Differentiating between phrases and clauses - SS3 English Lesson Note
Phrases are groups of words that do not have a subject and a verb. They can function as nouns, verbs, adjectives, or adverbs. For example, the phrase "the big dog" is a noun phrase that functions as a noun. The phrase "running quickly" is an adverb phrase that functions as an adverb.
Clauses are groups of words that have a subject and a verb. They can be independent clauses, which can stand on their own as complete sentences, or dependent clauses, which cannot stand on their own as complete sentences. For example, the clause "The big dog ran quickly" is an independent clause. The clause "because he was excited" is a dependent clause.
A table of differences between phrases and clauses:
| Feature | Phrase | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Has a subject and a verb | No | Yes |
| Can stand on its own as a complete sentence | No | Yes (independent clauses) |
| Can function as a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb | Yes | Yes (dependent clauses) |
some examples of phrases and clauses:
Phrases: The big dog, Running quickly, Because he was excited e.t.c
Clauses:
The big dog ran quickly.
Because he was excited, the big dog ran quickly.