PHRASE: a
string of words that form a grammatical unit, usually within a clause or
sentence. A phrase is a group of words that is less than a sentence, usually
lacking a verb, but sometimes lacking a subject. "The boy in the red
hat" is a noun phrase with no verb.
Examples:
1. On
the mountain
2. In
the valley
3. Under
the chair
4. Between
the two iroko trees.
TYPES
OF PHRASES
1. NOUN
PHRASE: A phrase is a noun phrase when it is performing one of the following
functions: 1.The subject of a verb 2. The object of a verb 3. The object of a preposition 4. The
subject complement
Examples:
a. To
do well in life is everybody’s ambition.
b. Repairing
the puncture was a great problem.
c. These
chairs are made by Okeke, the most famous ccarpenter in town.
d. Nobody
in the class knew how to solve the problem. (object of ‘knew’)
2. ADJECTIVAL PHRASE: The main
function of the adjectival phrase is to qualify or modify a
noun.
Examples:
a. We
followed the path near the river. (qualifying ‘path’)
b. The
man standing by the red car owns this estate. (qualifying ‘man’)
3. ADVERBIAL PHRASE: this type of
phrase modifies a verb, an adverb or an adjective. There are
different types of Adverbial phrase: Adverbial phrase of Time, Adv. Phrase of
Place, Adv. Phrase of Manner, Adv. Phrase of Degree, etc.
Examples:
a. They
left here all at once. (modifies
‘left’)
b. He
was more than a little surprised. (modifies
‘surprised’)
c. There
is a cat on the tree. (modifies
‘is’)
d. The
car has stopped in the middle of the road. (modifies
‘has stopped’)
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