1. Noun Phrases: These act as nouns in a sentence. They usually have a noun as their headword.
* Example: *The big red house on the hill is for sale.* (The entire phrase acts as the subject of the sentence.)
2. Verb Phrases: These act as verbs in a sentence. They typically include a main verb and can include auxiliary verbs.
* Example: *He has been running all day.* (The entire phrase acts as the verb of the sentence.)
3. Adjective Phrases: These act as adjectives, modifying nouns or pronouns. They usually have an adjective as their headword.
* Example: *The very old and wise woman gave me advice.* (The phrase modifies "woman".)
4. Adverb Phrases: These act as adverbs, modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They usually have an adverb as their headword.
* Example: *He ran very quickly.* (The phrase modifies "ran".)
5. Prepositional Phrases: These consist of a preposition and its object. They can act as adjectives, adverbs, or even nouns.
* Example: *The book on the table is mine.* (The phrase acts as an adjective modifying "book".)
6. Participial Phrases: These are verb forms ending in "-ing" or "-ed" that function as adjectives.
* Example: *The dancing girl was beautiful.* (The phrase modifies "girl".)
Remember that these are just broad categories, and there can be overlap and variations within each category.