Phrases and Their Grammatical Functions
Phrases and Their Grammatical Functions
A phrase is a group of words (or possibly a word) without a subject, and it does not make
complete sense. A phrase is a constituent of a sentence. In other words, a sentence is made up of
phrases. For example, the sentence, "The boy behind the door is my brother," is made up of a
noun phrase (The boy), a prepositional phrase (behind the door) and another noun phrase (my
brother).
NOUN PHRASE
A noun phrase is a phrase that is made up of only a noun, a noun with a determiner, or a noun
with a post modifier. A noun phrase has a noun or pronoun as its headword and can be
premodified by an article/determiner and an adjective. The adjective can be possessive or
demonstrative.
Examples
i. The book.
ii. Your pen.
iii. That watch.
In example one, the noun phrase is modified by the definite article (the). In example two, it is
modified by the possessive adjective (your). And in example three, it is modified by the
demonstrative adjective (that).
PLEASE NOTE: A modifier can come before or after the word it modifies. For the purpose of
clarity, henceforth, the term "premodify" will be used when a modifier precedes the word it
modifies, and the term "post modify" will be used when a modifier comes after the word it
modifies.
Examples
i. Something terrible (has happened).
"Terrible" is an adjective and a post modifier of the noun phrase, Something terrible. In this
case, we have a pronoun (something) as the headword of the noun phrase. As earlier stated, a
noun phrase can either have a noun or a pronoun as its head word.
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University of Algiers 2, English Department/ Grammar/ 2nd year/ S3/ Teacher: DENIDNI
In this case, the noun phrase, The boy, is post modified by the prepositional phrase, "in the
room. "iii. The boy who came in (is my uncle's son). In this case, we have an adjectival (or a
relative) clause, who came in, functioning as a post modifier in the noun phrase.
Functions of a Noun Phrase (NP)
A noun phrase performs the following grammatical functions:
1. As subject of a sentence
A noun phrase functions as the subject of a clause/sentence. A subject is a word, phrase or
clause which performs the action or acts upon the verb. The group of words in bold in each of
the examples below is the noun phrase functioning as the subject of the sentence.
Examples
i. The armed robbers have invaded the city.
ii. The boy in the room is my friend.
2. As object of a verb
A noun phrase can function as object of a verb in a sentence.
Examples
3. As complement of a preposition
When a noun phrase functions as a complement of a preposition, it comes immediately after the
preposition. This helps you to easily detect a noun phrase that functions as a complement of a
preposition.
Examples
i. The boy behind the door is a thief.
In this example, you have the noun phrase, the door, functioning as the complement of the
preposition, "behind."
4. As object complement
An object complement is a word, phrase or clause that directly follows and describes the direct
object of a sentence.
Examples
i. We made him our class representative.
"Our class representative" is the noun phrase functioning as the complement of the object of the
sentence, "him."
5. As complement of a subject
Examples
i. The brilliant girl is my friend.
"My friend", which is a noun phrase, is functioning as the complement of the subject.
ii. John is a student.
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University of Algiers 2, English Department/ Grammar/ 2nd year/ S3/ Teacher: DENIDNI
6. As an appositive
An appositive is a word, phrase or clause that modifies or explains another noun or noun phrase.
Examples
i. Mr Tammy, our new English teacher, is a good teacher.
"Our new English teacher," which is a noun phrase, is in apposition to the noun phrase, "Mr
Tammy."
ADJECTIVAL PHRASE
An adjectival phrase is a phrase that has an adjective as its headword.
ADVERBIAL PHRASE
An adverbial phrase (or adverb phrase) is a phrase that has an adverb as its headword. An
adverb phrase consists of one or more words. The adverb is the head of the phrase and can
appear alone or it can be modified by other words. An adverb (or adverbial phrase) can modify a
verb, an adjective, a fellow adverb, or even an entire sentence or main clause.
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University of Algiers 2, English Department/ Grammar/ 2nd year/ S3/ Teacher: DENIDNI
4. As a modifier of a verb
An adverb (or adverbial phrase) modifies a verb in a sentence.
Examples
i. He sings very well.
"Very well" is an adverbial phrase modifying the verb, "sings."
ii. I eat quite healthily.
"Quite healthily" is an adverbial phrase modifying the verb, "eat."
5. As Adverbial
An adverbial is a word, phrase or clause that modifies a verb, an adjective or an entire clause by
providing information such as time, place, manner, condition, frequency, reason or purpose.
Examples
i. Husbands should speak for their wives adoringly.
ii. Ade drove the car very carefully.
iii. They almost never invite people to their house these days.
VERB PHRASE
A Verb Phrase (VP) is headed by a verb. It functions primarily as a predicate in the structure of
a clause. A verb phrase, like any other phrase, has a modifier and a head word. The modifier is
an optional element while the headword is an obligatory element in verb phrase structure.
Lexical verbs function as headwords in the structure of a verb phrase whereas auxiliary verbs (if
present) function as modifiers in the structure of a verb phrase.
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University of Algiers 2, English Department/ Grammar/ 2nd year/ S3/ Teacher: DENIDNI
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE
A prepositional phrase is a phrase that is headed by a preposition. It is made up of a preposition
(which is its headword) and a noun/pronoun/noun phrase (which is its object).Examples of
prepositional phrases are: in the room, behind the door, in front of the house etc.