MELC: Use Phrases, Clauses

and Sentences appropriately

and meaningfully EN7G-II-a-1

Learning Objectives:
1. Define a phrase
2. Identify the types of a phrase
3.Use appropriate phrases to
form sensible sentences.
 Writing is one way to help you
say clearly what you think or how
you feel about people, places,
events, or experiences. The words
in the sentence must be in the
right order to make sense.
In addition, you need to have a
working knowledge of subjects,
predicates, and objects before you
continue.
 Phrases
Clauses
Sentences
 What is a phrase?
•A phrase is a group of words that
express a concept and is used as a
unit within a sentence.
•A group of words, which makes
sense, but is not complete sense.
•It is a group of related words
without a Subject and a Verb.
Examples of phrases:
• The sun rises in the east.
• Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
• She wore a hat with blue
trimming.
• The accident on the bridge was
not serious.
• The girl with red hair is an
artist.
• Sasha took a long leave.
Kinds of Phrases
1.Noun Phrases: A noun phrase consists of a
noun and all its modifiers.
• The bewildered tourist was lost.
• The lost puppy was a wet and stinky
dog.
• The flu clinic had seen many cases of
infectious disease.
• It was a story as old as time.
• The sports car drove the long and
winding road.
• Saturday became a cool, wet
afternoon.
2.Verb Phrases: A verb phrase
consists of a verb and all its
modifiers.
• He was waiting for the rain to
stop.
• She was upset when it didn't boil.
• You have been sleeping for a long
time.
• You might enjoy a massage.
• He was eager to eat dinner.
3. Gerund Phrases: A gerund phrase
is a group of words that is introduced
by a verb ending in –ing. It is also
called as a noun phrase
• Taking my dog for a walk is fun.
• Walking in the rain can be difficult.
• Strolling along a beach at sunset
is romantic.
• Going for ice cream is a real treat.
4. Infinitive Phrase: An infinitive phrase
is a phrase introduced by the word to +
verb.
• To make lemonade, you have to start
with lemons.
• I tried to see the stage, but I was too
short.
• He really needs to get his priorities in
order.
• The company decided to reduce hours
for everyone.
• To donate time or money is an
honorable thing.
5. Appositive Phrases: An appositive
phrase restates and defines a noun. It
consists of one or more words.
• My favorite pastime, needlepoint,
surprises some people.
• Her horse, an Arabian, was her pride and
joy.
• My wife, the love of my life, is also my
best friend.
• A cheetah, the fastest land animal, can
run 70 miles an hour.
• My idea, a recycling bin for the office,
was accepted by the boss.
6. Participial Phrases: A participial
phrase begins with a past or present
participle.
• Washed with my clothes, my cell
phone no longer works.
• We are looking forward to the movie,
having seen the trailer last week.
• Painted a brilliant white, the small
room appeared bigger.
• The lake, frozen over all winter,
was finally thawing.
Concept Check: Identify the phrases
used in the following sentences.

1. The dog is an animal of great

power.
2. An orphan has to spend his
days in great misery.
3. Do not play with naughty boys.
4. Jean is full of courage.
5. An old man lived beside the
lake.
 Uses and
Functions
of Phrases
Noun Phrase - consists of a noun
and all its modifiers and is usually
the subject part of the sentence.

The empty glass fell and got

broken.
A Japanese Ambassador visited us.
An angry dog chased the thief.
Health and safety is a necessity.
Adverbial Phrase - usually begins
with a preposition and used as an
adverb in the sentence.

The exam will be on October 27-28.

The gift is in the box.
Andrew’s shoes are under the bed.
The visitors arrived after lunch.
Adjectival Phrase – defines or
modifies nouns in sentences.

The happy dog wags his tail.

The dog, that seems very happy,
wags his tail all day long.
The bright sun shone through the
window
The sun, that is so bright, shone
through the window
Some adjectival phrases modify
nouns, which look different:

• The bakery, around the corner,

sells cakes.
• The cost of the shoes was way too
high.
 Identify the phrases by underlining them and
state whether they are adjective phrases, adverb
phrases or noun phrases. Write your answer
before the number.
______1. I hope to win the first prize.
______2. The girl in a brown jacket is
my sister.
______3. Did you enjoy watching the
movie?
______4. She always drives with care.
______5. They were shouting in a loud
voice.
______6. The bus stopped at Rizal Park.
Assignment: Use phrases to make
the sentence correct and identify the
function of each phrase.
1. Do you __________ your favorite
food?
2. The arrogant loves getting people
____________.
3. He speaks _____________ leader.
4. I have forgotten how ______________
this game.
5. He succeeded in _______________.
What is a clause?
•According to a traditional definition,
a clause can be defined as a
grammatical unit at a level between
a phrase and a sentence.
In other words, a group of words
that contains a subject and a
predicate.
•A clause is a part of a sentence, a string
of words which expresses a proposition
and typically consists of at least a
subject and a verb, and is joined to the
rest of the sentence by a conjunction. It
is not a complete sentence on its own.
•A clause may be either a sentence (an
independent clause) or a sentence-like
construction within another sentence (a
dependent or subordinate clause).
Consider the following sentence:
•Mary liked Nora when she was a kid.
•The string Mary liked Nora could be
a complete sentence on its own; the
additional string, when she was a
kid, could not be a complete
sentence on its own. It is a clause.
•A clause is therefore a sentence-like
construction contained within a
sentence.
•The construction when she was a kid
is 'sentence-like' in the sense that we
can analyze it in terms of the major
sentence elements (subject, verb,
etc. . . .). It has its own subject (she),
and it has a verb (was).
• In addition to these major sentence
elements, it has the subordinating
conjunction when, which tells us that
the clause is a subordinate clause.
•Subordinating conjunctions, also called
subordinators, are conjunctions that join
an independent clause and a dependent
clause.
•The most common subordinating
conjunctions in the English language
include after, although, as, as far as, as if,
as long as, as soon as, as though, because,
before, if, in order that, since, so, so that,
than, though, unless, until, when,
whenever, where, whereas, wherever, and
while.
•A coordinating conjunction is a word
used to connect compound parts of a
sentence.
•The most common conjunctions—and,
but, nor, for and or—are called
coordinating conjunctions. So and yet
are also sometimes used as
coordinating conjunctions.
•Note: Coordinating conjunctions are
used to connect independent clauses in
compound sentences.
Types of clauses:
MAIN CLAUSE OR INDEPENDENT CLAUSE:
•A main clause has a subject and a
predicate and can stand alone as a
sentence.
•Main clauses can be connected by a
comma and a conjunction, by a
semicolon, or by a semicolon and a
conjunctive adverb.
•The conjunctive adverb is followed by a
comma.
•In the following examples, each main clause
is in black. The connecting elements are in
red type.
•EXAMPLE:
•Many people live in cities, but others build
houses in the suburbs. (comma and
coordinating conjunction)
•Most people travel to their jobs; others work
at home. (semicolon)
•Companies relocate to the suburbs;
therefore, more people leave the city.
(semicolon and conjunctive adverb)
Subordinate clause
or dependent clause:
•A subordinate or dependent clause is
a group of words that has a subject
and a predicate but does not express
a complete thought and cannot
stand alone as a sentence. A
subordinate clause is always
combined with a main clause in a
sentence.
Examples:
•In each complex sentence that
follows, the subordinate clause is in
red type.
•Maria, who moved here from
Montana, is very popular.
•Since Maria moved to Springfield,
she has made many new friends.
•Everyone says that Maria is friendly.
•Subordinate clauses can function in three
ways: as adjectives, as adverbs, or as nouns.
•In the examples above, the first sentence has
an adjective clause that modifies the noun
Maria.
•The second sentence has an adverb clause
that modifies the verb has made.
•The third sentence has a noun clause that is
the direct object of the verb says.
•Adjective, adverb, and noun clauses are used
in the same ways one-word adjectives,
adverbs, and nouns are used.
Sentence And Its Types:
•A sentence is a group of words that has a
subject and a predicate and expresses a
complete thought.
•Sentences are divided into four kinds on the
basis of the purpose they serve.
•The four kinds of sentences are:
 Declarative
 Imperative
 Interrogative
 Exclamatory
•On the other hand, sentences are
divided into four types on the
basis of its structure.
•The four types of sentences are:
Simple sentence
Compound sentence
Complex sentence
Compound-complex sentence
 Simple sentence
•A simple sentence has one complete subject
and one complete predicate.
•The complete subject names whom or what
the sentence is about.
•The complete predicate tells what the
subject does or has.
•Sometimes the complete predicate tells what
the subject is or is like.
•The complete subject or the complete
predicate or both may be compound.
 Examples:
COMPLETE SUBJECT COMPLETE PREDICATE

People travel.
Neither automobiles are completely safe.
nor airplanes
Travelers meet new people and
see new sights
Trains and buses carry passengers and
transport goods.
Compound sentence:
•A compound sentence contains two or
more simple sentences. Each simple
sentence is called a main clause.
•A main clause has a subject and a predicate
and can stand alone as a sentence.
•Main clauses can be connected by a comma
and a conjunction, by a semicolon, or by a
semicolon and a conjunctive adverb.
•The conjunctive adverb is followed by a
comma.
Examples:
 Many people live in cities, but
others build houses in the suburbs.
(comma and coordinating
conjunction)
Most people travel to their jobs;
others work at home. (semicolon)
Companies relocate to the suburbs;
therefore, more people leave the
city. (semicolon and conjunctive
adverb)
Complex sentence:
•A main clause has a subject and a
predicate and can stand alone as
a sentence. Some sentences have
a main clause and a subordinate
clause.
•A complex sentence has one
main clause and one or more
subordinate clauses.
•A subordinate or dependent
clause is a group of words that
has a subject and a predicate
but does not express a
complete thought and cannot
stand alone as a sentence. A
subordinate clause is always
combined with a main clause in
a sentence.
 Examples:
•Everyone says that Maria is friendly.
•When I am chased, I run.
•After I came home, I made dinner.
•(dependent clause: "After I came home")
•(independent clause: I made dinner)
•We visited the museum before it closed.
•(dependent clause: before it closed.)
•(independent clause: We visited the
museum)
Compound-complex sentence:
•A compound-complex sentence
has two or more main clauses
and one or more subordinate
clauses.
EXAMPLE:
When I am chased, I run and I
jump.
Although I like to go camping, I
haven't had the time to go lately, and
I haven't found anyone to go with.
•independent clause: "I haven't had
the time to go lately"
•independent clause: "I haven't found
anyone to go with"
•dependent clause: "Although I like to
go camping... "
•We decided that the movie was too
violent, but our children, who like to
watch scary movies, thought that we
were wrong.

•independent clause: "We decided that

the movie was too violent"
•independent clause: "(but) our children
thought that we were wrong"
•dependent clause: who like to watch
scary movies