Phrase & Clause | English Grammar |

Phrase & Clause | English Grammar |

Phrase & Clause are also a part of English Grammar. These are the part of a sentence, Clause gives the sentence a meaning.


Phrase - A Phrase is a part of the sentence and does not give complete sense.

Examples:
1. The sun sets in the west.
2. He sat on a wall.
3. I like playing hockey.
4. I don't know how to prepare tea.
5. He took lunch in the afternoon.
6. He tried to win the match.
7. He slept at night.
8. To err is human.
9. I salute my motherland.
10. We want a place in the city.

The group of words in italics given above are Phrases.

Clause - A clause has a subject and a predicate and makes complete sense.

Kinds of Clauses: There are three kinds of Clauses :

1) Principal Clause - The clause which is not dependent on other clause for its meaning is called Principal Clause. It is also called Independent Clause, e.g:

1) They rested when evening came.
2) He is the boy who stole my pen.

In above sentences, 'They rested' and 'He is the boy' are Principal Clauses because they give complete meaning.

2) Co-ordinate Clause - This Clause is called an Independent Clause because it is not dependent on other clause. Two simple sentences are combined with each other with one Co-ordinate Conjunction,e.g:

1) He is rich but he is miser.
2) Go away or Come in.

In sentence 1, 'He is rich' and 'he is miser' are two independent clauses which are joined by Co-ordinate Conjunction 'but'. The clause which starts with Co-ordinate Conjunction is called Co-ordinate Clause.

3) Subordinate Clause - This clause does not have complete meaning in itself. It depends on Principal Clause to clear its meaning, e.g:

1) He told me a story which was interesting.
2) We must help those who are poor.

In sentence 1, 'which was interesting' is not able to give its complete meaning, it depends on Principal Clause - 'He told me a story' for its meaning. Therefore 'which was interesting' is Subordinate Clause. Subordinate Clause is further divided into three clauses - Noun Clause, Adjective Clause and Adverb Clause that will be discussed in different topic.

Examples:
1. Tell me what you want.
2. I don't know where he lives.
3. Ram told me that he was not well.
4. I can't go while it is raining.
5. I think that you have done your duty.
6. I believe he is innocent.
7. I am sure he will help you.
8. They believed that he was innocent.
9. He is sure that he will win the match.
10. No one doubts that he speaks the truth.

In the above sentences, the group of words in italics are Clauses.

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