Lecture # 1 Phrases and Clauses

Welcome! Today is our first class. We will start with some actual English questions from previous
bank exams… Can you solve them? Don’t worry if you are facing difficulty with these questions.
We are here to support you!

Concept Review

❖ A phrase is a group of words that does not contain a subject or a verb. It acts like a single part of
speech.
❖ A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a verb. It acts like a part of sentence
containing several parts of speech. So, a clause can hold multiple phrases within itself.
❖ Phrase vs Clause:
‘the young Bangladeshi player’ is a phrase that acts like a noun. Again, ‘who performed badly’ is a
phrase that acts like an adjective. But, ‘The young Bangladeshi player who performed badly was not
Noun Phrase Adjective Phrase
selected for the one-day series’ is a clause.
❖ Independent clauses are complete sentences and can make sense on their own. The clause showed in
the previous example is an independent clause. It makes sense on its own.
❖ Dependent clauses are not complete sentences and need to be connected to independent clauses to
make sense. For example, ‘although he was famous’ is a dependent clause. It does not make sense on
its own. But, if we say ‘Although he was famous, the young Bangladeshi player who performed badly
was not selected for the one-day series’, it becomes a meaningful sentence.
❖ So, we can say that, phrases make up a clause and clauses make up a sentence.

Phrases
Noun Phrase
A noun phrase is usually assembled centering a single noun and works as a subject, an object or a
complement in the sentence.

1. I like to swing the bat hard when I am at the crease. (An object)
2. Reading novels is a good habit. (A subject)
3. The probability of happening that match is not much. (A subject)
4. We are sorry for her departure. (A complement)

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Adjective Phrase
An adjective phrase is comprised of an adjective and works as a single adjective in the sentence.

1. Alex is a well-behaved man.

2. She leads a really interesting life.
3. A lot of people do not sleep at night.
4. The dog covered in mud looks very dirty.

Adverbial Phrase

An adverbial phrase modifies the verb, the adjective or the whole sentence.

1. The horse runs at a good speed.

2. I was in a hurry then.
3. I ran as fast as possible.
4. He works very slowly.

Note Some words can be used as both adjective and adverb. Look at the following examples.

Adjective Adverb
He found the exam quite hard. He failed his exam as he didn't try very hard.
The two brothers live on opposite sides of the city. She has a brother who lives opposite to her.

Verb Phrase
A verb phrase is made of multiple words working together as a verb.

1. Those deliverymen will contact you after finishing the work.

2. My brother had been sleeping for fourteen hours yesterday.
3. I may have written this letter accidentally.
4. This team has never lost a match since last year.
5. They are always looking for an opportunity to rob the bank.

Prepositional Phrase
A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition and a noun or pronoun that serves as the preposition’s object.

1. He is on the way.
2. He sacrificed his life for the sake of his country.
3. In spite of working hard, he was insulted by his boss.
4. By working aimlessly, you will not get success.
5. In fact, we all have to attend the meeting.

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Conjunctional Phrase
A conjunctional phrase joins clauses, phrases, and words together for constructing sentences.

1. As soon as you got in, he went out.

2. You will get a prestigious bank job provided that you study attentively.
3. Jeff, as well as, Tom is coming to join the party.
4. John talks as if he were the chairman of the company.

Interjectional Phrase
Interjections that have more than one words are called the interjectional phrases.

1. What a pity! He is dead.

2. What a pleasure! I won the first prize.
3. Oh please! Don’t say that again.

Exercise 1
Find out the different types of phrases from the following sentence and write them below –

At her new office, my sister Lamia is working really hard on a big project so that she can get a promotion.

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Clauses
Noun Clause
A noun clause (also called nominal clause) is a dependent clause that plays the role of a noun. Basically, a
noun clause can function as a subject or an object.

1. What you have done pleased so many fans. (What you have done → subject)
2. Whoever comes first will score a point. (Whoever comes first → subject)
1. I think that he is the best match for her. (that he is the best match for her → object)
2. You know what you have done. (what you have done → object)

Adjective Clause
An adjective clause (also called adjectival clause) is a dependent clause which modifies a noun and usually
begins with a relative pronoun (which, that, who, whom, whose) or a relative adverb (where, when, why).

1. The book which you lent me is very interesting.

2. Leila, whose father is a famous poet, invited me to her birthday party.
3. My grandmother remembers the days when there were no personal computers.

Appositive
An appositive is a noun or a noun phrase that follows another noun (or noun phrase) to rename it or to
describe it in another way. As it happens, an appositive is a bonus information.

1. Hermione Granger, a witch at Hogwarts School, is accomplished at spells.

The gist of this sentence is - Hermione Granger is accomplished at spells. A witch at Hogwarts School
is an appositive noun phrase that gives us additional information about Hermione Granger.

2. My childhood friend, Anne-Marie, loved horses.

Here, the core sentence is - My childhood friend loved horses. It works as a sentence on its own, but
the appositive Anne-Marie gives the reader supplemental information about my friend. It renames
her.

Note We can classify Adjective Clauses and Appositives in the following two types –

(i) Restrictive : will not be surrounded by commas

(ii) Non-restrictive : will be surrounded by commas

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Adverbial Clause
An adverbial clause is a dependent clause (or subordinate clause) which functions as an adverb.

Now, Let’s see how we can use different types of adverbial clauses –

1. Place : He thinks he will be happy where he has recently moved.

2. Time : He wrote the book when he was 25.
3. Manner : The kids cleaned the room as we wanted.
4. Reason : I forgave him because I liked him.
5. Purpose : They bought a piece of land so that they can build a bigger house.
6. Condition : If I had a lot of money, I would travel around the world.
7. Comparison : He can run as fast as a world champion.

Combining Two Independent (Coordinate) Clauses

Note Pay close attention to the use of punctuation in these cases.

 with a coordinating conjunction

Coordinating Conjunctions
1. Reham kept talking in class; so, he got in trouble.
for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
2. She went into the store; however, she didn’t find a
comfortable dress.

 without a coordinating conjunction

1. Reham kept talking in class; he got in trouble.
2. She went into the store; she didn’t find a comfortable dress.
Conjunctive Adverbs
 with a conjunctive adverb
1. Reham kept talking in class; therefore, he got in trouble. accordingly, besides, now,
however, consequently,
2. She went into the store; however, she didn’t find a comfortable
furthermore, moreover,
dress. nonetheless, meanwhile,
3. I like you a lot; besides, I think we should be best friends. otherwise, finally, likewise,
then, therefore, thus, still etc.
4. Your dog got into my yard; moreover, he dug up my plants.
5. You’re my friend; nonetheless, I feel like you’re taking advantage of me.

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Combining Independent (Coordinate) Clauses with Dependent (Subordinate) Clauses

 subordinating conjunction + dependent clause + (,) +

independent clause
Subordinating Conjunctions
1. Since I was tired, I decided to go to bed.
after, although, even though,
2. Although he had passed, his father was not happy with the result. though, as, as if, as though, as
long as, because, before, so, so
 independent clause + subordinating conjunction + that, since, whatever, when,
whenever, where, until,
dependent clause
wherever, whether, while etc.
1. I decided to go to bed since I was tired.
2. His father was not happy with the result although he had passed.

-Previous Bank Recruitment Questions-

1. In the sentence ‘They were asked to wait till the signal was given’ the underlined part constitute –
[Sonali Bank Officer 18]
a. An adjective clause b. a noun clause c. a pronoun clause d. an adverb clause

2. Think of one word only which can be used appropriately in all three sentences.
(i) The employment crisis is ___ that it is affecting 25% people.
(ii) ___ torrential rain is rare in this part of the world.
(ii) I didn’t have a problem with the new manager’s ideas as ___, but I disliked some of his mannerisms.
[Bangladesh Bank Assistant Director 18]
a. such b. so c. high d. much

3. Which capitalized word is an adverb? [Islami Bank Bangladesh Asst. TO (General/Cash) 17]
a. This house is FINE b. This shirt suits me FINE
c. The bottle has to be FINED d. He has to pay a FINE

4. Computer has revolutionized office procedures more than any machine of modern time.
[BSC SO (combined 3 banks) 18]
a. has any machine b. any other machine
c. other machine d. none of these

5. Today, this is a totally different world than we have seen in the last decade.
[Sonali Bank Asst. Programmer 16]
a. since we have seen b. from what we have seen
c. from what we seen d. none of these

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6. Find out this text in your text book. The underlined words are respectively: [Agrani Bank SO 17]
a. noun and adjective b. noun and adverb c. adjective and noun d. noun and noun

7. In the sentence 'Shameem looked around but could not spot the man' the word 'around' is:
[Agrani Bank SO 17]
a. an adjective b. a preposition c. an adverb d. a noun

8. He is the friend ___ I trust most. [Agrani bank Officer(Cash) FF 15]

a. whom b. him c. which d. who

9. Please vote for the member _____ has done the most for our village. [Janata Bank Asst. Exe. Officer 14]
a. who you believe b. who you believed c. that you believe d. whom you believe

10. Which one is adjective – [RAKUB Officer(1st class) 15]

a. base b. basis c. basic d. basically

11. Verb of the word 'danger' is – [Uttara Bank Asst. Officer(Cash) 08]
a. dangerfull b. dangerous c. endanger d. dangered

12. He runs fast. The word ‘fast’ here is – [Sonali Bank Officer 14]
a. an adjective b. a preposition c. an adverb d. a noun

-More Questions from Previous Competitive Exams-

1. The book bought from College Street is lost. The underlined part is -----.
a) a noun phrase b) an adjective phrase c) an adverb phrase d) a verb phrase

2. Which of the underlined phrases in the following sentences is an adjective phrase?

a) He came last Sunday. b) We met beside the camp.
c) I wish to buy a large and beautiful house. d) Water passes through the pipe.

3. 'A woman with a veil over her body approached the doctor' —The underlined phrase is —
a) A Verbal Phrase b. An Adjective Phrase c. An Adverbial Phrase d. Prepositional Phrase

4. It was me who had left before he arrived.

a) me who had left before he arrived b) mine who had left before he arrived
c) I who had left before he arrived d) myself who had left before he arrived

5. Correct the sentence: Whomever objects to me going to the convention ought to state his position clearly.
a) Whomever objects to me b) Whoever objects to me
c) Whomever objects to my d) Whoever objects to my

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6. Let ___ introduce ___ to ___.
a) my, your, his b) me, you, him c) myself, yourself, himself d) mine, yours, he

7. Choose the correct sentence:

a) I, you and he are present. b) You, he and I are present.
c) You, he and I am present. d) He, you and I are present.

8. Do you know the student who books were stolen? Find the underlined error part.
a) Do b) know c) who d) were

9. He is the friend ____ I trust most.

a) whom b) him c) which d) who

10. Your advice is no different from the other friends.

a) not different from b) no different from that of the
c) no different from the d) no different to

11. Choose the correct option:

a) A bachelor leads a lonely life, but they also have more freedom to do precisely as you wish.
b) A bachelor leads a lonely life, but he also has more freedom to do precisely as he wishes.
c) A bachelor leads a lonely life and he has most freedom to do preciely as he wish.
d) A bachelor leads a lonely life but hey have more freedom to do precisely as you wish.

12. Choose the correct option.

a) The people are friendly who live in the house.
b) The people live in the house who are friendly.
c) The people live in the house who is friendly.
d) The people who live in the house are friendly

13. Choose the correct option:

a) In spite of her handicap, she can complete the work faster than I.
b) Despite her handicap, she can complete the work faster than me.
c) Despite of her handicap, she can complete the works faster than me.
d) In spite of her handicap, she can complete the work more faster than I.

14. Choose the correct sentence:

a) He speaks English like the English. b) He speaks the English like English.
c) He speaks the English like the English. d) He speaks English like English.

15. Find out the correct sentence.

a) Which colour do you prefer, the red or the blue?
b) Which colour you prefer, the red or the blue?
c) Which colour do you prefer, red or blue?
d) Which colour do you prefer more, red or blue?

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-Class Test-

 Find out the type of clause represented by each underlined portion of these sentences –
1. I can't remember where he was born.
2. I wonder if he can help me.
3. We'll buy everything you produce provided the price is reasonable.
4. Nobody can explain why he failed.
5. This is the boy we have been looking for.
6. This is where I was born.
7. This is the book Rana has been looking for.
8. This is what he said about you.
9. The money she spends comes from abroad.
10. Wherever you go I shall follow you.
11. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
12. I have no objection to what you are saying.
13. I can't utter the words he said.
14. I am sure that you will pass the test.
15. Were I your friend, I would help you.

 Select the best answer from the options:

16. Choose the correct sentence -
a) The rich is not always happy
b) Rich is not always happy
c) The rich is not happy always
d) The rich are not always happy

17. Since my favorite cousin is a teacher, It's no wonder I chose that for a career.
a) I chose that for a career
b) I chose teaching for a career
c) That I chose that for a career
d) I will choose it for a career

18. Everyone would sleep when I came home.

a) would be sleep b) was asleep c) were sleeping d) were asleep

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-Answer Key to Lecture # 01-

Answer to the Previous Bank Recruitment Questions

1 d 2 a 3 b 4 b 5 b 6 a 7 c 8 a
9 a 10 c 11 c 12 c

Answer to the Previous Competitive Exams

1 b 2 c 3 b 4 c 5 d 6 b 7 b 8 c
9 a 10 b 11 b 12 d 13 a 14 a 15 c

Answer to the class test: (Not to be disclosed)

1. Noun Clause 11. Adverbial Clause

2. Noun clause 12. Noun Clause
3. Adverbial Clause 13. Adjective Clause
4. Noun Clause 14. Noun Clause
5. Adjective Clause 15. Adverbial Clause
6. Noun Clause 16. d
7. Adjective Clause 17. a
8. Noun Clause 18. b
9. Adjective Clause
10. Adverbial Clause

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