Phrases and Clauses

1. Phrases and Clauses Parts of a sentece

2. A phrase is a group of related words that is used as a single part of speech and that does not contain both a verb and its subject. • EX: with a rubber chicken over Bob’s head was singing

3. A prepositional phrase includes a preposition, the object of the preposition, and any modifiers of that object. • EX: at the store for Melvin and Juan between two rubber chickens on a biscuit

4. A prepositional phrase that modifies a noun or pronoun is called an adjective phrase. EX: The rubber chickens from California are better than the ones from Arizona. The pictures in the magazine are hilarious. The pickles on the plate are sweet.

5. A prepositional phrase that modifies a verb is called an adverb phrase. Gonzolliedover the car. By Wednesday, Chelsea will have finished her poem. Melvin uses slang in everyday speech.

6. A clause is a word group that contains a verb and its subject and that is used as a sentence or as part of a sentence.

7. An independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence. Melvin once worked in a rubber chicken factory in Albuquerque. Joe enjoys burritos, but his mom does not like his flatulence.

8. A subordinate clause (aka dependent clause) does not express a complete thought and can’t stand by itself as a sentence. before he worked in the rubber chicken factory that I won in an arm-wrestling contest when the doctor said it was just gas

9. Adjective clauses are subordinate clauses that modify nouns or pronouns. The Rolling Stones, which is Melvin’s favorite band, played in Southern California last May. He is the person whom I met at the pickle factory.

10. An Adverb clause is a subordinate clause that modifies a verb. After I ate dinner, I watched a baseball game. Because he thinks it’s funny, Morton makes silly noises in the waiting room.

11. Parts of a Paragraph Clear sentences with a purpose

12. First Sentence – Introduce the topic. • You first sentence should be a declaration. Nothing but facts. EX: The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a dramatization of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692.

13. Next sentences: Thesis and opinion • Be clear and forceful. Ex: It is an important play that deals with the social, psychological, and physical conditions that lead people to lie, scapegoat, and believe the worst about others.

14. Subsequent Sentence(s): Explanation • Be clear and connect to your thesis. Prove you are correct. Ex: The play takes place during a time of strict Puritan theocracy, when Salem was just beginning to experience economic growing pains as a town. A farmer named John Proctor has a lecherous affair with his housemaid Abigail Williams, and when William's lust does not fade away, she sets in motion a series of accusations of witchcraft that lead to Proctor's wife's arrest and the death of many.

15. Final Sentences: denoument with the hint of a sequel. • Explain the effects, and emphasize your verisimilitude, and lead the reader to the next paragraph. • Abigail's actions turn the town into a panicked place where neighbor turns on neighbor, and everyone must fear the noose. This pressure, or crucible, leads to dynamic change in some of the main characters, most notably, John Proctor, Reverend Hale, and Mary Williams.