What is the difference between a phrase and a clause?: Difference between revisions
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In this sentence the clause "bus stopped to" contains the subject (bus) and the predicate (stopped). | In this sentence the clause "bus stopped to" contains the subject (bus) and the predicate (stopped). | ||
A clause that cannot stand alone is dependent. | A clause that cannot stand alone is dependent. | ||
Ex. sauce spread on the chicken | Ex. sauce spread on the chicken | ||
A clause that can stand alone is an independent clause. | A clause that can stand alone is an independent clause. | ||
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Ex. The ball bounced. | Ex. The ball bounced. | ||
Independent clauses | |||
Independent clauses may be joined using coordinating conjunctions; and, or, for, nor, yet, but, so. | |||
Ex. The ball bounced, ''and'' the boy ran to pick it up. | |||
The independent clause "the ball bounced" had been joined to another independent clause "the boy ran to pick it up" by using the coordinating conjunction ''and''. | |||
A comma must be place before the coordinating conjunction when joining two independent clauses. | |||
Ex. The dog came inside, but continued to whine. | |||
A comma must be used to separate two or more clauses within a sentence. | |||
Ex. We ate dinner, cleaned the dishes, played a game, and went to bed. | |||
A comma must be used to separate phrases within a sentence. | |||
Ex. The children had a blue truck, two red balls, and some green blocks. | |||
If a comma is already in use in a sentence, a semicolon must be used to separate phrases within the sentence. | |||
Ex. She owns a house in Atlanta, Georgia; and apartment in Houston, Texas, and a condominium in New York City, New York. | |||
http://www.englishforums.com/English/DifferenceBetweenPhraseClause/qnb/post.htm | http://www.englishforums.com/English/DifferenceBetweenPhraseClause/qnb/post.htm | ||
Revision as of 23:08, 17 July 2013
Phrases are groups of words that are part of a sentence but do not contain both a subject and a predicate. A clause is a group of words that contains and subject and a predicate.
A phrase is a group of words within a sentence but do not contain a subject and a predicate.
Ex. The old farmer came in and took off his boots.
In this sentence the phrase "the old farmer" contains the subject (farmer), and the phrase "and took off" contains the predicate (took).
A clause is a part of a sentence that contains both a subject and a predicate.
Ex. The bus stopped to pick me up.
In this sentence the clause "bus stopped to" contains the subject (bus) and the predicate (stopped).
A clause that cannot stand alone is dependent.
Ex. sauce spread on the chicken
A clause that can stand alone is an independent clause.
Ex. the ball bounced
With proper punctuation this clause could stand independently as would be a sentence
Ex. The ball bounced.
Independent clauses may be joined using coordinating conjunctions; and, or, for, nor, yet, but, so.
Ex. The ball bounced, and the boy ran to pick it up.
The independent clause "the ball bounced" had been joined to another independent clause "the boy ran to pick it up" by using the coordinating conjunction and.
A comma must be place before the coordinating conjunction when joining two independent clauses.
Ex. The dog came inside, but continued to whine.
A comma must be used to separate two or more clauses within a sentence.
Ex. We ate dinner, cleaned the dishes, played a game, and went to bed.
A comma must be used to separate phrases within a sentence.
Ex. The children had a blue truck, two red balls, and some green blocks.
If a comma is already in use in a sentence, a semicolon must be used to separate phrases within the sentence.
Ex. She owns a house in Atlanta, Georgia; and apartment in Houston, Texas, and a condominium in New York City, New York.
http://www.englishforums.com/English/DifferenceBetweenPhraseClause/qnb/post.htm