Phrases and Clauses

Front

What is a phrase?

Back

A phrase is a group of words that does not contain a subject-verb pair and does not express a complete thought.

Front

What is a clause?

Back

A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb. It can be independent (expressing a complete thought) or dependent (not expressing a complete thought).

Front

What distinguishes an independent clause from a dependent clause?

Back

An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence, while a dependent clause cannot stand alone and relies on an independent clause to provide meaning.

Front

Identify the following: 'the much-awaited game of the season'. Is it a phrase or a clause?

Back

It is a phrase.

Front

Identify the following: 'I ran through the house'. Is it a phrase or a clause?

Back

It is an independent clause.

Front

What is an example of a dependent clause?

Back

An example of a dependent clause is 'because I was late'.

Front

What is the function of a phrase in a sentence?

Back

A phrase adds meaning or detail to a sentence but does not contain a subject-verb relationship.

Front

Can a phrase contain a verb?

Back

Yes, a phrase can contain a verb, but it will not have a subject performing that verb, thus not forming a complete thought.

Front

What is a noun phrase?

Back

A noun phrase is a phrase that has a noun as its head word, along with any modifiers.

Front

What is a verb phrase?

Back

A verb phrase consists of a main verb and its auxiliaries (helping verbs) and may include modifiers.