Phrases-A5

Weeks 4-6

= II. Phrases =

1. What is a //phrase//?
A. Definition: Is a collection of words that may have nouns or verbals, but it does not have a subject doing a verb

B. Examples:

a. leaving behind the dog

b. smashing into a fence

c. broken into thousands of pieces

d. after the devastation

e. before the first test

2. What is a //gerund phrase//?
A. Definition: Is a noun phrase consisting of a verbal, its modifiers (both adjectives and adverbs), and its objects

B. Examples:

a. **Flying above the lake** at this time of night seems a little dangerous.

b. Ethan avoided **doing his homework** because the Ducks were playing the Cougars.

c. Bill decided that **scrambling over the pile of debris** was not safe.

d. Andrew continues his crusade to prevent the university from **limiting free speech**.

e. Clucky was **trying to get the chickens** to talk.

C. What is the difference between a //gerund phrase// and a //present participle phrase//?
i. Explanation: gerunds will be subjects, subject complements, direct objects, indirect objects, and objects of prepositions. Present participles, on the other hand, complete progressive verbs or act as modifiers

ii. Examples:

a. (Gerund)Francisco's first love is **swimming**.

b. (Present Participle) Since Francisco was five years old, **swimming** has been his passion

c. (Gerund)Jimmy gives **reading** all of his time.

d. (Present Participle)Jimmy enjoys **reading** more than spending time with his girlfriend Diana

e. (//Gerund//) **Fishing** is like home to his soul.

f. (//Present Participle//)He likes **fishing** in that near by pool.

3. What is an //infinitive phrase//?
A. Definition: An infinitive phrase will begin with an infinitve and include objects and/or modifiers.

B. Examples:

a. To smash a spider.

b. To kick the ball.

c. To hit a golf ball.

d. To stuff number twelve.

e. To eat a burrito with a fork.

C. How do you punctuate an //infinitive phrase//?
i. Explanation: When an infinitive phrase introduces a main clause, separate the two sentence components with a comma.

ii. Examples:

a. To avoid being hit in the head with a golf ball, Cush always watched her opponent's shot.

b. To annoy the teacher, the student kept tapping her pencil against the desk.

c. To keep from getting a stomach ache, the golf team avoids any Starburst packets.

4. What is a //participial phrase//?
A. Definition: The participle plus any [|complements] and modifiers of the participle and complements.

B. Examples:

a. The car sliding out of control toward building is going to hit the window.

b. Cameron spotted his brother throwing rocks at the passing cars.

c. The astronaut chosen to ride the space shuttle to Mars is afraid of heights.

d. Running down the street, Alicia tripped and fell.

e. Mark returned the damaged package to the manufacturer.

C. How do you use a //participial phrase// as an //introductory modifier//?

i. Explanation: When participial phrase begin the sentence, they are often set off by a comma.

ii. Examples:

a. Working around the clock, the firefighters finally put out the last of the California brush fires.

b. Walking down the street, I saw a full moon in the sky.

c. Fleeing, he left his wallet behind.

D. How do you use a //participial phrase// as a //parenthetical element//?

i. Explanation: Any sentence element that interrupts the forward movement of a clause.

ii. Examples:

a. I also doubt his story.

b. Take, for example, the way Linda responded to being accused of bias.

c. That explanation, as I have already said, doesn't really hold water.

http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/infinitivephrase.htm


 * http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000075.htm**

http://grammar.uoregon.edu/phrases/participialP.html

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/phrases.htm

http://www.grammartips.homestead.com/adverbs2.html

http://www.grammartips.homestead.com/interrupters.html

http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/gerund.htm

http://grammar.uoregon.edu/phrases/gerundP.html