NOTE: Be used as a helping verb can be distinguished from be as a linking verb because used as a linking verb, it will be the main verb. The Phrase Differentiating between the phrase and the clause is the fact that phrases do not contain the subject-verb relationships that clauses do. A phrase, then, is a group of related words used as a single part of speech. There are seven types of phrases which will be discussed in this handout: verb, prepositional, participial, verbal noun (gerund), infinitive, appositive, and absolute. Verb Phrase A verb phrase consists of a main verb and the helping verbs. The most commonly used helping verbs are as follows: Main verb: crawl Verb phrase: will crawl Main verb: listen Verb phrase: have been listening Main verb: find Verb phrase: would have been found be (am, is, are, etc.) have could did may shall has would does might will had should do must can A prepositional phrase is a group of words beginning with a preposition and ending with a noun Prepositional Phrases or a pronoun which is called the object of the preposition. when be is used as a helping verb, there will always be a main verb used with it, but when be is Prepositions are connecting words used to show the relationship of one word to another. The word preposition means “placed before.” It is so named because it is usually placed before a noun or a pronoun or a noun phrase or clause. The river is at the edge of town. He acted like a friend of the family. The principal prepositions are as follows:about There were fences about the estate. He inquired about my health. I must be about my business. above The birds flew above the house. Look at the sentence above the last one. He was above suspicion. across They rowed across the river. after After the storm. the sun shone brightly. = - The son was ~fter his father's money. In rank a captain is after a gene~ against He leaned against the wall. --The enemy is always against us. The teacher is against taiki~g.~n~. He is saving his money against a rainy dal: He charged twenty dollars against the customer's account. ahead of The fastest car was ahead of the others. -He was ~head of his brother in school~because he was more intelligent. along They drove ~long the ~ while others rowed along the shore. along with The boy went ~!ong with his Darent~ ~long with my loose chang~. I have $41.53. I am willing to go along with you in your beliefs. ~ around He ran ~round the farm. The baseball player ran ~round the bases. Twenty-four and twenty-six are aE?und twenty-five. ~ He went to the masquerade dressed ~s a kin~. The boy was a-s tall as his father. He was not so tall as his uncle. at The store was at the corner of Vine Street and First Avertue. His sister was away ~t college~ ~t nine o'clock--11e had breakfast. He usually read at nig~. The audience applauded at the entrance of the star. f Do it at your own convenience. 1 The oranges are priced a~ sixty cents a dQz~~. , The prisoner was at the me.r£Y. of the jailer. During vacations I find myself at leisure. He gave the command to fire ~: . behind The caboose was ~ehind all th~ nthpr eAr~~ on the train. He was ~hind his brother infinishing the job. The books were hidden behind the fence. below The cellar was beLow the fir~t floo~ The temperature dropped ~elow twenty degrees. He thought that laughter was-~elow his dignity. His performance was ~low his abilitl. beneath They put rafters beneath the roof. ~ Cheating on examinations was beneath him. - They lived beneath the rule of a dictator. ~ between On a piano the black keys are between t~e white key~. The bus ran b~~en New York and San Francis~2. He divided the money between his two sons. He felt as if he were between the frying pan and the fir ~tween the act~. but (meaning except) Nobody was left l].yt meL All but one were able to get on the bus. ~ He passed by the bank on his way home. --- He was assisted ?l- his fr!egda..a. He always drove ,:ithin the speed limits. ,-. He was within his right in doing So. -~ without He went wiEhout fo~r tWo days. I left the house ",!ithoUt mv coat. under The sheet was under the blanket. -- He built a house under the cliff. He took her under his guidance. . -- YoU will find definitions .!!9der U in the dictionary. He found Qnder General Clar!s. ~ween vou and me (co entially t n we re in trouble. The audience went out for refreshments He was paid b1L-the wee~ but he paid his rent by the month. Coal is sold by the ton. away from He swam a~y from the boat--,-You are far ~ay from the answer. He stayed away from home. in back of The fire house was in back of the citv cente~. When he changed his plans he did not know what was in back of his - mind. -before He put the cart before the horse. ~- -He got out of bed b~fore sunrise. Page 40 comes b;e~~Ee page 50. Job asked to come before the presence of God. until I won't leave until six o'clock. -up We walked slowly up the hill. ;.r --They sailed their boat ~n the river~ The beauty parlor is ~ the street~ She kept her diary ~p to da~. upon He stacked the books ~pon the tabl~. with I shall go to the store w~th you. He reached the airport w~th twenty minutes to snare. In the military service he is ~ith the NavvL He looked with sorrow on his wasted life. -She swept the floor with a broom. He was sick ~th inf iu~ -He was believed to be a person with sound principles. I hate to part ~ my mon~y. - I am angry ~h~ because of your neglect . within He resided within the city limit~.-- -- -- I voted ~r~ in the last election. I paid twenty dollars ~-mv shoe~ He £ailed f~r many reason~ in front I stood in front 0£ the theater. ~ -of I in He lived in a hotel in Washington when he was in the army. -Let us cut the apple in half. ---America was discovered in 1492. I hope to be ready in a few mi-nutes . ~f-a-ctt it may take me longer. The boat was twenty feet i~ length. Inl!l opinio~t the enemy will soon be defeated. He read the book in German. She insisted that her age was un~er forty. He £elt nothing because he was under ether. Under the terms 0£ the contractt you