TYPES OF PHRASES

AND CLAUSES

PHRASE CLASS
Phrase is regarded as a grouping of
one or more words which focus around a
headword element and which together
perform the grammatical role which in
other circumstances could be expressed
by a single word.

TYPE OF PHRASES :
1.Nominal phrase
Nominal phrases is a phrase that have noun or
pronoun as headword
Example :
They are on holiday
This is the way
Hers is the blue cagoule

2. Verbal phrase
Verbal phrases that have a verb as headword
Example :
Starts, started
To start, was starting, will be starting,
has been starting
Is starting, was starting, will be starting,
has been starting

3. Adjectival phrase
Adjectival phrases that have an adjectival
headword
Example :
Quick
Fairly quick
Very quick indeed

4.

Adverbial phrase
Adverbial phrases that that use verb as headword
Example :
Quickly
Fairly quickly
Quite quickly enough

CLAUSE CLASS
Clauses class is formal grammatical
composition, clauses consist of one or
more phrases.

TYPE OF CLAUSES :
Main and subordinate clauses
Main clause
The main clause is itself a top node clause, as illustrated in the
underlined sections of the examples below.
Example

:
Im going to town
Im going to town when Ive finished this job
When Ive finished this job Im going to town

Subordinate clause
Subordinate clause dependent upon the main clause.
Example

:
main

subordinate

Ive discovered why this light doesnt work

References :
Morley, G. David. 2000. Syntax in Functional Grammar.
New York. Continum