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