Transcript Grammar Notes: PHRASES

Honors English 9
Mrs. Malaspino
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Phrase:
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6 types:
◦ a group of related words without a subject and its
predicate
◦ used as a single part of speech in a sentence
◦ Verb phrase (Main verb + helping verb/s)
 See “Verb Tenses” notes for additional information
◦ Prepositional phrase (preposition + noun/pronoun)
◦ Appositive phrase (noun + modifiers)
◦ Verbal phrases (based on verb forms)
 Gerund phrases (-ing verb plus object/modifiers)
 Infinitive phrases (to+ verb plus object/modifiers)
 Participial phrases (-ing, -ed, or irregular past participle plus
object/modifiers)
Form: Preposition + noun or object pronoun
 Noun or pronoun is called “object of the preposition”
 Phrase may also include modifiers
Function: Used as adjectives or adverbs
 Examples:
◦ The house down the street has been unoccupied for a
year.
 “Down the street” is an adjective which modifies “house.”
Adjective phrases immediately follow the noun.
◦ After school, I like to walk my dog.
“After school” tells WHEN; it is an adverb. Adverb phrases
may be found before or after the verb, adverb or adjective
being modified.
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For each of the sentences below, label the
parts of speech, the parts of sentence, and
the phrases:
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◦ Astute observers in cooking classes notice the
granular texture of sugar and salt.
◦ The most interesting sector of the house is the
media room.
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.
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Form:
◦ a noun + an modifiers (could include prepositional
phrases)
◦ Typically follows the noun it modifies
◦ May or may not be set off with commas.
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Function:
◦ Defines or renames a noun.
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Examples:
Boticelli, the Renaissance painter, painted
angels.
Harper Lee’s best selling novel To Kill a
Mockingbird won many awards.
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For each of the sentences below, label the parts
of speech, the parts of sentence, and the
phrases:
◦ Ms. Moore, the well informed teacher, tried to explain
centrifugal force to her class.
◦ My dog, a shepherd mix, loves dog treats.
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Using your current vocabulary, create three of
your own sentences. Be sure to have at least one
appositive phrase, one adjective prepositional
phrase and one adverb prepositional phrase.
Label the POSpeech, the POSentence, and the
phrases
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A “Verbal” is a verb form used as a different
part of speech in the context of a sentence.
◦ Gerund: a verb which ends in –ing
 Acts like a NOUN
◦ Infinitive: to + verb (unconjugated form)
 Acts like a NOUN, ADJECTIVE or ADVERB
◦ Participle: regular past participle (-ed form),
irregular past participle (forms vary), or present
participle (-ing form)
 Acts like an ADJECTIVE
◦ A “VERBAL PHRASE” includes a verbal plus any
modifiers or objects of the verbal.
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Gerunds are –ing verbs that act like nouns
◦ E.g. running, sleeping, eating
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A GERUND PHRASE includes the gerund plus
any modifiers and/or objects of the gerund.
GERUNDS AND GERUND PHRASES may be
used in any noun position in the sentence
◦ Subject, Direct Object, Indirect Object, Object of a
Preposition, Predicate Nominative
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GERUND as SUBJECT
Traveling through Europe is my dream
vacation.
◦ “Traveling” is a noun; it is the subject of the
sentence.
◦ “Through Europe” is a modifier—an adverb
prepositional phrase modifying “traveling.”
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GERUND as DIRECT OBJECT
I would enjoy traveling through Europe.
◦ In this case “traveling” is the direct object of the
main verb, “enjoy.”
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GERUND as INDIRECT OBJECT
John will give playing the tuba a try.
◦ “playing” is the indirect object; it is a noun telling to
what John will give a try. “Try” is the direct object
of the verb “will give.”
◦ “the tuba” is the object of the gerund
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Note that even though gerunds function as
NOUNS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE
SENTENCE, they still maintain some of the
qualities of verbs.
 They are modified with adverbs.
 They can have objects.
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GERUND as PREDICATE NOMINATIVE
◦ My favorite leisure activity is hiking in the mountains.
 “Hiking” is the predicate nominative; it is a noun which
follows the linking verb “is” and renames the subject
“activity.”
 “in the mountains” is an adverbial prepositional phrase
modifying “hiking.”
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GERUND as OBJECT of the PREPOSITION
◦ John grew tired of babysitting his little sister.
 “Babysitting” is the object of the preposition “of.”
 “his little sister” is the object of the gerund, completing the
thought of the phrase.
 Note that “of babysitting” is a prepositional phrase modifying
“tired.”
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Write three sentences, using your current
vocabulary words.
In each sentence, be sure to include a gerund
phrase used in one of the noun positions.
Try to vary the noun positions you use.
In each sentence, identify all of the different
types of phrases you recognize:
◦ Prepositional, Appositive, Gerund, Infinitive,
Participial