PHRASE

A phrase is a group or words that express a concept and is used as a unit within a sentence. A phrase
can be long or short but it does not include the subject-verb pairing necessary to make a clause.

Examples:

In the air
Beside the bed
Along the road
To live and breathe
Looking stunning

Difference between Idioms, Phrases and Clauses:

An idiom is a word or phrase which means something different from its literal meaning. Idioms are
common phrases or terms whose meaning is changed, but can be understood by their popular use.
Examples:
Cry over spilt milk
Beat around the bush
Avoiding the main topic
Best of both worlds

A phrase is any group of words that does not contain a subject completing an action.
Examples:
Best friend
With the blue shirt
For twenty days
When a group of words contains a subject doing an action (subject-verb), it becomes a clause.
Examples:
She is hungry.
I am feeling well today.

There are eight types of phrases. They are

1. Noun Phrase
2. Verb Phrase
3. Gerund Phrase
4. Infinitive Phrase
5. Appositive Phrase
6. Participial Phrase
7. Prepositional Phrase
8. Absolute Phrase

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1.Noun Phrase:
Noun phrases are simply a noun with modifiers. Noun phrases can act as adjectives, or as participle,
infinitive, prepositional, or absolute phrases.

Examples:
A vase of roses stood on the table.
The lost puppy was a wet and stinky dog.
It was a story as old as time.
Saturday became a cool, wet afternoon.

In the above examples, underlined phrases are noun phrases.

2.Verb Phrase:
A verb phrase consists of an auxiliary, or helping, verb and a main verb. The helping verb always
precedes the main verb.

Helping verbs include forms of be, such as am, is, are, was, were, being, and been; forms of have,
such as has and had; forms of do, such as does and did; forms of can, such as could, will, would, and shall;
and forms of should, such as may, might, and must.

Examples:
You must go right now.

You have been sleeping for a long time.

You might enjoy a massage.

He was eager to eat dinner.

In the above examples, underlined phrases are verb phrases.

3.Gerund Phrase:
A gerund phrase is simply a noun phrase that starts with a gerund. Gerunds and gerund phrases
always function as nouns. They can act as subjects, direct objects, indirect objects, predicate nominatives, or
objects of a preposition in a sentence.

Examples:
Taking my dog for a walk is fun.
Walking in the rain can be difficult.
Signing autographs takes time.
Going for ice cream is a real treat.

In the above examples, underlined phrases are gerund phrases.

4.Infinitive Phrase:
An infinitive phrase is a noun phrase that begins with an infinitive and include any modifiers.
Infinitive phrases function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. An infinitive phrase is a group of words that
starts with the infinitive. to swim in the pool is an example of infinitive phrase.

Examples:
To dance is thrilling for me.
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 Cory wants to sing.

Pablo is an important person to know.

Everybody loves to watch movies.

In the above examples, underlined phrases are infinitive phrases.

5.Appositive Phrase:
An appositive is a noun or noun phrase (appositive phrase) that gives another name to the noun right
next to it. It adds descriptive words about a specific thing (the noun), which helps make a sentence more
detailed; or, it adds essential information to make the sentences meaning clear.

Examples:
My uncle, a doctor, is moving to New York..
A cheetah, the fastest land animal, can run 70 miles an hour.
His goal, to retire at 40, is unrealistic.
My idea, to recycle the paper, was accepted by the boss.

In the above examples, underlined phrases are appositive phrases.

Types of Appositive Phrases:

a. Noun followed by an Appositive:

The most common way to use an appositive phrase is by putting it after a noun.
Examples:
Sparky, the dog who loved popcorn, was well known around the neighborhood.
The dog, who loved popcorn, could often be spotted at the fair.

b. Appositive followed by a Noun:

Sometimes appositive phrases come before the noun.
Examples:
A lover of popcorn, Sparky was often spotted at the fair.
The bookshelf, a modern piece of furniture, was moved into the house first.
6.Participial Phrase:
A participial phrase begins with a past or present participle. A participial phrase is a phrase that
looks like a verb, but actually functions as an adjective; it modifies a noun in the same sentence.

Examples:
Washed with my clothes, my cell phone no longer worked.
I am really excited, considering all the people that will be there.
We are looking forward to the movie, having seen the trailer last week.
Grinning from ear to ear, she accepted her award.
The lake, frozen over all winter, was finally thawing.

In the above examples, underlined phrases are participial phrases.

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7.Prepositional Phrase:
A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and helps to explain the
relationship between two things. It can function as adverbs (adverb phrase), adjectives (adjective phrase),
and sometimes as a noun.

A prepositional phrase is a group of words that lacks either a verb or a subject, and that functions as
a unified part of speech. It normally consists of a preposition and a noun or a preposition and a pronoun.
Across many deserts, After many tries, Amid the confusion, Around the world are some of the commonly
used prepositional phrases.

Examples:
The book was on the table.
I waited for a while.
She smelled of strawberries and cream.
He won the challenge against all odds.

In the above examples, underlined phrases are prepositional phrases.

Rules for prepositional phrases:

Prepositional phrases always consist of two basic parts at minimum: the object and the preposition.
In formal English, prepositions are almost always followed by objects.
Adjectives can be placed between the prepositions and objects in prepositional phrases.
Prepositional phrases can act as adverbs or adjectives. When they are used as adjectives, they modify
nouns and pronouns in the same way single-word adjectives do.
When prepositional phrases are used as adverbs, they at the same way single-word adverbs and
adverb clauses do, modifying adjectives, verbs, and other adverbs.

8.Absolute Phrase:
An absolute phrase is a phrase that modifies a whole independent clause (a full sentence); not just
one word. It generally combines a noun and a participle, so it can be as short as two words, or sometimes
have other modifiers and objects, too. Absolute phrases are not full sentences on their own, but they can add
very important details to sentences that make them more informative or relevant.

Examples:
His tail between his legs, the dog walked out the door.
Picnic basket in hand, she set off for her date.
Their heads hanging down, the whole group apologized.
The entire team, their uniforms muddy and stained, shouted for joy.

In the above examples, underlined phrases are absolute phrases.

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