Phrases

A phrase is a group of words that functions as a single unit or part of speech in a sentence. Unlike a clause, a phrase does not contain a subject and a verb in agreement (predicate). It is a building block used to add detail, modify meaning, and construct clauses.

Phrases are classified according to their central word (headword) and their grammatical function. A noun phrase consists of a noun and its modifiers (e.g., 'the beautiful flowers'). A verb phrase includes a main verb and any helping verbs (e.g., 'has been studying'). An adjective phrase modifies a noun (e.g., 'made of gold'), while an adverb phrase modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb (e.g., 'with extreme care'). A prepositional phrase starts with a preposition and ends with a noun object (e.g., 'on the wooden table').

CBSE and Cambridge English classes focus on phrase types to help students write with variety. Students learn to expand simple sentences into compound-complex sentences by using participial phrases, gerund phrases, and infinitive phrases. Understanding the difference between phrases and clauses is a common topic in editing exercises.