- Introduction
Learn- Try It
- Task
Learn
Answer the Unit 2 Notes as you review the Lesson.
A phrase is a group of words that function as a unit. A phrase cannot stand alone because it lacks a subject, a predicate (the part of the sentence that contains the verb), or both.
There are three types of phrases that you need to know: prepositional, appositive, and verbal.
Prepositional Phrases
A preposition is one of the eight parts of speech that describes a relationship between two things.
A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition and ends with the object of that preposition, which is either a noun or pronoun.
For example:
Lacy left her book in the classroom.
The word in is the preposition and classroom is the object of the preposition.
Watch Prepositional Phrases (6:01) to learn about prepositions and their uses.
Login instructions for Discovery Education.
Appositive Phrases
An appositive is a noun or pronoun that modifies, or describes, another noun or pronoun.
What's the purpose of the appositive? It provides additional information about the noun or pronoun.
For example:
My friend Jane lives in Hawaii.
Jane provides additional information about friend.
An appositive phrase is the appositive plus any words that modify, or describe, it. For example:
Tucker, my golden retriever, chased a cat for three blocks.
Appositives can be essential or nonessential to the sentence.
The phrase my golden retriever provides more information about Tucker.
Notice that the appositive is separated by commas. Only the appositives that provide the extra information receive the comma like in the second example.
In the first sentence, Jane is essential for the sentence to make sense, so there is no need for commas.
Verbal Phrases
Verbal Phrases text version | Open Verbal Phrases in a new tab
 |
 |