Phrases and Clauses Practice

Phrases and Clauses Practice

Read each question carefully and follow the instructions to identify phrases and clauses.

A phrase is a group of words that acts as a single part of speech but does not have both a subject and a verb. It cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.

1. Underline the phrase in each sentence.

a. The fluffy cat slept   on the couch.

b. Running quickly   , the boy caught the ball.

c. We walked   to the store.

d. My friend   with the red hat is here.

A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a verb. It can sometimes stand alone as a complete sentence (independent clause) or might need more information (dependent clause).

2. Circle the clause in each sentence.

a. The dog barked loudly   when the mailman arrived.

b. She sings beautifully   because she practices every day.

c. I will eat dinner   after I finish my homework.

d. He smiled   as he opened the present.

Decide if the underlined group of words is a phrase (True) or a clause (False).

3. <u>After the rain stopped</u>, we went outside.

4. The cat <u>on the fence</u> watched the birds.

5. Write a sentence that includes a phrase. Underline your phrase.

6. Write a sentence that includes a dependent clause. Circle your dependent clause.

Read the following paragraph. Identify one phrase and one clause. Write them down and explain why each is either a phrase or a clause.

The small brown dog, wagging its tail happily, ran across the park. It chased a bright red ball until it was tired. Because the sun was setting, the dog's owner called it home.

Phrase:

Explanation:  

Clause:

Explanation: