Using Phrases

A phrase is a group of related words that does not

have a subject or predicate

• prepositional phrases
• adjective phrases
• adverb phrases
• appositives
• verbal: participial phrases
• verbal: gerund phrases
• verbal: infinitive phrases
 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does
not have a subject or predicate

prepositional phrases
Prepositional phrases have a preposition, its
object, and any modifiers of the object.

Captain Aeneas Mackintosh sailed to the

Antarctic.
 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does not
have a subject or predicate
prepositions
about, above, across, after against, along, among,
around, as, at, before, behind, below, beneath,
beside, between, beyond, but, by, down, during,
except, for, from, in, inside, into like, near, of, off,
out, outside, over, past, since, through, throughout,
to, toward, under, underneath, until, unto, up,
upon, with, within, without

Captain Aeneas Mackintosh sailed to the Antarctic.

 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does not
have a subject or predicate
prepositional phrases
Prepositions always introduce a prepositional phrase.
A prepositional phrase ends in a noun or pronoun
called the object of the preposition. If the object
has modifiers, they are also part of the
prepositional phrase.

Throw the ball to second base.

 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does not
have a subject or predicate
prepositional phrases- adjective phrases
An adjective phrase is a phrase that modifies a noun
or a pronoun. Usually they answer the question
“which one?” or “what kind?”.

Then comes a fit of shivers.

of shivers modifies fit… what kind of fit?

 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does not
have a subject or predicate
prepositional phrases- adverb phrases
An adverb phrase is a phrase that modifies a verb, an
adjective, or an adverb. Usually can answer the
questions when, where, why, how, or to what
extent.

Mac shivered in a frozen sleeping bag.

In a frozen sleeping bag modifies the verb shivered

 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does not
have a subject or predicate
prepositional phrases- adverb phrases
An adverb phrase is a phrase that modifies a verb, an
adjective, or an adverb. Usually can answer the
questions when, where, why, how, or to what
extent.

The fur lining was icy from his breath.

From his breath modifies the adjective icy

 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does not
have a subject or predicate
prepositional phrases- adverb phrases
An adverb phrase is a phrase that modifies a verb, an
adjective, or an adverb. Usually can answer the
questions when, where, why, how, or to what
extent.

He crept out of the bag reluctantly.

Of the bag modifies the adverb out.

 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does not have a
subject or predicate
Appositive phrases
An appositive is a noun or pronoun that identifies or renames
another noun or pronoun in a sentence.

The English biologist Dian Fossey wrote eyewitness accounts

of gorrillas.

Dian Fossey renames biologist. This is essential or

restrictive because it is necessary to make the sentence
clear. Essential appositives are not set off by commas.
 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does not have a
subject or predicate
Appositive phrases
An appositive is a noun or pronoun that identifies or renames
another noun or pronoun in a sentence.

Fossey was a primatologist, a scientist who studies such

animals as gorillas and chimpanzees.

The appositive phrase renames primatologist. This is

nonessential or nonrestrictive because it is not necessary
to make the sentence clear. Nonessential appositives (or
phrases) are set off by commas.
 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does
not have a subject or predicate
Verbals
There are three types of verbals: participles,
gerunds, and infinitives.

A Verbal is a verb form that acts as a noun, an

adjective, or an adverb. A verbal phrase
consists of a verbal and its modifiers and
complements.
 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does not
have a subject or predicate
Verbals: Participles
There are three types of verbals: participles,
gerunds, and infinitives.

• Participles are verb forms that function as

adjectives.
• A participial phrase consists of a participle plus
any modifiers and complements.
• A participle may be in the present or past tense.
 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does
not have a subject or predicate
Verbals: Participles
There are three types of verbals: participles,
gerunds, and infinitives.

Circling the moon, the astronauts broadcast

their message.
 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does
not have a subject or predicate
Verbals: Participles
There are three types of verbals: participles,
gerunds, and infinitives.

Televised live, this telecast amazed viewers.

 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does
not have a subject or predicate
Verbals: Participles

Don’t confuse participles with verbs.

Participles are verb forms, but they act as
adjectives in the sentence.
 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does not have a subject or
predicate
Verbals: Participles and Absoute Phrases

An absolute phrase consists of a participle and the noun or pronoun it

modifies. An absolute phrase has no grammatical connection to the
rest of the sentence.

Apollo 8 having orbited the moon ten times, the astronauts headed back to
earth.

You can use an absolute phrase to add information about time,

reasons, and circumstances in a sentence. Beware of
dangling participles… a dangling participle has no subject
and does not logically modify any of the words in the
sentence in which it appears… it dangles!
 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does
not have a subject or predicate
Verbals: Gerund Phrases
There are three types of verbals: participles,
gerunds, and infinitives. A gerund is a
verb form that ends in –ing and acts as a
noun. A gerund phrase consists of a
gerund and its modifiers and complements.

Sightseeing is a real adventure.

 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does not
have a subject or predicate
Verbals: Gerund Phrases
Using gerunds can help you make your writing
more vivid and lively. It is also a way to avoid
using passive construction.

I like traveling. The gerund makes the actual

experience of traveling more emphasized.
I like to travel. The prepositional phrase is weaker.
 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does not
have a subject or predicate
Verbals: Infinitive phrases
An infinitive is a verb form usually beginning with
the word ‘to’ that can act as a noun, adjective, or
adverb. An infinitive phrase consists of an
infinitive plus its modifiers and complements.

Douglas Adams and Mark Cowardine journeyed the

world to glimpse exotic, endangered creatures.

Infinitive used as an adverb

 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does not
have a subject or predicate
Verbals: Infinitive phrases
An infinitive is a verb form usually beginning with
the word ‘to’ that can act as a noun, adjective, or
adverb. An infinitive phrase consists of an
infinitive plus its modifiers and complements.

Besides planning their trips, Cowardine’s job was to

teach Adams about the animals.

Infinitive used as a predicate nominative

 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does not
have a subject or predicate
Verbals: Infinitive phrases
An infinitive is a verb form usually beginning with
the word ‘to’ that can act as a noun, adjective, or
adverb. An infinitive phrase consists of an
infinitive plus its modifiers and complements.

Adams had the job of being the one to write down

what they saw.

Infinitive used as an adjective

 Using Phrases
A phrase is a group of related words that does not have a
subject or predicate
Verbals: Infinitive phrases
An infinitive is a verb form usually beginning with the word
‘to’ that can act as a noun, adjective, or adverb. An
infinitive phrase consists of an infinitive plus its modifiers
and complements.

To + verb = infinitive phrase

To + noun = prepositional phrase

Distinguish between an infinitive and prepositional phrase by

checking to see if the word “to” is followed by a verb or
noun.