E-Lecture - Phrases
In syntax and grammar, a phrase is a group of words which act together as a grammatical unit. It is a part of a sentence and cannot stand on its own.
We can also define ‘Phrase’ as one or more words that form a meaningful grammatical unit within a clause.
For example: ‘the very happy dog’ is a noun phrase, which contains the adjective phrase ‘very happy’.
A phrase is a part of a sentence without a Subject, Verb, Object or Complement.
Example:
| Subject | Verb | Object | Phrase |
| She | speaks | English | in a foolish manner |
| He | helps | him | in the time of need |
| They | sing | a song | for their next project |
Phrases provide more information about whatever the sentence is speaking about.
Definition
According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, a ‘phrase’ is defined as “a group of words without a finite verb, especially one that forms part of a sentence”.
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a ‘phrase’ is defined as “a group of words that is part of, rather than the whole of a sentence”.
There are five main types of phrases.
- Noun phrase
- Adjective phrase
- Adverb phrase
- Verb phrase
- Prepositional phrase
Other type of phrases include the following.
- Gerund phrase
- Appositive phrase
- Participle phrase
- Infinitive phrase
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