What is a Phrase? "A phrase is a collection of words that may have nouns or verbals, but it does not have a subject doing a verb," 5. Example: after school, before the movie, because of his tail Phrases are extremely important, as they tell us very important information. What is a Clause? "A clause is a collection of words that has a subject that is actively doing a verb," 6. Example: until the sun sets, as the lights were dimming There are independent and dependent clauses, and they go together to make a sentence. Example: Before I went to school, I ate some breakfast. The independent clause is underlined while the dependent clause is not. An independent clause has both a subject and a verb, and can serve as a complete sentence on its own. A dependent clause has a subject as well, but it cannot stand on its own, and it needs an independent clause.
How do I Recognize a Phrase? Recognizing a phrase is simple. It does not have a verb acting upon a subject.
How do I Recognize an Independent Clause? Recognizing an independent clause is also simple. If it has a verb acting upon a subject, then it is an independent clause.
How do I Recognize a Dependent Clause? "Dependent clauses often begin with words such as before, after, while, during, when, because, if, etc," 7.