VERBAL PHRASES

VERBAL PHRASES

#1-What is a Phrase? A phrase is a group of related words that is

used as a single part of speech and that does not contain both a verb and its subject.

PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE: a message from the other members of the debate team

PARTICIPIAL PHRASE: monkeys swinging through the dense jungle

INFINITIVE PHRASE: asking to go with them on their Antarctic expedition

APPOSITIVE PHRASE: a painting by van Gogh, the famous Dutch painter

NOTE: a group of words that has both a verb and its subject is called a clause.

#2-The Prepositional Phrase A prepositional phrase includes a

preposition, a noun or pronoun called the object of the preposition, and any modifiers of that object.

EXAMPLE: The Seine River flows through Paris. [The noun Paris is the object of the preposition through.]

NOTE: Be careful not to confuse a prepositional phrase with an infinitive.

A prepositional phrase always has an object that is a noun or a pronoun.

An infinitive is a verb form that usually begins with to.

PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE: When we went to Florida, we saw the old Spanish fort in St. Augustine.

INFINITIVE: When we were in Florida, we went to see the old Spanish fort in St. Augustine.

#3-The Adjective Phrase

A prepositional phrase that modifies a noun or a pronoun.

EXAMPLE: Wang Wei was a talented painter of landscapes. [the prepositional phrase of landscapes modifies the noun painter, telling what kind of painter.]

#4-The Adverb Phrase A prepositional phrase that modifies

a verb, an adjective, or an adverb.

EXAMPLES: the snow fell throughout the day . [the phrase modifies the verb fell, telling when the snow fell.]

An adverb phrase tells how, when, where, why, or to what extent (how long, how much, or how far).

EXAMPLES: Are you good at soccer? [the phrase modifies the adjective good, telling where/how you are good.]

#5- Verbals and Verbal Phrases

A verbal is a word that is formed from a verb but is used as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. There are three kinds of verbals:

the participle, the gerund, and the infinitive.

#6- The Participle

A participle is a verb form that can be used as an adjective. Present participles end in –ing.

The smiling child waved.

Most past participles end in –d or –ed. Some past participles are irregularly formed. The police officers searched the abandoned

warehouse.

#7 The Participial Phrase consists of a participle and any modifiers

or object. The entire phrase is used as an adjective.

Seeing itself in the mirror, the duck seemed quite bewildered.

Swimming very slowly, the duck seemed quite bewildered.

#8- The Gerund a verb form ending

in –ing that is used as a noun.

SUBJECT: Skiing down that slope was fun.

PREDICATE NOMINATIVE: Dad’s favorite pastime is fishing for trout and bass.

INDIRECT OBJECT: Give sailing a try. DIRECT OBJECT: We enjoyed hiking in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. OBJECT OF PREPOSITION: Please sweep the front sidewalk after mowing.

The Gerund Phrase consists of a gerund and any modifiers or

object. The entire phrase is used as a noun.

Having a part-time job may interfere with your schoolwork.

The townspeople heard the loud clanging of the fire bell.

#9 The Infinitive a verb form that can be used as a noun,

an adjective, or an adverb. Most infinitives begin with to.

NOUN: To install the ceiling fan took two hours.

ADJECTIVES: The best time to visit Florida is December through April.

ADVERBS: The gymnasts were ready to practice their routines.

The Infinitive Phrase consists of an infinitive and any

modifiers or object. The entire phrase may be used as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.

The crowd grew quiet to hear the speaker.

Peanuts and raisins are good snacks to take on a camping trip.

Punctuation: When a participial phrase begins a sentence,

a comma should be placed after the phrase.

• Arriving at the store, I found that it was closed.  Washing and polishing the car, Frank developed

sore muscles.

Punctuation: If the participle or participial phrase comes in the middle of a

sentence, it should be set off with commas only if the information is not essential to the meaning of the sentence.

The church, destroyed by a fire, was never rebuilt.

Sid, watching an old movie, drifted in and out of sleep.  

Punctuation: Note that if the participial phrase is essential to the

meaning of the sentence, no commas should be used.

The guy wearing the chicken costume is my cousin.

The student earning the highest grade point average will receive a special award.

Directions: write and label the phrases.

1. To earn an ‘A’ on the test is my goal.

2. He wants to earn extra money this summer.

3. Skiing is a wonderful way to spend a winter afternoon.

4. The child playing in the yard is my nephew.

5. He enjoys his job of ringing the church bells.

6. Choosing a major is important.

7. The bridge, covered with ice, was narrow.

8. I nodded to show respect.

9. Merely to argue for the preservation of park land is not enough.

10. He telephoned his wife to tell her of his arrival.

11. The fans blinded by the sun missed the best plays.

12. Not wanting to appear in court, Marilyn decided to pay the fine.

#10- Appositives and Appositive Phrases

An appositive is a noun or a pronoun placed beside another noun or pronoun to identify or describe it.

NOTE: commas are generally used with appositives that refer to proper nouns.

• An appositive phrase consists of an appositive and its modifiers.