Phrase and clause are the most
important elements of English grammar. Phrase and clause cover everything a
sentence has. Clauses are the center of sentences and phrases strengthen the
sentences to become meaningful. If the clauses are the pillars of a building, the
phrases are the bricks. A phrase usually is always present within
a clause, but a phrase cannot have a clause in it.
The basic
difference between a clause and a phrase is that a clause must have a
finite verb and a phrase must not.
A phrase, therefore, is a
group of words which has no finite verb in it and acts to complete the sentence
for making it meaningful.
“A phrase is a small group of words
that form a meaningful unit within a clause.”-Oxford
Dictionary
“In linguistic analysis, a phrase
is a group of words (or possibly a single word) that functions as
a constituent in the syntax of a sentence, a single
unit within a grammatical hierarchy.”-
Osborne, Timothy, Michael Putnam, and Thomas Gross (2011)
TYPES OF PHRASES
The phrases
are generally of six types.
NOUN PHRASE
A noun phrase is
usually assembled centering a single noun and works as a subject, an object or
a complement in the sentence.
Example:
I like to
swing the bat hard when I am at the crease. (An object)
Reading
novels is a good habit. (A subject)
The
probability of happening that match is not much. (A subject)
We are sorry for her departure.
ADJECTIVE PHRASE
An adjective
phrase is comprised of an adjective and works as a single adjective in
the sentence.
Example:
Alex is a well-behaved man.
He is a man of friendly nature.
Julie is a woman of gorgeous style.
She leads a very interesting life.
A
lot of people do not sleep at night.
ADVERBIAL PHRASE
An adverbial
phrase modifies the verb or the adjective and works as an adverb in
the sentence.
Example:
The horse runs at a good speed.
I was in
a hurry then.
I ran as
fast as possible.
He works very
slowly.
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE
A prepositional
phrase always begins with a preposition and connects nouns.
Example:
He sacrificed his life for the sake of his country.
In
the end, we all have to die.
He is on
the way.
By
working aimlessly, you will not get success.
In
spite of working hard, he was insulted by his boss.
Note: Prepositional phrases include all
other types of phrases.
CONJUNCTIONAL PHRASE
A conjunctional
phrase works as a conjunction in the sentence.
Example:
As
soon as you got in, he went out.
We have to work hard so that we can win the next match.
I will attend the ceremony provided that you come.
John started working early in order that he could finish early.
INTERJECTIONAL PHRASE
Interjections
that have more than one words are called the interjectional phrases.
Example:
What a pity! He is dead.
What a pleasure! I won the first
prize.
Oh please! Don’t say that again.
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