A phrase is a group of words that lacks either a subject or a predicate or both.

Noun phrases

A noun phrase consists of a noun and all its modifiers. In a sentence, a noun phrase can play the role of a subject, object, or complement.

Verb phrases

A main verb and its auxiliary verbs make up a verb phrase, which can function only one way in a sentence: as a predicate.

I can swim for a long time.

His headaches might have been caused by tension.

Prepositional phrases

A prepositional phrase includes a preposition, a noun or pronoun (called the object of the preposition), and any modifiers of the object. Prepositional phrases usually serve as adjectives or adverbs.

Verbal phrases

Verbals are verb forms that do not function as verbs. Instead, they stand in for nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. A verbal phrase is made up of a verbal and any modifiers, objects, or complements. There are three kinds of verbals: participles, gerunds, and infinitives.

PARTICIPIAL PHRASES

A participial phrase always functions as an adjective and can include either a present participle (the crying child) or a past participle (the spoken word).

GERUND PHRASES

A gerund has the same form as a present participle, ending in -ing. But a gerund or a gerund phrase always functions as a noun.

INFINITIVE PHRASES

An infinitive phrase can function as a noun, adjective, or adverb. The infinitive is the to form of a verb: to be, to write.

Absolute phrases

An absolute phrase usually includes a noun or pronoun and a participle. It modifies an entire sentence rather than a particular word and is usually set off from the rest of the sentence with commas (39a).

I stood on the deck, the wind whipping my hair.

My fears laid to rest, I climbed into the plane for my first solo flight.

Appositive phrases

A noun phrase that renames the noun or pronoun immediately preceding it is called an appositive phrase.

The report, a hefty three-volume work, included sixty recommendations.

A single desire, to change the corporation’s policies, guided our actions.