Definition:
A group of words without a finite verb and without a subject is called a “phrase”.
The following are the types of phrases:
1) Preposition phrase.
2) Conjunction phrase.
3) Phrase verb/verb phrase.
4) Adjective phrase
5) Adverb phrase
6) Noun phrase
1) Preposition phrase / Prepositional phrase
Definition: When a preposition consists of two or more than two words, is called a “preposition phrase”.
ex
Due to = because of = Due to the rain, we could not play.
Owning to = because of = Owing to him, we lost the match.
According to = According to him, this story is wrong.
Because of = Owing to = Due to = Because of his son, he suffered difficulties.
2) Conjunction phrase
Definition: When a Conjunction consists of two or more than two words, is called “conjunction phrase”.
ex
In order that = so that = He works hard in order that he may pass the exam.
So that = In order that = We played well so that we might win the match.
Owing to the fact that = Due to the fact that = Because
example,
I could not meet him owing to the fact that/due to the fact that I did not have his address. = I could not meet him because I did not have his address.
In case = If
example,
(You) call 15 in case there is an emergency.
3) Phrase verb / Phrasal verb
Definition: The verbs which have a combination of preparation are called “phrase verb”/”phrasal verb”.
ex
Blow up = The balloon blew up.
Wake up = I woke up late today.
Put off = They put off the meeting.
Take off = He took off his shoes.
Get up = He gets up late everyday.
4) Adjective phrase / Adjectival phrase
Definition: A group of words which is without a finite verb and without a subject, which performs the function of an adjective is called “Adjectival phrase”.
ex
A wealthy American man.
A healthy Australian sheep.
A successful running shop.
A wavy blue river.
A clever young lady.
Question: What is the difference between the Adjective phrase and Adjective clause?
Answer: Adjective clause: A group of words which has a finite verb and a subject, which performs the function of an adjective is called “Adjective clause”.
Adjective phrase: A group of words which does not have a finite verb and a subject, which performs the function of an adjective is called “Adjective phrase”.
example,
Adjective clause
The woman who is wearing a black skirt is Mrs Nadeem.
Mr. John, who is an American wealthy man, has bought this hotel.
Mrs. Rab, who is an intelligent young lady, is teaching us.
The driver who is in the black car is driving superbly.
Yasir Ali, who is in the black car, is driving superbly.
Adjective phrase
The woman wearing a black skirt is Mrs Nadeem.
Mr. John, an American wealthy man, has bought this hotel.
Mrs. Rab, an intelligent young lady, is teaching us.
The driver in the black car is driving superbly.
Yasir Ali, in the black car, is driving superbly.
Note: Adjective phrases are often made by omitting the subjects (who, which, that ) and the “form” of the verb of the adjective clause.
ex
Adjective clause
The man who is teaching him is Ali’s father.
The woman who is sitting near the door is Mrs Rasheed.
Mr. Sami, who is a professor of Chemistry, is teaching us.
Mr. Amir, who is Ph.D. in Islamait, is delivering the lecture on Islam.
The girl who was teaching us English is Asad’s sister.
The gun which is on the shelf is mine.
The letters that are on the table are for you.
Adjective phrase
The man teaching him is Ali’s father.
The woman sitting near the door is Mrs Rasheed.
Mr. Sami, a professor of Chemistry, teaches us.
Mr. M Amir Ph.D. in Islamait, is delivering a lecture on Islam.
The girl teaching us English is Asad’s sister.
The gun on the shelf is mine.
The letters on the table are for you.
Note: Defining adjective phrases don’t need commas like defining adjective clauses.
Note: Non-defining adjective phrases need commas like Non-defining adjective clauses.
ex
Non-defining adjective clause
Mr. Sami, who is a professor of Chemistry, is teaching us.
Mr. M. Bashir, who is Ph.D in Islamait, is delivering a lecture on Islam.
Non-defining adjective phrase
Mr. Sami, a professor of Chemistry, is teaching us.
Mr. M. Bashir, Ph.D in Islamait, is delivering a lecture on Islam.
Note: If an adjective clause is introduced by an objective pronoun (whom/who), it does not change into an adjective phrase.
ex
Adjective clause
The man whom we met yesterday is Ali’s teacher. (“whom” is object over here.)
The woman who he had seen was a foreign agent. ( “who is object over here.)
Note: Sometimes it happens that subjective pronoun (who, whom, that) is omitted and the first form of the main verb is changed into “ing” form.
Note: In this case, “be forms” are not changed into “ing form”.
ex
The first form of the verb
The students who want to come contact the main office.
Anyone who wishes to buy this hotel call on 0310267
“Ing form” of the verb
The students wanting to come contact the main office.
Anyone wishing to buy this hotel call on 0310267
Note: If there are two non-defining adjective clauses in a sentence, one comma will come at the beginning and one at the end of the clauses.
Note: “Commas” won’t come between two non-defining adjective clauses.
ex
Mr. M. Amir, who is a young businessman who has recently started a business, has bought this building.
Mr. Uzair, who is the professor who is our class in-charge, teaches us English.
Note: “Commas” do not come before and after defining the adjective clause.
He is the boy “who killed his father’s enemies”
The man “who is driving the black Toyota” is driving carefully.
The man ” who is incharge of the club” is an honest person.
Note: “Comma” does not come before and after defining adjective phrases.
ex
The man “in the black Toyota” is driving carefully.
The man “in charge of the club” is an honest person.
Note: If there are more than one or two defining adjective clauses in a sentence, “comma” separates defining adjective clauses.
Note: Defining adjective clauses are separated from one another by “commas”; but they are not separated from the independent clauses.
ex
The persons who had information, who had money, who had sources bought the important places.
Note: “Commas” come before and after!non-defining adjective clauses.
ex
M. Aslam, “who is driving the black Toyota”, is driving carefully.
Noun phrase
Definition: A group of words that is without a finite verb and without a subject, which performs the function of a noun is called a “noun phrase”.
ex
Where to go now?
How to call him back?
When to go there.
Where to find a comfortable house.
What to do.
To win something.
To win the final.
The functions of noun phrases:
1) As a subject
example,
How to reach there is a headache for us.
Why not go with them is their problem, not ours.
Where to send him has not been decided yet.
To win the final was a challenge for us.
What to do next is up to you.
2) As an object
example,
We have decided to win the final.
They don’t know what to do next.
Does he know how to reach there?
They have not decided where to send him.
They don’t know where to find them.
3) As a compliment
example,
My aim is to make something new.
My hobby is painting and growing flowers.
Question: What is the difference between the noun phrase and the noun clause?
Answer: A group of words that has a subject and a finite verb and works as a noun is called a ” noun clause “.
A group of words that does not have a Sub and a finite verb and works as a noun is called a ” noun phrase “.
ex
Noun clause
I can’t say to you where you should go.
You ask him how you should do that work.
They don’t know why they should come here.
I will tell you how you can reach there.
They want that they should win the final.
Noun phrases
I can’t say to you where to go.
You ask him how to do that work.
They don’t know why to come here.
I will tell you how to reach there.
They want to win the final.
Note: The noun clauses from (where, when, what, whose, which, how, who, whom, whether, etc.) can change from noun clauses into noun phrases by omitting the subject and the modal auxiliary verbs (should, can, could) of noun clauses and changing the verb (of noun clause) into full infinitive.
Note: Here, full infinitive gives the meaning of modal auxiliary verbs (should, can, and could).