What is a phrase?
Groups of words that stay together, the key word at the heart of each, and the clause test.
The answer
A phrase is a small group of words that work together around one key word, such as a noun or a preposition, without being a clause.
Examples
The old grey cat slept all day.
A noun phrase: the key word is cat.
We had a picnic by the river.
A preposition phrase: the key word is by.
After the storm, the garden was a mess.
The girl with the red scarf waved.
A noun phrase with a preposition phrase inside it.
How to spot it
- Find the key word. If it is a noun, it is a noun phrase; if it is a preposition, it is a preposition phrase.
- Check for a verb with its own subject. If there is one, you have a clause instead.
- A phrase cannot stand alone as a sentence: ‘by the river’ needs more.
The common mistake
Writing a phrase as if it were a sentence.
‘Under the old bridge.’ has a capital letter and a full stop, but it is a phrase, not a sentence. It needs a main clause: We sheltered under the old bridge.
When it is taught
- First met
- Year 2
- On the pupil word list
- Not as a separate term
Phrase on its own is not on the terminology list, but noun phrase is named in Year 2, and Year 4 adds preposition phrases to expanded noun phrases. The glossary defines phrase and uses it throughout.
Try a question
Is the marked part a phrase or a clause?
We waited until the rain stopped.
Show the answer
Answer: A clause.
It has a subject (the rain) and a verb (stopped). Until the evening would be a phrase.
Related terms
- Practise the 11+ skill: Distinguish a phrase and clause
More grammar terms
Questions parents ask
What is the difference between a phrase and a clause?
A clause is built around a verb with its own subject. A phrase is built around a different key word and has no subject and verb of its own.
What is a preposition phrase?
A preposition with the noun or noun phrase after it, such as under the bed or after the party.
Can a phrase be one word?
Some grammarians say yes: in ‘Foxes are clever’, foxes can be seen as a one-word noun phrase. At primary school, phrases are usually two or more words.
Grammar turns up in 11+ English too
Many 11+ English papers include grammar and punctuation questions alongside comprehension. The free diagnostic checks maths, English and both kinds of reasoning, and shows what to practise next. No card is required.