2/22/2018 Phrase | What is a Phrase?

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What Is a Phrase? (with Examples)

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What Is a Phrase? (with Examples) Interactive Test

A phrase is a group of words that stand together as a single unit,
typically as part of a clause or a sentence.
Your scorecard:
A phrase does not contain a subject and verb and, consequently,
cannot convey a complete thought. A phrase contrasts with a clause. A
clause does contain a subject and verb, and it can convey a complete
idea.
Q1: Click on the one with a
Here Are Some Examples of Phrases complete phrase in bold:
Here are some examples of phrases in a well-known quote by Shirley
Temple: A: Youth would be an ideal
state if it came a little later in
I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to life.
see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph.
(Shirley Temple)
(This phrase acts like a noun. It is the direct object of the verb B: Better to write for yourself
stopped. This phrase is a gerund phrase.) and have no public, than to
write for the public and have no
I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to self.
see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph.
(This phrase acts like a noun. It is the subject of the adverbial
clause when my mother took me to see him in a department Click for a printable version of this test.
store.)
I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to
see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph.
(This phrase acts like a noun. It is the object of the preposition
for.)

I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to

see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph.
(This phrase acts like an adverb. It tells us where the activity
took place. It is an adverb of place.)

The Hierarchy of Word Units

The hierarchy of word units is:
Word (e.g., Shark)

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2/22/2018 Phrase | What is a Phrase?
(A word is the smallest meaningful unit.)

Phrase (e.g., A seven-foot tiger shark)

(A phrase is a single piece of information made up of more than
one word. It will not contain a subject and a verb.)
Clause (e.g., When a seven-foot tiger shark arrived...)
(A clause is a single piece of information made up of more than
one word which contains a subject and a verb.)

Sentence (e.g., A seven-foot tiger shark arrived.)

(A sentence conveys a complete idea. It must contain at least
one clause. Note: A clause that stands alone as a sentence is
known as an independent clause.)
Complex Sentence (e.g., When a seven-foot tiger shark
arrived, the crew stopped fishing.)
(A complex sentence is an independent clause supported by at
least one other clause.)

Compound Sentence (e.g., A seven-foot tiger shark arrived,

and the crew stopped fishing.)
(A compound sentence is a sentence made up of at least two
independent clauses.)

See Also...

What is a clause?

What is a sentence?

What is the subject of a sentence?

What are adverbial phrases?

Glossary of grammatical terms

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2/22/2018 Phrase | What is a Phrase?

Adjective Clause | What Is Non-restrictive Clause | Adjective Phrase Double Negative | What is
an Adjective Clause? What is a Non-restrictive a Double Negative?
Clause?

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