Phrase Unit Test

How does every infinitive (phrase) begin?

With "to"

Gerund Examples

• Eating is something I enjoy. (Eating is used as the subject) • Do you have a love of bowling? (Bowling is the object of the preposition) • Spencer tried climbing. (Climbing is a direct object) • My favorite part of the show was the juggling. (Juggling is the predicate nominative)

Gerund Phrase Examples

• The harsh sounding of alarm bells alerted us to the danger ahead. (Subject) • We listened to the beautiful singing of the famous soprano. (OP) • The Smiths enjoy talking loudly. (DO) • Her favorite pastime is feeding the alpacas. (PN)

Infinitive Phrase Examples

• To stand can be uncomfortable. (Noun - subject) • Birds have an instinct to fly. (Adjective -modifies instinct) • Sabrina jumped to shoot. (Adverb - modifies jumped)

Infinitive Phrase Examples

•To make tamales quickly was hard. (Noun) •Chris is the player to watch in the next game. (Adjective) •We are eager to finish this project. (Adverb)

With what letters does a gerund end?

-ing

Hints and Tricks for Infinitive Phrases

1. "It" test 2. Adjective? 3. Adverb?

Prepositional phrase tricks

A preposition can fill in the blank of the sentence - The arrow went _______ the wagon. Also includes TODD BLUES: till, of, during, despite, but, like, until, except, since

How does a prepositional phrase act in a sentence?

A prepositional phrase acts in a sentence in the same way an adjective (modifies a noun or pronoun) or adverb (modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb) does.

Prepositional Phrase

A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun called the object of the preposition

What grammatical parts does every phrase contain?

A subject or a predicate

Infinitive

An infinitive is a form of a verb that is usually preceded by the word "to" and is used as a noun, adjective, or an adverb.

Infinitive Phrase

An infinitive phrase includes the infinitive plus any complements and modifiers

Hints and Tricks for Appositive Phrases

Appositive is always the second noun or pronoun

How can one determine if a gerund is functioning as a subject, direct object, object of the preposition, or predicate nominative?

Based on the words it follows/precedes

How can one determine which function each infinitive is performing?

Based on the words it follows/precedes. Do the "it" test first to see if it is functioning as a noun.

Example of an Appositive Phrase

He is living and working in Paris, the famous capital city of France.

Identify the type of phrase in the following sentence. My dentist, Dr. Johnson, is the only doctor in town.

Dr.Johnson - appositive

Identify the gerund phrases and what they are functioning as in the following sentence. I would enjoy traveling to other countries more than I enjoy owning a new car.

Gerunds: traveling to other countries, owning a new car Functions as: Direct Object

Identify the infinitive phrase and state what it functions as and modifies. To be safe, stay on the bicycle path.

Infinitive: to be safe Functions as: adverb Modifies: stay

Identify the infinitive phrase and state what it functions as and modifies. Did you have time to feed the goats?

Infinitive: to feed the goats Functions as: adjective Modifies: time

Identify the infinitive phrase and state what it functions as and modifies. To open a Mexican restaurant, a person must hire an expert Mexican chef.

Infinitive: to open a Mexican restaurant Functions as: adjective Modifies: person

Identify the infinitive phrase and state what it functions as and modifies. Always try to proofread your paper before you hand it in.

Infinitive: to proofread your paper (noun - direct object)

Identify the infinitive phrase and state what it functions as and modifies. To sit through a long movie is impossible for Megan.

Infinitive: to sit through a long movie (noun - subject)

Identify the infinitive phrase and state what it functions as and modifies. Salina came to walk my puppy.

Infinitive: to walk my puppy Functions as: adverb Modifies: came

Prepositional Phrases are Often Confused with

Infinitives

Identify the prepositional phrase in the following sentence, what it modifies, and if it is adjectival or adverbial. Children are usually punished for their own good.

Prepositional phrase: for their own good Modifies: punished Adverbial

Identify the prepositional phrase in the following sentence, what it modifies, and if it is adjectival or adverbial. The Great Lakes forms a system of water transportation

Prepositional phrase: of water transportation Modifies: system Adjectival

What are the three kinds of phrases?

Prepositional, appositive, and verbal

What two types of participles are there? With what letters does each type end?

Present (-ing) and past (-ed)

Present participle example

Present participle - We were warned to watch for falling rocks.

Identify the type of phrase in the following sentence. Screaming at the top of her lungs, she caught my attention.

Screaming at the top of her lungs - participial

Example of an Adverbial Phrase

She runs quickly for a small child. (Adverbial phrase modifying quickly)

Identify the type of phrase in the following sentence. I could see Frank sitting three seats away.

Sitting - participial

Identify the type of phrase in the following sentence. Slowing down, the driver changed gears.

Slowing down - participial

Hints and Tricks for Gerund Phrases

Substitute "it"

Identify the type of phrase in the following sentence. Tackled on the one-foot line, he fumbled the ball.

Tackled on the one-foot line - participial

Hints and Tricks for Prepositional Phrases

The arrow went _______ the wagon. TODD BLUES

Participial Phrase Example

The badly defeated team accepted loss with dignity.

Phrase

A phrase is a group of words that acts in a sentence as a single part of speech

Identify the appositive in the following sentence. Philadelphia, a city in Pennsylvania, is known as the "City of Brotherly Love."

A city in Pennsylvania

Identify the appositive in the following sentence. Bridget, a complete nerd, read the dictionary in 8th grade.

A complete nerd

Gerund

A gerund is a form of a verb that ends in "-ing" and is used in the same way a noun is used.

Gerund Phrase

A gerund phrase includes complements and modifiers in addition to the gerund

Identify the appositive in the following sentence. Olympus, a mountain in Greece, was believed to be the home of the gods.

A mountain in Greece

Participial Phrase

A participial phrase includes complements and modifiers in addition to the participle

Participle

A participle is a form of a verb that works as an adjective

Verbal

A verbal is a form of a verb that works in a sentence as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb

Verbal Phrase

A verbal phrase is a verbal plus any complements and modifiers

Prepositional Phrase Examples

A. The stairs lead to the attic. B. The stairway leads to the crowded attic and roof.

How can one tell the difference between the two types?

Adj. = modifies a noun or pronoun Adv = modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb

What part of speech do participles function as?

Adjective

Appositive Phrases are Often Confused with

Adjective Clauses

Prepositional Phrases Function as

Adjective or Adverb

What two parts of speech can prepositional phrases function as?

Adjective or adverb

Participial Phrases Function as

Adjectives

Where does an appositive come in a sentence, relative to the word it renames or restates?

Always the second noun or pronoun

Appositive

An appositive is a noun or pronoun placed next to another noun or pronoun to give additional information about it.

Appositive Phrase

An appositive phrase is an appositive plus any words that modify the appositive.

Hints and Tricks for Participial Phrases

Follows the noun it modifies

Identify the phrase and say whether it is a gerund or a participial phrase in the following sentence. In both high school and college I enjoyed debating.

Gerund: debating (direct object)

Identify the gerund phrase and what it is functioning as in the following sentence. Merchants are experts in the art of selling every imaginable type of merchandise.

Gerund: selling every imaginable type of merchandise Functions as: Object of the Preposition

Identify the phrase and what it is functioning as in the following sentence. Spending three years in Africa was the most beneficial thing that ever happened to me.

Gerund: spending three years in Africa (functions as the subject)

Identify the gerund phrase and what it is functioning as in the following sentence. Traveling to different places is a great learning experience.

Gerund: traveling to different places Functions as: subject

Participial Phrases are Often Confused with

Gerunds

What does an appositive phrase do?

It gives additional information about a noun or pronoun

Example of an appositive

My friend Jenn loves cheesesteaks from Pat's. Appositive = Jenn

What part of speech do gerunds function as?

Noun

Appositive Phrases Function as

Noun or pronoun

What part of speech does an appositive function as?

Noun or pronoun

Appositive Phrases Look Like

Noun or pronoun next to another noun or pronoun

What three parts of speech can infinitives function as?

Noun, adjective, and adverb

Infinitive Phrases Function as

Noun, adjective, or adverb

Gerund Phrases Function as

Nouns (Subject, DO, PN, and OP)

Gerund Phrases are Often Confused with

Participial Phrases

Identify the participial phrase in the following sentence and state what it modifies. Stores located so near each other are convenient.

Participial phrase: located so near each other Modifies: stores

Identify the participial phrase in the following sentence and state what it modifies. Offering musical performances and art shows, malls act as entertainment centers.

Participial phrase: offering musical performances and art shows Modifies: malls

Identify the phrase and what it is functioning as in the following sentence. Working all morning, the plumber cleared the clogged drain.

Participial phrase: working all morning

What are the three kinds of verbal phrases?

Participial, gerund, infinitive

Identify the participial phrase in the following sentence and state what it modifies. There is a documented story of a dinner party that became a comedy of errors.

Participle: documented Modifies: story

Identify the phrase and what it is functioning as in the following sentence. The frowning judge told Reggie the Rock to remove his hat.

Participle: frowning

Identify the participial phrase in the following sentence and state what it modifies. The salt hit the eye of a passing waiter.

Participle: passing Modifies: waiter

What are the three kinds of verbal phrases?

Participles, gerunds, and infinitives

What are the three types of verbals?

Participles, gerunds, and infinitives

Past participle example

Past participle - No one would eat the burned (or burnt) toast.

Prepositional Phrases Look Like

Preposition + Noun/Pronoun

What two parts does every prepositional phrase contain?

Preposition + Noun/Pronoun (Object of the Preposition)

Infinitive Phrases are Often Confused with

Prepositional Phrases

Example of an Adjectival Prepositional Phrase

They used the bikes in the shed. (Adjectival phrase modifying bikes)

Infinitive Phrases Look Like

To + a verb

Identify the type of phrase in the following sentence. To pay cash is surely the best way.

To pay cash - infinitive

Identify the type of phrase in the following sentence. The crying baby hid under the table.

Under the table - prepositional

Participial Phrases Look Like

Verb + -ed or -ing ending

Gerund Phrases Look Like

Verb + -ing ending

Identify the type of phrase in the following sentence. I have never liked waiting in line.

Waiting - gerund