@ambreensajid

PHRASES & TYPES @ambreensajid

A phrase, is defined as “A group of words without a finite verb, especially one that forms part of
a sentence. It is a group of words that is part of, rather than the whole of, a sentence. The
meaning of a phrase is often not obvious from the meaning of the individual words in it.” It is
also defined as “a small group of words which forms a unit, either on its own or within a
sentence.
There are five different types of phrases in English and they are,

 Noun phrase
 Adjective phrase
 Adverb phrase
 Verb phrase
 Prepositional phrase

1. Noun Phrase
A noun phrase is a group of words that have a noun or pronoun. It is used to modify the noun. In
other words, it can be said that a noun phrase can function as a subject, an object or a
complement in a sentence. It always gives the answer of WHO or WHAT in a sentence.

For example:
1. My brother’s friend had come to visit him. (Used as a subject)
2. Scented candles are my favourite. (Used as a subject)
3. The students were asked to find the buried treasure. (Used as an object)
4. It seems such a long time since we last talked. (As the subject complement)
5. Making a cake from scratch takes time and effort.

2. Adjective Phrase
An adjective phrase or an adjectival phrase is a group of words that consists of an adjective. It
can be used to complement it. It provides more information about the noun or pronoun in a
sentence. In other words, it can be said that it functions just like an adjective in a sentence.

For example:
1. Anny has silky, smooth hair.
2. People, living in large cities, often find it difficult to reach in time.
3. The team in front of the whole school that made it to the final was congratulated.
4. How can we travel in such a stormy weather?

3. Adverb Phrase
An adverb phrase or an adverbial phrase is a group of words that includes an adverb and other
modifiers. It performs all the functions of an adverb. It can be placed in any part of the sentence,
with respect to the part of speech they modify.

For example: @ambreensajid

3. They saw some abandoned puppies at the corner of the street.

6. Verb Phrase
A verb phrase can be used just like a verb. It consists of a main verb and an auxiliary verb.

For example:
1. Students are practising hard in order to participate in the state tournament.
2. Aaryan has been writing multiplication tables for three hours.
3. The dogs have been barking continuously.
4. They will come to meet us tomorrow.
5. I have written a letter for you. I have been waiting all day.
6. They can run a marathon in under three hours.
7. The dishes were cleaned.
8. I did enjoy the party.

7. Prepositional Phrase
A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition and an object. It works just like an adjective or
an adverb. It relates the subject and the verb in a sentence. It is used to modify the nouns and
verbs in a particular sentence.

For example:
1. It was too hard for me to concentrate with the kids jumping around.
2. The jewellery boxes were kept inside the cupboard.
3. On the way to New York, we caught sight of the famous Niagara Falls.
4. I watched a show about South American history.
5. This information is out of date .
6. Honey is perfect for sweetening tea.

Identify the phrases in the following sentences and also state the type of phrase.
@ambreensajid
1. Danny was playing video games on his phone.

2. Nandhu, Vishnu and Arjun like going on road trips.

3. The girl, in the black dress, is my colleague.

4. We found an unowned vehicle parked in front of our house.

5. The savouries that were served today were extremely sweet.

6. That little boy is my friend’s son.

7. Xavier found a white, furry bunny in their backyard.

8. The plant in the right corner of the garden finally bloomed.

9. Bangalore seems to be a busy, crowded and advanced city.

10. The security guard was unusually kind to all the employees today.

Now, find out if you have identified the phrases correctly.

1. Danny was playing video games on his phone. – Verb phrase, Prepositional phrase

2. Nandhu, Vishnu and Arjun like going on road trips. – Noun phrase

3. The girl, in the black dress, is my colleague. – Adjective phrase

4. We found an unowned vehicle parked in front of our house. – Noun phrase, Prepositional
phrase

5. The savories that were served today were extremely sweet. – Adverb Phrase

6. That little boy is my friend’s son. – Noun phrase, Noun phrase @ambreensajid

7. Xavier found a white, furry bunny in their backyard. – Adjective phrase, Prepositional phrase

8. The plant in the right corner of the garden finally bloomed. – Prepositional phrase

9. Bangalore seems to be a busy, crowded and advanced city. – Adjective phrase

10. The security guard was unusually kind to all the employees today. – Adverb phrase