Phrase (disambiguation) facts for kids

A phrase is a group of words that works together as a single unit in a sentence. Think of it like a small team of words that has a special job. Unlike a full sentence, a phrase doesn't usually have both a subject (who or what is doing something) and a verb (the action) that can stand alone. Instead, it adds detail or helps complete the meaning of a sentence.

For example, in the sentence "The big, fluffy cat purred loudly," the words "big, fluffy cat" form a phrase. They all work together to describe one thing: the cat.

What is a Phrase in Grammar?

A phrase is a basic building block of sentences. It's more than just one word, but less than a complete sentence or a clause. A clause has a subject and a verb, like "the cat purred." A phrase might have a subject or a verb, but not usually both in a way that makes a complete thought on its own.

Phrases help make sentences more interesting and detailed. They can describe people, places, things, actions, or how and when things happen.

Types of Phrases

There are several types of phrases, each with a different job in a sentence. Knowing them helps you understand how sentences are built.

Noun Phrases

A noun phrase is a group of words that acts like a noun. It includes a noun (a person, place, thing, or idea) and any words that describe it.

• Example: "The old, dusty book fell off the shelf."

* Here, "book" is the noun, and "the old, dusty" describes it. The whole group acts as the subject of the sentence.

Verb Phrases

A verb phrase includes a main verb and any helping verbs (also called auxiliary verbs). Helping verbs like "is," "has," "will," or "can" work with the main verb to show tense or mood.

• Example: "She is running very fast."

* "Is" is the helping verb, and "running" is the main verb. Together, they form the verb phrase.

Adjective Phrases

An adjective phrase is a group of words that works like an adjective. It describes a noun or a pronoun.

• Example: "The girl with the red hat smiled."

* The phrase "with the red hat" describes "the girl."

Adverb Phrases

An adverb phrase is a group of words that works like an adverb. It tells you more about a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. It often answers questions like "how?", "when?", "where?", or "why?".

• Example: "He walked very slowly down the street."

* The phrase "very slowly" describes how he walked.

Prepositional Phrases

A prepositional phrase starts with a preposition (like "in," "on," "at," "with," "from") and includes a noun or pronoun that follows it, along with any words that describe that noun or pronoun.

• Example: "The dog slept under the table."

* "Under" is the preposition, and "the table" is the object of the preposition. The whole phrase tells us where the dog slept.

Other Meanings of "Phrase"

The word "phrase" isn't just used in grammar! It can also mean different things in other areas:

• Phrase in music: In music, a phrase is like a short musical sentence. It's a small section of a melody that sounds complete on its own, even if it's part of a longer piece.
• Phrase in fencing: In the sport of fencing, a phrase is a sequence of actions or movements that fencers perform during a match.