Phrases and clauses
Tell phrases from clauses and join clauses into one sentence.
You know that a sentence has a subject and a predicate. Smaller groups of words inside a sentence can be phrases or clauses, and this lesson shows you how to tell them apart.
A phrase is a group of words without its own subject and verb, while a clause is a group of words that has its own subject and verb.
Examples
- We had lunch near the lake. (phrase)
- After the match, we went home. (phrase)
- After the match ended, we went home. (clause)
- I will call you if the flight is late. (clause)
- She smiled because she had passed. (main clause)
How it works
Phrases add detail
A phrase gives extra information such as place, time or manner. It cannot stand alone because it has no subject and verb pair.
The puppy slept on the doormat.
Main clauses stand alone
A main (independent) clause has a subject and a verb and makes complete sense by itself.
Gopal fixed the tap before his wife came home.
Subordinate clauses depend
A subordinate (dependent) clause has a subject and verb but needs a main clause to make full sense. It usually begins with a word like when, because, if, although or that.
We cancelled the picnic because the forecast was bad.
Turning a phrase into a clause
Add a subject and a verb to a phrase and it becomes a clause. This is a useful skill in formal writing.
In spite of his illness → Although he was ill
Quick reference
| Joining word | Shows | Example clause |
|---|---|---|
| when, while, after, before | time | when the phone rang |
| because, as, since | reason | because the road was closed |
| if, unless | condition | unless you hurry |
| although, though | contrast | although it was late |
| that | a statement or idea | that the shop had shut |
| so that | purpose | so that we could see better |
Common mistakes
✕Because the lift was not working.
✓We took the stairs because the lift was not working.
A subordinate clause alone is not a full sentence.
✕Although it rained, but we played.
✓Although it rained, we played.
Use only one joining word between the two clauses.
Worked example
Exercise 1
Is this group of words a phrase or a clause?
"in the morning" is ___ (a phrase / a clause)
✓"in the morning" is a phrase
It has no subject and no verb, so it is a phrase.
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