Phrases and Clauses Summary

Ms. LópezMarch 7th, 2012

Phrases

• Phrases

Prepositional Phrases

Appositive Phrases

Verbal Phrases

(Add to the meaning of sentences)

(Add to the meaning of sentences)

Adjective Phrases

Adverb Phrases

Is a prepositional phrase that modifies a noun or pronoun by stating: What kind or which one.

Is a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb, an adjective or an adverb by pointing out: where, when, in what way or to what extent.

Is a noun or pronoun with modifiers placed next to a noun or pronoun in order to add information and details.

Participial Phrases

Gerund Phrases

Infinitive Phrases

Is a participle modified by an adverb or adverb phrase or acompanied by a complement that acts as an adjective.

Is a gerund with modifiers or a complement that acts like a noun.

Is a infinitive with modifiers, a complement, or a subject that acts like nouns, adjectives or adverbs.

A group of words that functions in a sentence as a part of speech.

Examples of Phrases

1. The Ice Cave near Grants, a small town in western New Mexico,

attracts thousands of tourists each year.

2. It was only after the discovery of art in caves that

had been sealed off for thousands of years that skeptics were dissaproved.

3. My friend ran to the nearest pay phone to call the fire department.

Appositive Phrase

Adverb phrase Adj. phrase

Adj.phrase

Adverb phrase Adj. phrase

Adverb phrase

Infinitive phrase, acting as an adverb

Examples of Phrases

1. Several immediately began unraveling the long hoses.

2. Witnessing the firefighters’ skills made us feel more secure.

3. Gas mains, stoves and fireplaces, initiating fires all across the city, contributed to a larger blaze.

Gerund PhraseActing like a direct Object

Gerund PhraseActing like the subject

Past participial PhraseActing like an adjective

Clauses

• Clauses

Independent Clauses

Subordinate Clauses

Adjective Clauses

Adverb ClausesIs a subordinate clause that modifies a verb, an adjective, an adverb, or a verbal.

Noun Clauses

Has a subject and a verb and can stand by itself as a complete sentence.

A group of words with its own subject and verb.

Is a subordinate clause that modifies a noun or pronoun. It may be introduced by relative pronouns or relative adverbs.

Is a subordinate clause that acts like a noun in a sentence.

Examples of Clauses

I have a friend whose grandfather raised the flag at San Juan Hill.

Clause: whose grandfather raised the flag at San Juan Hill.

The relative pronoun of the adjective clause is acting like an adjective that modifies the noun grandfather.

Adjective

Examples of Clauses

I wanted to visit the museum while “The Star Spangled Banner“ was still being displayed.

This is an adverb clause that is modifying the infinitive “to visit” by pointing under what conditions.

Examples of Clauses

• The soldiers carried whichever flag belonged to their country.

• The noun clause is acting like a direct object of the sentence.