English language lesson 2 - Phrases and Clauses

A clause is a group of words containing a subject and predicate. It may or may not be independently meaningful.

A phrase is a small group of words within a clause, it acts to complete a sentence by making it meaningful. It does not contain a subject and a verb.

There are clear differences between phrases and clauses. Do you know them?

An adverb clause (or adverbial clause) is a clause that works as an adverb in a sentence.

To make sentences more interesting, we can use adverb clauses. An adverb clause tells us more about the verb in the main clause.

It is a dependent (subordinate) clause and can never be a sentence on its own. 

Adverb phrases are phrases that modify a verb, adjective, adverb, clause or an entire sentence.

Adverbial phrases help to add more information to a sentence.

·      They can describe how something happened or will happen.

·      They can show time and tell us where something happened.

·      They can also explain why.

​The bolded words in these sentences are examples of adverbial/adverb phrases

​ I came here yesterday.

• Once upon a time, the lady lived here.

• Sam said it in a polite way.

• John was walking so quickly.

• I will meet you tomorrow.

• Jeff was speaking so roughly.

• The man was shouting very loudly.