A Quick Guide To Phrases

Phrases look different from clauses—they do not have both a subject and verb. And, they do not determine sentence type as do the presence of independent and dependent clauses.

Major Types of Phrases
1. Verbal phrases (those made with various verb parts).
2. Prepositional phrases
3. Appositive phrases

Verbal Phrase. A verbal phrase uses a form of verb but the new form doesn’t function like a verb (to show action, to help, or to link). Instead, depending on the type, they function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.

Verbal Phrases
Prepositional Phrases begin with a preposition and they end with a noun. In the sentence below the underlined words are all prepositional phrases. But note that to buy is an infinitive—to with the verb buy.
All of the children ran to the corner store to buy candy for the movies.

Prepositional phrases are always working as either an adjective or an adverb. Prepositional phrases that are functioning as adjectives are almost always right after the noun or pronoun they modify. Ask the question after all (indefinite pronoun) what? Or after candy (a noun), which candy? The candy for the movies answers the question. On the other hand, to the corner store modifies the verb ran; its functions, then, as an adverb, answering the adverb question, Where did they run?
Grammar Highlight: Remember that adjectives modify nouns, and that, contrarily, adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They will help you to identify what a prepositional phrase is doing in a sentence.

Appositive Phrases are nouns that describe another noun or pronoun.
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the U.S., is considered by many the greatest of our leaders.
What makes this a phrase? First, it’s more than one word; second, the main definition or defining word is the noun, President. Appositive phrases nearly always require commas. If one comes in the middle, then commas are placed around the phrase.
American track-and-field athlete Jesse Owens, the winner of four Gold Medals at the 1936 Olympic Games, was a black man.
If one comes at the beginning of a sentence, then the comma follows.
A big thief without a doubt, Madoff deserves life in prison.