Chapter 5: The Phrase
Part 1: Prepositional PhrasesThe Adjective & Adverb Phrase
What is a phrase?
• A group of words that is missing a verb, a
subject, or both
• Examples:
– in the kitchen (no subject or verb)
– could have been hiding (no subject)
– to go with them (no subject)
Practice…Are these phrases or not
• when you know
– NP
• in the garden
– P (missing subject and verb)
• is sleeping
– P (missing subject)
• how she remembered
– NP
• smiling brightly
– P (missing subject)
• to the supermarket
– P (missing subject and verb)
Kinds of Phrases
• 1) Prepositional Phrase:
– Begins with a preposition (remember your
song…because now you really need it!!!)
– Ends with a noun or pronoun
Example Prepositional Phrases
• during the day
– Preposition: during
– Noun/pronoun: day
• with us
– Preposition: with
– Noun/pronoun: us
Kinds of Phrases cont’d
• 1A) The Adjective Phrase
– A prepositional phrase that describes a noun or
pronoun
– So, it begins with a preposition and ends with a
noun, but it goes back to or is giving extra
information about a noun or pronoun
• Charles Dickens wrote many tales {about poverty}.
– about poverty = the adjective phrase (begins with about,
ends with poverty)
– tales = the noun it is giving extra information about
Adjective Phrase cont’d
• Answers the questions:
– What kind?
– How many?
– Which one?
– How much?
**TIP** Adjective phrases usually follow the word
or words they describe
Adjective Phrase cont’d
• You try…
– Easy-----The store with the neon sign is open.
– Harder----Here’s a gift for you from Mr. B.
– Hardest-----A majority of the animals in the world
sleep during the day.
Adjective Phrase Answers:
– Easy-----The store {with the neon sign} is open.
• with the neon sign = adjective phrase
• store = noun it is describing (answers: which one?)
– Harder----Here’s a gift {for you} {from Mr. B}.
• for you = adjective phrase
• from Mr. B = adjective phrase
• gift = noun that BOTH phrases are describing (answers: which
one?)
– Hardest-----A majority {of the animals} {in the world} sleep
during the day.
•
•
•
•
of the animals = adjective phrase
majority = noun it is describing (answers: how many?)
in the world = adjective phrase
animals = noun it is describing (part of the 1st adjective phrase)
(answers: what kind?)
Kinds of Phrases cont’d
• 1B) The Adverb Phrase
– A prepositional phrase that describes a verb,
adjective, or adverb
– So, it begins with a preposition and ends with a
noun, but it goes back to or is giving extra
information about a verb, adjective, or adverb
• The Ford Motor Company was founded {by Henry Ford}
{in 1903}.
– by Henry Ford = adverb phrase
– in 1903 = adverb phrase
– was founded = verb they are giving extra info about
Adverb Phrase cont’d
• Answers the questions:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
When?
Where?
How?
Why?
How often?
How long?
To what extent?
• **TIP** like adverbs, adverb phrases can move
around in the sentence. Adjective phrases usually only
follow the word or words they describe.
Adverb Phrase cont’d
• You try…
– Easy----We got our new puppy at the animal
shelter.
– Harder----She drove for hours through the storm.
– Hardest----The boat landed on the island near the
coast.
Adverb Phrase Answers
– Easy----We got our new puppy {at the animal shelter}.
• at the animal shelter = adverb phrase
• got = verb it is describing (answers: where?)
– Harder----She drove {for hours} {through the storm}.
• for hours = adverb phrase
• through the storm = adverb phrase
• drove = verb that BOTH phrases are describing (answers: how
long? and where?)
– Hardest----The boat landed {on the island} {near the
coast}.
•
•
•
•
on the island = adverb phrase
landed = verb it is describing (answers: where?)
near the coast = adjective phrase
island = noun it is describing (part of the adverb phrase)
(answers: which one?)
Chapter 5: The Phrase
Part II: Verbal PhrasesThe Participle & Infinitive Phrases
What is a Participle?
• A verb form that can be used as an adjective
(describes a noun or pronoun)
• 1) Present Participle = ends in “ing”
• 2) Past Participle = ends in “d” or “ed”
– Some past participles are irregular and do not
have this ending
• For example: frozen
• I went ice skating on the frozen pond.
– Frozen = past participle
– Pond = noun it is describing
Practice: pg 99-100
• Find the participles and nouns/pronouns they
describe:
– Annoyed, I went inside to watch TV.
• Annoyed = past participle
• I = pronoun it is describing
– I woke my sleeping father to ask about mosquitoes.
• Sleeping = present participle
• Father = noun it is describing
– Sucking blood for food, mosquitoes survive in many
different cultures.
• Sucking = present participle
• Mosquitoes = noun it is describing
– Bites make the skin swell, and the swollen skin itches.
• Swollen = past participle
• Skin = noun it is describing
Participle Phrase
• Participle phrases are used as adjectives
(describes a noun/pronoun)
• Begins with a participle and contains all
describing words
– Examples:
• Stretching slowly
• Predicted by the meteorologist
• Reading the assignment
Participle Phrases
• Tips:
– Look for words that end in “ing” or are past tense
– Ask: Who or What is that word talking about?
– Check to make sure the who or what is a noun
– **Many times, these phrases have commas after
them!
You Try…
• Cheering for the team, we celebrated the
victory.
– Cheering for the team (uses present participle)
• Shown here, his design for the newest fighter
jet was the first one in history.
– Shown here (uses past participle)
• Have you ever heard of International LeftHander’s Day, celebrated on August 13?
– Celebrated on August 13 (uses past participle)
What is an infinitive?
• A verb form that can be used as a noun,
adjective, or adverb.
• Most infinitives begin with the preposition
“to”
• **They are ALWAYS followed by a VERB**
• Examples:
– To remain
– To meet
– To dream
You Try…
• My first stop would be to visit the Statue of
Liberty.
– To visit = infinitive
• France gave the statue to the U.S. in 1884.
– None
• It was a gift to express the friendship between
the two nations.
– To express = infinitive
Infinitive Phrases
• An infinitive phrase begins with the infinitive
(to + a verb) and contains all describing words
& prepositional phrases
• Examples:
– To be a good gymnast
– To fly over both the North and South Poles
– To go to the gym now
You Try…
• A bird sings to claim its territory.
– To claim its territory
• Human beings learned to build aircraft by
carefully studying the way birds fly.
– To build aircraft
• To recognize the songs of different birds takes
many hours of practice.
– To recognize the songs of different birds
• Birds use their feathers to push their bodies
through the air.
– To push their bodies through the air
Part III: Phrases
Appositive Phrases
What is an appositive?
• It is a noun or pronoun placed beside another
noun or pronoun to describe or give more
information about it.
• Most often, they are surrounded by commas.
• Example:
– My teacher, Mr. Craig, enjoys books by Jane
Austen.
• Mr. Craig = appositive
• Teacher = noun it is describing
Appositive Phrase
• A phrase that is giving more information about
a noun or pronoun.
• Examples:
– Frankie, a goodhearted and intelligent girl, is a
pleasure to teach.
• Set off by commas & can be taken out
– Trevor’s friend Mike sometimes gives Trevor poor
advice.
• Not set off by commas because Trevor has more than
one friend, so Mike’s name is important in the sentence
You Try…
• My sister Alyssa is a hard worker.
– Alyssa = appositive
– Sister = noun it is describing
• Chris, my next door neighbor, is a carpenter.
– My next door neighbor = appositive phrase
– Chris = noun it is describing
• Will your cousin Tiffany visit you this summer?
– Tiffany = appositive
– Cousin = noun it is describing
• Gino is playing with his favorite toy, the Thomas train set.
– The Thomas the train set = appositive phrase
– Toy = noun it is describing
• Jackson Square, a landmark in New Orleans, has a statue of
Andrew Jackson on it.
– A landmark in New Orleans = appositive phrase
– Jackson Square = noun it is describing