PHRASES, CLAUSES,

AND SENTENCES

Phrases

Phrases are a group of words that lacks a

subject, predicate, or both.
Phrases can take many different forms:
Prepositional phrases
Verb phrases
Adjective phrases
Adverb phrases
Noun phrases
Verbial phrases

Phrases

Prepositional Phrases
Begin with a preposition (a word that shows
position, location, or direction)
Ends with an object of the preposition (noun or
pronoun)
Can be used as adjectives (words that describe a
noun or pronoun). Adjectives answer what kind,
how many, which one
Can be used as Adverbs (words that describe
verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs). Adverbs
answer where, when, how, or to what extent

Phrases

Verbial phrases
Verbs that act as other parts of speech
Types:

Gerund phrase = Verb ending in ING and is used as a

noun. Example: Swimming is a fun exercise.

Participle phrase = Verb ending in ING or ED is used as
an adjective. Example: 1. Rattling in the cabinets, the
dishes were about to crash to the floor. 2. Why didnt
the tired boy just stand still?
Infinitive phrase = Verb that starts with to and is used
as a noun, adjective, or adverb. Example: I am afraid
to swim.

Clauses

A clause is group of related words that

has both a subject and a predicate. They
DO NOT have to form a complete
thought.
Types:
Independent
Dependent

Clauses

Independent Clauses:
Have a subject and a predicate and can stand alone
as a sentence.
When standing alone, an independent clause is
ALWAYS a simple sentence (ONE subject and ONE
predicate only)
Example: This ancient oak tree may eventually be
cut down.

Clauses

Dependent Clause:

Have a subject and a predicate, but will NEVER

express a complete thought.
These clauses can not be a sentence by itself.
A dependent clause depends on being connected to
an independent clause to make sense.
These clauses are also known as SUBODINATING
CLAUSES because of the words that start them
(subordinating conjunctions: AFTER, ALTHOUGH,
BECAUSE, BEFORE, IF, SINCE, WHEN, etc.)
The following words can also start a dependent clause:
who, which, whose, that

Sentences

A sentence has at least one subject, at least

one predicate, and expresses a complete
thought.
A sentence ALWAYS begins with a capital letter
A sentence ALWAYS ends with a period,
question mark, or exclamation mark

Sentences

Simple sentences:
A simple sentence is one independent clause.
Simple sentences may contain a simple or
compound subject
Simple sentences may contain a simple or
compound predicate.
John and his friend played basketball after school.
Icebergs form glaciers and float in the ocean.

Sentences

Compound sentences:
Happen when two or more simple sentences
(independent clauses) are combined with each
other.
When making a compound sentence, you
must use the words For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet,
So
Use the acronym FANBOYS to help you
remember.
The FANBOYS cannot begin a sentence (They
are COMBINING words)

Sentences

Complex sentences:
Combine a dependent clause and an
independent clause together.
When making a complex sentence, you must
use a subordinating conjunction or a relative
pronoun.
See page 710 and page 744 for a complete
list of these words

Sentences

Complex sentences:

If a dependent clause comes first, a comma is

used after the clause.
Example: When I left for home, my aunt stood

teary-eyed in the doorway.

If a dependent clause comes last, no comma

is needed.
Example: My uncle Louis died soon after I left for

home.

Sentences

The four types of sentences include:

Imperative = giving a command
Interrogative = asking a question
Declarative = making a statement
Exclamatory = showing emotion

Each sentence ends with a different type of

punctuation.
The imperative sentence can have what is
known as an understood you. This means
the subject is not explicitly stated, but must
be interpreted.