English Grammar: The Phrase and the Clause

 English Grammar Lesson 3 

The Phrase and the Clause

 

Look at the group of words "at the airport." It makes sense, but not complete Sense. Such a group of words, which makes sense but not a Complete Sense, is called a Phrase.

Thus, we can say

A Phrase is a group of words that makes some sense but not complete sense.

For examples:

1) an exciting  movie.

2) in the park.

3) of great importance.

4)  how to do it.

5) into the Pond.

In the following sentences, the group of words in bold are Phrases.

1)  The tops of the mountains were covered with snow.

2) last night I watched an exciting movie.

3) The Child fell into the Pond.

 

Note: 👉Every group of  words Cannot be called a phrase. A phrase must make some sense.

For example,

 has fine---- not a phrase

fine beaches -  a phrase.

 Now question arises: - How we can differentiate a sentence from a phrase?

A Sentence has a verb, in other words we can say. There must be a verb in a sentence. Whereas, there may or may not be a verb in a phrase.

Now another  Question arises: - How can we turn a phrase into a sentence?

We can turn a phrase into a sentence by adding some words (verb) to it because there can't be a sentence without a verb.

For example:-

1) He is waiting (verb) for me at the airport.

2) Humpty Dumpty sat (verb) on a wall.

Exercise

Some phrases are given in the box below. Add them to the following sentences.

Over the fence, in his car, into the pool, with a knife, at night, in a burrow,     in the sky, at dawn.

 

1) Mr.Sharma goes to his office in his car.

2) She cuts the fruits with a knife.

3) The stars twinkle in the sky.

4) The man dived into the pool.

5) The thief jumped over the fence.

6)  We started our journey at dawn.

7) A rabbit lives in a burrow.

8) Bats come out at night.

A Clause

Look at the group of words in red ink in the following sentences.

She has an anklet of gold.

She has an anklet which is made up of gold.

 

We can say the first group i.e of gold is a phrase.

The second group of words, unlike the phrase of gold, contains a Subject (which) and a predicate (is a made up of gold).

Such a group of words which forms part of sentence and c ontains a subject and   a predicate or verb, is Called a Clause.
 

Let's Summarise

Ex: Rahul laughed in the class.

      Clause                 Phrase

In Short we can say,

A Phrase has No Subject + No Verb

Whereas,

A Clause has Subject + Verb

 

NOTE: 👇To learn more about The Subject and the predicate Click on the link given below

https://freecbsea.blogspot.com/2023/12/lesson-2-subject-and-predicate.html