Exercises

Words and Phrases

1. Words

As you know, there are eight different sorts of words, or Parts of speech, each sort being able to do a particular job, carry out a particular function in a sentence.  Prepositions and conjunctions for example, link things together: 

In a few years, when prices come down even further, it will be hard to imagine anyone working without a computer.

Parts of speech

However, words are not solitary individuals: they usually hang around in groups, each with its own nucleus, or headword.  A group of words, which hang together, is called a phrase, and we usually distinguish Noun Phrases, grouped around a Noun, Adjectival Phrases, grouped around an Adjective and Prepositional Phrases, introduced by a Preposition. Here are four phrases. Try to determine which sort of phrase each one is:

2. Noun phrases

Determiners and adjectives usually keep close to nouns, making what are called noun phrases.  Here are three noun phrases, each organized around a noun, in red: 

Her dog

A big blue machine

All the king's men

3.Adjectival phrases

Adjectival phrases are organized around an adjective.  Adverbs, like ridiculously or very, often accompany adjectives: 

Very simple

Ridiculously expensive

The big blue machine was ridiculously expensive.

Her dog sniffed the big blue machine.

You can also add an adjectival phrase to a noun phrase.  Which phrase is in red here? 

The ridiculously expensive big blue machine

4. Prepositional phrases

Prepositional phrases are noun phrases preceded by a preposition which attaches the noun phrase to the rest of the sentence.  What is highlighted in red here? 

After the rain

Under the umbrella

Prepositional phrases often act as adverbials, telling us about the circumstances of the action. 

After the rain, she walked her dog.

They were kissing under the umbrella.

5.Summary

So phrases are groups of words that join together in various ways to make up a clause or a sentence.  A common distinction is made between phrases, which do not contain a verb, and clauses, which do.  The way clauses work is described under Complex Sentences, and we'll look at this later in the course.

Exercises