Noun Phrases

A noun phrase consists of at least the following elements: a determiner and a noun.

A determiner is one of the following: an article (the, a, an, some, any), a quantifier (none, plenty of, a few, many, etc.), a possessive (my, your, whose, the man's, etc.), a demonstrative (this, that, these, those), a numeral (one, two, three etc.) or a question word (which, whose, how many, etc.).

Except in some very rare cases, a noun can only be preceded by ONE determiner.

A noun phrase can also contain one or more modifiers; a modifier is an adjective, an adjectival phrase, a secondary noun, a prepositional phrase or a relative clause. 

The principal noun in a noun phrase is called the head noun. Adjectives and adjective phrases are placed before the head noun, whereas prepositional phrases and relative clauses follow the head noun.  

Like a noun, a noun phrase can act as a subject, as the object of a verb or verbal, as a subject or object complement, or as the object of a preposition. 

Subject: Masters students often admit that they can’t finish their thesis by themselves.

Object of a verb: To forget quickly and usually is Melissa’s habit.

Subject complement: Neil Armstrong is the name of the astronaut not the scientist.

Object complement: I consider Emma my best friend.

Object of a preposition: The blue whale was found bleary near the beach.

Infinitive Phrases

An infinitive is a type of verbal. It is the basic form of a verb, usually with-to in front of it. The infinitive is the present-tense form of a verb. Since infinitives are derived from verbs, they do express actions or states of being. We can use different forms of the infinitive to show different times: The miners is thought to have been working at the time of the earthquake.

Infinitives can also be in a passive form: The house needs to be redecorated.

The infinitive phrase consists of an infinitive, its complement, its modifier, and the related words that follow it. 

Infinitive phrases may have their own subjects. The subject of an infinitive phrase is in the object form: Mary helped him to cut the tree.

The infinitive phrase can function as an adjective, adverb, or a noun. When infinitives function as adjectives and adverbs, they are usually found preceding nouns and pronouns in sentences, and when they function as nouns, they are used as subjects, direct objects and objects of prepositions. Infinitives (to + verb) should not be confused with prepositional phrases (to + noun or pronoun). Infinitives may occur as to + one verb, or they may be part of an infinitive phrase.

The book to review cautiously is on the shelf. 

(to review cautiously is the infinitive phrase that is functioning as an adjective).

 I am ready to walk hastily. 

(to walk hastily is the infinitive phrase that is functioning as an adverb).

    

The teacher came to help the students. 

(to help the students is the infinitive phrase that is functioning as a noun). 

Verb Phrases

A verb phrase is made up of a main verb and one or more helping verbs. 

A main verb can stand by itself as the simple predicate of a sentence while the helping verb cannot.

A helping verb (also called an auxiliary verb) is a verb that is used together with the main verb of the sentence to convey the action, so it helps the verb be more precise. The helping verb will often be a form of the verb (to be), or the verb (to have) or the verb (will) to show action in the future. When there is a helping verb, the main verb is often a gerund (a form of the verb that ends in –ing) or a past participle (a form of the verb which often ends in –ed, –n, or–en). 

On the other hand, the linking verb is a verb that connects the subject with an adjective or a noun that describes it.

Example: Anna got mad (the linking verb got connects the subject Anna with the adjective mad.

The student has been writing essays all day.                                                                                       (Helping verb: has been; Main verb: writing)   

Amanda may run in the park.                                                                                                                  (Helping verb: may; Main verb: run)

The man has gone.                                                                                                                              (Helping Verb: has; Main verb: gone)

Did you throw it?                                                                                                                                 (Helping Verb: did; Main Verb: throw)

Helping Verbs:
Be     Am        Is       Are      Was      Were      Being     Been
Have  Has     Had     Do       Does     Did        May       Might 
Must   Can   Could  Shall     Will     Should   Ought    Would

Gerund Phrases

The gerund phrase is a noun phrase that is introduced by a gerund. Gerunds are nouns formed from-ing verbs. The gerund phrase is made up of a gerund and all the words that can modify and complete it. The words or phrases that can modify a gerund are adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases, and direct objects. 

A gerund phrase can be used as follows:
1) Subject     

2) Predicate Nominative   
3) Object of a Preposition  
4) Direct Object 

Common verbs that can be followed by gerunds:

admit           appreciate          avoid                 deny             discuss 

enjoy           practice              consider            finish            give up   

delay           take up               understand        stop               recall

Subjects: The gerund can be the subject of a sentence.       
- Reading romantic novels is my plan this summer.

Predicate Nominative: The gerund completes the meaning by a linking verb.      

- Most of it was dazzling.

Direct Object: Direct object can be found by subject + verb + (who or what) direct object.   
- Cathy hates wearing her school uniform.

Object of a Preposition: The words after a preposition are said to be the object of the preposition.  
- When the toreador entered the bullring, we turned our attention toward bullfighting. 

  (bullfighting is the object of the preposition toward).

Difference between Phrases & Clauses

Learn to recognize phrases from clauses: 

There is an evident difference between phrases and clauses. 

Phrases: a phrase is a group of related words lacking a subject and a predicate. 

Clauses: a clause is a group of related words containing both a subject and a predicate.

Both phrases and clauses are main bases of constructing a sentence. When combined with other parts of speech, they help build an elaborate system that carry away your meaning. Recognizing the difference between the two main bases of a sentence is essential to build a correct and well composed sentences.

A phrase is often defined as a group of related words that lacks subject and verb integration and does not form a predicate. It can contain a noun or a verb. Mainly, a phrase can provide additional information or add more context to the sentences you write. A phrase can never stand alone as a sentence; however, a phrase can lodge itself inside clauses that are either complete sentences on their own or ones that are dependent on the rest of the sentence. When a phrase is within a clause, it functions as a part of speech. 

   Phrases are generally grouped as follows:

   - Verb Phrases                    - Infinitive Phrases

  - Noun Phrases                    - Participial Phrases

  - Gerund Phrases                 - Prepositional Phrases

Clauses are the building blocks of sentences. A clause is a group of related words containing a subject and a verb. It can be simply distinguished from a phrase, which is a group of related words that does not contain a subject-verb relationship, such as "in the evening" or "walking down the street" or "having grown used to this ill treatment.” Like phrases, clauses are also classified as restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses. A nonrestrictive clause is not essential to the meaning of the sentence; it can be removed from the sentence without changing its basic meaning. 

There are two kinds of clauses: independent and dependent. Clauses are combined by three groups of words to form different kinds of sentences: coordinators, subordinators, conjunctive adverbs, and by means of a semicolon.

A more detailed study is found in my ebook "Sentence Structure Guide" which is  available on Apple iTunes and iBookstore. 

   https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sentence-structure-guide/id656066263?ls=1