Grammar: Groups & phrases

Overview

What are groups and phrases?

Groups and phrases are very important because they are the elements which make up a clause. A clause is not a string of words. A clause is rather a sequence of groups and phrases. Here is a sample clause:

The old junk was drifting aimlessly around the harbour.

There are three types of groups and one type of phrase:

	noun group
	verb group
	adverb group
	prepositional phrase

Groups and phrases are the building blocks or constituents of the clause. They go together to make up a clause. So a group or a phrase tends to be smaller than a clause.

While the clause is made up of groups and phrases, groups and phrases are themselves made up of words. This is where the word 'group' comes from: 'word group' or 'group of words'.