English Grammar - The Phrase and The Clause

 

English Grammar

The Phrase and The Clause

 

Phrase: - A group of words, which makes sense, but not complete sense, is called a phrase. In a sentence phrase works as a unit.

Examples: -

The groups of words in italics are phrases.

·      He was waiting for the rain to stop.

·      She was upset when it didn't boil.

·      You have been sleeping for a long time.

·      You might enjoy a massage.

·      He was eager to eat dinner.

·      The bewildered tourist was lost.

·      The lost puppy was a wet and stinky dog.

·      The flu clinic had seen many cases of infectious disease.

·      It was a story as old as time.

·      The sports car drove the long and winding road.

·      Saturday became a cool, wet afternoon.

·      Taking my dog for a walk is fun.

·      Walking in the rain can be difficult.

·      Strolling along a beach at sunset is romantic.

·      Getting a promotion is exciting.

·      Signing autographs takes time.

·      Going for ice cream is a real treat.

·      Singing for his supper was how he earned his keep.

·      Getting a sore back was the result of the golf game.

·      Pulling an all-nighter did not improve his test scores.

·      Sailing into the sunset was the perfect end to the book.

·      To make lemonade, you have to start with lemons.

·      I tried to see the stage, but I was too short.

·      She organized a boycott to make a statement.

·      To see Niagara Falls is mind-boggling.

·      He really needs to get his priorities in order.

·      The company decided to reduce hours for everyone.

·      To donate time or money is an honorable thing.

·      I went to Spain to study the language and culture.

·      My favorite pastime, needlepoint, surprises some people.

·      Her horse, an Arabian, was her pride and joy.

·      My wife, the love of my life, is also my best friend.

·      A cheetah, the fastest land animal, can run 70 miles an hour.

·      My idea, a recycling bin for the office, was accepted by the boss.

·      The Florida panther, the state animal of Florida, is an endangered species.

·      Washed with my clothes, my cell phone no longer worked.

·      Knowing what I know now, I wish I had never come here.

·      I am really excited, considering all the people that will be there.

·      We are looking forward to the movie, having seen the trailer last week.

·      Grinning from ear to ear, she accepted her award.

·      The happy dog ran the entire length of the park, pausing only to sniff the dandelions.

·      Painted a brilliant white, the small room appeared bigger.

·      The lake, frozen over all winter, was finally thawing.

·      The horse runs at a good speed.

·      I was in a hurry then.

·      I ran as fast as possible.

·      He works very slowly.

·      In the end, we all have to die.

·      He is on the way.

·      By working aimlessly, you will not get success.

·      In spite of working hard, he was insulted by his boss.

·      The book was on the table.

·      We camped by the brook.

·      He knew it was over the rainbow.

·      She was lost in the dark of night.

·      He was between a rock and a hard place.

·      I waited for a while.

·      She smelled of strawberries and cream.

·      He won the challenge against all odds.

·      His tail between his legs, the dog walked out the door.

·      Picnic basket in hand, she set off for her date.

·      The guys attacked the pile of nachos, their fingers getting the last bit of cheese off the plate.

·      Their heads hanging down, the whole group apologized.

·      The entire team, their uniforms muddy and stained, shouted for joy.

·      I like to swing the bat hard when I am at the crease.

·      Reading novels is a good habit.

·      The probability of happening that match is not much.

·      We are sorry for her departure.

·      Alex is a well-behaved man.

·      He is a man of friendly nature.

·      Julie is a woman of gorgeous style.

·      She leads a very interesting life.

·      A lot of people do not sleep at night.

Clause: - A group of words, which forms part of a sentence, and contains a subject and a predicate, is called a Clause.

Examples: -

The groups of words in italics are Clauses.

·      What the girl did was not very helpful.

·      He finally finished his novel, after months of research.

·      The trophy goes to whoever wins the race.

·      While I was asleep, the cat knocked over the plant.

·      A helium nucleus has two protons, whereas hydrogen has only one.

·      The crew could see the whale, which had surfaced only 50m behind them.

·      Do you know the butcher who went to court on Saturday?

·      I am not tidying the dishes unless Peter helps.

·      Where is the ice cream that was in the freezer?

·      After Mike sneezed all over the hamburger patties, no one wanted to eat.

·      The town where I was born is on the east coast.

·      I can't figure out why she said that.

·      We will do whatever is necessary.

·      The author, whom I met at the book signing, was very cordial.

·      When the aero plane lands, we will get off it.

·      Because I cannot go to the concert, you can have my ticket.

·      He can write much more neatly than his girlfriend can.

·      If you work on Saturday, I will look after your children for you.

·      You can sleep in my spare room, whenever you are in town.

·      Though I had never thought about it until now the song did sound like one I had heard before.

·      I am not totally certain how he won the race.

·      This is the cat who has gone missing.

·      Autumn is the season when the leaves fall from the trees.

·      My sister is the one who lives in that cottage.

·      These are the people who we met on holiday.

·      My father didn’t tell me why he said those things.

·      Nero fiddled while Rome burned.

·      You may play outside until the street lights come on.

·      The cat that you found belongs to the Smiths.

·      Whenever I go to Greece, I will visit Santorini

·      Since no one else volunteered, the job is yours.

·      If you can give me two reasons, I will allow it.

·      They were lost and were not sure how they would find their way.

·      What she believed was not what happened.

·      My brother doesn’t know if he can drive there.

·      We will give the best seats to whoever arrives the earliest.

·      What the man did was not useful to the situation.

·      The prize will be given to whoever wins the race.

·      She finally finished her college course after many years of studying.

·      Where is the milk which was in the fridge?

·      The actor, who starred in the film, was very talented.

·      The bicycle which you saw belongs to my son.

·      Whenever I am in Rome, I speak Italian.

·      If you can give me a good reason, I will let you borrow my car.

·      When the car returns, we can go home.

·      Because my alarm did not go off this morning, I was late for work.

·      When we arrived at the party, we were offered a drink.

·      If I do not pay my tax bill, I will be charged a fee.

·      If the weather is hot tomorrow we can go to the beach.

·      When I read this book, I feel happy.

·      Does anybody know how long the train will be?

·      My husband no longer plays football because he hurt his leg.

·      The event cannot start until the president arrives.

·      I am trying to think about what will happen next in the drama series.