Date

Phrases and ClausesHall 2012

✤ The main difference:

✤ Phrases DO NOT have BOTH a subject and a verb

✤ Clauses DO HAVE BOTH a subject and a verb

Phrases

✤no subject or verb

✤4 types

1. Prepositional Phrase

✤ Prepositional Phrase = Preposition + Noun

✤ behind the rock = behind (prep) + (noun) a rock

✤ I saw my teacher behind a rock.

✤ from the house = from (prep) + (noun) the house

✤ He ran quickly from the house.

2. Participial Phrase

✤ A participle is a verb used as another part of speech.

✤ Participles are easy to recognize: they end in -ing or -ed.

✤ For example: running water, baked apples, loving husband, loaded gun, etc.

2. Participial PhraseMore examples...

✤ He was.....

✤ looking closely

✤ staying up all night

✤ studying the History book

3. Infinitive Phrase

✤ To + verb = Infinitive Phrase

✤ This is like Spanish class--remember how verbs are always studied with the infinitive first:

✤ to love✤ I love

✤ you love

✤ she/he loves...

3. Infinitive Phrase

✤ Infinitive phrase begin with the infinitive form of the verb

✤ I am going....

✤ to run a mile

✤ to start over

✤ to do homework

✤ to win the contest

✤ to wake up early

The tricky “to”✤ WARNING:

✤ The word “to” is found in

✤ BOTH

✤ prepositional ✤ and

✤ infinitive ✤ phrases

Caution--Don’t mix these up!

✤ Infinitive Phrases:

✤ to run a mile

✤ to finish my homework

✤ Prepositional Phrases:

✤ to the football stadium

✤ to the teacher

Clauses:

✤Have BOTH a subject and a verb

✤3 Types

1. Independent Clause

✤ AKA Sentence or Main Clause

✤ Independent clauses have a subject and verb and can stand alone

✤ Examples:

✤ The doctor finished the examination

✤ Students leave campus after class.

2. Dependent Clause✤ AKA the “Cliffhanger”

✤ They have subjects and verbs, but they cannot stand alone

✤ Usually begin with words like although, because, when, since, if, unless.

✤ Examples:

✤ Because I left early

✤ If we find my notebook

2. Dependent Clause

✤ Dependent Clauses often begin or end sentences:

✤ Because a rattlesnake has made a home under our bed....

✤ +

✤ we purchased a mongoose to sleep with us.

3. Relative Clause

✤ Easy to recognize: they begin with who, which, or that

✤ They are not questions, but part of sentences.

✤ Examples:

✤ Martin, who usually finishes first, was unable to win.

✤ Pasta, which used to be included in diets, has been replaced by other foods.

✤ Toys that the dog chewed up must be thrown away.

Warning:✤ The words after and before can be used in either

prepositional phrases or dependent clauses:

✤ Dependent clauses: verb on the end

✤ after the storm ended

✤ before the alarm rang

✤ Prepositional phrases: no verb

✤ after the storm

✤ before the alarm

✤review

✤What is the main difference between phrases and clauses?

✤ Answer:

✤ Phrases do not have a subject and verb

✤ Clauses have both a subject and verb

✤ Prepositional:

✤ above the clouds

✤ near my house

✤ along the short

✤ Participial:

✤ leaving work early

✤ sleeping until noon

✤ celebrating the holidays

✤ filled with liquid

✤ Infinitive:

✤ to walk the dog

✤ to play the piano

✤ to watch our favorite TV show

✤ Independent Clauses:

✤ Broccoli is my favorite food.

✤ Dependent Clause:

✤ Because broccoli is my favorite food

✤ Relative Clause:

✤ which is my favorite food