WHAT IS A PHRASE?

 Phrases:-

A  group of words that makes some sense but not complete sense is called a phrase.

Example- Mr. Shah was a man of great intelligence.

                To play chess is not easy.

               Children love eating ice-cream.

The above three groups of words are sentences, for they make complete sense. The expressions in italics are all phrases. These examples show that a phrase is usually a part of the sentence.

* A phrase does not have a finite verb. But it may contain a non-finite verb (an infinitive, a participle or a gerund) In sentence 2, to play chess has an infinitive. In sentence 3, eating ice-cream contains a gerund.

* A phrase can act like an adjective, an adverb or a noun.

Let's read about three types of phrases:

1. Adjective Phrase  

2. Adverb Phrase 

3. Noun Phrase

1. Adjective Phrase: A phrase that acts like an adjective in a sentence is called an adjective phrase.

Example-  1. She bought a gold necklace.

                  2. She bought a necklace made of gold.

In sentence 1, the word gold describes the noun necklace, so it is an adjective here.

In sentence 2, the word gold is replaced by a group pf words that does not make complete sense, so it is a phrase, made of gold. But this phrase also describes the noun .gold. So it is an adjective clause here.

*See some adjectives and the adjective phrases equivelent to them:

Adjectives                            Adjective phrases

Indian goods                        goods made in  India

an experienced doctor          a doctor with experience

a cotton frock                       a frock made of cotton

a kind woman                       a woman of kind nature

Revision exercises:

a) Pick out the adjective clauses:

    1. A lady with golden hair wished me at the door.

    2.They flew over a hill covered with snow.

b) Replace the adjective phrases in italics by adjectives:

    1.Brutus was a man of honour.

    2.Virat Kohli is a cricketer by profession.

c) Add suitable adjective phrases after the words in italics:

    1. I saw a fat man___________________________.

    2. Broning was a poet ______________________.

Note: Adjective clauses must be placed close to the noun they describe. Otherwise the sentence can look absurd:

My father bought a stool from the market with thick four legs.    

It should be written like it:

My father a bought a stool with thick four legs from the market.

B. Adverb Phrases: A phrase that acts as an adverb in a sentence is called an adverb phrase.

Example- 1.  She danced gracefully.( adverb showing manner)

                 2. She danced in a graceful manner.( adverb phrase)

In sentence 1, the word gracefully is an adverb as telling about verb  danced( how she danced) so it is adverb of manner.

In sentence 2, the word gracefully has been replaced by the phrase in a graceful manner but doing the same work; how she danced. So in a graceful manner is an adverb phrase.

Some more examples:

3.I was unemployed then.( Adverb of time)

4.I was unemployed in those days. ( adverb phrase, showing time)

5. He looked for her everywhere.( Adverb of place)

6. He looked for her at every place.( Adverb phrase showing place)

See some adverbs and the adverb phrases, equivalent to them:

Adverb                  Adverb Phrases

abroad                    in a foreign land

courageously          with courage/in a courageous manner

gradually                step by step

 immediately          at once/without delay

recently                  not long ago

soon                       in a short time

ultimately               in the end

simultaneously       at the same   etc

Revision exercises:

A. Pick out adverb phrases:

    1.He thanked me with all his heart.

    2. We are reaching there in a short time.

B.Replace the adverb phrases in italics by adverbs:

    1. I handled the glass with care.

    2. These cards are available at all places. 

C. Replace the adverbs in italics by suitable adverb clauses: 

    1.They treated us kindly

    2. Those villages were not electrified then.

C. Noun Phrases:  A phrase that acts like a noun in a sentence is called a Noun Phrase.

Example-  1. She likes reading books.

                2. Painting landscapes is my hobby.

In sentence 1, the phrase reading books answers the question : like what?. So the phrase reading books is the object of verb ,like and this phrase acts as a noun. Hence it is a noun phrase.

In sentence 2,  painting landscapes is the subject of verb  is and it also acts as a noun, so painting landscapes is a noun phrase.

Revision exercises:

A.Pick out noun phrase:

    1.To err is human.

    2. To say nothing is better than to speak nonsense.

B. Fill in the blanks with suitable noun phrases:

    1. _______ is painful.

    2. All of them were interested in__________________.

C. Tell the type of phrases given in italics.

    1. The patient is out of danger.

    2. Put these clothes in the almirah.

    3. We bought some books containing funny stories.

    >>to learn more about noun & adjectives click the link given below: 

  noun & its kind,  :    https://youtu.be/9L_j_Aw3Pq8                                                                          material noun    :    https://youtu.be/we7sH3vjyfY                                                                          abstract noun    :    https://youtu.be/cMTTarSfWNM

  adjectives:        :    https://youtu.be/CkfC9cvNDJs

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