A phrase is a group of related words within a sentence. It does not include both a subject and a verb.

Phrases mostly consist of a preposition, an article, or a noun, for example: on a table, at the door, in a box, on the roof.

A phrase is an important part of a sentence because it completes the structure and adds meaning. However, since a phrase does not contain a subject and a verb, it cannot stand alone as a complete sentence; on its own, it does not express a complete thought.

Examples:

• The cat is sleeping on the table.
• She was standing on the roof.
• He is drawing a map on the wall.
• She is waiting at the door.
• He wrote something on a paper.
• Keep your passport in a cupboard.
• There are four balls in the box.
• The kid sat beside her mother.
• Students were looking at the whiteboard.
• The dog is barking at a stranger.
• The girl, in the brown shirt, won the competition.
• The students, in the hall, were making a noise.

A phrase generally completes the structure and meaning of a sentence by acting as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. Therefore, a phrase can also be defined as a group of related words (excluding a subject and verb) that functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb in a sentence.

Read the following examples:

• She bought a beautiful clock.     (as a noun: object).
• One of my friends has gone to America.  (as a noun: subject).
• The girl in the white shirt won a prize. (as an adjective modifying the noun: girl).
• He gave me a cup full of tea.    (as an adjective modifying the noun: cup).
• She came back in a while.     (as an adverb modifying the verb: come).
• He welcomed the guests in a nice way. (as an adverb modifying the verb: welcome).

A clause has a subject and a verb and can stand alone as a complete sentence. For example: He laughed. or She bought a book.

On the other hand, a phrase does not have a subject and a verb and cannot stand alone; it only adds information to a clause or sentence.

Examples:

1. She is reading a book in the library.
   Clause: She is reading a book (subject + verb, complete = thought)
   Phrase: in the library (adds information about where)
2. I bought a gift for my sister.
   Clause: I bought a gift (subject + verb, complete = thought)
   Phrase: for my sister (adds information about whom the gift is for)
3. The dog barked loudly at the stranger.
   Clause: The dog barked loudly.(subject + verb, complete = thought)
   Phrase: at the stranger (tells at whom)

Depending on its function within a sentence, phrases are divided into various types such as: noun phrase, verb phrase, adjective phrase, adverb phrase and prepositional phrase. Click here to read the types of phrases in more detail.