Phrases and Clauses | Grade 8 | Week 1
Clauses and Phrases; sounds like they can be easily mixed up, right? They both are parts of a sentence, and phrases can be found within clauses.
Confusing?
Let me put it this way, it's all about making sense. Sentences as a whole, must make sense grammatically; that means the order and type of words, as well as the punctuation used, must obey the rules of English grammar.
Within a sentence there are clauses and these come in two categories: Dependent and Independent. Basically, Independent clauses make sense on their own, when separated from their original sentence. Dependent clauses cannot stand by themselves, when you read them they sound wrong... like they're missing something.
As for phrases, they too have different types. When a phrase is separated from it's original sentence we can identify what type it is based on what kind of word they begin with (think Noun, Verb, Preposition, etc.). However, when a phrase is identified within a sentence, it's type can change. We say it is "acting as" something else. But that is a topic for another time, when you get to a higher level.
A clause is a group of words containing a subject and verb. An independent clause is a simple sentence. It can stand on its own.
Examples:
She is hungry.
I am feeling well today.
A dependent clause cannot stand on its own. It needs an independent clause to complete a sentence. Dependent clauses often begin with such words as although, since, if, when, and because.
Examples:
Although she is hungry …
Whoever is hungry …
Because I am feeling well …
What are phrases? a phrase is a group or pairing of words in English. A phrase can be long or short, but it does not include the subject-verb pairing necessary to make a clause.
Some examples of phrases include:
After the meal
The nice neighbor
Were waiting for the movie
None of these examples contains a subject doing an action therefore each example is merely a group of words called a phrase.
Again, a phrase is a group of words that does not contain a subject completing an action. When a group of words contains a subject doing an action it becomes a clause. Phrases can be added to sentences to make them more complex. Concepts can begin with a single word and develop into a compound sentence.
Meal - word
After the meal - phrase
That Mom prepared - dependent clause
After the meal that Mom prepared I felt full - sentence
After the meal that my mom prepared I felt full, but my brother was still hungry. - compound sentence.
We aren't going in depth as to the different types of grammatical phrases, instead let's look at a few more examples of phrases:
In the air - prepositional phrase
Beside the bed - prepositional phrase
Falling in love - gerund verb phrase
To live and breathe - infinitive verb phrase
As you may have noticed, the types of phrases are named after the type of word it begins with:
"In" & "Beside" are prepositions - words that show position
"Falling" is a verb in the continuous tense.
Any verb that has a "to" in front of it is an infinitive.
CLAUSES EXERCISE:
Identifying Dependent and Independent Clauses:
Instructions: Say whether the clause in the red text is Dependent or Independent.
They were annoyed by the baby crying so loudly.
She arrived to work on time in spite of leaving home so late.
Having always been keen on caring for people, Susan decided to become a nurse.
Although injured, John managed to crawl to safety.
PHRASES EXERCISE
Select the type of phrase that matches the ones in the brackets of each sentence.
For more information if you find this exercise difficult, check out the source website: Source
| 1. Houses are [unbelievably expensive] right now. | Adjective Phrase |
| 2. We [met Paul] last week. | Adjective Phrase Adverb Phrase Noun Phrase Prepositional Phrase Verb Phrase |
| 3. [A car that won't start] is not particularly useful. | Adjective Phrase Adverb Phrase Noun Phrase Prepositional Phrase Verb Phrase |
| 4. I enjoy eating [at Chinese restaurants]. | Adjective Phrase Adverb Phrase Noun Phrase Prepositional Phrase Verb Phrase |
| 5. Don't you have to leave [early]? | Adjective Phrase Adverb Phrase Noun Phrase Prepositional Phrase Verb Phrase |
| 6. Tell [him] not to worry. | Adjective Phrase Adverb Phrase Noun Phrase Prepositional Phrase Verb Phrase |
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