A phrase is a group of two or more grammatically linked words without a subject and predicate -- a group of grammatically-linked words with a subject and predicate is called a clause.
The group "teacher both students and" is not a phrase because the words have no grammatical relationship to one another. Similarly, the group "bay the across" is not a phrase.
In both cases, the words need to be rearranged in order to create phrases. The group "both teachers and students" and the group "across the bay" are both phrases.
You use a phrase to add information to a sentence and it can perform the functions of a subject, an object, a subject complement or object complement, a verb, an adjective, or an adverb.
The highlighted words in each of the following sentences make up a phrase:
She bought some spinach when she went to the corner store.
Lightning flashed brightly in the night sky.
They heard high pitched cries in the middle of the night.
In early October, Giselle planted twenty tulip bulbs; unfortunately, squirrels ate the bulbs and none bloomed.
Small children often insist that they can do it by themselves.
The Function Of Phrases
A phrase may function as a verb, noun, an adverb, or an adjective.Verb Phrases
A verb phrase consists of a verb, its direct and/or indirect objects, and any adverb, adverb phrases, or adverb clauses which happen to modify it. The predicate of a clause or sentence is always a verb phrase:
Corinne is trying to decide whether she wants to go to medical school or to go to law school.
He did not have all the ingredients the recipe called for; therefore, he decided to make something else.
After she had learned to drive, Alice felt more independent.
We will meet at the library at 3:30 p.m.
Noun Phrases
A noun phrase consists of a pronoun or noun with any associated modifiers, including adjectives, adjective phrases, adjective clauses, and other nouns in the possessive case.
Like a noun, a noun phrase can act as a subject, as the object of a verb or verbal, as a subject or object complement, or as the object of a preposition, as in the following examples:
subject
Small children often insist that they can do it by themselves.
object of a verb
To read quickly and accurately is Eugene's goal.
object of a preposition
The arctic explorers were caught unawares by the spring breakup.
subject complement
Frankenstein is the name of the scientist not the monster.
object complement
I consider Loki my favorite cat.
Noun Phrases using Verbals
(by David Megginson)
Since some verbals -- in particular, the gerund and the infinitive -- can act as nouns, these also can form the nucleus of a noun phrase:Ice fishing is a popular winter pass-time.
However, since verbals are formed from verbs, they can also take direct objects and can be modified by adverbs. A gerund phrase or infinitive phrase, then, is a noun phrase consisting of a verbal, its modifiers (both adjectives and adverbs), and its objects:
Running a marathon in the Summer is thirsty work.
I am planning to buy a house next month.
Adjective Phrases
An adjective phrase is any phrase which modifies a noun or pronoun. You often construct adjective phrases using participles or prepositions together with their objects:
I was driven mad by the sound of my neighbour's constant piano practising.
In this sentence, the prepositional phrase "of my neighbour's constant piano practising" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "sound."
My father-in-law locked his keys in the trunk of a borrowed car.
Similarly in this sentence, the prepositional phrase "of a borrowed car" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "trunk."
We saw Peter dashing across the quadrangle.
Here the participle phrase "dashing across the quadrangle" acts as an adjective describing the proper noun "Peter."
We picked up the records broken in the scuffle.
In this sentence, the participle phrase "broken in the scuffle" modifies the noun phrase "the records."
Adverb Phrases
A prepositional phrase can also be an adverb phrase, functioning as an adverb, as in the following sentences.
She bought some spinach when she went to the corner store.
In this sentence, the prepositional phrase "to the corner store" acts as an adverb modifying the verb "went."
Lightning flashed brightly in the night sky.
In this sentence, the prepositional phrase "in the night sky" functions as a adverb modifying the verb "flashed."
In early October, Giselle planted twenty tulip bulbs; unfortunately, squirrels ate the bulbs and none bloomed.
In this sentence, the prepositional phrase "in early October" acts as an adverb modifying the entire sentence.
We will meet at the library at 3:30 P.M.
In this sentence, the prepositional phrase "at 3:30 P.M." acts as an adverb modifying the verb phrase "will meet."
The dogs were capering about the clown's feet.
In this sentence, the prepositional phrase "about the clown's feet" acts as an adverb modifying the verb phrase "were capering."
Review: The Function Of Phrases
Identify the function of the phrase highlighted in the following sentences.
1. The projectionist dreamt that he chased an enormous gorilla around the theatre.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
2. Justine hoped to attend the masquerade even though her guardian had forbidden such adventures.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
3. The child dancing about the stage hopes to become a movie star.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
4. The reporter consulted a number of published accounts before interviewing the senator.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
5. The party was a dreadful failure because the caterers forgot to bring the tableware.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
6. The guild is meeting to discuss the latest misdemeanours of the apprentices.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
7. They heard high pitched cries in the middle of the night.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
8. Megan believed that dreaming about grapes meant that she should skip Latin class.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
9. The guard woken from his sleep by the burglar alarm knocked a bowl of potato chips off the desk.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
10. The reporter consulted a number of published accounts before interviewing the senator.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
11. The bar was full of patiently waiting customers.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
12. I was driven mad by the sound of my neighbour's constant piano practising.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
13. The committee gave our neighbourhood association an award for innovative tree planting.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
14. I hate camping and nothing you tell me will persuade me to get into a canoe with you.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
15. The apprentices elected Wilkins Lord of Misrule.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
16. When she was a young woman, she earned her meagre living as a coal miner
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
17. According to the chart, making supper is Richard's duty tonight and washing the dishes is Dorothy's.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
18. The guard woken from his sleep by the burglar alarm knocked a bowl of potato chips off the desk.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
19. Thomson was a landscape painter.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
20. During the winter the smell of woodsmoke drifts through the neighbourhood.
1. This phrase functions as a Subject
2. This phrase functions as a Complement
3. This phrase functions as an Object
4. This phrase functions as a Predicate
5. This phrase functions as an Adjective
6. This phrase functions as an Adverb
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