A
phrase is a collection of words that may
have nouns or verbs but it does not have a
subject doing the verb.
 Examples:
(Not one of these nouns function
as a subject for the verb, if there is one
present)
 leaving
behind the dog
 smashing into a fence
 before the first test
 broken into a thousand pieces
A
clause is a collection of words that has a
subject that is actively doing a verb.
 Examples:
(We find either a noun or a
pronoun attached to a verb, an object is not
always necessary)
 because
she smiled at him
 when the saints go marching in
 since she laughs at strange men
 These
are clauses that can stand by
themselves and make a complete sentence.
 Examples:
 She
laughs at strange men.
 The saints go marching in.
 In
both cases the sentences have a subject, a
verb but not necessarily an object.
 These
clauses can’t stand alone because they
have a conjunction right before the clause.
 Examples:
 since
she laughs at strange men
 when the saints go marching in
 because she smiled at him
Are the following sentences phrases or clauses?
1. The balloon popped.
2. long and loud
3. After the party
4. They moved quietly.
5. with a sigh
6. as flat as a pancake
7. We skipped.
8. It rained heavily.
9. thunder and lightning
10. The wind roared.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Clause
Phrase
Phrase
Clause
Phrase
Phrase
Clause
Clause
Phrase
Clause