Grammar

Phrases






This week’s topic…phrases!



Prepositional phrases
Verbal phrases
Absolute phrases
Appositive phrases
What is a phrase?

A phrase is a group of related
words that lacks either a
subject or a predicate or both.



amazing triumphs of technology (lacks a predicate)
can be found (lacks a subject)
in ancient civilizations (lacks a subject and predicate)

Amazing triumphs of technology can be found in
ancient civilizations.
Prepositional phrases

Consist of a preposition and an object
Function as adjectives or adverbs
Used to show relationship
Can be added or deleted without affecting the
meaning or structure of the sentence
Life on a raft was an opportunity for adventure.
adj. adj.

Huck Finn rode the raft down the river by choice.
adv. adv.

With his companion, Jim, Huck met many types of people.
adv. adj.
Verbals
A verbal is a word that is derived from a verb, has the power of a
verb, but acts as another part of speech. Like a verb, a verbal may
take an object, a modifier (adj/adv), and sometimes a subject;
however, unlike a verb, a verbal functions as a noun, an adjective,
or an adverb. Also, a verbal cannot serve as a verb.

Three types of verbals:

Gerund
Infinitive
Participle
Gerunds

A gerund is a verbal that ends in ing and
is used as a noun.


Examples:

Getting up each morning is the first challenge. (subject)

I start moving around seven o’clock. (direct object)

I work at jump-starting my weary system. (object of prep)

Like Woody Allen once said, “Eighty percent of life is
showing up.” (predicate noun)
Infinitives

An infinitive is a verb form that is usually introduced
by the word to.
An infinitive may be used as a noun, adjective, or adverb.



Examples:

To succeed is not easy. (noun subject)

Students are wise to work hard. (adverb)

The quiet environment of the library encourages
the desire to study. (adjective)
“To float or not
to float, that is
the question.”
Participles

A participle is a verbal ending in ing or ed.
A participle functions as an adjective.




Examples:

The students listening to this lecture are definitely interested.

The prospects of aced tests and improved assignments must be
appealing.
Don’t let your participles dangle!

A dangling participle (or modifier) does
not sensibly modify anything in its
sentence.

Examples:
Incorrect:
Walking down the crowded street, the traffic light turned red.
Correct:
Walking down the crowded street, I noticed the traffic light turning red.
Incorrect:
Although intact, graffiti covered every inch of the walls and windows.
Correct:
Although the walls and windows were intact, graffiti covered every
inch of them.
Absolute phrases
Consist of a noun or pronoun and a participle, plus any
modifiers.
Unlike a participial phrase, an absolute phrase always
contains a noun that serves as a subject.

Examples:
Absolute phrase:
Their own place established, many ethnic groups
are making way for new arrivals.
Participial phrase:
Learning English, many immigrants discover American culture.
Participial phrase
Absolute phrase:
Immigrants having learned English, their opportunities widen.
Absolute phrase
Appositive phrases

An appositive is usually a noun that renames another
noun; it also adds new information about the noun
it follows.
An appositive phrase also includes modifiers.
Appositives and appositive phrases sometimes begin with
that is, such as, for example, or in other words.

Examples:
Ms. McBride, my English teacher, is a bibliophile.
appositive phrase

Books, for example Ulysses and The Glass Bead Game, inspire her.
appositive phrase
Enough about phrases!







HOMEWORK:
You guessed it…

Use each vocabulary word from List 6 in a sentence:
4 absolute phrases
4 appositive phrases
4 gerunds
4 participles
4 infinitives