Phrases
* Definition: A group of related words that lacks a subject and a verb. Think of them as building blocks of sentences.
* Function: Phrases act as a single part of speech, like a noun, adjective, adverb, etc.
* Examples:
* Noun Phrase: "the big red ball"
* Adjective Phrase: "very happy"
* Adverb Phrase: "with great enthusiasm"
* Prepositional Phrase: "under the table"
Clauses
* Definition: A group of words that contains both a subject (who or what is doing the action) and a verb (the action).
* Function: Clauses can act as complete sentences or parts of larger sentences.
* Types:
* Independent Clause: A complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence. (Example: "The dog barked.")
* Dependent Clause: An incomplete thought that cannot stand alone as a sentence. It relies on an independent clause for its meaning. (Example: "Because the dog barked...")
Key Differences
* Subject and Verb: Clauses have both a subject and a verb, while phrases do not.
* Completeness: Clauses can be complete thoughts, while phrases are incomplete.
* Function: Clauses act as sentences or parts of sentences, while phrases act as single parts of speech.
Here's an example to illustrate:
Sentence: "The dog, which was very happy, barked at the mailman with great enthusiasm."
* Independent Clause: "The dog barked at the mailman"
* Dependent Clause: "which was very happy"
* Noun Phrase: "The dog"
* Adjective Phrase: "very happy"
* Adverb Phrase: "with great enthusiasm"
In summary:
* Phrases are building blocks within sentences.
* Clauses are the sentences themselves or parts of sentences.