Sentence vs.

phrase
Learning outcomes:
Today, you will be able to:

know the definition of a sentence

know the definition of a phrase

tell the difference between

a sentence and a phrase.
• Before we continue our lessons in the coming weeks, it is
imperative for you to know the difference between a
sentence and a phrase.

• This is because questions on implied main idea require you

to write the answers in sentences and NOT phrases.

• In contrast, ‘Identifying Topic’ questions need you to write

the topic answer in phrases.

• So let us first see, the definition of a sentence and a phrase.

What is a sentence?
• A sentence is a set of words that is complete in itself.

• In other words, a sentence is a complete idea or statement.

• A sentence usually contains a subject and a predicate (with a verb in

it).
Example 1: verb

1. The students are in the library.

Subject Predicate verb

Example 2:
2. Mambo likes reading comic books.

Subject Predicate
What is a phrase?
• A phrase is a group of words that is usually part of a sentence.

• A phrase does NOT usually contain a subject and verb and,

therefore, CANNOT show a complete thought or idea.

Examples:
1) In the library
2) Mambo’s hobbies
3) The pretty lecturer
4) Jumping like a monkey
 Before we proceed, let’s briefly review
what verbs are.
(Feel free to skip the next three slides if you feel there isn’t a
need for you to recap what verbs are).
What is a verb?
• In general, a verb is a word that shows an action, but it also shows
state/ possession, presence or absence of a person or thing.

Examples:
• I teach English at this Academy. (Action)
• They seem happy today. (State)
• The players are on the ground. (Presence)
• The students are not in the classroom. (Absence)
The function of a verb
• A verb signals an action, an occurrence or a state of being. Whether mental,
physical, or mechanical, verbs always express activity.

• The following examples describe physical action.

1) Let’s run to the corner and back (physical action).

2) I write a letter to my friend (physical action).
• The following verbs in the sentences are mental verbs related to concepts
such as discovering, understanding, thinking, or planning.

1) I know the answer.

2) She recognised me from across the room.

• The state of being verbs in the following sentences are in bold for easy
identification.
1) I am a student.
2) We are circus performers.
Now let’s continue by taking a closer look at the
difference between a sentence and a phrase…
Example 1:
‘In the library’
Explanation:

• The above is a PHRASE.

• Even though it is an understandable statement, the idea is

incomplete.

• This is because the idea above has NO SUBJECT and therefore it is

unknown who or what is ‘in the library’.

• Besides, there is NO VERB or linking word that connects a subject to

the idea and thus, we do not know what the subject is doing. All we
know is the location, which is ‘in the library’.
Example 2:
verb
‘The students are in the library.’
Subject Predicate
Explanation:
→Example 2 above is a SENTENCE.

→It conveys a complete idea because the idea has a subject (the students) as
well as a verb (are) in it.

→In this example, the verb ‘are’ connects the subject (the students) to the rest
of the sentence by showing the students’ state of being/ presence in the
library.
So, what is the difference between a
sentence and a phrase?
• The difference between a sentence and a phrase is…
a sentence is ALWAYS a complete thought/idea while
a phrase is an incomplete thought/idea.
That’s it for now guys!