ONE: PHRASES & CLAUSES Flashcards
What is a clause?
What is a phrase?
A group of words that contain neither a subject nor a predicate.
The “subject” of a sentence is what?
The actor of the sentence that has one or more nouns or pronouns, together with all their modifiers.
The “predicate of the sentence is what?
It is the “action” part of the sentence: it contains one or more verbs and all the words that follow the verb.
What is the subject and predicates of this sentence: “Jane fainted and fell to the floor.”
Jane is the subject & there are two predicates: “fainted & fell to the floor.”
What are the subjects and the predicate in this sentence: “Jane and several other girls in the audience fainted.”
The subjects are “Jane” & “several other girls in the audience.” The predicate is “fainted.”
What does this sentence demonstrate: “Jane fainted.”
It demonstrates that it is possible for a subject and a predicate to be a single word each.
What is the subject and predicate in the following sentence: “Jane fainted halfway through the movie”?
The subject is “Jane” & “fainted halfway through the movie” is the predicate.
What is the subject and predicate in the following sentence: “The woman sitting in the back of the row also fainted.”
The subject is “The woman sitting in the back of the row” & the predicate is “also fainted.”
In sentences, 2,3,4,5 what are the phrase parts of each sentence?
In sentences, 2,3,4,5 what are the phrased. The phrases are: 2. “to the floor” 3. “in the audience 4. “halfway through the movie” 5. “sitting in the back row.”
While these phrases belong to either a subject part of a sentence or the predicate part, none of them contain what?
None of them contain a subject or a predicate (although they each include a noun).
What are the pure prepositional phrases?
- “to the floor.”
- “In the audience”
What are the shorter prepositional phrases?
- “through the movie”
- “in the back row”
Prepositional phrases are phrases that function as what?
These are phrases that function as adverbs or adjectives in a sentence.
In #2 what is modifying what? “fell to the floor”
“to the floor” modifies “fell,” and so it is an adverb.
In #3 what is modifying what? “girls in the audience”
“in the audience” modifies “girls,” and so it is an adjective.
In #4 what is modifying what? “halfway through the movie”
“through the movie” functions as an adverb because it modifies an adverb “halfway” (the completed phrase is also an adverb that modifies the verb “fainted.”
In #5 what is modifying what & how come this phrase is actually trickier? The woman “sitting in the back of the row…”
“sitting” is a participle, and it is used here as an adjective to modify “woman.” The trickier part is “in the back row” because it is an adverb that modifies the adjective “sitting.” This is a combined phrase that’s an adjective which modified “woman.”
What is a participle phrase?
These are phrases that begins with a participle which functions as an adjective.
“sitting in the back of the row…” is considered to be what kind of phrase?
It is considered to be a participle phrase.
Punctuating phrases can occur where?
Punctuating phrases can occur anywhere in a sentence.
If a phrase is fewer than four words does it still need punctuation?
If a phrase is fewer than four words it does not need punctuation.
What are the two instances in which a punctuating phrase is needed?
A punctuating phrase is generally needed if phrases are longer than four words, or if phrases of any length interrupt the main sentence.
The part in quotations is an example of what: “When in doubt” you should err on the side of caution.
It is a phrase that consists of less than four words, and therefore it is not a punctuating phrase.
The part in quotations is an example of what: “When in doubt about the speed limit,” you should err on the side of caution.”
It is a phrase that consists of four words or more.
The part in quotations is an example of what: “You should, “when in doubt,” err on the side of caution.”
It is an an example of a phrase of any length in which the main sentence is being interrupted & punctuation becomes necessary.
What is the normal adjective order of participle phrases when it comes to comma usage?
Commas aren’t required if they follow the noun or pronoun. BUT if the adjective order of a participle phrase introduced the main sentence or “trail” after the main sentence, commas are required.
The part in quotations is an example of what? The woman “running down the street” is my mother.
It is the normal adjective order of a participle phrase.
The part in quotations is an example of what? “Running down the street,” the woman yelled at me to stop.”
It is an example of adjective order of a participle phrase which is introducing the main sentence, and therefore a comma is required.
The part in quotations is an example of what? “The woman yelled, running down the street.”
It is an example of an adjective order of a participle phrase in which the participle phrase trails after the main sentence, and therefore a comma is required.
What is the word of caution about certain participle phrases?
When it comes to introductory participle phrases & trailing participle phrases, it is important to not overuse them.
When it comes to introductory and trailing participle phrases, what is the dastardly problem that occurs concerning the dual action tag and its incorrect uses?
While there are instances where a person can do two thinks at once, like yelling and screaming, embellishing every sentence with dual action tags is bad writing and it leads to two actions that can’t physically happen simultaneously.
How can this dual action tag - which is physically impossible be corrected: “Grinding his cigarette with his heel, he sprinted for the door.”
KISS: He ground his cigarette with his heel and sprinted for the door.
“After the show” is a phrase because it does not include a subject or predicate.
As with phrases, clauses can occur where?
Anywhere in a sentence.
Each of the following sentences contain what three clauses that are essentially the same:
What are dependent clauses?
They are clauses that cannot stand alone as complete sentences.
What are the two kinds of dependent clauses?
The two kinds of dependent clauses are: 1. Those that serve as adverbs & 2. Those that serve as adjectives.
Why does introducing an adverb clause through the use of a clue word create word magic?
Because it abracadabra - by tacking a clue word onto an independent clause magically changes it into a dependent clause.
What are subordinate conjunctions?
They are the magic clue words that when tacked onto an independent clause (for the purposes of introducing an adverb clause) end up transforming the clause into a dependent clause.
What are the nine most common subordinate conjunctions?
- as
- although
- though
- because
- since
- if
- when
- before
- until
These sentences are examples of what?
These are examples of subordinating conjunctions Introducing an adverb clause.
If you removed “although, if, and since” from 1,2,3, what kind of sentences would you have?
You would have three independent clauses that could stand alone as sentences.
How is the adjective clause introduced?
The adjective clause is introduced by a relative pronoun.
Within a clause what does a relative pronoun serve as?
The relative pronoun serves as the subject in the clause.
What are the four relative pronouns?
The four relative pronouns include: 1. that 2. which 3. who. 4. what.
Since adjective clauses function as adjectives, they will most often be located where?
They will most often be located where adjectives have to be: near the noun or pronoun they modify.
These three sentences are examples of what?
These are examples of adjective clauses that are near the nouns or pronouns they modify.
What are the two kinds of adjective clauses depending on their relationship to what they modify?
The two kinds of adjective clauses include a restrictive modifier and a non-restrictive modifier.
The restrictive modifier does what?
It changes the meaning of the noun or pronoun it modifies. It is never offset by commas.
What is the modifying clause doing? 1. The man who is wearing the silk hat is Mr. Lincoln.
What is unusual about this modifying clause? 2. Lincoln whom I am talking about is the grandfather of President Lincoln.
In this sentence what is the modifier doing to the proper noun? 2. Lincoln whom I am talking about is the grandfather of President Lincoln.
The corrupted version of this is an example of what? What is being radically changed?
This is an example of a nonrestrictive modifier that is creating confusion because the commas radically changes the meaning of the sentence.
What is the damage being done in the corrupted version of the sentence? What is causing this damage?
The commas in the corrupted version of the sentence create a nonrestrictive modifier that delivers two false bits of information.
What are the two false bits of information that is contained in the corrupted version of the sentence?
First, we are told that 90% of high school students never read a book in their lives. Second, that same 90% do not go on to college.
In the original version…when the commas are not removed and the modifier becomes restrictive what actually changes?
When the commas are removed and the modifier becomes restrictive - the meaning of the noun: “graduates” changes to mean only those who do not go on to college.
By removing the commas - what is the mistake that is being made?
By omitting the commas from the non-restrictive, the reader is justified in concluding that the writer meant two things when they only meant one.
Based on the wrong sentence - what would the reader justly (but wrongly conclude)
The reader would believe that either incisa or breadfruit can be Polynesian dietary mainstays, which is incorrect, for incisa is breadfruit.
