English Composition/Phrases

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Latest revision as of 10:12, 30 March 2019

English Composition ＞ Phrases

Phrases

Phrases are a group of two or more words that function in the same way as one part of speech (word) and do not include S + V. There are several types of phrases. In general, it is understood whether the action of each phrase is a noun, adjective or adverbial. Let's look at sentences using Prepositional Phrases, Gerun Phrases, and Phrasal Verbs.

Prepositional Phrases

It takes the form of prepositions + (the / a) + nouns, and indicates or supplements where, when, and how.

Prepositions that make up preposition phrases

about    above    according to    across    after    ahead of    along    among    apart from    around    
as far as    at    because of    before    behind    below    beside    between    beyond    but(except)
concerning    contrary to    despite    down    during    except    for    from    in addition to    
in front of    in place of    in regard to    in spite of    in view of    instead of    into    like    near
of    off    on  account of    out  of    outside    over    past    since    through    to    toward  
under    underneath    until(till)    up  to    upon    with    within    without

• An example of "where":

■ My brother parked the car in front of the garage and came into the house.

It contains two prepositional phrases in bold, using the prepositions "in front of" and "into."

• An example of "when":

■ Your homework must be finished before next Monday.

The bold part using "before" is the preposition phrase.

• An example of "how":

■ Because I was not properly dressed, I felt out of place at the party. 

The bold part using "out of" is the preposition phrase.

Gerund Phrases

It takes the form "V + [ing]". It looks like a verb in the form of "〜ing," but it does not work as a predicate, but acts as a noun for a subject, object, and complement. When coming to the beginning of a sentence, a noun phrase is followed by a, (comma), which separates it from the main independent clause that follows it.

• Sentence example using a noun phrase:

■ Feeling tired, I went to bed early. (I was feeling tired. So I went to bed early.)
■ Jason hurt his leg playing soccer. (Jason was playing soccer. He hurt his leg.)
■ Departing airplanes were forced to wait at the terminal for 1 hour.（as S）
■ I like fishing in the river to relieve stress. （as O of like）
■ My hobby is playing the piano.（as C of hobby）　

• When two things or situations are happening at the same time, put "〜ing" on one of the verbs.

■ My mother is in the kitchen making coffee.　（Mother is in the kitchen, and she is making coffee.)
■ Don't just stand there doing nothing!
■ Jason hurt his leg playing soccer. (= while he was playing)

• You can use "〜ing" after while or when:

■ Jason hurt his leg while playing soccer. 
■ Be careful when crossing the road.　（= when you are crossing the road）

• Use "having done" or "after 〜ing" for events that occur before one thing or state.

■ Having finished her work, she went back home. 
■ After finishing her work, she went back home.

• You can use "〜ing" as the first verb in place of "having done" for a connection that works almost instantaneously.

■ Taking a key out of his pocket, he opened the door. 

• The phrase "〜ing" usually comes at the beginning of the sentence when describing "why."

■ Feeling tired, I went to bed early.
■ Not having a car, they find it difficult to get around.  

• The semantic subject is changed to possessive (objective).

■ I hope that John's taking that position means an increase in salary.
■ Barbara was ashamed of her brother's having stolen the money. 

Phrasal Verbs

It is an expression that works as a verb in "Verb + Preposition", "Verb + Adverb", "Verb + Adverb + Preposition", or "Verb + Noun + Preposition".

Frequently used words along with verbs

in   on   up   away   around   about   over   by   out   off   down back   through   along   forward

• Example sentences:

■ Do you believe in Santa Claus?
■ The train was full.  We couldn't get on.
■ I couldn't get up early this morning because I was very tired.
■ He agrees with them.
■ Watch out! There's a car coming.       
■ Please turn off the room light.
■ Frank is going away on the 6th  and coming back on the 14th next month.　

• Examples of prepositions of phrasal verbs:

■ You are walking too fast. I can't keep up with you.　
■ The thief ran away from the police.
■ I am looking forward to seeing you in June.　

Position of object of phrasal verb

It does not matter either after phrasal verbs or between verbs and adverbs, but it is placed between verbs and adverbs only if the object is a pronoun (it, me, him, them, etc.).

• Example sentences:

■ I turned off the light. 　=　 I turned the light off.
■ I turned it off. （It will not be "turned off it".）

■ Don't wake up the baby.　＝　Don't wake the baby up.
■ The baby is asleep. Don't wake her up.（It will not be "wake up her".）　

Exercise

Exercise1 （Prepositional phrase）

Write the preposition phrase of each sentence. There is not necessarily one for each sentence.

1. He works in an office.
2. After the movie we went to the coffee shop for ice cream.
3. The math test did not seem too difficult for them.
4. They were talking about who would go to the soccer game.
5. The Suzukis live across the street from my grandmother.
6. I went to the concert with James.
7. Lisa told her boss she would see him at 9:00 in the morning.
8. Let's meet in front of the theater.
9. I couldn't sleep well because of the traffic noise.
10. In spite of the traffic, we arrived on time.

→ Exercise1 Answer

Exercise2 （Gerund phrase）

A. Write the noun phrase of each sentence:

1. My mother's taking so much medicine worries me.
2. While swimming in the river, we saw many small fish in a cave.
3. Amy went out saying she would be back in an hour.
4. Not knowing his address, I wasn't able to contact him.
5. Having had dinner, we continued our video game.

B. Choose from (a) to (e) the one that succeeds the next sentence:

1. We listened to the wind [＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿].
2. Wearing a ski cap in summer, [＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿].
3. I fell asleep [＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿].
4. Not being able to understand English, [＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿].
5. Leaving the house in a hurry, [＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿].

Selection group:

• (a) watching TV
• (b) blowing violently outside
• (c) the boy didn't know what happened
• (d) Maria forgot to lock the front door
• (e) he looked ridiculous

→ Exercise2 Answer

Exercise3 （Phrasal verb）

Combine the words listed in Selection Group A with the words listed in Selection Group B and complete the sentence with correct self-control. The word used is not limited to once.

1. My car (＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿) on the way here.
2. The weather is terrible outside. I hope it (＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿) later.
3. I like to (＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿) at the stars in the sky at night.
4. Have you really bought a new house? When are you (＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿) ?
5. I have (＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿) of beer.
6. There used to be a store behind the library, but it (＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿) recently.
7. You should not (＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿) him.
8. Sarah was offered a job as an interpreter, but she (＿＿＿＿＿＿＿) it (＿＿＿＿＿＿＿).
9. These apples are rotten. (＿＿＿＿＿＿＿) them (＿＿＿＿＿＿＿).
10. My sister is going to Japan tomorrow. I'm going to (＿＿＿＿＿＿＿) her (＿＿＿＿＿＿＿).

• Selection group A:　move break run close clear see make fun turn back throw
• Selection group B:　down in up off out at away of

→ Exercise3 Answer

Related Links

• English Grammar: a complete guide - Edufind
• Oxford Dictionaries