What is a Phrase

1
What is a Phrase?

• A phrase is a group of related words that is used
  as a single part of speech and does NOT contain
  both a subject and a verb.
• Examples
• could have been looking (verb phrase no subject)
• in the back yard (prepositional phrase no
  subject or verb)

2
What is a Clause?

• A clause is a word group that contains a verb and
  its subject and is used as a sentence or part of
  a sentence.
• Clauses that express complete thoughts are
  independent clauses.
• Clauses that do not express complete thoughts are
  dependent clauses.

3
Examples

• Leta plays the violin and the guitar.
• (independent clause- subject Leta verb plays)
• This sentence forms a complete thought and can
  stand alone.
• if the coaches agree
• (dependent clause- subject coaches verb agree)
• This sentence does NOT form a complete thought,
  but it does have a subject and a verb.