English – Level 1 2017-2018 © Constantine 2 university

Abdelhamid Mehri University – Constantine 2

E-Learning unit

English – Level 1

– Lesson 2 –
Clauses and phrases

Pedagogical staff
Name Grade Faculty/Institute E-mail address
Boukerrou Lamia MAB Bibliothéconomie lamia.boukerrou@univ-constantine2.dz

Concerned students
Term 1 (Semestre 1)
Faculty/Institute Department Year Speciality
Sciences économiques All departments Licence 2 All specialities
Sciences humaines et sociales TC Sciences sociales Licence 1 TC Sciences sociales
Nouvelles technologies MI Licence 1 MI
ISTAPS Tronc Commun Licence 1 Tronc Commun
Term 2 (Semestre 2)
Faculty/Institute Department Year Speciality
Bibliothéconomie Tronc Commun Licence 1 Tronc Commun

Objectives of lesson 2
To differentiate between dependent and independent clauses.
To recognize some of the main types of phrases.

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1. Clauses
A clause is a group of words that consists of at least a subject, and a finite verb. Clauses are complete in
meaning when they are independent clauses. However, clauses can be incomplete in meaning and need an
independent clause to be meaningful when they are dependent clauses. They can be part of a sentence
(dependent and independent clauses) or a sentence in itself when it is a simple one.
1.1. Main/independent clause
Main/independent clause is a clause that stands on its own, complete in meaning and doesn’t need any other
clause to be complete or meaningful.

Example 1:
He studies very hard .
Independent clause
(Here it is a simple sentence that is also called an independent clause).

Example 2:
He is eating an apple and he is revising his lessons .
Independent clause Independent clause
(both clauses are independent since they are linked with a coordinating conjunction).
1.2. Dependent/subordinate clause
Dependent/subordinate clause is a clause that is not complete and doesn’t make sense alone without the main
clause.

Example:
He didn’t succeed although he studied hard .
Independent clause a subordinate clause
(the clause after the subordinating conjunction is always called a subordinate clause).

2. Phrases
A phrase is a group of words that can be replaced by one of these parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective, and
adverb). The phrase is used to give additional information and only used as part of a sentence or clause. Thus
unlike clauses, phrases are not complete in meaning alone.
There are many different types of phrases such as:
2.1. A noun phrase
Noun phrase is a group of words –two or more– that consists of a noun and its modifiers (such as articles: a,
an, the, adjectives: big, black, nice, beautiful…, quantifiers: many, few, a lot of… or demonstratives: this,
that, these, those…). The noun phrase functions as subject, object, or complement.

Example 1:
A vase of roses stood on the table.
Noun phrase as a ‘Subject’
(the noun here is ‘vase’, ‘A’ is an article, ‘A’ and ‘of roses’ are modifiers)

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English – Level 1 2017-2018 © Constantine 2 university

Example 2:
The big black wolf has a very frightening look.
Noun phrase as a ‘Subject’
(‘The big black’ is a modifier to give additional description to the noun ‘wolf’)

Example 3:
He is wearing a nice grey shirt / He is wearing a shirt .
Noun phrase as a ‘Subject’ Noun phrase as a ‘Subject’

Remark
Wolves are dangerous. Within this example the word ‘wolves’ is not a noun phrase because it consists of
only one word. But if we say the wolves it becomes a noun phrase: article+ noun (two words).

2.2. A Verb phrase

A Verb phrase is a group of words that consists of a verb and its auxiliaries (to be, to have, or modals: will,
would, must, should …). The verb phrase functions as a verb.

Example 1:
He has been playing football since 1990.
Verb phrase
(Within this example, the verb is ‘to play’ and the other auxiliaries just take place to illustrate the tense)

Example 2:
He will travel next week / He must travel next week.
Verb phrase Verb phrase
(The verb phrase is composed of a modal + verb)

Remark
He plays football. Within this example, the word ‘plays’ does not represent a verb phrase since it is one
word only (without auxiliaries)

2.3. An Adjective phrase

An Adjective phrase is a group of words that consists of an adjective.

Example 1:
This woman is very beautiful .
Noun phrase Adjective phrase
(The adjective phrase here is composed of: a degree adverb + an adjective)

Example 2:
She cooked a very delicious meal.
Noun phrase Adjective phrase
(The noun phrase here is composed of: an article, an adjective phrase (which consists of a degree adverb + an
adjective) and a noun)

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Remark
It is possible that two phrases may come inside each other.

2.4. An Adverbial phrase

An Adverbial phrase is a group of words that includes an adverb in addition to words before and after it.

Example:
This champion runs very quickly .
Adverbial phrase
(The adverbial phrase within this example consists of: a degree adverb + an adverb)

3. Practice Activities
Activity 1
Determine the dependent and independent clause in the following sentences.
1) I love literature, so I stay up the whole night reading novels.
2) Mary is looking after her sick mother.
3) After working hard all the day long, Jane slept on her desk.
4) Ramadhan is the month when the Muslims fast.
5) Muhamed’s brother studied very hard this year, yet he didn’t pass the exam.
Activity 2
Identify all the possible phrases in the following sentences and mention their kind.
1) Our teacher is an old man with grey hair.
2) The bus is leaving very slowly.
3) She is a woman of great wealth.
4) They have bought a huge expensive house.
5) She received the quests in a very polite manner.

References
Students can consult the following links to deepen their knowledge on this lesson:
http://www.myschoolhouse.com/courses/O/1/56.asp
http://www.studyandexam.com/types-of-phrase.html

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