Phrases and Clauses
English Notes
1
The Phrase

A phrase does not have both a subject
and a predicate. It does not express a
complete thought. Common phrases are
prepositional and verb phrases. see
text pg___
2
The Clause

A clause will contain both a subject and a
verb. Though some clauses do express
complete thoughts, others (such as
subordinate clauses) do not express
complete thoughts. Common clauses are
simple sentences and subordinate, or
dependent clauses, that are part of a
complex sentence.
3
Prepositions and
Prepositional Phrases
English Notes
4
What is a preposition?

A preposition relates a noun, pronoun,
phrase, or clause to some other word in
the sentence.
5
Prepositions
Teresa
 Teresa
 Teresa
 Teresa

waits in the room.
waited beside the statue.
waited at the door.
waited near the school.
6
Prepositions of more than one
word…
The following group of words are considered
one preposition:
According to in addition to
instead of
by means of
for the sake of
because of
in place of
on account of
outside of

7
Preposition of more than one
word…
Victor studied French instead of Spanish.
 According to Victor, Teresa was cute.

8
Prepositions and
Prepositional Phrases
English Notes
9
Object of a preposition

The object of a preposition is a noun, a
pronoun, or a group of words used as a
noun. A preposition usually precedes its
object (comes before).
10
Object of a preposition
Victor wanted to be in Teresa’s class.
(noun)
 He wanted to be with her. (Pronoun)
 We took the stool from under the desk.
(phrase)
 Victor was grateful to whoever assisted
him. (clause)

11
Prepositional Phrases as
Adjectives and Adverbs
English Notes
12
Adjective Phrase
A prepositional phrase is an adjective
phrase when it modifies a noun or a
pronoun.
Example:

The workers at the store are courteous.
13
Adjective Phrases

Adjectives answer the following questions:
– What kind?
– How many? How much?
– Which one?
14
Adjective phrases
– Mr. Bornot ordered a dinner of broiled
sirloin.
– That one with the zippered pockets costs
a little more.
– There was enough room for only one more
person.
15
Adjective Phrases

More than one adjective phrase can
modify the same noun or pronoun.
– That painting of a starry night by Van
Gough is famous.
– A number of the paintings by that artist
are landscapes.
16
Adverb phrases
A prepositional phrase is an adverb phrase
when it modifies a verb, adjective, or an
adverb.
Example:
The servers dress like movie characters.
(modifies the verb dress).

17
Adverb phrases

When an adverb phrase is modifying the
verb, it should answer the following
questions:
How?
When?
Where?
18
Adverb phrases
Others eat their meals in a hurry.
(answers how they eat their meals)
 Many people eat a light meal during the
lunch hour. (answers when they eat a light
meal)
 Some eat lunch on the covered patio.
(answers where they eat lunch)

19
Adverb Phrases
An adverb phrase can also describe an
adjective or an adverb:
The restaurant is popular with young
people.
The restaurant opens early in the morning.

20
Adjective or Adverb Phrase?

How many countries lie on the equator?

I read a book about Martin Luther King, Jr.

The patient sipped water through a straw.
21
Adjective or Adverb Phrase?

The flowers along the fence are daffodils.

This game is perfect for a rainy day.

The day before yesterday was my
birthday.
22
Preposition or Adverb?
English Notes
23
Words Used as both prepositions or
adverbs
about
above
around
before
behind
below
down
in
inside
near
out
outside
over
through
up
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