Types of phrase
The head word decides the type. Everything else in the phrase describes or completes it.
| Phrase | Head word | Example (phrase in bold) |
|---|---|---|
| Noun phrase | A noun or pronoun | A very kind neighbour helped us. |
| Verb phrase | A main verb with helping verbs | She has been waiting for an hour. |
| Prepositional phrase | A preposition and its object | The keys are on the table. |
| Adjective phrase | An adjective | The test was surprisingly easy. |
| Adverb phrase | An adverb | He spoke very slowly. |
| Infinitive phrase | To plus a verb | To pass the exam, you need practice. |
| Participle phrase | An -ing or -ed form used as an adjective | Tired after the journey, we slept early. |
| Gerund phrase | An -ing form used as a noun | Cooking for ten people is hard work. |
Phrase or clause?
A clause has a subject and a verb that belongs to it. A phrase doesn't. "After the lecture" is a phrase. "After the lecture ended" is a clause, because lecture is the subject of ended.
An -ing word on its own doesn't make a clause. "Waiting for the results" is a phrase. "We were waiting for the results" is a clause because it has a subject and a full verb.
Using phrases to add detail
Phrases let you pack information into one sentence without extra clauses: "Built in 1890, the station is the oldest in the region."
Put a participle phrase next to the noun it describes. "Built in 1890" must describe the station, so the station has to follow it. If it doesn't, you get a dangling modifier.
Common mistakes
Wrong: Waiting for the bus in the rain.
Right: We were waiting for the bus in the rain.
A phrase alone is a fragment. Add a subject and a full verb.
Wrong: Opened in 2015, I visited the museum.
Right: Opened in 2015, the museum attracts many visitors.
The participle phrase must describe the noun right after it. You weren't opened in 2015.
Wrong: He explained me the problem.
Right: He explained the problem to me.
Explain needs a prepositional phrase with to for the person.
Using this in IELTS and PTE
Good phrases make IELTS and PTE writing more concise. A prepositional phrase such as "over the ten-year period" or "in contrast to" fits naturally in an IELTS Task 1 report. Participle phrases ("Having considered both views, I believe...") can open a Task 2 conclusion, but use them only when you are sure what they describe.
5 questions
Exercise
Try each one, then open it to check your answer.
1. Phrase or clause? "before the meeting"
Phrase.
There is no subject with a verb.
2. Phrase or clause? "before the meeting started"
Clause.
Meeting is the subject of started.
3. Name the phrase: "in a beautiful way"
Prepositional phrase.
It is headed by the preposition in, and a beautiful way is its object.
4. Name the phrase at the start: "Learning a language takes time."
Gerund phrase: learning a language.
It works as a noun and is the subject of takes.
5. Name the phrase at the end: "I'm saving to buy a car."
Infinitive phrase: to buy a car.
It starts with to plus a verb and explains the purpose.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a phrase and a clause?+
A clause has a subject and a verb. A phrase lacks one or both. "In the morning" is a phrase; "when the morning came" is a clause.
Can a phrase be one word?+
In linguistics, yes: a single noun can be a noun phrase. In school grammar, a phrase usually means two or more words.
What is the difference between a gerund phrase and a participle phrase?+
Both use an -ing form. A gerund phrase works as a noun ("Swimming daily keeps me fit"). A participle phrase works as an adjective ("Swimming daily, she got fitter").
Keep going
More grammar lessons
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