COMPOSITION 9

Phrases

Phrases in General

A phrase is a group of words

used as a single part of speech.
Because it does not contain a
subject and its predicate, it is not
considered a full sentence or
clause.

Prepositional Phrases

Remember, we already went

over prepositional phrases.
Just to be sure we remember,
prepositional phrases begin with
a preposition and end with a
noun or pronoun.

Example: The roof of the house

is leaky.

The preposition of begins the

prepositional phrase ended by the
noun house, clarifying the subject
of the sentence, roof.

The Adjective Phrase

Follow along on text pages 450-451.

An adjective phrase is a prepositional phrase used as an
adjective to modify a noun or pronoun. Unlike one-word
adjectives, which typically precede the nouns or pronouns
that they modify, adjective phrases always follow the nouns
or pronouns that they modify. They will indicate what kind
or which one about the noun or pronoun they modify.

Example: The mirror in the bathroom is foggy.

The adjective phrase in the bathroom modifies the noun mirror.

Alternatively, one could refer to the bathroom mirror in order to make
the sentence less wordy.

Adjective Phrase Rules and Exceptions

More than one adjective phrase can modify the same word in the same
sentence.

Example: The carton of milk in the fridge is hers.

Alternatively, one adjective phrase can modify the object of the preposition
in another adjective phrase.

Example: The abandoned house down the street with the Walmart is a bit
frightening.

The adjective phrase of milk modifies the noun carton, as does the adjective
phrase in the fridge.

The adjective phrase down the street modifies the noun house. The adjective
phrase with the Walmart modifies the object of that adjective phrase, street, in order
to clarify exactly what street is being referred to.

We will work through Exercise 1 in the textbook together.

The Adverb Phrase

Follow along on Textbook pages 452-453.

An adverb phrase is a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb by telling
when, where, in what way, or to what extent, just as an adverb would. Unlike adjective
phrases, adverb phrases can often be in different places in sentences.

Example: The children arrived prior to 8 A.M.

Example: Prior to 8 A.M., the children arrived.

As is the case with adjective phrases, adverb phrases can work in tandem to modify the same
verbs, adjectives, or adverbs.

Example: During the morning, I volunteer at an animal shelter.

Prior to 8 A.M. is the adverb phrase that modifies the verb arrived, telling when the children arrived.

Both during the morning and at an animal shelter modify the verb volunteer, specifying when and
where exactly I volunteer.

We will work together on Exercise 3 in the textbook.

Prepare for a quiz on adjective and adverb phrases.

Appositives

Follow along on textbook pages 453-455.

An appositive is a noun or pronoun placed beside
another noun or pronoun to explain it or further
identify it.
Example:
The

My sister Jamie got married yesterday.

proper noun Jamie identifies and further explains the

noun sister.

Appositive Phrases

An appositive phrase may include words and

phrases that modify it, as is the case with all nouns
and pronouns. Typically, the appositive phrase
follows the noun or pronoun that it modifies, though
this is not always the case.
Example:
This

A piece of junk, my computer froze.

works, but is a little awkward.

Example:
Better.

My computer, a piece of junk, froze.

Appositive Phrases (cond)

Usually, appositives and appositive phrases are bordered by commas. This is always the
case with appositives or appositive phrases that refer to proper nouns. This is not the case
when the appositive is a single word that is closely related to the noun or pronoun being
modified and is essential to the meaning of the sentence.

Example: Jerome, the quarterback, hesitated before throwing.

Example: The instructor David screamed at the class.

The writer has many instructors, so in order to clarify who yelled, the appositive David is necessary. It is
one word, and since it is essential, it is not bordered by commas.

Example: The author of the book of the month, Kurt Vonnegut, writes with anger.

The quarterback is the appositive relating to the proper noun Jerome, so it is bordered by commas.

There is only one book of the month with only one author, so the appositive Kurt Vonnegut is not necessary.
Thus, it is bordered by commas.

The general rule is that if you can take out a phrase and not have that change the overall
meaning of the sentence, it is nonessential and should be bordered by commas. If removing
a phrase would really change the meaning of a sentence, no commas are necessary.
We will complete Exercise 5 in the textbook together.

Infinitives

Follow along on textbook pages 463-465.

An infinitive is a verb form that can be used as a noun, an adjective,
or an adverb. The word to typically precedes an infinitive.

Example: I want to work.

Example: He is a tough player to guard.

The infinitive to guard acts an adjective by modifying the noun player.

Example: He shoots to kill.

The infinitive to work is the object of the sentence and a noun.

The infinitive to kill modifies the verb shoots and thus acts as an adverb.

There is a chart on textbook page 463 that includes some more

examples.
We will work on Exercise 13 in the textbook together.

Prepositional Phrases and Infinitives

Whereas prepositional phrases beginning with to

will end with nouns or pronouns, infinitives will end
with verbs.
Example:
To

the store is prepositional because store is a noun.

Example:
To

I went to the store.

She asked me to go.

go is an infinitive because go is a verb.

We will work together on Exercise 14.

The Infinitive Phrase

An infinitive phrase is an infinitive and any modifiers or complements.

Infinitive phrases may be used as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. The key
is to find the infinitive and figure out its function.

Example: I am excited to sleep this weekend.

Example: To care for others is to share with others.

The infinitive phrases both act as nouns, the first as the subject and the second as the
predicate nominative in the sentence.

Example: Shakira is a woman to desire with great ferocity.

The infinitive phrase to sleep this weekend modifies the adjective excited, meaning
that the infinitive phrase acts as an adverb.

The infinitive phrase to desire with great ferocity acts as an adjective modifying the
noun woman. This is also true, by the way

We will complete Exercise 15 in the textbook together.

There will be a quiz covering appositive and infinitive phrases.

Participles

You can follow along on Textbook pages 456-459.

A participle is a verb form that is used as an adjective. Present participles end in
ing, while past participles usually end in ed, though some are formed irregularly.

Examples of present participles: Running, leaping, leaking, hunting, burning, etc.

Examples of past participles: Destroyed, hunted, crashed, shocked, burnt, etc.

Present participles never stand alone as verbs, only as adjectives. When they are
part of verb phrases, they are used and recognized as verbs, not adjectives. When
they are participles, they will answer what kind or which one about nouns or
pronouns.

Example as adjective: The hunted bear sought shelter.

Example as part of verb phrase: The bear hunted and sought shelter.

Here, the part participle hunted modifies the noun bear.

Here, verb hunted indicates an action on the part of the bear.

We will work on Exercises 7 and 8 in the textbook together.

Passive Voice

Past participles can also be helped by forms of be. In verb phrases, this
forms what is called the passive voice of a verb, something that good writers
avoid using, since it tends to make sentences boring and confusing. It
makes the sentence odd, since the subject of the sentence suddenly
becomes the recipient, not the doer, of the main action.

Example: She was chased by the police officer.

This is the passive voice. It reverses the traditional relationship of subject and verb by
making the recipient of the action (she) the subject of the sentence, leaving the taker of
the action (the police officer) as an object of a preposition. This is a sentence structure
that you should avoid.
This is an easy problem to fix. Just put the taker of the action before the recipient of the
action in your sentences.

Example: The police officer chased her.

Problem solved!

The Participial Phrase

A participial phrase contains a participle and its complements and modifiers. If it is

placed at the beginning of a sentence, it is typically followed by a comma.
Participial phrases always modify nouns or pronouns and should be placed close to
the nouns or pronouns that they modify in order to avoid confusion.

Example: He saw a man jumping out a window.

Example: Jumping out a window, he saw a man.

The participial phrase jumping out a window modifies the noun man, the object of the sentence.
This is clear because of the placement of the participial phrase in the sentence.
However
This is a completely different sentence at this point.

You should set off participial phrases with commas unless they are needed to
distinguish one thing from another.
We will work together on Exercise 9.

Gerunds

You can follow along on textbook pages 460-462.

A gerund is a verb form that ends in ing and is used
as a noun. It can be used in any way a noun can, as
evidenced by the chart on textbook page 460.
Example:
Here,

the gerund watching is my simple subject.

Example:
Here,

Watching football is great.

My favorite pastime is watching football.

the gerund watching is my predicate nominative.

We will work together on Exercise 10.

Verb, Participle, or Gerund?

Because ing ending verbs can be verbs, participles, or

gerunds, you must check and see how your ing word
functions before deciding what it is.

Example: John is playing basketball.

Example: John, playing basketball, was in his element.

Here, playing is part of a participial phrase modifying John.

Example: Playing basketball is Johns favorite pastime.

Here, playing is part of a verb phrase.

Here, playing basketball is a gerund phrase that acts as a subject.

We will work together on Exercise 11.

Gerund Phrases

A gerund phrase is composed of a gerund and any modifiers or complements that it

may have.

Example: Jogging outside in the rain is soothing.

Example: Her favorite activities are sitting on benches and throwing food at random
passersby.

The gerunds sitting and throwing are the beginnings of gerund phrases that together form the
compound predicate nominative of this sentence.

When a personal pronoun precedes a gerund or gerund phrase, you should always
use the possessive form of the pronoun.

The gerund jogging is the subject of the sentence and is joined in a phrase by the modifier phrase
outside in the rain.

Incorrect: I encouraged him buying the house.

Correct: I encouraged his buying the house.

We will work together on Exercise 12 in the textbook.

Prepare for a quiz covering participles and gerunds.

Lots of Phrases

These phrases are somewhat confusing. Here are the general rules
in summary.

A prepositional phrase starts with a preposition and ends with a noun or

pronoun. It can act as an adjective or adverb.
An infinitive phrase generally includes the word to and can be used as a
noun, adjective, or adverb.
A gerund phrase ends in ing and is used as a noun.
A participial phrase can be present or past and acts as an adjective. The
verbs in the phrases tend to end in ing or ed.
An appositive phrase is usually bordered by commas and contains a noun
or a pronoun to explain, modify, or rename another noun or pronoun.

We will work together on Exercises 45 and 46 on Textbook page 486.

Review and Test

Test soon!