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A noun phrase is a phrase that has a noun or pronoun as its head or performs the same grammatical function as a noun.

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Often a noun phrase is just a noun or a pronoun:

Premodifiers

But noun phrases can also include:

These parts of the noun phrase are called premodifiers because they go before the noun.

We use premodifiers in this order:

For example:

Postmodifiers

Other parts of a noun phrase go after the noun. These are called postmodifiers.

Postmodifiers can be:

the man we met yesterday
the housethat Jack built
the womanwho discovered radium
an eight-year-old boywho attempted to rob a sweet shop

He's still very fit, in spite of the fact that he's over eighty.
She gotthe idea that people didn't like her.
There was a suggestion that the children should be sent home.

These are very common after indefinite pronouns and adverbs:

There may be more than one postmodifier:

an eight-year old boy with a gun who tried to rob a sweet shop
that girlover there in a green dress drinking a Coke

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Often a noun phrase is just a noun or a pronoun: But noun phrases can also include: These parts of the noun phrase are called premodifiers because they go before the noun. We use premodifiers in this order: For example: Other parts of a noun phrase go after the noun.

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An adjective phrase is a group of words that include an adjective that modifies a noun or pronoun.

Great way to describe something in an engaging way.

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Adjective phrases are one of the most common types of phrases in English grammar . They are used to express ideas, and feelings, or to describe something. In this reference, you will learn more about the concept, find the adjective phrase definition, and see handy examples for your learning.

What is an Adjective Phrase?

Adjective phrases are groups of words that modify nouns or pronouns in a sentence . They usually contain an adjective, adverb, and/or preposition. These phrases may also contain other elements such as articles, conjunctions , and interjections . In some cases adjective phrase may consist of several adjectives, or simply of one adjective.

The adjective phrase can be used in a variety of ways. For example, it can be used to describe or pronoun, to compare two things, or to give an opinion about something. Adjective phrases can also be used to provide more information about a person, place, thing, or idea.

The structure of an adjective phrase typically involves a noun or pronoun (the head) accompanied by one or more adjectives, adverbs, or prepositions as modifiers. So, it's more about the head being modified by these elements rather than the subject. For example, in the sentence "Dan finds it difficult to sell his old, rusty car," the adjective phrase is "old, rusty." These two words might be deleted, and the sentence's meaning will be the same. However, they provide a deeper context and understanding of why it is hard for Dan to sell the car.

Adjectival Phrase Examples

Below are some examples of adjective phrases and how they are used in sentences. All adjective phrases are in bold.

1. "The old, creaky wooden floorboards added character to the historic house."

2. "Her bright, cheerful smile lit up the room."

3. "The highly delicious, aromatic smell of freshly baked bread filled the bakery."

4. "The very sleek and modern design of the car caught everyone's attention."

5. "The tall, towering skyscrapers created an impressive cityscape."

As you can see, the adjective phrase may consist of several words and usually contains at least one adjective. To define an adjective phrase in the sentence, always try to find phrases that could be easily cut from the sentence without changing its meaning.

Grammar Rules

When using an adjective phrase, there are a few grammar rules to keep in mind. First, the adjective phrase might come both before and after the noun:

Before. I love his slightly futuristic car.

After. The cat, fast and agile, jumped over the fence.

Second, an adjective phrase should never be used alone; it must always be used to modify another word. It exists to give meaning to something else and doesn't have any on its own.

Third, if the adjective phrase is nonessential or adds extra information, use commas to set it off.

For instance, "My friend, an experienced photographer, captured the stunning sunset."

Fourth, when two or more words in the adjective phrase are working together to modify a noun, they are often hyphenated.

For example: The well-known actor received an award.

Finally, adjective phrases usually follow a specific order: opinion, size, age, shape, color, proper adjective, and then the noun. This is not a strict rule, but it's a common pattern.

For example: "A beautiful, small, antique, round, wooden, Chinese table."

Identifying adjectival phrases

Adjective phrases modify sentences and always include multiple words. So, to identify an adjective phrase, look for words that modify a noun or pronoun and are made up of more than just a single word.

If you remove an adjective phrase from a sentence, the meaning of the sentence will still remain, but the phrase provides more detail about the noun or pronoun it is modifying.

For example, in the sentence "The tired, but happy children laughed," the adjective phrase "tired, but happy" modifies the noun "children." If you remove the adjective phrase, the sentence still makes sense: "The children laughed." However, without the adjective phrase, there is no information about how the children were feeling.

So if you're ever in doubt, just ask yourself if the phrase is providing more detail about a noun or pronoun in the sentence and can be safely cut from it.

Is there a difference between an adjective phrase and an adjective clause?

Yes, there is a difference between an adjective phrase and an adjective clause. An adjective phrase is made up of two or more words that modify a noun or pronoun, but it does not contain a subject and a predicate (usually a ). An adjective clause, on the other hand, might contain a subject and a predicate and might act as a separate sentence.

For example, in the sentence "The tired, but happy children laughed," the phrase "tired but happy" is an adjective phrase because it modifies the noun "children" but does not contain a subject and predicate.

However, if we added a clause to this sentence-such as "who had been playing all day"-it would be an adjective clause because it contains both a subject ("who") and a predicate ("had been playing").

Summary

An adjective phrase is a useful tool for expressing ideas and describing things. It might consist of several words. There may be several adjectives, adjectives and adverbs, adjectives and prepositions, or even adjectives and nouns.

When using an adjective phrase, it is important to remember the grammar rules for placement. An adjective phrase always modifies the noun and can't be alone in the sentence. However, it might be cut off the sentence without changing its meaning. With practice, you can learn to master creating descriptive sentences and greatly improve your language skills.

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Adjective Phrases in English | Promova Grammar

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Master Adjective Phrases in English and find handy examples for every type of adjective phrase!

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An adverb phrase is a group of words that acts as an adverb to modify the main clause of a sentence. It can be made up of two adverbs.

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An adverbial phrase is a group of words that acts like an adverb-i.e., it modifies a verb, adjective, adverb, or even a whole clause.

Like adverbs, adverbial phrases can be used to describe how (e.g., "with sadness"), where (e.g., "behind the bookshelf"), when (e.g., "in the morning"), and why (e.g., "to buy groceries").

Adverbial clauses are similar to adverbial phrases. However, unlike adverbial phrases, adverbial clauses always have a subject and verb (e.g., "when you visit").

Examples: Adverbial phrases and adverbial clauses in a sentence
Jamil has a meeting at noon.
Samantha went to her friend's house to watch a film.

Before we begin, I would like to make an announcement.

Adverbial phrases

An adverbial phrase (or adverb phrase) is a group of words that acts as an adverb to modify the main clause of a sentence. Adverbial phrases can be made up of two adverbs. These are typically formed by adding a qualifier or intensifier (e.g., "incredibly," "rather," "very," "somewhat") before another adverb.

Examples: Adverbial phrases with two adverbs
Bri ate her breakfast very quickly.
Detective Jones caught the thief quite easily.

Other types of adverbial phrases include prepositional phrases (e.g., "in the afternoon"), and infinitive phrases (e.g., "to get a haircut"). These phrases don't necessarily include any adverbs but do play the same role as an adverb in the sentence.

Examples: Adverbial prepositional phrases and adverbial infinitive phrases
The store closes at six o'clock.
To become a better musician, Cassie practiced every day.

Like adverbs, adverbial phrases serve a range of functions, some of which are explained below.

Adverbial clauses

An adverbial clause (or adverb clause) is a clause containing a subject and verb that acts as an adverb to modify the main clause of a sentence.

Adverbial clauses are connected to the main clause of a sentence using subordinating conjunctions (e.g., "because," "since," "before," "although," "so that"). Adverbial clauses are always dependent (i.e., they have a subject and verb, but they can't form standalone sentences).

Adverbial clauses serve a range of functions, some of which are described below.

Adverbial placement rules

Adverbial phrases and adverbial clauses can be positioned at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence, depending on where you want to place emphasis.

A fronted adverbial (i.e., an adverbial phrase or clause used at the beginning of a sentence) is typically followed by a comma. No comma is needed when the adverbial is placed at the end of a sentence.

Examples: Adverbial phrase placement
On Saturday mornings, I go jogging.
I go jogging on Saturday mornings.

When an adverbial clause or phrase is placed in the middle of a sentence (between the subject and verb), it's set off with commas.

Example: Adverbial clause in the middle of a sentence
Ethan, when he is working, does not answer his phone.

For some sentences, the placement of adverbial clauses and phrases can more drastically change the meaning, and a misplaced modifier (i.e., a modifier that's not clearly connected to the word, phrase, or clause it's intended to modify) can cause ambiguity or confusion.

In the first sentence below, the placement of the adverbial phrase suggests that Kara's holiday took place in the office. Moving the phrase to the beginning of the sentence makes the intended meaning clearer.

Examples: Modifier placement

Kara told me about her holiday in the office.

In the office, Kara told me about her holiday.

Other interesting language articles

If you want to know more about nouns, pronouns, verbs, and other parts of speech, make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations and examples.

Frequently asked questions

What is a fronted adverbial?

A fronted adverbial is an adverb or adverbial that is placed at the start of a sentence. Many adverbials, including sentence adverbs (e.g., "unfortunately"), adverbial phrases (e.g., "after work") and adverbial clauses (e.g., "because you are smart"), can be used as fronted adverbials.

When an adverb or adverbial is placed at the start of a sentence, it should be followed by a comma (e.g., "luckily, the train was on time").

Sources in this article

We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.

This Scribbr article

Ryan, E. (2022, November 16). Adverbial Phrases (& Clauses) | Definition & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 19, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/sentence-structure/adverbials/

Sources

Aarts, B. (2011). Oxford modern English grammar. Oxford University Press.

Butterfield, J. (Ed.). (2015). Fowler's dictionary of modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Show all sources (3)

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Adverbial Phrases (& Clauses) | Definition & Examples

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An adverbial phrase is a group of words that acts like an adverb-i.e., it modifies a verb, adjective, adverb, or even a whole clause. Like adverbs, adverbial phrases can be used to describe how (e.g., "with sadness"), where (e.g., "behind the bookshelf"), when (e.g., "in the morning"), and why (e.g., "to buy groceries").

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A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase. It modifies or describes nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, and verbs.

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In the English language, prepositional phrases are used in order to modify nouns or verbs. According to the part of speech they modify, they are categorised into different types. This article will provide you with the meaning, definition, usage and examples of prepositional phrases. Also, try out the practice questions to check how well you have understood the topic.

Table of Contents

What Is a Prepositional Phrase?

A prepositional phrase is a combination of a preposition, a modifier and its object. A prepositional phrase can be placed in the beginning, middle or end of a sentence based on its role in that particular sentence. Prepositional phrases are just a part of the sentence it modifies and cannot stand alone.

Definition of a Prepositional Phrase

The Collins Dictionary defines a prepositional phrase as "a structure consisting of a preposition and its object. Examples are on the table and by the sea."

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a prepositional phrase is "a phrase that begins with a preposition and ends in a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase."

Another definition of a prepositional phrase is given by the Macmillan Dictionary. According to it, a prepositional phrase "consists of a preposition followed by a noun group, pronoun, or '-ing' form. A prepositional phrase is often an adjunct in a clause, for example in the sentences 'I called about your advert', and 'I learned a lot from reading crime fiction', 'about your advert' and 'from reading crime fiction' are prepositional phrases."

How to Use Prepositional Phrases in Sentences?

As discussed earlier, prepositional phrases can be employed in the beginning, middle and end of a sentence according to what word or part of speech they are modifying. There are a few points you have to keep in mind when using prepositional phrases. They are:

Each sentence would require a different preposition to form a prepositional phrase.

Remember that using a wrong preposition can alter the meaning of the sentence completely and sometimes make no meaning at all.

If the prepositional phrase modifies a noun, it functions like an adjective and is therefore considered as an adjectival phrase.

Sometimes, a prepositional phrase is seen to modify the verb or action in the sentence and is considered as an adverbial phrase as it plays the role of an adverb in the sentence.

Examples of Prepositional Phrases

Let us now take a look at some examples of prepositional phrases to understand how they can be used in sentences.

Using Prepositional Phrases in the Beginning of the Sentence

After trying multiple times, Haritha finally cleared the equation.

Before we start class, I would like to talk to you about something.

According to the weather forecast, the next two days are expected to be very sultry.

Using Prepositional Phrases in the Middle of the Sentence

The girl in the second row is the one who has recently joined.

The cafe on the fourth street has really good muffins.

The man with the big moustache had come to the store today morning.

Using Prepositional Phrases in the End of the Sentence

The box was kept under the table.

We were planning to order food during the break.

I went to the grocery store across the street.

Test Your Understanding of Prepositional Phrases

Identify the prepositional phrases in the following sentences and mention if they are adjectival phrases or adverbial phrases.

1. He gave up without trying.

2. The boy in the white t-shirt is my cousin.

3. The little girl jumped with excitement when she saw the new bicycle her father bought her.

4. The book in the last shelf is the one I read last week.

5. At the end of the event, Mrs. Smitha thanked everyone for making time and being there.

6. The apartment on the left has just been vacated.

7. During the pandemic, many people lost their jobs.

8. The seat near the window is mine.

9. From there, we went to the vintage car museum.

10. Jerry, unlike many others, likes to read historical books.

Check your answers to find out how far you have understood the concept of prepositional phrases.

1. He gave up without trying.- Adverbial phrase

2. The boy in the white t-shirt is my cousin. - Adjectival phrase

3. The little girl jumped with excitement when she saw the new bicycle her father bought her. - Adverbial phrase

4. The book in the last shelf is the one I read last week. - Adjectival phrase

5. At the end of the event, Mrs. Smitha thanked everyone for making time and being there. - Adverbial phrase

6. The apartment on the left has just been vacated. - Adjectival phrase

7. During the pandemic, many people lost their jobs. - Adverbial phrase

8. The seat near the window is mine. - Adjectival phrase

9. From there, we went to the vintage car museum.- Adverbial phrase

10. Jerry, unlike many others, likes to read historical books. - Adjectival phrase

Frequently Asked Questions on Prepositional Phrases in English

What is a prepositional phrase?

A prepositional phrase is a combination of a preposition, a modifier and its object. A prepositional phrase can be placed in the beginning, middle or end of a sentence based on its role in that particular sentence. Prepositional phrases are just a part of the sentence it modifies and cannot stand alone.

What is the definition of a prepositional phrase?

The Collins Dictionary defines a prepositional phrase as "a structure consisting of a preposition and its object. Examples are on the table and by the sea." According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a prepositional phrase is "a phrase that begins with a preposition and ends in a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase." Another definition of a prepositional phrase is given by the Macmillan Dictionary. According to it, a prepositional phrase "consists of a preposition followed by a noun group, pronoun, or '-ing' form. A prepositional phrase is often an adjunct in a clause, for example in the sentences 'I called about your advert', and 'I learned a lot from reading crime fiction', 'about your advert' and 'from reading crime fiction' are prepositional phrases."

Give some examples of prepositional phrases.

Given below are some sentences to show you how prepositional phrases can be used in sentences.

1. The box was kept under the table.

2. We were planning to order food during the break.

3. The girl in the second row is the one who has recently joined.

4. Before we start class, I would like to talk to you about something.

5. According to the weather forecast, the next two days are expected to be very sultry.

6. The cafe on the fourth street has really good muffins.

7. The man with the big moustache had come to the store today morning.

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Prepositional Phrases - Meaning, Definition, Usage and Examples

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Prepositional Phrase: This article will help you learn all that you need to know about prepositional phrases. It discusses the meaning, definition and usage of prepositional phrases along with examples and practice questions.

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An infinitive consists of the word to followed by the basic form of the verb: to go, to prepare, to procrastinate, etc.

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To learn infinitive clauses, first of all, you should know the elements in a cause and the definition of an infinitive. In this lesson, we will learn them.

What Are Infinitive Clauses?

Infinitive clauses are subordinate clauses that are formed using an infinitive to indicate the purpose, result, or condition of the action in the main clause. Infinitive clauses can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs in a sentence.

Infinitive Clauses: Types

There are two types of infinitive clauses:

To-infinitives

Bare infinitives

'To-infinitives' can be divided into the following categories:

Basic

Perfect

Perfect continuous (progressive)

Passive

Any subordinate clause whose verb is in ' to-infinitive' form is a to-infinitive clause. Let's see some examples:

If you want to make me happy, buy me flowers.

To play, the children need a room.

To make a perfect form with infinitives we can use the following structure:
[to + have + past participle]
This structure is used to indicate that an action was completed before a certain time. For example:

The boy was lucky to have passed these tests before.

To form perfect continuous we can use this structure:
[To + have + been + verb + -ing]
We use this structure to emphasize duration. For example:

She was too skinny to have been eating all these foods.

If a passive finite verb clause is followed by an infinitive, the infinitive clause will also be in the passive voice.

I expect that all the rooms will be cleaned before the guests arrive.

I expect all the rooms to be cleaned before the guests arrive.

Infinitives normally include the particle 'to', but it is not always necessary. When an infinitive is used without the particle 'to', it is called a bare infinitive. Pay attention to the examples:

Infinitive Clauses: Functions

An infinitive clause often serves as the subject or object or complement of the main clause.

Infinitive Clauses as Subjects

An infinitive clause can function as the subject of a sentence. The verb ' be' or other state verbs typically follow the infinitive clause. For example:

The above sentences might sound too formal. It is more common to express these sentences using 'it' or a participle clause. For example:

Swimming after a meal is wrong.

It is wrong to swim after a meal.

Infinitive Clauses as Objects

using an infinitive clause in a sentence

An infinitive clause can serve as the object of a sentence. Many verbs can be followed by an infinitive clause as the direct object.

I have decided to go to Iran for the holidays.

Remember to take your lunchbox to school.

Try to control your anger.

Infinitive Clauses as Object Complements

An infinitive or infinitive clause can function as an object complement by describing the action intended or desired for the direct object. For example:

Infinitive Clauses as Subject Complements

An infinitive clause can serve as a subject complement after the verb 'be' or other linking verbs.

My advice is to consult a lawyer at once.

Her decision was to quit her job in three months.

The Infinitive of Purpose

We can use a nounor pronoun followed by an infinitive clause to express the purpose of that noun. In this pattern, the to-infinitive follows the noun or pronoun.

Do you have a credit card to pay for all this?

Infinitive clauses can also be used to explain the reason or purpose for doing something. In this case, 'to' has the same meaning as ' in order to' or ' so as to'.

Infinitive Clauses with Question Words

Verbs such as 'ask, decide, explain, forget, know, show, tell, and understand' can be followed by question words like where, how, what, who, and when followed by the infinitive clause. Take a look at the examples:

He's forgotten where to look for his suitcase.

Infinitive Clauses with Adjectives

Sometimes, an infinitive clause immediately follows an adjective. Normally, the structure of the sentence would be as follows:

subject + to be + adjective + (for/of someone) + infinitive clause + (rest of sentence)

It is important for the doctor to explain the procedure to the patient.

Infinitive Clauses with Adverbs

Infinitive clauses can also be used with the adverbs ' too' and ' enough' in order to indicate the reason behind an action. In these cases, we can easily remove the infinitive and the sentence would still be grammatically correct. The structure is as follows:

'enough' + the adjective, adverb, or noun + the infinitive

the adjective, adverb, or noun + 'enough' + the infinitive

There is too much salt to put in this soup.

She's old enough to date whomever she deems suitable.

The prepositional phrase that comes before an infinitive clause is not the subject, it is the complement of a prepositional phrase. Take a look at some examples:

For them to host a party is entertaining.

For me to speak three languages would be amazing.

Infinitive clauses are made of an infinitive. Infinitives can be bare infinirtive or to-infinitive. Infinitive clauses are used as:

Object

object complement

subject complement

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"Infinitive Clauses" in the English Grammar

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To learn infinitive clauses, first of all, you should know the elements in a cause and the definition of an infinitive. In this lesson, we will learn them.

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Participle clauses enable us to say information in a more economical way. They are formed using present participles (going, reading, seeing, walking, etc.), past participles (gone, read, seen, walked, etc.) or perfect participles (having gone, having read, having seen, having walked, etc.).

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Look at these examples to see how participle clauses are used.

Looked after carefully, these boots will last for many years.
Not wanting to hurt his feelings, I avoided the question.
Having lived through difficult times together, they were very close friends.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Participle clauses enable us to say information in a more economical way. They are formed using present participles ( going, reading, seeing, walking, etc.), past participles ( gone, read, seen, walked, etc.) or perfect participles ( having gone, having read, having seen, having walked, etc.).

We can use participle clauses when the participle and the verb in the main clause have the same subject. For example,

Waiting for Ellie, I made some tea. ( While I was waiting for Ellie, I made some tea.)

Participle clauses do not have a specific tense. The tense is indicated by the verb in the main clause.

Participle clauses are mainly used in written texts, particularly in a literary, academic or journalistic style.

Present participle clauses

Here are some common ways we use present participle clauses. Note that present participles have a similar meaning to active verbs.

Past participle clauses

Here are some common ways that we use past participle clauses. Note that past participles normally have a passive meaning.

With a similar meaning to an if condition
Used in this way, participles can make your writing more concise. (If you use participles in this way, ... )

Perfect participle clauses

Perfect participle clauses show that the action they describe was finished before the action in the main clause. Perfect participles can be structured to make an active or passive meaning.

Having got dressed, he slowly went downstairs.
Having finished their training, they will be fully qualified doctors.
Having been made redundant, she started looking for a new job.

Participle clauses after conjunctions and prepositions

It is also common for participle clauses, especially with -ing, to follow conjunctions and prepositions such as before, after, instead of, on, since, when, while and in spite of.

Before cooking, you should wash your hands.
Instead of complaining about it, they should try doing something positive.
On arriving at the hotel, he went to get changed.
While packing her things, she thought about the last two years.
In spite of having read the instructions twice, I still couldn't understand how to use it.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Language level

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Do you know how to use participle clauses to say information in a more economical way? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.