PHRASES.
1. The term phrase refers to a meaningful segment of words which is larger than
a word and smaller than a clause.
2. TYPES OF PHRASES:
Phrases are classified according to their functions within a sentence.
We have adverbial phrases, adjectival phrases, noun phrases and prepositional phrases.
(a) Adverbial phrases
Like adverbs, we have adverbial phrases of manner, contrast, condition,
purpose,
reason, degree and result.
Below are two examples.
(i) He kept the cup in the cupboard.
‘In the cupboard’ is an adverbial phrase of place.
(ii) She woke up at 8. O’clock.
Adverbial phrase of time
He saw her running very fast
(Adv. Manner)
(b) Prepositional phrases
These phrases play the role of prepositions. We have already examined
various examples of these under complex prepositions
e.g He is good at Chemistry.
She is responsible for the girls’ dormitory.
(c) Noun phrases and adjectival phrases
These consist of a group of words that function as nouns.
They may consist of an article and one or several adjectives and the noun
that the preceding words modify.
,e.g. The short young man came to class
Adjective phrase noun
Noun phrase
A brilliantly lit lamp was in the house
noun
Adjectival phrase
Noun phrase
Functions of noun phrases:
As subject
e.g. The shortest girl in the class ran out
S
As object
He gave the books to a boy in a blue trouser
O
They saw the wounded stray dog.
O
AS COMPLIMENT
e.g. That is the girl with a tattoo on her chest.
C
The underlined phrase acts as a compliment of the pronoun that.
Mutua is a hard working boy.
C
SENTENCES AND CLAUSES.
1. DEFINITIONS
The term sentence can be defined as a meaningful segment bigger than a
phrase and smaller than a paragraph.
A sentence must comprise of at least one clause.
, A sentence may consist of two main parts: the subject part and the predicate.
e.g. The boy/ washed the dishes
Subject predicate
In this sentence, the predicate consists of the verb and the object.
The subject is usually the doer of the action stated by the verb. In the above sentence
‘The boy’ is the subject.
2. TYPES OF SENTENCES
Sentences may be classified as:
a. Imperatives
b. Interrogatives
c. Exclamatory
d. Declarative/affirmative and
e.Negative
(a) IMPERATIVES:
Most commands, requests, invitations and suggestions are expressed by the imperatives.
(i) Commands
The second person imperatives has the same form as the bare infinitive.
e.g. (you ) hurry !
Wait!, run ! e.t.c.
The person addressed is often not mentioned but can be expressed by a noun
at the end of the phrase.
e.g. Shut up! Kioko.
‘do’ can be placed before the affirmative imperative.
e.g. Do shut up – shut up!
Do be quick – be quick!
The first person imperative is expressed by let us (lets) + bare infinitive
e.g. Let’s go home.
1. The term phrase refers to a meaningful segment of words which is larger than
a word and smaller than a clause.
2. TYPES OF PHRASES:
Phrases are classified according to their functions within a sentence.
We have adverbial phrases, adjectival phrases, noun phrases and prepositional phrases.
(a) Adverbial phrases
Like adverbs, we have adverbial phrases of manner, contrast, condition,
purpose,
reason, degree and result.
Below are two examples.
(i) He kept the cup in the cupboard.
‘In the cupboard’ is an adverbial phrase of place.
(ii) She woke up at 8. O’clock.
Adverbial phrase of time
He saw her running very fast
(Adv. Manner)
(b) Prepositional phrases
These phrases play the role of prepositions. We have already examined
various examples of these under complex prepositions
e.g He is good at Chemistry.
She is responsible for the girls’ dormitory.
(c) Noun phrases and adjectival phrases
These consist of a group of words that function as nouns.
They may consist of an article and one or several adjectives and the noun
that the preceding words modify.
,e.g. The short young man came to class
Adjective phrase noun
Noun phrase
A brilliantly lit lamp was in the house
noun
Adjectival phrase
Noun phrase
Functions of noun phrases:
As subject
e.g. The shortest girl in the class ran out
S
As object
He gave the books to a boy in a blue trouser
O
They saw the wounded stray dog.
O
AS COMPLIMENT
e.g. That is the girl with a tattoo on her chest.
C
The underlined phrase acts as a compliment of the pronoun that.
Mutua is a hard working boy.
C
SENTENCES AND CLAUSES.
1. DEFINITIONS
The term sentence can be defined as a meaningful segment bigger than a
phrase and smaller than a paragraph.
A sentence must comprise of at least one clause.
, A sentence may consist of two main parts: the subject part and the predicate.
e.g. The boy/ washed the dishes
Subject predicate
In this sentence, the predicate consists of the verb and the object.
The subject is usually the doer of the action stated by the verb. In the above sentence
‘The boy’ is the subject.
2. TYPES OF SENTENCES
Sentences may be classified as:
a. Imperatives
b. Interrogatives
c. Exclamatory
d. Declarative/affirmative and
e.Negative
(a) IMPERATIVES:
Most commands, requests, invitations and suggestions are expressed by the imperatives.
(i) Commands
The second person imperatives has the same form as the bare infinitive.
e.g. (you ) hurry !
Wait!, run ! e.t.c.
The person addressed is often not mentioned but can be expressed by a noun
at the end of the phrase.
e.g. Shut up! Kioko.
‘do’ can be placed before the affirmative imperative.
e.g. Do shut up – shut up!
Do be quick – be quick!
The first person imperative is expressed by let us (lets) + bare infinitive
e.g. Let’s go home.
