What is a phrase and a clause?

A Phrase and a Clause

THE PHRASE

We have read that a group of words which is so arranged as to give complete sense is a sentence.
Now look at the following groups of words:
He is wet through and through.
Life is not a bed of roses,
He ran at full speed,
A thing of beauty is a joy for ever,
He is a fool of the first water.
He is over head and ears in debt.
The italicised groups of words in the sentences make sense but not complete sense.They are called Phrases.
A Phrase is,therefore,a group of words that make sense but not complete sense.It has neither a Subject nor a Predicate.

THE CLAUSE

Now study the following:
We cannot start while it is raining.
I think that you have been misunderstood.
People who help others are always liked.
The italicised groups of words in the above sentences have Sujects and Predicates and therefore look like sentence.They are called Clauses.
A group of words which has a subject and a verb (or predicate of its own) and forms part of a sentence is called a Clause.

Exercise

Say whether the italicised group of words in the following sentence are Phrases or Clauses:
1.The sun sets in the west and rises in the east.
2.He is a boy who is loved by all.
3.Always keep the wicked at an arm's length.
4.I work hard so that I may get a prize.
5.He is a man of wealth.
6.I do not know what he wants.
7.He comes to see me off and on.
8.He has fallen on evil days.
9.Come back by tea-time,please.
10.He cried at the top of his voice.

KINDS OF CLAUSES

Look at the following sentences:
(1)When I had finished my work,I went to bed.
(2)He said that he had read the book.
The above sentences have two parts each:
(1)When I had finished my work and
I went to bed.
(2)He said and
that he had read the book.

Each part contains a Subject and a Predicate and is,therefore,a Clause.
In the first sentence:
The clause "I went to bed" makes good sense by itself and stands by itself as a complete sentence.It is,therefore,called the Principal Clause.
The clause"when I had finished my work" does not stand by itself and depends on the clause"I went to bed".It is,therefore,called the Subordinate Clause.
Similarly in the second sentence:
"He Said" is the Principal Clause and
"That he had read the book." the Subordinate clause.
Now study this sentence:
He works hard and (he) earns his livelihood.
This sentence too consists of two parts:
He works hard and
He earns his livelihood.
Each part contains a Subject and Predicate and is therefore a clause.But there is a difference.Each clause stands by itself and does not depend on the other.They are called Co-ordinate Clauses.
It is clear from the above that there are two types of clauses, Subordinate and co-ordinate.
Subordinate Clause are introduced by subordinate conjunctions,relative pronouns and co-ordinate.
Subordinate clauses are introduced by subordinate conjunctions,relative pronouns and relatives adverbs(when,whether,how,if though etc.)while co-ordinate clauses are introduced by co-ordinate conjunctions.(and,nut etc)

 

 

EXERCISE

Break up each of the following sentences into clauses and state whether the kind of each clause is subordinate or co-ordinate:
1.I believe that he is innocent.
2.When he returned home,it was raining heavily.
3.He worked that he might score good marks.
4.He confessed that he was guilty.
5.She must read her books or she will fail,
6.As soon as he went away, I went to bed.
7.I loved him but he hated me.
8.The boy hit the ball and it struck the window.
9.He is so proud that he would not beg.
10.Work hard or you will fail.

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