words they modify.

• Adverb phrases may appear at various places in a sentence.

• 99.989% of the time, if a prepositional phrase is at the beginning of a sentence, it is an adverb phrase.

The Participle

• A participle is a verb form that can be used as an adjective.– We saw the raccoon escaping through the back

door.• Present participles end in –ing.– We ran inside to get out of the pouring rain.

The Participle

• Past participles usually end in –d or –ed. Other past participles are formed irregular.– A peeled and sliced cucumber can be added to a

garden salad.

The Participle Phrase

• A participle phrase is used as an adjective and consists of a participle and any complement or modifiers the participle has.

• Example:– Switching its tail, the mountain lion paced back

and forth.– The cat hissed at the dog barking in the yard next

door.

Gerund

• A gerund is a verb form ending in –ing that is used as a noun.

• Example– The dancing was fun.– Shuana tried climbing faster.

The Gerund Phrase

• A gerund phrase consists of a gerund and any modifiers or complements that gerund has. The entire phrase is a noun.

• Example– The gentle pattering of the rain was a welcome

sound.– I feared skiing down the mountain alone.

The Infinitive

• An infinitive is a verb form that can be used as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. Most infinitives begin with to.

• Example– To fly is glorious.– The place to visit is Williamsburg.– Sabina jumped to shoot.

The Infinitive

• Sometimes the sign of the infinitive, to, is omitted in the sentence.

• Examples– She’s done all her chores except feed the cat.– I’ll help you pack.– The dogs like to roam in the field and chase

rabbits.

The Infinitive Phrase

• An infinitive phrase consists of an infinitive and any modifiers or complements the infinitive has. The enitre phrase can be used as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.

• Example:– To make tamales quickly was hard.– I wanted him to help me with my algebra.

Appositive and Appositve Phrases

• An appositive is a noun or a pronoun placed beside another nount to identify or describe it.

• An appositive phrase consists of an appositve and any modifiers it has.

• An appositive or appositive phrase can be omitted from the sentence and the sentence will still make sense.