Clauses and Phrases

Clause Phrase
• A combination of words • A combination of words

• A part of a sentence • A part of a sentence

• Conveys whole meaning • Does not Convey whole meaning

• Contains subject and predicate in it. • Doesn’t contain a subject and

predicate in it.

Clauses
Types of Clauses
Independent clause/ Dependent clause/
Main clause/Principal Clause Subordinate Clause
• Can stand alone • Can’t stand alone
• Conveys full fledge meaning • Doesn’t convey full fledge
• Doesn’t need another clause to meaning
support it. • Does need another clause to
• Doesn’t start with any supportive support it.
word. Always starts with either a • Starts with Relative Pronoun
subject or an object. (who, whose, whom, which, that
• Doesn’t have any further type. etc.), Relative Adverb (When,
where, how etc.) and
Conjunctions (if, because, until,
unless, as, as if, as soon as etc.)
• It has further types:
Ø Noun Clause
Ø Adjective Clause
Ø Adverb Clause

There are many ways of figuring out the category of the underlined part. We will take the easiest
way which is to look at the first word of the underlined part.

There are three main types of clauses and the expected starting words are written in front of them.
If we keep them in mind, guessing the category of the underlined part will become quite an easy
task.


Noun Clause: What, Whatever, That

Adjective Clause: Which, Who, Whose, Whom, That, Where, When

Adverb Clause: If, Until, Unless, As, Because, Although, Lest,

Along with, As if, As soon as, As well as, As far as, So that,
When, Where, How etc.

Noun Clause: What, Whatever, That

1. Always follow whatever your teachers say.
2. That you always speak truth pleases me.
3. He said that he was ill yesterday.
4. This is what I wanted to share with you.
5. That he works hard makes him an outstanding student.
6. She said that she invited me on her birthday.
7. I did whatever you asked me to.
8. This is what you thought about me.

Adjective Clause: Which, Who, Whose, Whom, That, Where, When

1. This is the book which I wanted to read.
2. He is the boy who got good marks.
3. This is the women whose cell phone was stolen.
4. The man whom we met yesterday was my uncle.
5. This is the matter that I wanted to bring in your knowledge.
6. This is the park where we met for the first time.
7. I recall those days when we were living together.

Adverb Clause: If, Until, Unless, Although, As, Because, Although, Lest,
Along with, As if, As soon as, As well as, As far as, So that,
When, Where, How etc.
1. I won’t come if it rains.
2. Don’t move until I direct.
3. He cried as if he were a child.
4. Work hard lest you should fail.
5. As soon as he will bring the taxi, we will depart.
6. I didn’t go because I was not invited.
7. This is how we change defeat into victory.
8. I will reach where you would ask me to reach.
9. I will come when you call me.

Phrases
Types of phrases
Prepositional Phrase Verb Phrase Noun Phrase
Always start with Always starts with either Always stats with either
prepositions. helping verb or main verb or Gerund, Infinitive, Noun,
present or past participle. Pronoun, Adjective, Article.

Sub-types: Sub-types:

• Prepositional phrase • Gerund Phrase

• Adjective Phrase • Infinitive Phrase
• Adverb Phrase • Appositive Phrase
• Noun Phrase

Prepositional Phrase

Prepositional Phrase Adjective Phrase Adverb Phrase

Always start with a Adjective Phrases start with Start with Preposition and
preposition. Preposition. And present adverbs.
participle or past participle.
Examples: Examples: Examples:

• He lives in the room. • He is a man with no He went to hospital

manners. yesterday night.
• The book is on the table.
• The chair is beside the • He is a boy with no He got admission in the
blackboard. friends. south of Spain.
• He is standing near the He is playing quite well.
• The boy in the room is
mosque. my friend. We visit our grandmother’s
• There is a little water in house once in a year.
• The book in the He cannot come because of
the jug.
cupboard is mine. illness.
• There was a cat beneath
the tree. • The girl holding a red
umbrella is my sister.
• The girl with a red
umbrella is my sister.
• The money kept in the
bank is safe.


Verb Phrase
Verb phrase: Starts with either helping verb or main verb.

He is going.
He has gone to school.
He has been playing since morning.
Seeing a lion, he ran away.
He went waving hands.
Noun Phrase
Gerund Phrase Infinitive Phrase
Always starts with Gerund (..ing form Always starts with
acting as a noun) Infinitive (To+ 1st Form of verb)

Examples: Examples:
• Playing cricket is my hobby. • He likes to play cricket.
• He likes climbing mountains. • To climb the mountain is my
• He is fond of watching hobby.
matches. • He loves to go abroad.
• He is good at managing things. • He wishes to learn new things.
• Washing dishes is what she • He wants to attend a function.
dislikes the most. • He plans to join office from
tomorrow.

Appositive Phrase Noun Phrase

Always starts with a Noun or Pronoun Always starts with a Noun or Pronoun
or Adjective or article. or Adjective or article.
(Appositive means “placed near” ‫ﭘﮩﻠو ﺑہ‬
‫)ﭘﮩﻠو َرﮐﮭﺎ ﮨوا‬.
Appositive phrase comes after a noun or
pronoun and identifies or explains it.
Examples: Examples:
• Quaid e Azam, the founder of • The founder of Pakistan was born
Pakistan, was born in Karachi. in Karachi.
• Allam Iqbal, the poet of the east, • The poet of east was died in
contributed in the development of
1938.
two-nation theory.
• My brother is a skilled
• My friend, Saeed, is coming to
professional.
meet me.
• Ferocious animals, lions and • Beautiful birds are flying in the
leopards, are kept in cages. sky.