Definition of Phrase:
What Is a Phrase? | Definition Types and Examples
The phrase in simple words:
A phrase is a group of words that does not have its own subject and predicate (predicate may be a main verb or helping verb). Such a group of words makes some sense but does not give a complete sense. Actually, a phrase is a part of the sentence and helps in making the complete sentence with complete sense.
Examples:
A man of parts.
A man of worth.
In the corner.
On the hill.
On my success.
At the bus stop.
By using all the above phrases to make complete sentences.
He is a man of parts.
Ali is a man of worth.
They sat in the corner.
The eagle was on the hill.
My father was very happy on my success.
I received him at the bus stop.
What Is a Phrase? Definition Types and Examples
Kinds of Phrases
There are eight kinds of phrase.
1. Adjective Phrase:
When a group of words without having subject and predicate does the work of an adjective, called Adjective Phrase. It must consist of multiple words. We can make an adjective phrase from an adjective by adding one or more words.
Examples:
a nobleman, of great nobility, with blue eyes.
In the above examples noble, nobility and blue are adjectives and after adding words with each adjective make adjective phrases.
Let us learn adjective and adjective phrase which are equal and how we can derive adjective phrase from the adjective. Remember underlined words are just adjectives in the Adjective column whereas underlined words in the Adjective Phrase column are adjective phrases.
| Adjectives | Adjective Phrases |
| A smiling face | A face with a smile on it. |
| The longest day | The day of great length. |
| A kind man | A man with kind nature. |
| A purple shirt | A shirt of purple color. |
| A blue-eyed boy | A boy with blue eyes. |
| A white elephant | An elephant with a white skin. |
2. Adverb Phrase:
When a group of words without having its subject and predicate do the job of an adverb, called adverb phrase.
(Adverb: When we modify adjective by adding ly at the end of the adjective, time, place, and manner then it is called an adverb.)
Examples:
With great speed, In a hurried manner, At this moment, In no time, Before long
Before proceeding further, let us take a look at adverb simply.
Ali ran speedily. (Adverb by Quality)
He is busy now. (Adverb by time)
They will reach here soon. (Adverb by time)
You can see greenery everywhere. (Adverb by place)
Let us study the Adverb and Adverb Phrases which are equal to them and we will, ultimately, learn how to make Adverb Phrase from Adverb.
| Adverbs | Adverb Phrases |
| Hastily | In a hasty manner |
| Beautifully | In a beautiful style |
| Foolishly | In a foolish manner |
| Now | At this moment |
| Swiftly | In a swift manner |
| Abroad | In a foreign country |
| Recently | Just now / At a recent date |
Examples of Adverbs to Adverb Phrases by its types:
| Adverb Types | Adverbs | Adverb Phrases |
| MANNER | bravely carefully carelessly quickly cleverly beautifully | in a brave manner with great care without any care with great speed in a clever manner in a beautiful style |
| PLACE | here there away abroad everywhere | at this place at that place at another place in a foreign country at all places |
| TIME | now then soon formerly recently | at this very moment at that moment at an early date once upon a time at a recent date |
Position of Adverb Phrase:
When there are two or more Adverbs or Adverb Phrases after a verb, the normal or general order will be as:
Adverb of MANNER, PLACE, TIME.
Examples:
They sang sweetly at the concert yesterday.
Manner Place Time
Adverbials:
An adverb phrase includes some adverbs with prepositions called adverbials.
Examples:
To my great profit.
At any cost.
In the long run.
3.Noun Phrase:
A noun phrase is a group of words that acts as a noun. It may be a subject or object/complement of a verb.
Examples:
1.Bird’s eye view
2.At sixes and sevens
3.Kith and Kin
4.Without rhyme or reason
5.To learn driving
6.Ups and downs
7.Wear and tear
8.Part and parcel
Learn how the above phrases can be turned into sentences.
1.We have a bird’s eye view of the city from the tower.
2.Everything in the room was at sixes and sevens.
3.We should be kind to our kith and kin.
4.He left his services without rhyme or reason.
5.He wants to learn driving.
6.We should learn from ups and downs of life.
7.Wear and tears of roads causes problems.
8.Mobile phone is a part and parcel of modern life.
4.Prepositional Phrase:
A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition followed by a prepositional complement which is characteristically a noun phrase or a WH-Clause or V-ing Clause.
| Preposition | Prepositional Complement |
| At | the railway station |
| From | what he said |
| By | singing a song |
A Few Prepositional Phrases Are:
According to, along with, away from, because of, in favor of, in spite of, instead of, in order to, in place of, on account of, with a view to, with regard to, at the bottom of, at home in, by dint of, in case of etc.
5. Phrase in Apposition:
(Explanatory Words)
If we join two sentences with the help of “Defining Clause”, it is called Phrase in Apposition. Normally, the position of this phrase occurs in the middle of the sentences and sometimes at the end also.
Examples:
1.Columbus was the founder of America. He was a popular person.
Columbus, the founder of America was a popular person.
2.William Wordsworth is a romantic poet. He wrote several poems on nature.
William Wordsworth, the romantic poet wrote several poems.
In sentence 1, Columbus and the founder of America have the same meanings.
In sentence 2, William Wordsworth and romantic poet have the same meanings.
So, the founder of America and the romantic poet both are in the middle of their respective sentences and also explain Columbus and William Wordsworth respectively, therefore both these groups are Phrase in Apposition.
6. Absolute Phrase:
Groups of words of interdependence with the separate subjects and without finite verbs are called Absolute Phrase.
Examples:
1.It was a holiday. We went out for a holiday.
It being a holiday, we went out for a holiday.
2.The soldiers arrived. The people dispersed.
The soldiers having arrived, the people dispersed.
In the above sentences, It being a holiday and The soldiers having arrived depends upon the actual parts of the sentences therefore, they are Absolute or Nominative Phrases.
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