As you know by now, phrases are groups of words that contain neither a subject nor a predicate. They do not make complete sense on their own. However, their meaning becomes clear in a complete sentence.
You also know that phrases can act as nouns, adjectives and adverbs in different sentences.
Let us now study the principal categories into which phrases can be divided.
Every phrase has got a ‘head’. This is the term used for indicating that word in a phrase which decides how the phrase will act in a sentence—as a noun, as an adverb or an adjective.
Very often, the head of a phrase is its first word.
If the head of a phrase is a noun, then the phrase is a noun phrase.
For example:
[The drawer] is empty. A noun phrase performs the function of a noun. Ask the question ‘what is empty?’ and you get the answer ‘the drawer’. Here, the noun phrase is the subject of the sentence. |
If the head of phrase is a verb, then the phrase is a verb phrase.
For example:
Ashwini [cooked the dinner.] A verb phrase functions as the predicate of a sentence. |
If the head of a phrase is a participle, then the phrase is a participle phrase.
A participle is a form of a verb. A verb can have a present participle form (root of a verb + ING) and a past participle form (verb ending in ‘−ed’, ‘−d’, ‘−t’, ‘−en’ or ‘−n’).
For example:
The boy [running along the road] is my son. Here, the present participle form of the verb ‘run’ is used. The participle phrase describes the noun ‘the boy’. Hence, the participle phrase is performing the role of an adjective. [Surprised by her reaction], I stared at her in amazement. Here, the past participle form of the verb ‘surprise’ is used. The participle phrase describes the pronoun ‘I’. Hence, the participle phrase is performing the role of an adjective. |
If the head of a phrase is an infinitive, then the phrase is an infinitive phrase.
An infinitive is a form of a verb. It is formed by using ‘to’ before the root of a verb.
For example:
I love [to play cricket.] Here, the infinitive form of the verb ‘play’ is used. The infinitive phrase is acting as the object of the verb ‘love’. Ask the question ‘I lovewhat?’ and you get the answer ‘to play cricket’. Hence, the infinitive phrase is performing the role of a noun. |
If the head of a phrase is a gerund, then the phrase is a gerund phrase.
A gerund is a form of a verb. It is formed by adding ‘ING’ to the root of a verb.
For example:
[Playing hockey] is my passion. Here, the gerund form of the verb ‘play’ is used. The gerund phrase is acting as the subject of the sentence. Ask the question ‘what is my passion?’ and you get the answer ‘playing hockey’. Hence, the gerund phrase is performing the role of a noun. |
If the head of a phrase is a preposition, then the phrase is a preposition phrase.
It consists of a preposition followed by a noun phrase.
For example:
The dog [inside the cage] is barking loudly. Here, the preposition phrase is describing the noun ‘the dog’. Ask the question ‘which dog?’ and you get the answer ‘the one inside the cage’. Hence, the preposition phrase is functioning as an adjective. The boy went [into the house.] Here, the preposition phrase is performing the function of an adverb. Ask the question ‘went where?’ and you get the answer ‘into the house’. |
