Grammar - Phrases, Clauses, and Sentences - Quick Guides | English

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Study GuideGrammar–Phrases, Clauses, and Sentences1.Prepositional PhrasesOne of themost common types of phrasesin English is theprepositional phrase. You will seeprepositional phrases everywhere—in sentences, in clauses, and even inside other phrases.1.1What Is a Prepositional Phrase?Aprepositional phrasealways begins with aprepositionand ends with anoun or pronouncalledtheobject of the preposition.Here are some simple examples:•inthe room•ofthe people•bythe river•fromthe teacher•forthe partyEach phrase starts with a preposition and tells more about location, source, or purpose.1.2Modifiers in Prepositional PhrasesTheobject of a prepositioncan havemodifiers(describing words). These modifiers are also part ofthe prepositional phrase.Look at these expanded examples:•inthe smoky, crowded room•ofthe remaining few people•bythe rushing river•fromthe tired and frustrated teacher•forthe midnight victory partyThese extra words give more detail and help create clearer images.

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Study Guide1.3How Prepositional Phrases Work in SentencesPrepositional phrases can function intwo different ways. They can act asadjectivesoradverbs.1.4Prepositional Phrases as AdjectivesWhen a prepositional phrasedescribes a noun, it works like an adjective.Example:The womanin the trench coatpulled out her cell phone.Here, the phrasein the trench coatdescribes which woman is being talked about. It tells more aboutthe nounwoman.1.5Prepositional Phrases as AdverbsWhen a prepositional phrasemodifies a verb, it works like an adverb. It often tellswhen,where, orhowsomething happens.Example:Most of the audience dozedduring the tedious performance.The phraseduring the tedious performanceexplains when the audience dozed, so it modifies theverbdozed.2.Quiz: Prepositional PhrasesQuestion 1Complete the following sentence.A phrase is a group of words that ________Answer Choices• modifies another part of speech and has a subject and predicate• replaces a part of speech but doesn't have a subject and predicate• acts as a part of speech but doesn't have a subject and predicate

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Study GuideCorrect Answeracts as a part of speech but doesn't have a subject and predicateWhy This Is Correct• A phrase doesnotcontain both a subject and a predicate.• It functions as a single part of speech within a sentence.Question 2Complete the following sentence.A clause is a group of words that ________Answer Choices• has both a subject and a verb• has a pronoun and a gerund• has a verb but isn't a complete thoughtCorrect Answerhas both a subject and a verbWhy This Is Correct• A clause must contain asubjectand averb.• Some clauses are complete thoughts (independent), while others are not (dependent).Question 3Complete the following sentence.A prepositional phrase begins with ________

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Study GuideAnswer Choices• a predicate noun• a preposition• a positional adjectiveCorrect Answera prepositionWhy This Is Correct• Every prepositional phrase starts with apreposition.• It ends with an object of the preposition (and any modifiers).Question 4Which sentence contains a prepositional phrase?Answer Choices• The two boys wrestled, and their father mowed the yard.• The two boys wrestled, and their father watched them.• The two boys wrestledon the floor, and their father watched them.Correct AnswerThe two boys wrestledon the floor, and their father watched them.Why This Is Correct•on the flooris a prepositional phrase.• It begins with the prepositiononand explainswherethe boys wrestled.

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Study GuideQuestion 5Which sentence shows a prepositional phrase functioning as anADJECTIVE?Answer Choices• The womanin the yellow and blue scarfread the newspaper.• The woman reading the newspaper wore a yellow and blue scarf.• The woman wearing a yellow and blue scarf read the newspaper.Correct AnswerThe womanin the yellow and blue scarfread the newspaper.Why This Is Correct•in the yellow and blue scarfmodifies the nounwoman.• Prepositional phrases that describe nouns act asadjectives.Question 6Which sentence shows a prepositional phrase functioning as anADVERB?Answer Choices• We won the match because our goalie blocked four shots.• Our goalie blocked four shotsduring the last five minutes.• Our goalie blocked four shots, and we won the match.Correct AnswerOur goalie blocked four shotsduring the last five minutes.Why This Is Correct•during the last five minutesmodifies the verbblocked.• It explainswhenthe action happened, so it functions as anadverb.

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Study Guide3.Phrases Containing VerbalsSome phrases are built aroundverbals—words that look like verbs but act as other parts of speech.The three main types of verbals areparticiples,gerunds, andinfinitives.These verbals help add detail and meaning to sentences by acting asadjectives,nouns, oradverbs.3.1Participial PhrasesAparticipial phrasebegins with apresent participle(ending in-ing) or apast participle(oftenending in-ed,-en, or an irregular form). It also includes anyobjects or modifiersthat go with it.Participial phrases always act asadjectives. That means they describe a noun.Example:Breathing the fresh mountain air, Jim realized he had found paradise.•Breathingis the present participle.•the fresh mountain airis its object and modifiers.•The entire phrase describesJim, so it works as an adjective.Another example:The soldiers, trapped by the enemy, threw down their weapons.•trappedis a past participle.•by the enemyis a prepositional phrase that modifiestrapped.•The whole participial phrase describessoldiers.Notice that phrases can appearinside other phrases. This is very common in English.3.2Gerund PhrasesAgerund phrasealso begins with an-ingverb form, which can make it look like a participial phraseat first. The key difference iswhat it does in the sentence.

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Study GuideA gerund phrase always acts as anoun, not an adjective.Like any noun, a gerund phrase can be:•thesubjectof a sentence•theobjectof a verb•theobjectof a preposition•acomplementafter a linking verbUnlike participial phrases,gerund phrases are essentialto the meaning of the sentence. You cannotremove them without changing the sentence’s meaning.Examples:Riding the black stallion terrified Hugh.•Riding the black stallionis the subject of the verbterrified.The police officer reported seeing the suspect.•seeing the suspectis the direct object ofreported.The senator made his reputation by talking loudly and often.•talking loudly and oftenis the object of the prepositionby.Calling Uncle Robert is asking for trouble.•Calling Uncle Robertis the subject.•asking for troubleis a gerund phrase that completes the meaning ofis.3.3Infinitive PhrasesAninfinitive phraseincludes aninfinitive(such asto sleep,to consider,to throw) along with itsobjects and modifiers.Infinitive phrases usually act asnouns, but they can also function asadjectivesoradverbs.Infinitive Phrases as NounsTo sleep all night was his only wish.•To sleep all nightis the subject of the sentence.The representatives did not want to take an unpopular stand.•to take an unpopular standis the direct object ofdid not want.

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Study Guide3.4Infinitive Phrases as AdjectivesHe had plenty of money to spend foolishly.•to spend foolishlydescribesmoney.3.5Infinitive Phrases as AdverbsAfter the confrontation, she drove miles to clear her mind.•to clear her mindexplainswhyshe drove, so it modifies the verb.3.6Split InfinitivesAsplit infinitivehappens when an adverb is placedbetween “to” and the verb.Example of a split infinitive:•to wisely spendFor a long time, splitting infinitives was considered incorrect. Today, it isgenerally acceptable,though many writers still avoid it unless it improves clarity.Preferred (not split):•They taught her to spend money wisely.Avoid if unnecessary:•They taught her to wisely spend money.3.7When Splitting Is HelpfulSometimes,notsplitting an infinitive sounds awkward or makes the meaning unclear.We expect the population to more than double over the next twenty years.Here, splitting the infinitive sounds natural and clear.Other times, splitting avoids confusion:

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Study GuideWe wanted to further discuss Chinese efforts to modernize.This version clearly shows thatfurthermodifiesdiscuss, notChinese efforts.And sometimes it just sounds better:•He planned to quickly take the children to another room.4.Quiz: Phrases Containing VerbalsQuestion 1Choose theTRUEstatement.Answer Choices• A participial phrase begins with a past or present participle.• A participial phrase begins with a prepositional phrase.• A participial phrase begins with a predicate noun.Correct AnswerA participial phrase begins with a past or present participle.Why This Is Correct• Participial phrases start withparticiples(verb forms ending in-ing,-ed, or irregular forms).• They function as adjectives and describe nouns.Question 2Choose theTRUEstatement.Answer Choices• A participial phrase is used as a noun in a sentence.• A participial phrase is used as a verb in a sentence.• A participial phrase is used as an adjective in a sentence.

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Study GuideCorrect AnswerA participial phrase is used as an adjective in a sentence.Why This Is Correct• Participial phrases describe or modify nouns or pronouns.• They donotact as nouns or main verbs.Question 3Which of the following contains agerund phrase?Answer Choices• The thought of rafting the rapids gave her nightmares.• After rafting the rapids, she had nightmares.• Both a and bCorrect AnswerBoth a and bWhy This Is Correct•rafting the rapidsappears in both sentences.• In each case,raftingis a gerund (an-ingverb form acting as a noun).Question 4Complete the sentence.A gerund phrase acts as a noun in a sentence and ________

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