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PHRASES, CLAUSES AND SENTENCES

DEFINING A PHRASE
When we looked at nouns and pronouns, we said that a pronoun can sometimes replace a noun in a sentence. Example: [Children] should watch less television.

[They] should watch less television Here it is certainly true that the pronoun they replaces the noun children.

IN OTHER WORDS
A phrase is a group of two or more grammatically linked words that do not have subject and predicate. For example: The girl is at home, and tomorrow she is going to the amusement park.

NOUN PHRASE
But consider: [The children] should watch less television ~[They] should watch less television In this example, they does not replace children. Instead, it replaces the children, which is a unit consisting of a determiner and a noun.

NOUN PHRASE
We refer to this unit as a NOUN PHRASE (NP), and we define it as any unit in which the central element is a noun. Here is another example: I like [the title of your book]~ I like [it] In this case, the pronoun it replaces not just a noun but a five-word noun phrase, the title of your book.

PHRASE TYPES

PRACTICE

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/internetgrammar/phrases/ap.htm

THE CLAUSE
Clauses come in four types: Main [or independent], Subordinate [or dependent], Adjective [or relative], and noun. Every clause has at least a subject and a verb. Other characteristics will help you distinguish one type of clause from another.

THE MAIN CLAUSE


Main Clauses (Independent) Every main clause will follow this pattern:

subject + verb = complete thought.

EXAMPLE

My dog loves pizza.

Dog = subject loves = verb

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SENTENCE AND CLAUSE

http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/clause.htm A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a verb, but is not a complete sentence.

However, a sentence containing only one clause is called a simple sentence.

THE SENTENCE

A sentence begins with a capital letter, ends with a full stop, and contains a main verb, subject and predicate. It also contains one or more clauses.

DIFFERENTE SENTENCE TYPES


The Simple Sentence. A simple sentence has one clause, beginning with a noun or a noun group called the subject. This is followed by a verb or verb group, which tells you what the subject is doing or describes the subjects situation. Ex. I waited. The girl screamed. She is afraid. She has been afraid.

THE SENTENCE
Simple Sentence. The verb group may be followed by another noun group, which is called the object. The object is the person or thing affected by the action or situation.

Ex. She opened the car door. She married a young engineer.

THE SIMPLE SENTENCE


After linking verbs, the verb group may be followed by a noun group or an adjective, called a complement. The complement tells you more about the subject. Ex. She was a doctor. He was angry

THE SIMPLE SENTENCE

The verb group, the object, or the complement can be followed by an adverb or a prepositional phrase, called an adverbial. The adverbial tells you more about the action or situation, for example how, when, or where it happens. Adverbial are also called adjuncts.

They shouted loudly. She won the competition last week. He was a policeman in Birmingham.

THE COMPOUND SENTENCE

A compound sentence has two or more main clauses: that is, clauses which are equally important. You join them with and, but, or or.

Ex. He met Jane at the station and went shopping. (when the subject of both clauses is the same, you usually omit the subject in the second clause. I wanted to go but I felt too ill. You can come now or you can meet us there later.

THE COMPLEX SENTENCE


A complex sentence contains a subordinate clause and at least one main clause. A subordinate clause gives information about a main clause, and is introduced by a conjunction such as because, if, that or a WH word. Subordinate clauses can come before, after or inside the main clause. Ex. When he stopped, no one said anything. They were going by car because it was more comfortable. The man who came into the room was small.

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