3- ] Grammar American & British .
Chapter Three .
The Phrase .
Prepositional ,Verbal
and Appositive .
A phrase is a
group or related words that is used as a single part of speech and that does
not contain both a verb and its subject .
Examples
could have
been hiding . ( no subject )
in the kitchen
. ( prepositional phrase – no subject or verb )
to go with
them . ( infinitive phrases – no subject or verb )
- If a word
group has both a subject and a verb , it is called a clause .
Example
The wind
howled , when they left . ( clause ‘they’ is the subject of the verb ‘left’ )
Prepositional Phrases .
A
prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and
ends with a noun or a pronoun that is called the object of the preposition . A
word is used as a preposition if it has a noun or a pronoun as its object . A
word is used as an adverb if it does not have an object . It includes a
preposition , the object of the preposition and any modifiers of that object .
Examples
under the
umbrella
for ourselves
next to them
among good
friends
Examples
I left my
boots outside the back door . ( word used as preposition )
I left my
boots outside . ( word used as adverb )
The bird flew
over the fence . ( word used as preposition )
The bird flew
over . ( word used as adverb )
Everyone came
aboard the boat . ( word used as preposition )
Everyone came
aboard . ( word used as adverb )
- An article
or another modifier may appear in a prepositional phrase .
- The noun or
pronoun that completes a prepositional phrase is called the object of the
preposition .
Example
She has the
lead in the school play . ( ‘play’ is the object of the preposition ‘in’
)
- Any modifier
that comes between the preposition and its object is part of the prepositional
phrase. Into the thick mist vanished the carriage . ( The adjectives
‘the’ , and ‘thick’ modify the object ‘mist’ )
- An object of
a preposition may be compound .
Example
Come with Ali
and me to the concert . ( ‘Ali’ and ‘me’ compound objects of ‘with’
)
- A
prepositional phrase always has an object that is a noun or pronoun . An
infinitive is a verbal that usually begins with ‘to’ .
Send the
package to them . ( prepositional phrase )
Are you ready to
go ? ( infinitive )
The diamonds in
the vault are priceless . [ ‘In’ shows the relationship between ‘the
diamond’ and the object of the pre[position ,’vault’ ]
The telephone
rang four times during dinner . [ ‘During’ shows the relationship
between ‘rang’ and the object of the preposition , ‘dinner’ ]
Here is a gift
for you . [ ‘For’ relates ‘gift’ to the object of the preposition ,
‘you’ ]
Practice
Prepositional Phrases .
Write each
prepositional phrase . Underline the preposition and draw a circle around the
object of the preposition .
1- ] The
diameter of a circle extends from one side to the other .
2- ] Because
of the power outage , we could not videotape the game .
3- ] During my
study period , I consulted the adviser about my schedule .
4- ] On the
outskirts of town are several parks .
5- ] In spite
of the heat , band practice continued through the afternoon and into the
evening .
6- ] In the
fifties , people danced to the music of the big bands .
7- ] The blue
of the sea stretched to the horizon .
8- ] Without a
guide , white-water rafting can be dangerous .
9- ]
Snorkeling is good in the shallow waters around coral reefs .
10- ] In the
beginning of summer , builders added a porch to the rear of our house .
Pretest
Identifying
Prepositional Phrases .
There are ten
prepositional phrases in the paragraph below . Write the prepositional phrases
. For each , write the word or words modified by the phrase . Then write ADJ[
adjective ] or ADV [ adverb ] to identify the type of phrase .
The bird came
down the steps of the circular stairway and threw her bouquet toward the crowd
of young girls . Her junior bridesmaid , who caught it , jumped for joy . At
home , she dried the flowers in a dark closet as a memento of a perfect day in
her young life .
Posttest
Identifying Prepositional Phrases .
Write the
prepositional phrases . For each , write the word or words modified by the
phrase . Then write ADJ [ adjective ] or ADV [ adverb ] to identify the type of
phrase .
1- ] For her
birthday , Linda requested yellow cake with chocolate icing .
2- ] Turn left
at the fourth traffic light .
3- ] The next
time I buy a car , I want to get one with a sunroof .
4- ] A group
of coworkers had bought the winning lottery ticket .
5- ] Chapter
seven of the book deals with sound waves .
6- ] The
announcer on the sports channel graduated from this high school .
7- ] With a
little luck , he will get a scholarship to an art school .
8- ] This
package came for you .
9- ] The
farmers’ market springs to life before dawn .
10- ] I’ll
make some pasta with pesto sauce .
Practice
Prepositional Phrases .
Write the
prepositional phrases .For each , write the word or words modified by the
phrase . Then write ADJ [adjective ] or ADV [ adverb ] to identify the type of
phrase .
1- ] In the
morning , please water the garden .
2- ] Everyone
should drink eight glasses of water daily .
3- ] The
nightly news is a summary of the day’s events .
4- ] Please
keep this information to yourself .
5- ] The
primary colors can be seen in a rainbow .
6- ] I am
carrying a pocketful of change .
7- ] For my
family , I would do almost anything .
8- ] The
ground under the front porch remains damp all year .
9- ] Because
we were late , we stopped at a fast food restaurant .
10- ] Across
the street lives my best friend .
Adjective Phrases .
An adjective
phrase is a prepositional phrase that modifies a noun or a pronoun and used as an adjective .
Examples
Adel chose the
sandwich with cheese . [ adjective phrase modifying a noun ]
She chose the blue
one . ( adjective )
She chose the
one with blue stripes . ( adjective phrase )
- An adjective
phrase modifies a noun or a pronoun . Adjective phrases generally come after
the words they modify and answer the same questions that single word adjectives
answer ‘ What kind , Which one , How many , How much’ .
Examples
The store with
the neon sign is open . ( prepositional phrase answers ‘Which one?’ )
We bought a CD
by Janet Jackson . ( answers ‘What kind?’ )
- More than
one adjective phrase may modify the same noun or pronoun .
Example
Here is a gift
for you from Uncle Steve .
( ‘for you’ , ‘from Uncle Steve’ modify gift )
- An adjective
phrase may also modify the object in another adjective phrase .
Example
A majority of
the mammals in the world sleep during the day . ( They modify
‘mammals’ )
Adverb Phrases .
An adverb
phrase is a prepositional phrase used as an adverb .
Example
The cavalry
will reach the fort soon . (
adverb )
The cavalry
will reach the fort by noon . ( adverb phrase )
- An adverb
phrase modifies a verb , an adjective or an adverb . Adverb phrases answer the
same questions that single word adverbs answer ‘When ?’ , ‘Where ?’ , ‘How ?’ ,
‘Why ?’ , ‘How often ?’ ‘How long ?’ , ‘To what extent ?’ .
We got our new
puppy at the animal shelter . ( modifies the verb ‘get’ and answers the
question ‘Where” )
A puppy is
always ready for a game . (
modifies the adjective ‘ready’ and answers the question ‘How’ )
The dog barks
loudly for a puppy . ( modifies the adverb ‘loudly’ and answers the
question ‘To what extent?’ )
- Unlike
adjective phrases , which generally follow the word or words they modify ,
adverb phrases may appear at various places in
sentences .
Examples
At dusk , we went inside to eat dinner .
We went inside
at dusk to eat dinner .
We went to eat
dinner at dusk .
- Like
adjective phrases , more than one adverb phrase may modify the same word .
Examples
She drove for
hours through the storm . (
they modify the verb ‘drove’ )
The library is
open during the day on
weekends . ( they modify the adjective ‘open’ )
On Saturday we will rehearse our drill routine before
the game . ( they modify the verb
phrase ‘will rehears’ )
- An adverb
phrase may be followed by an adjective phrase that modifies the object in the
adverb phrase .
Example
The boat
landed on an island near the coast . ( ‘on the island’ modifies the verb ‘landed’ –
‘near the coast’ is an adjective phrase’ modifies ‘island’ )
Verbal and Verbal Phrases
.
A verbal is a
word that is formed from a verb , but is used as a noun and adjective or an
adverb .
The Participle
A participle
is a verb form that can be used as an adjective . There are two kinds of
participles .
1- ] Present
Participles , end in –ing .
Examples
He rescued 3
people from the burning building . [ modifies the noun ]
Chasing the cat , the dog ran down the street . [ modifies the noun
‘dog’ ]
2- ] Past
Participles usually end in
–d or –ed .Some past participles are formed irregularly .
Examples
Well trained
, the soldier successfully carried out his mission . [ modifies the noun
‘soldier’ ]
We skated on
the frozen pond .
- Do not
confuse participles as adjectives with participles used in verb phrases . The
participle in a verb phrase is part of the verb .
Examples
Discouraged , the fans went home . [ adjective ]
The fans were
discouraged by the string of losses . [ verb phrase ]
Singing cheerfully , the birds perched among
the branches of the trees . [ adjective ]
The birds were
singing cheerfully among the branches of the trees . [ verb phrase ]
The Participial Phrase .
A participial
phrase consists of a participle together with its modifiers and complements .
The entire phrase is used as an adjective . A participial phrase contains a
participle plus any complements and modifiers .
Examples
The dog saw
many ducks swimming in the lake .
Barking loudly
, the dog approached the
water .
Stretching
slowly , the cat
jumped down from the window still . ( The participle ‘stretching’ is modified
by the adverb ‘slowly’ . The phrase modifies ‘cat’. )
The tornado predicated
by the meteorologist did not hit our area . ( The participle ‘predicted’ is
modified by the prepositional phrase ‘by the meteorologist’ . The participial
phrase modifies ‘tornado’ . )
Reading the
assignment , she took notes carefully . ( The participle
‘reading’ has the direct object ‘assignment’ . The phrase modifies ‘she’ . )
- A
participial phrase should be placed close to the word it modifies . Otherwise ,
the phrase may appear to modify another word , and the sentence may not make
sense .
Example
Hopping along the fence , I saw a rabbit . [
misplaced ]
I saw a rabbit
hopping along the fence .
Practice .
Participles and Participial Phrases .
Write the
participles and participial phrases . Then write the word or words each
participle or participial phrase modifies .
1- ] The
gathering clouds foretold a storm .
2- ] Born in
Italy , Dino moved first to France and then to the United States .
3- ] Having
learned German as a child , I could understand Florian .
4- ] These
shoes , made of cork , are very comfortable .
5- ] Refreshed
after a long night’s sleep , the golfer shot an amazing second round .
6- ] Newly
clipped and groomed , the poodle hid under the bed in embarrassment .
7- ] The
fallen apples littered the ground .
8- ] Dreaming
of sun and surf , the three women booked passage on a cruise ship to the tropics
.
9- ] After the
fire , nothing was left but some charred furniture .
10- ] Maria ,
being a realist , spoke openly about the problem .
The Infinitive & The
Infinitive Phrase .
The Infinitive .
An infinitive
is a verb form that can be used as a noun , an adjective or an adverb . Most
infinitives begin with to .
Examples
Nouns
To succeed is my goal . ( subject )
My ambition is
to teach French . ( predicate nominative )
She tried to
win . ( direct object of the verb ‘tried’ )
Adjectives
The place to
meet tomorrow is the park . ( ‘to meet’ modifies the noun ‘place’ )
She is the one
to call . ( ‘to call’ modifies
the pronoun ‘one’ )
Adverbs
She claims she
was born to surf . ( ‘to serf’ modifies the verb ‘was born’ )
This math
problem will be hard to solve without
a calculator .(‘to solve’ modifies the adjective ‘hard’ )
- To + a noun
or a pronoun [ to Cairo , to her ] is a prepositional phrase not an infinitive
.
Examples
I am going to
the market today . ( prepositional phrase )
I am going to
shop for new shoes . [ infinitive ]
Infinitives And
Infinitive Phrases .
An infinitive
is a verb form that is usually preceded by the word ‘to’ and is used as a noun
, an adjective , or an adverb .
When you use
the word ‘to’ before the base form of a verb , ‘to’ is not a preposition but
part of the infinitive form of the verb .
Examples
To volunteer
is rewarding . [ infinitive as subject ]
No one wants
to leave . [ infinitive as direct object ]
Their decision
was to merge . [ infinitive as predicate nominative ]
I felt the
need to call . [ infinitive as adjective ]
Everyone was
prepared to sacrifice . [ infinitive as adverb ]
An infinitive
phrase contains an infinitive plus any complements and modifiers .
Examples
Would you
prefer to sleep until noon ?
To speak slowly and clearly is important .
We plan to
work safely and effectively .
Occasionally ,
an infinitive phrase may have its own subject .
Examples
Our neighbor
encourages the dog to bark . [ ‘Dog’ is the subject of the infinitive ‘to bark
. The entire infinitive phrase ‘the dog to bark’ acts as the direct object of
the sentence ]
The teacher
asked Maria to give a speech . [ ‘Maria’ is the subject of the infinitive ‘to
give’ . The entire infinitive phrase ‘Maria to give a speech’ acts as the
direct object of the sentence ]
The subject of
the infinitive phrase comes between the main verb and the infinitive . The
subject of an infinitive phrase always follows an action verb . Sometimes the
word 'to’ is dropped before an infinitive .
Examples
Let me [to] do
the dishes .
We could have
heard a pin [to] drop .
An infinitive
phrase consists of an infinitive together with its modifiers and complements ,
The entire phrase may be used as a noun , an adjective or an adverb .
Examples
To be a good
gymnast takes hard
work . ( The infinitive phrase ‘to be a
good gymnast’ is used as a noun . The infinitive ‘To be” has a complement ‘a
good gymnast’ )
The first
person to fly over both the North Pole and the South Pole was Richard
Byrd . ( The infinitive phrase is used as an adjective modifying the noun
‘person’ . The infinitive ‘to fly’ is modified by the prepositional phrase )
Are you ready to
go to the gym now ? ( The infinitive phrase is used as an adverb modifying
the adjective ‘ready’ . The infinitive ‘to go’ is modified by the prepositional
phrase ‘to the gym’ and by the adverb ‘now’ .
Practice .
Infinitives and Infinitive Phrases .
Write the
infinitives and infinitive phrases . For each , write noun , adjective , or
adverb to tell how the infinitive or infinitive phrase is being used .
1- ] I don’t
like to wash dishes .
2- ] The
counselors will explain the way to make out your schedule .
3- ] To eat
properly is imperative .
4- ] Our plan
is to build in the spring .
5- ] Will you
help plan the program ?
6- ] I use a
calculator to help me with difficult math problems .
7- ] I was
unable to hear in the auditorium .
8- ] Let me
help you .
9- ] Suzan
wants to go home
10- ] The team
asked Sameer to get the pizza .
Appositives and
Appositive Phrases .
An appositive
is a noun or pronoun placed beside another noun or pronoun to identify or
describe it. An appositive phrase is an appositive plus any words that modify
the appositive .
Examples
My teacher Mr.
Ahmad enjoys books by Jane Austen .( an appositive identifying the noun
‘teacher’)
Mr. Ahmad
wishes he could go back in time to talk to one author , her . ( the
appositive identifies the noun ‘author’ )
An appositive
phrase consists of an appositive and its modifiers .
Examples
I recently saw
the movie version of ‘Persuasion’ , a novel by Jane Austen . (
‘by Jane Austen’ an appositive , modifying ‘novel’ )
Amanda Root , the
female lead in the movie , plays Anne Elliot . ( The noun ‘lead’ is the
appositive , ‘the , ‘in the movie’ modify ‘lead’ )
My sister Sara
works at the hospital . [The appositive ‘Sara’ identifies the noun ‘sister’ ]
She works with
Dr. Martin , an award-winning pediatrician . [ The appositive phrase
underlined identifies Dr. Martin [
- Appositives
and appositive phrases that are not essential to the meaning of a sentence are set off by commas .If the appositive is
essential to the meaning it is generally not set off by commas.
Examples
Anne , a
goodhearted and intelligent woman , must learn not to be too easily
persuaded by others .
( ‘learn not
to be easily persuaded by others’ is an appositive phrase that adds descriptive
information that is unnecessary to the sentence’s basic meaning , so it s set
off by commas )
Anne’s friend Lady
Russell sometimes gives Anne poor advice . ( Anne has more than one friend
. The appositive ‘Lady Russell’ tells you which friend is meant , so it is not
set off by commas )
Usually an
appositive or an appositive phrase follows the noun or pronoun it identifies or
explains . Occasionally , an appositive phrase precedes the noun or pronoun .
Example
A
compassionate person , Jodi helps many patients .
Practice .
Appositive and Appositive Phrases .
Write each
appositive or appositive phrase and the noun or pronoun that is identified or
explained by the appositive .
1- ] My friend
Ahmad has applied to four law schools .
2- ] Those
trees , an elm and a maple ,are giants .
3- ] The
boxing match , a championship bout , is on television tonight .
4- ] Our best
mechanic , Adel has worked here for many years .
5- ] Mail your
story to Mr. Arcaro , the contest director .
6- ] The
potato , a good source of Vitamin C , is a member of the nightshade family .
7- ] An oil
refinery , this plant is important to the town’s economy .
8- ] The novel
To Kill a Mockingbird remains a favorite .
9- ] A
valuable player , Salah will be missed in tonight’s playoff game .
10- ] The
finale , five minutes of spectacular fireworks , delighted the fourth of July
crowd .
Practice
Verbals and Appositives .
Identify each
italicized word by writing one of these labels : participle , gerund ,
infinitive , appositive .
1- ] Jalal
practices tumbling yesterday .
2-] The
goldfinch , a songbird , perched on our tall flowers .
3- ] Bothered
by the mosquitoes , we moved the activities indoors .
4- ] I enjoyed
visiting Alaska .
5- ] Noura
calmed herself by whistling .
6- ] Traveling
along a country road , we spotted deer in the fields .
7- ] The
defendant refused to answer the prosecutor’s question .
8- ] The cabin
doesn’t have running water .
9- ] Hidden
away in the attic , the love letters had yellowed and became brittle .
10- ] Laila
plays the dulcimer , a stringed instrument .
Gerunds And Gerund
Phrases .
A gerund is a
verb form that ends in –ing and is used in the same way a noun is used .
Examples
Training is essential [ gerund as subject ]
My aunt enjoys
golfing . [ gerund as direct object ]
We should give
communicating more attention . [ gerund as indirect object ]
Do we get
credit for trying ? [ gerund as object of preposition ]
His passion
was sailing . [ gerund as predicate nominative ]
My favorite
sports , boxing and wrestling , require strength and agility . [
gerund as appositive ]
A gerund
phrase contains a gerund plus any complements and modifiers .
Examples
Climbing the mountain was a challenging activity
.
I enjoy my
grandmother’s down-home cooking .
Although both
a gerund and a present participle end in –ing
, they function as different parts of speech . A gerund is used as a
noun , whereas a present participle is used as part of a verb phrase or as an
adjective .
Examples
Participle in
a verb phrase .
I am sewing
this hem . [ present participle functioning as main verb ]
Participle as
an adjective
Sewing a
button on her shirt , Beth pricked her finger . [ present participle in
participial phrase modifying Beth ]
Gerund
Sewing is
Beth’s favorite pastime . [ gerund functioning as subject .
Practice
Gerunds and Gerund Phrases .
Write the
gerunds and gerund phrases . Identify the way each is used by writing one of
these labels : subject , direct object , indirect object , object of a
preposition , predicate nominative , appositive .
1- ] Seeing
all her grandchildren gave Randa great pleasure .
2- ] The boys
enjoy fishing .
3- ] Constant
complaining is an annoyance .
4- ] The
teacher gave his singing high praise .
5- ] We can
save money by conserving energy .
6- ] After the
rain , the child looked forward to his favorite pastime , jumping in mud
puddles .
7- ] The band
improved greatly by practicing every day .
8- My least favorite chore is mowing the lawn .
9- ] Hassan
loves reading the morning paper .
10- ]My
parents’ regimen , exercising for an hour every morning , keeps them physically
fit .
Absolute Phrases .
An absolute
phrase , also known as a nominative absolute , consists of a noun or a pronoun
that is modified by a participle or a participial phrase . An absolute phrase
has no grammatical relation to the rest of the sentence .
An absolute
phrase belongs neither to the complete subject nor the complete predicate of a
sentence. It stands ‘absolutely’ by itself in relation to the rest of the
sentence .
Examples
Its wings
badly damaged in the storm , the aircraft crashed .
We departed on
schedule , the weather [ being ] perfect .
Practice .
Absolute Phrases .
Write each
absolute phrase .
1- ] Their
chores completed , the children played until bedtime .
2- ] We eased
the car , its engine still smoking , off the highway .
3- ] Their
wings singed by the fire , the butterflies were barely able to fly .
4- ] The two
boys , their hopes dashed , dropped out of the competition .
5- ] The
construction completed , the family moved into their new cottage by the lake .
6- ] We wore
jackets , the air being cold .
7- ] The sun
having set , lights dotted the mountainside .
8- ] His plane
approaching the airport , the pilot lowered the wheels .
9- ] Their
mouths burning from the hot peppers , our friends gulped cold water .
10- ] The
students , their eyes glazed and tired , slowly filed from the testing room .
Pretest .
Identifying Verbals and Appositives .
Identify each
italicized word by writing one of these labels : participle , gerund ,
infinitive , appositive .
1- ] I was
beginning to sound like a broken record .
2- ] Working
as quickly as he could , Adel secured the boat .
3- ]My brother
bought an antique car , an MG convertible .
4- ] To win
fairly is the goal .
5- ] The old
house , a Tudor mansion , could be a beautiful residence .
6- ] I am not
good at typing .
7- ] The
parade is about to start .
8- ] A captain
is not to leave a sinking ship until all the passengers have safely
disembarked .
9- ] Sewn
into the hem of the draperies , small weights keep the fabric hanging correctly
.
10- ] You will
enjoy swimming in that pool .
Posttest .
Identifying Verbals and Appositives
Identify each
italicized word by writing one of these labels : participle , gerund ,
infinitive , appositive .
1- ] Students
in writing class enjoy reading their own stories .
2- ] To
putt accurately takes years of practice .
3- ] Lightning
caused me to run for cover .
4- ] Sliding
mud covered the highway .
5- ] The first
scene of the movie , a flashback to World War 11 , captured the
audience’s attention .
6- ] Bent with
age , the old Greek sailor hobbled to the sea every day .
7- ] Spoken
language is sometimes more casual than written language .
8- ] We
invited our neighbors , the Richards , to dinner .
9- ] Grown
in California , this fruit was shipped east in one day .
10- ] Typing
my research paper took me five hours .
Pretest .
Identifying Phrases .
Identify each
italicized group or words by writing one of these labels : prepositional phrase
, appositive phrase , participial phrase , infinitive phrase , gerund phrase ,
absolute phrase .
1- ] On a farm
, one gets accustomed to working in the heat .
2- ] We
arrived safely , the roads being dry and virtually free of traffic .
3- ] By
midsummer the corn was in tassel .
4- ]
Learning a new language is difficult for many people .
5- ] Waiting
impatiently for the rain to stop , my grandmother paced at the door of the
grocery .
6- ] The storm
raged along the southern coastline .
7- ] I have
always wanted to learn woodworking .
8- ] Struck
by lightning , the tree bears a six-inch scar from top to bottom .
9- ] Fruits
and vegetables , the vitamin-rich foods , are also the colorful ones .
10- ] Many
cities encourage residents to separate recyclable items .
Practice .
Phrases .
Identify each
italicized group of words by writing one of these labels : participial phrase ,
infinitive phrase , gerund phrase , appositive phrase , absolute phrase ,
prepositional phrase .
1- ] Every
Wednesday , Latifa goes to the store .
2- ]
Exhausted after the race , the athlete rested for an hour .
3- ] His
pants spattered with mud , the banker returned home to change his clothes .
4- ] Children
like working with clay .
5- ] Standing
under a beach tree , I stayed dry during the shower .
6- ] Jamal , a
diligent worker , excels at his job .
7- ] Sitting
in the third row of the theater , we could hear every word the actors
uttered .
8- ] I am
determined to learn more about geography .
9- ] That book
, a guide for tourists , costs very little .
10- ] Don’t
try to do everything at once .
Practice .
Identifying Phrases .
Identify each
italicized group of words by writing one of these labels : participial phrase ,
infinitive phrase , gerund phrase , appositive phrase , absolute phrase ,
prepositional phrase .
1- ] The law
prohibits picking the wildflowers .
2- ] To be
given a difficult assignment is a challenge .
3- ] Having
promised my little niece a treat , I spun homemade cotton candy for her .
4- ] Our team
took the field , the storm having passed .
5- ] Drilling
for oil requires financial risk .
6- ] Here and
there on the rocky shoreline , fishermen hunched over their lines waiting
for some luck .
7- ] The
restaurant , a replica of an old railroad dining car , serves only
Italian food .
8- ] Written
by a teenager , this article expresses perfectly a young person’s views on
education .
9- ] Mohamad
decided to visit his old neighborhood .
10- ] I had
toast , eggs , and orange juice for breakfast .
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