The Phrase
A phrase is a group of related words. It does NOT create a
sentence.
I. Verb Phrase
A. A group of words that creates a verb.
B. Every word in a verb phrase is a verb
C. Can you think of any examples?
is walking
shall be talking
may sit
should have been studying
II. The Prepositional Phrase
Anatomy of a Prepositional Phrase
Preposition…[adv….adj]…noun/pronoun (obj)
A. The Adjective Phrase
Definition: A Prepositional phrase used as an adjective.
Examples:
The boy with red hair is sitting next to me.
The girl sat next to the wall with windows.
The truth about adjective phrases -- They…
1. answer the questions “which one?”
or “what kind?”
2. always come after the nouns they modify
3. are ALWAYS adj. phrases after a subject
4. never begin a sentence
5. never come right after a verb
Find the adjective phrases
The man in the story had no friends.
Scrooge was the man in the story.
Scrooge was a friend to Marley.
Scrooge hated charity of any kind.
Marley became a ghost with clanking chains.
Marley frightened Scrooge when he
came to visit.
Find the adjective phrases
The man in the story had no friends.
Scrooge was the man in the story.
Scrooge was a friend to Marley.
Scrooge hated charity of any kind.
Marley became a ghost with clanking chains.
Marley frightened Scrooge when he
came to visit.
More Practice finding Adjective Phrases
During the night, a fire truck came down my street.
A fire truck came down my street during the night.
Sid dropped his pencil on the sidewalk.
The cat in the tree suddenly meowed
with all its might.
More Practice finding Adjective Phrases
During the night, a fire truck came down my street.
A fire truck came down my street during the night.
Sid dropped his pencil on the sidewalk.
The cat in the tree suddenly meowed
with all its might.
More Practice finding Adjective Phrases
Sandy didn’t know about the computer experiment in the lab.
In a flash, the twins were transported to another world.
The short man in the wilderness seemed afraid of the twins at first.
The twins sat down and wondered
where they were.
More Practice finding Adjective Phrases
Sandy didn’t know about the computer experiment in the lab.
In a flash, the twins were transported to another world.
The small man in the wilderness seemed afraid of the twins at first.
The twins sat down and wondered
where they were.
B. The Adverb Phrase
Definition: A Prepositional Phrase used as an adverb
Examples:
I sat with Sally at the seashore.
We fished for hours.
I dropped my coke can into the water.
In the spring I go to the beach.
The truth about adverb phrases: They…
1. can begin a sentence
2. will not immediately follow the subject
3. can follow VERBS, ADVERBS and ADJECTIVES (and modify them)
4. can follow a noun but will modify an earlier word in the sentence
5. answer questions like “when?” “where?”
“why?” “how?”
THINK LOGICALLY…
There are only two kinds of prepositional phrases –
ADJECTIVE and ADVERB
If a phrase is not ADJECTIVE, then it
must be ADVERB!
Find the adverb phrases
For many years, Scrooge and Marley were business partners.
Scrooge ran his business in a miserly way.
Bob Cratchit worked for Scrooge.
Bob had very little heat while he worked.
Scrooge and Marley had been partners for
many years.
Find the adverb phrases
For many years, Scrooge and Marley were business partners.
Scrooge ran his business in a miserly way.
Bob Cratchit worked for Scrooge.
Bob had very little heat while he worked.
Scrooge and Marley had been partners for
many years.
More Practice finding Prepositional Phrases
When my dad was young, he had a little transistor radio that he kept
by his bed to listen to music.
“When you wish upon a star, your
dreams come true.”
More Practice finding Prepositional Phrases
When my dad was young, he had a little transistor radio that he kept
by his bed to listen to music.
“When you wish upon a star, your
dreams come true.”
More Practice finding Prepositional Phrases
What’s the matter with my clothes?
In the middle of the floor was a pile of dirty clothes.
While you clean up this mess, I will go to the store and buy some new clothes.
Since last May, you have worn those same jeans for days and days.
With a little bit of luck, you will get to go to
the mall.
More Practice finding Prepositional Phrases
What’s the matter with my clothes?
In the middle of the floor was a pile of dirty clothes.
While you clean up this mess, I will go to the store and buy some new clothes.
Since last May, you have worn those same jeans for days and days.
With a little bit of luck, you will get to go to
the mall.
III. The Appositive Phrase
A group of words containing a noun that renames another noun
in a sentence
The Appositive Phrase...
A. is centered around a noun
Bob, a boy in my class, sits next to me.
B. renames another noun in the main sentence.
Bob is renamed with boy .
C. can be removed from the sentence.
Bob sat next to me.
The Appositive Phrase...
D. will be surrounded by commas 99%
of the time.
Bob, my friend , is nice.
My friend Bob is nice.
E. Will MOST likely come AFTER the noun it renames.
Bob, my best friend , is nice.
A friend at all times, Bob is always there.
[Sometimes it comes before the noun]
The Appositive Phrase...
F. will not begin with a pronoun like “who,” “which,” “whose,”
“that,” etc.
The boy who sits next to me is Bob.
