Course Title: ENG-110-Composition I: BS English Lecture Notes 13

Course title: ENG-110- Composition I
BS English
Lecture Notes
13
Topics:
Phrases, Clauses and Sentence Structure
Instructor:
Afeef Tahir Butt
Department of English
School of Arts & Social Sciences
GIFT University Gujranwala
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Helping Material for Lecture 13 Compiled by: Afeef Tahir Butt
1. Phrases and Clauses
 What Is a Phrase?
A group of words, which makes sense but not complete sense, is called a phrase. It does not
contain a subject and a verb, so it is never a complete sentence. Usually a phrase is used as a
single part of speech (noun, adjective, adverb, and verb).
Examples:
1. A bed of roses (noun phrase)
2. be eating ( verb Phrase)
3. All in all (adjective phrase)
4. Again and again (adverb phrase)
5. In the course of (prepositional phrase)
Kinds of Phrases
Phrases may be classified in different categories bearing different meaning and place in a
sentence.
i. Noun Phrase
A noun phrase is a group of two or more words that is headed by a noun (a person, place, or
thing) that includes modifiers (e.g., 'the,' 'a,' ‘an’, 'of them,' 'with her'). A noun phrase plays the
role of a noun. In a noun phrase, the modifiers can come before or after the noun.
Note: A noun phrase can also be headed by a pronoun
Exercise
Identify the noun phrase
1. All the kids were sleeping.

2. The boy in the blue jeans says he'll do it.
3. He bought her a beautiful red dress.
4. Mom baked tasty chocolate cookies.
5. Julia was thinking about her friends back home.
6. Will you talk with these rude people?
7. You are a true hero.
8. My dog is my best friend.
Answers (the noun phrase is in bold):
1. All the kids were sleeping.

2. The boy in the blue jeans says he'll do it.
3. He bought her a beautiful red dress.
4. Mom baked tasty chocolate cookies.
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5. Julia was thinking about her friends back home.

6. Will you talk with these rude people?
7. You are a true hero.
8. My dog is my best friend.
ii. Verb Phrase
A verb phrase consists of an auxiliary, or helping, verb and a main verb. The helping verb always
precedes the main verb.
A helping verb includes forms of be, such as am, is, are, was, were, being, and been; forms
of have, such as has and had; forms of do, such as does and did; forms of can, such as could,
will, would, and shall; and forms of should, such as may, might, and must.
Exercise
Identify the verb phrase
1. She was walking quickly to the mall.
2. He should wait before going swimming.
3. Those girls are not trying very hard.
4. Ted might eat the cake.
5. You must go right now.
6. You can't eat that!
7. My mother is fixing us some dinner.
8. Words were spoken.
9. These cards may be worth hundreds of dollars!
10. The teacher is writing a report.
11. You have woken up everyone in the neighborhood.
Answers (the verb phrase is in bold):

1. She was walking quickly to the mall.
2. He should wait before going swimming.
3. Those girls are not trying very hard.
4. Ted might eat the cake.
5. You must go right now.
6. You can't eat that!
7. My mother is fixing us some dinner.
8. Words were spoken.
9. These cards may be worth hundreds of dollars!
10. The teacher is writing a report.
11. You have woken up everyone in the neighborhood.
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iii. Adjective Phrase
An adjective phrase is a group of words headed by an adjective that modifies a noun.
Exercise
Identify the adjective phrase:
1. Lisa is always full of life.

2. Merry is slow and steady.
3. This rule is now null and void.
4. The class is so calm and quiet.
5. The movie was really excellent.
6. The man in black is coming towards.
7. The food of this restaurant is extremely delicious.
8. Jack is so short-tempered that he cannot keep pace with any situation
Answers (the adjective phrase is in bold):

9. Lisa is always full of life.
10. Merry is slow and steady.
11. This rule is now null and void.
12. The class is so calm and quiet.
13. The movie was really excellent.
14. The man in black is coming towards.
15. The food of this restaurant is extremely delicious.
16. Jack is so short-tempered that he cannot keep pace with any situation
iv. Adverb Phrase

An adverb phrase, like an adverb, modifies a verb, an adjective, or an adverb by providing
additional details about it.
Exercise
Identify the adverb phrase:
1. Once upon a time, the lady lived here.

2. Sam said it in a polite way.
3. John was walking so quickly.
4. Samantha is trying to do the work quickly.
5. They came in a group to make us understand.
6. We are working so hard to complete the project.
7. Bob is trying to win the game by hook or by crook.
8. The student is trying heart and soul to pass the exam.
9. You are walking so slowly.
10. Next year Jack will come here.
11. We are going to watch a movie on Friday.
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Answers (the adverb phrase is in bold):
1. Once upon a time, the lady lived here.

2. Sam said it in a polite way.
3. John was walking so quickly.
4. Samantha is trying to do the work quickly.
5. They came in a group to make us understand.
6. We are working so hard to complete the project.
7. Bob is trying to win the game by hook or by crook.
8. The student is trying heart and soul to pass the exam.
9. You are walking so slowly.
10. Next year Jack will come here.
11. We are going to watch a movie on Friday.
v. Prepositional Phrase
A preposition is a word that connects two phrases or ideas in a sentence. Prepositions are used to
specify when, where, how, and why, and prepositional phrase includes a preposition and
its object, which can be a single word or a group of words expressing a single idea. The purpose of
using a prepositional phrase is to provide additional information about a noun, verb, adjective, or
adverb.
Exercise
Identify the Prepositional phrase:
1. The salesperson sells from door to door.

2. We are on the way to California.
3. Jeff was asking about the project.
4. Suzan was putting the flowers in the vase.
5. Dana was looking into the mirror.
6. Richard loves to travel around the world.
7. We were able to fix the car after many tries.
8. Please pass me the book with green cover.
9. Look at the man in the red shirt; he is looking suspicious.
10. We can reach this decision by the light of the discussion.
Answers (the Prepositional phrase is in bold):
1. The salesperson sells from door to door.

2. We are on the way to California.
3. Jeff was asking about the project.
4. Suzan was putting the flowers in the vase.
5. Dana was looking into the mirror.
6. Richard loves to travel around the world.
7. We were able to fix the car after many tries.
8. Please pass me the book with green cover.
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9. Look at the man in the red shirt; he is looking suspicious.

10. We can reach this decision by the light of the discussion.
 What is a clause?
A clause can be defined as a grammatical unit at a level between a phrase and a sentence. In
other words, a clause is a group of words containing a subject and verb.
Examples:
1. John sings.
2. Yesterday we played basketball.
Kinds of Clauses:
Clauses are of two kinds, independent clauses, and dependent clauses.
i. Independent Clauses:
“Main (or independent) clause is a clause that expresses a complete thought and can stand as a
sentence.
Examples
I met the boy.
She is wearing a shirt.
The teacher asked a question.
ii. Subordinate or dependent Clause:

Subordinate (or independent) clause is a clause which does not express complete thought and
depends on another clause (main clause) to express complete thought. Subordinate clause does
not express complete idea and can’t stand as a sentence. A sentence having a subordinate clause
must have a main clause.
Examples (dependent Clause is in bold):
I met the boy who had helped me.

I bought a table that costs $ 100.
He takes medicine because he suffers from fever.
The teacher asked a question but no one answered.
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Exercise
Identify the highlighted clauses:
1. John did his homework before he went to bed.

2. I don't like Mondays.
3. If you help me, I will help you!
4. She is very fit because she goes running every day.
5. Can you tell me why you said that?
6. Because the test was so difficult, none of the students got a very good grade.
7. When I lived in Tokyo, I played tennis every day.
8. I usually do my homework while my mother is cooking dinner.
Answers
1. John did his homework before he went to bed. (independent clause)
2. I don't like Mondays. (independent clause)
3. If you help me, I will help you! (dependent clause)
4. She is very fit because she goes running every day. (dependent clause)
5. Can you tell me why you said that? (independent clause)
6. Because the test was so difficult, none of the students got a very good grade.
(independent clause)
7. When I lived in Tokyo, I played tennis every day. (dependent clause)
8. I usually do my homework while my mother is cooking dinner. (dependent clause)
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Course title: ENG-110- Composition I

1. Phrases and Clauses

Identify the noun phrase

1. All the kids were sleeping.

Answers (the noun phrase is in bold):

1. All the kids were sleeping.

5. Julia was thinking about her friends back home.

ii. Verb Phrase

Answers (the verb phrase is in bold):

iii. Adjective Phrase

An adjective phrase is a group of words headed by an adjective that modifies a noun.

1. Lisa is always full of life.

Answers (the adjective phrase is in bold):

iv. Adverb Phrase

Identify the adverb phrase:

1. Once upon a time, the lady lived here.

Answers (the adverb phrase is in bold):

1. Once upon a time, the lady lived here.

Identify the Prepositional phrase:

1. The salesperson sells from door to door.

Answers (the Prepositional phrase is in bold):

1. The salesperson sells from door to door.

9. Look at the man in the red shirt; he is looking suspicious.

Clauses are of two kinds, independent clauses, and dependent clauses.

ii. Subordinate or dependent Clause:

Examples (dependent Clause is in bold):

I met the boy who had helped me.

Identify the highlighted clauses:

1. John did his homework before he went to bed.

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