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Every kind of phrase

A word group with no subject-verb pair; which kind it is depends on the word it's built around and the job it does.

First make sure it's a phrase: look for a subject-verb pair. If you find one, it's a clause, and the clause cluster is the one you want. If not, find the word the phrase is built around. Starts with a preposition and ends with its object? Prepositional phrase; ask whether it answers which one? (an adjective's job) or where, when, how, why? (an adverb's job). A noun with everything attached to it? Noun phrase; one pronoun can replace the whole thing. A main verb with its helping verbs? Verb phrase. A noun phrase right beside another noun, renaming it? Appositive, usually set off with commas. Built from a verb form that isn't acting as the sentence's verb? A verbal: an -ing or -ed form describing a nearby noun is participial; an -ing form you can replace with it is a gerund; to plus the base form is an infinitive, which can do a noun's, adjective's, or adverb's job. Any describing phrase needs the thing it describes in the sentence, or it dangles.

Phrase or clause?

Term

phrase

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A group of related words with no subject-verb pair of its own.

Example

in the morning, running late

Words working as a unit with no subject-verb pair of their own.

Term

clause

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A group of words that has both a subject and a verb.

Example

because it was raining

Has a subject-verb pair; if you find one, you're looking at a clause, not a phrase.

Built around a preposition

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A preposition together with its object and any modifiers.

Example

The box of old photographs sits in the attic.

Preposition plus its object; does an adjective's job (which one?) or an adverb's (where? when? how? why?).

Built around a noun or a verb

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A noun together with all of its modifiers.

Example

The tall, quiet stranger ordered coffee. → He ordered coffee.

A noun and everything attached to it; one pronoun can replace the whole unit.

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A main verb together with all of its helping verbs.

Example

had been reviewing, should not have called

A main verb together with all its helping verbs.

Term

appositive

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A noun phrase placed right beside another noun to rename it.

Example

My neighbor, a retired firefighter, called.

A noun phrase right beside another noun, renaming it; delete it and the sentence still works.

Built from a verb that isn't the verb (verbals)

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A phrase built from a verb's -ing or -ed form that acts as an adjective.

Example

Running late, she skipped breakfast.

The -ing or -ed form doing an adjective's job, describing a nearby noun.

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A phrase built from a verb's -ing form that acts as a noun.

Example

Running a race takes effort. → It takes effort.

The -ing form doing a noun's job; replace it with it and the sentence still works.

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A phrase built from to plus a verb's base form.

Example

To finish on time, she skipped lunch. / She has a paper to finish.

To plus the base form; the most flexible verbal, doing a noun's, adjective's, or adverb's job.

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A modifying phrase with no target in the sentence at all for it to describe.

Example

Exhausted from the shift, the coffee finally kicked in.

A describing phrase with nothing in the sentence for it to describe.