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What is the difference between a phrase and a clause?: Difference between revisions
What is the difference between a phrase and a clause? (view source)
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Phrases are groups of words that are part of a sentence, but do not contain both a subject and a predicate. Phrases do not express complete thoughts. A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate. | Phrases are groups of words that are part of a sentence, but do not contain both a subject and a predicate. Phrases do not express complete thoughts, but do combine words to form an element of a sentence. A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate. They are both elements of a sentence, differentiated by how they act in the sentence and | ||
[[File:clause.jpg]] | [[File:clause.jpg]] | ||
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== Types of Clauses == | == Types of Clauses == | ||
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''. | |||
[[File:LRimage17.gif]] | |||
== Types of Phrases == | |||
There are many types of phrases which dictate elements of their use and punctuation. | |||
* | *Noun Phrase- There are several types of noun phrases: appositive, gerund, and infinitive phrases. A noun phrase includes a noun and any words that are being used to modify that noun. For example "fat, lazy, brown cat on the chair" is a phrase which contains characteristics and location of the noun, but is not a complete thought. A noun phrase can include other phrases, like the prepositional phrase describing the cat's location. | ||
*Gerund- | *Gerund- A gerund is a verb ending in -ing, and will function as a noun in a gerund phrase. A gerund phrase includes the gerund and any related words or modifiers. Gerund phrases are sometimes confused with participial phrases, but gerund phrases act as nouns, making them noun phrases, whereas participial phrases function as adjectives or modifiers. For example "The cat's loud meowing" is a gerund phrase, containing the gerund "meowing" and the words that relate to the meowing. While "meowing" is typically a verb, in this phrase it is functioning as a gerund. Other phrases, such as prepositional phrases, can be apart of a gerund phrase. | ||
*Infinitive- | *Infinitive- An infinitive phrase contains an infinitive (to + verb, such as "to walk" or "to sleep") and all of its related words. An infinitive phrase is usually a noun phrase, but may also function as an adjective or an adverb. For example "to meow loudly" includes an infinitive, a modifier, and an incomplete thought, forming an infinitive phrase. | ||
*Appositive- | *Appositive- An appositive is a single word phrase that renames a noun without actually modifying it. The noun being renamed immediately precedes the appositive phrase, for example "My cat, lily" renames the cat Lily. | ||
*Prepositional- A prepositional phrases is a phrase that starts with a preposition and includes the entire preposition. A prepositional phrase is often contained within other phrases. For example "on the table" and "under the bed" are prepositional phrases. | |||
*Participial- A participial phrase contains a past or present participle and always functions as an adjective. Participles are verbs ending in -ed or -ing that function as adjectives. For example "shining beautifully" or "shined beautifully" can both describe the ocean, and act as participial phrases when they modify the noun, ocean. | |||
*Verb- A verb phrase includes a verb and all words related to the verb. For example "Run slowly in the park" is a verb phrase. | |||
*Absolute- Absolute phrases modify an entire sentence, not just a noun or section of the sentence. They are almost an entire clause, containing partial predicates, but do not contain complete thoughts or finite verbs. For example "The cat, sore and tired but warm beneath the blankets" contains no finite verb, but is long enough that it will likely modify most of the sentence containing it. | |||
[[File:Types-of-phrases-cheat-sheet.jpg]] | |||
== Punctuating Clauses == | |||
A comma must be place before the coordinating conjunction when joining two independent clauses. | A comma must be place before the coordinating conjunction when joining two independent clauses. | ||
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Ex. A small, but well-kept house, was enough for him. | Ex. A small, but well-kept house, was enough for him. | ||
== Punctuating Phrases == | |||
Some types of phrases have rules that users must adhere to when punctuating them, but not all phrases have special rules. For example, the appositive is governed by consistent punctuation rules while the gerund has no special rules | |||
*Prepositional- When a propositional phrase begins a sentence, it usually requires a comma after it. It is usually frowned upon to end a sentence with a prepositional phrase, but this rule has been challenged in the past. | |||
*Participial- Participial phrases are usually set off by commas, or immediately followed by a comma when they begin a sentence. The participial phrase may come before or after the noun it is modifying in a sentence. | |||
*Infinitive- If an infinitive begins a sentence, there must be a comma after it. An infinitive's punctuation is usually determined by where it is in the sentence and if it is functioning as an adverb, noun, or adjective. | |||
*Appositive- Appositives are generally preceded and followed by a comma, to distinguish it as renaming the noun preceding it. | |||
*Absolute- Absolute phrases may be placed almost anywhere in the sentence because they generally modify the entire sentence. | |||
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[http://www.vappingo.com/word-blog/fivetypes-of-phrases-a-free-printable-cheat-sheet/ Types of Phrases at Vappingo] | [http://www.vappingo.com/word-blog/fivetypes-of-phrases-a-free-printable-cheat-sheet/ Types of Phrases at Vappingo] | ||
[http://learningnerd.wordpress.com/2006/09/06/english-grammar-types-of-phrases/ Types of Phrases at Learning Nerd] | |||
[http://factoryschool.com/handbook/sentences/TypesOfPhrases.html Types of Phrases at the Factory School Handbook] | |||
[http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/phrases.htm#absolute The Garden of Phrases] | |||
Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 5th Edition. New York: The Modern Language Association of America, 1999. 51 - 64. Print. | Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 5th Edition. New York: The Modern Language Association of America, 1999. 51 - 64. Print. | ||