TYPES

OF
PHRASES
MALONES, KENDRICK
MALONES, KYLA
1. Noun Phrase
- A noun phrase is a group of two or more words
headed by a noun that includes modifiers (e.g., 'the,' 'a,'
'of them,' 'with her’).
- A noun phrase is either a pronoun or any group of
words that can be replaced by a pronoun.
- Like any noun, a noun phrase can function as a
subject, an object, or a complement within a sentence

Example:
1. This man has a nice smile, but he's got iron
teeth
2. I never learned from a man who agreed with
me.
3. Every man of courage is a man of his word.
2. Prepositional
Phrase- A prepositional phrase is simply a group of words that
consists of a preposition and the object of the preposition. It
can also include words that modify the object. Normally, the
modifier will be a noun or the infinitive or gerund form of the
linking verb.
- A prepositional phrase adds information to a
sentence.

Two Types of Prepositional Phrase

• Adverb Prepositional Phrase
• Adjective Prepositional Phrase
• Adverb prepositional phrases
- An adverbial or adverb prepositional phrase is
a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb. When the
phrase acts on the verb, it’s considered to be acting
adverbially because adverbs modify verbs.

Example:
1. Jane cheered for her team with excitement.
2. Mark looked behind his brother.
• Adjective prepositional phrases
- An adjectival or adjective prepositional phrase is a
prepositional phrase that modifies a noun. When a
prepositional phrase behaves adjectively it’s considered to be
an adjectival phrase.

Example:
1. That puppy at the park is so happy.
2. I like to go grocery shopping at the Whole Foods
behind my house.
3. Adjective Phrase
- An adjective phrase is a group of words that describe a noun or
pronoun in a sentence. The adjective in an adjective phrase can appear at the
start, end or middle of the phrase. The adjective phrase can be placed before or
after the noun or pronoun in the sentence.

-Adjective phrases come in many different forms. Some incorporate

comparative and superlative adjectives.

Example:
1. We experienced the decade’s most destructive storm.
2. They saw only the brightest stars through their
telescope.
Compound adjectives are often part of adjective phrases, too:
Example:
1. The movie, short and whitewashed, faced criticism from
historians.
2. The playlist was too slow-paced for the crowd that night.

Adjective phrases can contain adverbs:

Example:
1. It was a deliciously sensational play.
2. His hair, shockingly dyed pink, surprised his parents.

And they can incorporate prepositions:

Example:
1. The kids, like popcorn, were bouncing all over their trampoline.
2. My grandmother from New York makes a delicious egg cream.

Sometimes, an adjective phrase is just a series of adjectives:

Example:
1. My old, slow, gas-guzzling minivan finally died.
2. They took an intense, time-consuming physics course.
4. Adverb Phrase
- An adverb phrase is simply a group of two or more words
that function as an adverb in a sentence. Just as an adverb can
modify a verb, adjective or another adverb, an adverb phrase of
more than one word can further describe a verb, adverb, or
adjective.
- Adverb phrases typically answer the questions how,
where, why or when something was done,

Example:
I parked the car.
I parked the car here.
I parked the car right here.
I parked the car right here under the bridge
Adverb Phrases in a
Sentence
- Adverb phrases can be used in any position in a
sentence.

Example:
1. Mika usually gets up early.
2. We must finish our project before the holidays.
3. Sally brought a painting home from school to show to her
mother.
5. Verb Phrase
- A verb phrase is the portion of a sentence that
contains both the verb and either a direct or indirect object
- Verb phrases can consist of one to three linking verbs,
and action verbs, and sometimes any complements (such as
objects or direct objects).

Examples:
1. She smells the pizza.
She can smell the pizza.
2. He appears on screen as an actor.
He has appeared on screen as an actor
- A verb phrase can be the predicate of the clause or sentence.
It functions as the verb in a sentence, even when it has more
than one word.

- Following are some verb phrase examples where the verb

phrase is the predicate of a sentence. In this case, the verb
phrase consists of the main verb plus any auxiliary, or
helping, verbs.

Example:
1. She was walking quickly to the mall.
2. He should wait before going swimming.
3. Those girls are trying very hard.
4. Ted might eat the cake
6. Gerund Phrase
- A gerund phrase is created when a gerund – a verb that
takes an –ing form and functions as a noun – has a modifier, object or
both.
- A gerund phrase will follow these rules, which can help you
identify a gerund phrase in a sentence:
• The phrase will always start with a gerund.
• The gerund phrase will either have a modifier, an object or both.
• The entire phrase will function as a noun.
• The phrase will have singular agreement with a verb.

Example:
1. Reading books quietly is my favorite pastime.
2. My favorite pastime is reading books quietly
3. I recommend reading books quietly to pass the time.
 - Gerund phrases have various uses in a sentence. They have a variety of
roles in a sentence and can be acted upon in varying ways: Sometimes the gerund
phrase is the subject; sometimes it is the object or indirect object; other times it is
the object of a preposition; and finally, it can also be the predicate nominative.

• Subject - the gerund phrase is acting as the subject of the sentence. The subject
is the thing or person that carries out the action of the verb.

Example:
1. Sleeping through the night is difficult for me.
2. Making noise is what happy children and almost all teenagers do
best.

• Direct Object - the gerund phrase is acting as the direct object in the sentence.
The direct object is the noun or pronoun that receives the action of the main
verb.

Example:
1. I love sleeping through the night.
2. My parents prefer eating dinner alone.
• Indirect Object - the gerund phrase is acting as the indirect in the sentence.
The indirect object is affected by the action of the verb, but it is not its main
object.

Example:
1. Clinton gave running for president her best shot.
2. We make writing three poems a requirement to pass our
course.

• Predicate Nominative - the gerund phrase is acting as a predicate nominative.

A predicate nominative completes the linking verb and renames the subject.
For example, in the examples below the gerund phrases answer or define the
first part of the sentence.

Example:
1. Our top priority was getting everyone on the plane.
2. The critical issue of his arrest wasn’t driving without a license.
• Object of a Preposition - the gerund phrase is acting as the object of
the preposition in the sentence. The object of a preposition is simply
a word or phrase that is preceded by a preposition and completes its
meaning.

Example:
1. By crying like a baby, you won’t get anywhere in life.
2. Exercise is futile without eating healthily.
7. Participle Phrase
- A participle phrase is a group of words containing a participle,
modifier, and pronoun or noun phrases. The Pronoun/Noun will act the recipient of
the action in the phrase. You need a comma after a Participle Phrase if it comes at
the beginning of a sentence and the following phrase is a complete sentence. If
the Participle Phrase is in the middle or at the end of a sentence, you do not need
a comma.

• Participle Phrase + Comma + Whole Sentence

Example: Removing his coat, Jack rushed to the river.

• Whole Sentence + Participle Phrase

Example: Delores noticed her cousin walking along the shoreline.

Example of Participle Phrases:

1. Peering over the top of his glasses, her tutor shook his
head.
2. Cracked from top to bottom, the mirror was now ruined.
3. Look at the panther climbing the tree.
4. Sebastian reached across for the pipe, signalling his
agreement with the chief's proposal.
8. Infinitive Phrase
- An infinitive phrase is a group of words consisting of an
infinitive, a modifier or the use of pronouns, direct objects, indirect
objects or complements of action or state expressed in the infinitive.
- An infinitive phrase uses an infinitive plus a modifier, object,
complement or actor. There can be more than one of these and they
may not all be present in the phrase.
- Infinitive phrases only require a comma when used as an
adverb at the beginning of the sentence.

Example:
1. He likes to knead the dough slowly.
2. Let me show you the best way to fit a door quickly.
Infinitive Phrases Used As Nouns
Like all nouns, an infinitive phrase can function as a subject, an object, or a
complement within a sentence.

infinitive phrases as subjects:

Example:
1. To have a big dream requires the same effort as having a small dream. Dream
big!
2. To invent an airplane is nothing. To build one is something, but to fly is
infinitive phrases as objects:
everything
Example:
1. He helped to build the roof.
2. Nobody wants to hear long speeches.

infinitive phrases as complements:

Example:
3. The only solution was to lower the standards.
4. Our aim is to help the clients help themselves, not to tell them what to
think.
Infinitive Phrases Used As Adverbs
Most infinitive phrases that function as adverbs tell us why the
action occurred. Most infinitive phrases that function as adverbs could
start with "in order to" (as opposed to just "to.")

Example:
1. The officer returned to help the inspectors
2. He opened the box to reveal a huge bullfrog.
3. God loves to help him who strives to help himself.
9. Absolute Phrase
- An absolute phrase (nominative absolute) is generally made up of a
noun or pronoun with a participial phrase. It modifies the whole
sentence, not a single noun, which makes it different from a participial
phrase.

Example:
1. Its branches covered in icicles, the tall oak stood in our
yard.
The tall oak, its branches covered in icicles, stood in our
yard.

- Absolute phrases are always set off from the rest of the sentence by
commas. Sometimes when the participle of an absolute phrase is a form of
the verb to be, the participle is left out and understood.

Example:
1. The movie being over, the patrons flooded the lobby and
parking lot.
The movie over, the patrons flooded the lobby and parking
lot.
THANK YOU!