How do phrases function in a sentence?
Quite simply, a phrase as a whole functions as a
single part of speech.
 Prepositional phrases function as adjectives and
adverbs.
 Appositive phrases function as nouns renaming
another noun or pronoun.
 Participle phrases function as adjectives.
 Gerund phrases function as nouns.
 Infinitive phrases function as nouns, adjectives,
and adverbs.
== See next page
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There are 8 parts of speech:
Noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb,
preposition, conjunction, and interjection
3 of these parts of speech can be replaced by
phrases:
Nouns
Appositive phrases
Gerund phrases
Infinitive phrases
Adjectives
Prepositional phrases
Participle phrases
Infinitive phrases
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(**All adjective phrases modify nouns and
pronouns. All adjective phrases tell “which one”,
“what kind”, “how many”, “how much”, just like
single-word adjectives do).
Adverbs
Prepositional phrases
Infinitive phrases
(**All adverbs and adverb phrases tell “how”,
“when”, “where”, and “to what extent” about the
words they modify. All adverb phrases can modify
verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs, just like
single-word adjectives do).
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