Identifying phrases and their function
Identify the phrases (prepositional, participial, infinitive, gerund, verb) in the following sentences and state their function:
1. Joseph is wading in the pool.
2. They told us to speak quietly.
3. Students prefer seats in the corner.
4. A flock of birds came the next day.
5. Our cousin from Lethem has arrived.
6. Cats and dogs fight in the alley every night.
7. Books in black and red were the clerk’s delight.
8. To read books means to enlarge your horizons.
9. Having seen three birds in the bush, he let the one in his hand fly away.
10. The time for conversation is not before breakfast.
11. Reading novels is an enjoyable exercise
12. Coming round the corner, Susan collided with another cyclist.
13. He commanded me to open the door.
Sample Solution
A phrase is a collection of correlated words that, unlike a sentence, has no combination of subject-predicate. The words in a phrase function together so that the phrase itself acts as a single part of speech. Phrases can never stand alone as sentences.A phrase can be written as a noun, verb, adverb, adjective, or preposition in a sentence. The function of a phrase is based entirely on its structure. On the basis of their functions, phrases are divided into various types-Noun PhraseA noun phrase co. It functions like a noun in a sentence with all its other determiners that modify the noun. The noun is the headword of the sentence and others are put after or before the noun.A noun phrase consists of a noun as the headword and other words (usually modifiers and determiners) that come after or before the noun.
