English phrase

(n phrase) [freiz] is a small group of words (usually without a finite verb) which forms

part of an actual or implied sentence He arrived after dinner .

• Clauses and phrases are the building blocks of sentences. A phrase is a group of words that act as a part of speech but cannot stand alone as a sentence. Clauses are groups of words that have a subject and a predicate. Independent clauses express a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence but subordinate clauses depend on other parts of the sentence to express a complete thought.

• A sentence expresses a complete thought and contains a subject, a noun or pronoun, and a predicate, a verb or verb phrase. The four basic types of sentences—simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex—use phrases and clauses in varying degrees of complexity.

• phrase - an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence head word, headword - a content word that can be qualified by a modifier

• grammatical construction, construction, expression - a group of words that form a constituent of a sentence and are considered as a single unit; nominal, nominal phrase, noun phrase - a phrase that can function as the subject or object of a verb

• verb phrase, predicate - one of the two main constituents of a sentence; the predicate contains the verb and its complements

• prepositional phrase - a phrase beginning with a preposition

• pronominal, pronominal phrase - a phrase that functions as a pronoun

• modifier, qualifier - a content word that qualifies the meaning of a noun or verb

• A phrase is a small group of words that adds meaning to a word. A phrase is not a sentence because it is not a complete idea with a subject and a predicate.

• In English there are five different kinds of phrases, one for each of the main parts of speech. In a phrase, the main word, or the word that is what the phrase is about, is called the head. In these examples, it is printed in cyan. The words which make up the rest of the phrase and do the work of changing, or modifying the head, are printed in green.

I. NOUN PHRASE• A noun phrase is a group of words that

ends with a noun as its headword; moreover, it consists of one or more words working together to give more information about a noun.

• all my dear children • the information age • seventeen hungry lions in the rocks• A noun phrase can be a single noun, but

often include other words such as determiner, numbers, adjective, etc.

Forms of NPa. NounIt is a word used as the name of a person, place, or thing, for examples:Tiger is a fierce animal.Experience is a good teacher. b. Pronoun (for-a-noun)All pronouns can be noun phrases, for examples:This is my homeThat bag is hersI shall do it myselfSomebody stole my mother’s money

c. Determiner + NounHe was eating an apple

This pen is expensiveWe discuss the case

d. Modifier + NounAndrew has long hairAndy will buy bigger house

e. Determiner + Modifier + NounHe has many good friendsYou should not follow her stupid idea

f. Noun + NounWe shall spend our holiday in Sanur BeachThe bank is in front of the post office

g. NOUN + Prepositional PhraseI spoke to a girl in a dark grey dressHe pressed a button on the ship’s radioh. GerundDancing is my hobbyHe hates reading a novel

i. InfinitiveTo win a prize is my ambitionHe decided to leave this town

j. ClauseWhat you have just said is trueI believe in what you said

k. Noun + ClauseI have homework that I must finish todayHe goes to school which is located in Japaris Road

l. WH + InfinitiveHow to solve this problem is very easyI know where to find him

m. That + ClauseI realize that you like himThat you have divorced with her surprises me

Functions of Noun Phrasea. As a subject of a sentenceThe girl is very beautifulTo err is human

b. As an object of a sentenceThe police caught the robberMy friend prefers reading to writing

c. As a complementHe seemed a nice man

subject complement

They called the man a provocateur object complement

d. As an object of a prepositionThe pyramid is made from good stones and eggsTake him to the room

e. In the possessive caseMy dog never bites peopleTina’s boyfriend is quite boastfulThis is my father’s car

• In an adjective phrase, one or more words work together to give more information about an

• adjective.• so very sweet • earnest in her desire • very happy with his work • In a verb phrase, one or more words work together to

give more meaning to a verb. In English, the verb phrase is very complex, but a good description of its many forms can be found here.

• In an adverb phrase, one or more words work together to give more information about an adverb.

• especially softly • formerly of the city of Perth • much too quickly to see clearly

In a prepositional phrase, one or more words work together to give information about time, location, or possession, or condition. The preposition always appears at the front of the phrase.

• after a very long walk • behind the old building • for all the hungry children • in case it should happen again

Prepositional Phrases

• Like adjectives and adverbs, prepositional phrases add meaning to the nouns and verbs in sentences. A prepositional phrase has two basic parts: a preposition plus a noun or a pronoun that serves as the object of the preposition.

• The Prepositional Phrase• The most common phrase is the prepositional

phrase. You'll find these phrases everywhere—in sentences, clauses, and even in other phrases. Each prepositional phrase begins with a preposition (in, of, by, from, for, etc.) and includes a noun or pronoun that is the object of the preposition.

• in the room • of the people • by the river • from the teacher • for the party

• The object of a preposition can have its own modifiers, which also are part of the prepositional phrase.

• in the smoky, crowded room • of the remaining few people • by the rushing river • from the tired and frustrated teacher • for the midnight victory party • Prepositional phrases function as either adjectives or

adverbs. • The woman in the trench coat pulled out her cellular

phone. • The prepositional phrase here acts as an adjective

describing the noun woman. • Most of the audience snoozed during the tedious

performance.• The prepositional phrase here acts as an adverb

modifying the verb snoozed.

• A spaceship from Venus landed in my back yard.However, like adverbs, prepositional phrases that modify verbs can also be found at the very beginning or very end of a sentence:In the morning, the Venusians mowed my lawn.The Venusians mowed my lawn in the morning.In both versions, the prepositional phrase in the morning modifies the verb mowed.

• The Venusians swam for two hours after lunch in my pool.This arrangement gives the idea that the visitors from Venus enjoyed lunch in the pool. If this is not the case, shift the prepositional phrase:After lunch, the Venusians swam for two hours in my pool.The best arrangement is one that is both clear and uncluttered.

• On a rickety stool in one corner of the crowded honky tonk, the folk singer sits playing lonesome songs on his battered old guitar about warm beer, cold women, and long nights on the road.In this case, the best way to break up the string of phrases is to make two sentences:On a rickety stool in one corner of the crowded honky tonk, the folk singer sits hunched over his battered old guitar. He plays lonesome songs about warm beer, cold women, and long nights on the road.