Clauses and Phrases

Phrases
• DEFINITION:
DO NOT have subjects
OR verbs.
• DO NOT form complete
thoughts.
• CANNOT stand alone.
 Phrases
• after the party
• because of the rain
• in the car at the mall
• starting with the rules
• between classes
• near the park entrance
 Phrases
• She is standing on the roof
• The cat is sleeping under the table
• She is drawing a map on the wall
• Someone is waiting at the door
• The kid sat beside her mother
• Students are looking at board
• The girl, in the brown shirt, won the debate
• The students, at the hall, were making the noise
Types of Phrases
• NOUN PHRASE.
• PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE.
• ADJECTIVE PHRASE.
• ADVERB PHRASE.
• VERB PHRASE.
• Gerund PHRASE
• Infinitive PHRASE
 Phrases
• She wrote an interesting story (as a noun: Object)
• One of my friends has gone UK. (as a noun: subject)
• The girl, in the brown shirt, won the debate (as a adjective
modifying noun: girl)
• She gave me a cup full of tea. (as a adjective modifying
noun: cup)
• He came back in a short while (as a adverb modifying verb:
come)
 Clauses
• DEFINITION:
DO have subjects or verbs.
• DO form complete
thoughts.
• Two forms
• Independent and Dependent
clauses
 Subordinate Clause
• A word such as that, what or since signals the
beginning of a subordinate clause.
• that I wanted
• what she saw
• since most plants die without water
• The meaning of a subordinate
clause is only complete after the
clause is attached to an independent clause.
Subordinate Clauses
• after Kedon ate dinner
• because Mary saved the
drowning girl
• when Amy gave a party
• that we thought was right
• before Sam left the room
• whom Mrs. Brooks knew
 Subordinate Conjunctions
• Subordinate conjunctions form subordinate
clauses.
• Subordinating conjunctions are ADVERBS used as
conjunctions to join subordinate and independent
clauses.
• Subordinate conjunctions can be found at the
beginning, middle or end of a sentence.
Subordinate Conjunctions
• Subordinate conjunctions answer:
• Who?
• What?
• When?
• Where?
• Why?
• Under what condition?
 Subordinate Conjunctions
after if, even if when, whenever
although, though in order that where, wherever
as since whether
because that, so that which, whichever
before unless while
even though until who
how what, whatever whose
 Subordinate Clauses

• when she left the movies

• SHE is the SUBJECT.

• LEFT is the VERB.
• WHEN is the subordinating conjunction.
 Subordinate Clauses
• although we ate dinner

• WE is the SUBJECT.
• ATE is the VERB.
• ALTHOUGH is the subordinating
conjunction.
 Subordinate Clauses

• because they did a good job

• THEY is the SUBJECT.

• DID is the VERB.
• BECAUSE is the subordinating conjunction.
 Subordinate Clause PRACTICE

• Underline the SUBJECT once.

• Underline the VERB twice.
• Draw a circle around the subordinating
conjunction.
 Subordinate Clause PRACTICE

• We hated the pizza because it tasted like cardboard.

• After we threatened to hurt them, they gave us the answers
to the test.
• Emily can not do her homework until she watches her
favorite television show.
• Since the car does not run well, the mechanic did a quick
check-up.
 Subordinate Clause PRACTICE

• We hated the pizza because it tasted like cardboard.

• We hated the pizza — independent clause

• because it tasted like cardboard — subordinate clause
• because — subordinating conjunction
• tasted — verb
• it — subject
 Subordinate Clause PRACTICE
• After we threatened to hurt them, they gave us the
answers to the test.

• They gave us the answers to the test — independent

clause
• after we threatened to hurt them — subordinate clause
• after — subordinating conjunction
• threatened — verb
• we — subject
 Subordinate Clause PRACTICE
• Emily cannot do her homework until she watches her
favorite television show.

• Emily cannot do her homework — independent clause

• until she watches her favorite television show —
subordinate clause
• until — subordinating conjunction
• watches — verb
• she — subject
 Subordinate Clause PRACTICE
• Since the car does not run well, the mechanic did a
quick check-up.

• the mechanic did a quick check-up — independent

clause
• Since the car does not run well — subordinate
clause
• Since — subordinating conjunction
• does run — verb
• car — subject
 How to tell the difference…
Independent Subordinate
(main) (dependent) Phrase
Clause Clause

Has a subject YES YES NO

and verb

Forms a
complete YES NO NO
thought

Can stand
YES NO NO
alone
 Clause and Phrase PRACTICE
• Underline the SUBJECT once.
• Underline the VERB twice.
• Draw a circle around the
subordinating conjunction.
• Determine whether each sentences is
a CLAUSE or a PHRASE.
 Clause or Phrase? Identify.
• to the park in the city
• after the winning run was hit
• when we gave the children their gifts
• before the early show
• from the grocery store to the mall
• between the two cities on the map
• whenever we feel like having chili
• since we cannot go to the ballgame
 Clause and Phrase Answers
• to the park in the city (phrase)
• after the winning run was hit (clause-sub)
• when we gave the children their gifts (clause-sub)
• before the early show (phrase)
• from the grocery store to the mall (phrase)
• between the two cities on the map (phrase)
• whenever we feel like having chili (clause-sub)
• since we can not go to the ballgame (clause-sub)
 Clause and Phrase Practice
• Identify the underlined section in
the following sentences as a CLAUSE
or PHRASE.
 Clause or Phrase PRACTICE
• After the movie, we enjoyed a delicious dinner.
• We all enjoyed spaghetti that was quite tasty.
• After eating dessert, we all pitched in to pay the check.
• We were a little short on money which made us very
nervous.
• Our friend Michael, who is very wealthy, offered to pay
the difference.
• Before leaving, we all thanked him.
 Clause and Phrase Answers
• After the movie, we enjoyed a delicious dinner.
• Phrase
• We all enjoyed spaghetti that was quite tasty.
• Clause
• After eating dessert, we all pitched in to pay the
check.
• Phrase
 Clause and Phrase Answers
• We were a little short on money which made us
very nervous.
• Clause
• Our friend Michael, who is very wealthy, offered
to pay the difference.
• Clause
• Before leaving, we all thanked him.
• Phrase