Phrase

A phrase is a group of words that does not have a subject and verb, as opposed to a clause which does have its own subject and verb.

Phrases:

• under the fence;

• around the church;

• running to the store;

• preaching Christ.

Clauses:

• After we won the race;

• Before Carl started preaching;

• I love fish.

In English, there are four basic kinds of phrases;

1. gerund,

2. participle,

3. infinitive, and

4. prepositional phrase.

The first three are also called verbals.