Phrases and Clauses

1. Question: What is the difference between phrases and clauses?

The difference between phrases and clauses can be confusing.

a. Phrase
A phrase is a group of words that has either no subject or no predicate or both.

• opening the gate (no subject)
• the man at the counter (no predicate)
• across the river (a modifier: neither a subject nor a predicate)

b. Clause

A clause is a group of words containing both a subject and a predicate.
Dependent Clauses cannot stand alone as sentences.

• although the man held his daughter
• because Jerry was laughing at the joke

Independent Clauses can stand alone as a sentence.

• Alfred did not want to marry
• My sister, Mariana, was talking about our mother

Question: How do we know if a clause can stand alone as a sentence?
To test, determine if the clause has a complete verb, (subject) and a predicate.
Try the “Yes/No Question” Test.

Example 1:

Word Group: walked to the store

yes/no question: Did walked to the store?

phrase/independent clause/dependent clause: phrase

Example 2:

Word group: Harry walked to the store.

yes/no question: Did Harry walk to the store

phrase/independent clause/dependent clause: independent clause

Example 3:

Word group: where Harry walked

yes/no question: Did where Harry walked?

phrase/independent clause/dependent clause: dependent clause