PHRASES IN A SENTENCE

Phrases form combinations of words used in an oral and written language to communicate more effectively and deliver certain messages better. The following article provides information on phrases and their usage in a sentence. Moreover, it explains what types of phrases exist and how they work in the English language o what are the other tips for writing a good narrative essay. 

Meaning of Phrases

Phrases can be characterized as a specific group of words, which perform the function of a part of speech. However, they cannot be used separately as a sentence, as they have neither subject, not a predicate. Nevertheless, the combination of words in a phrase can function as a single part of speech. For example, phrases can represent a noun, adjective, adverb, etc.

The following combinations of words can be characterized as phrases:

On the table;
Above the ground;
Under the chair.
As it was mentioned above, these phrases carry some meaning but cannot serve as a separate sentence. They can form a complete sentence only in combination with other parts of speech. For example:
The vase is on the table.
The cat is under the chair.
The ball flew above the ground.

Properties of Phrases

The properties of phrases include the following:

Phrases are formed by a combination of words.
Finite verbs are never parts of the phrases;
Phrases may include non-finite verbs (gerunds, infinitive, etc).
Separately used phrases are deprived of meaning.
In order to form a grammatically correct sentence, the phrases should be used with other parts of speech.