For examples,
- She bought a new house. ["a new house" is a noun phrase used in the same way as noun "house".]
- They are staying at an expensive hotel. ["at an expensive hotel" is a prepositional phrase used in the same way as an adverb telling "where?".]
- The book on the table is mine. ["on the table" is a prepositional phrase used in the same way as an adjective telling "which one?".]
- ANZ Royal, a leading bank in Cambodia, is to open new branches next year. ["a leading bank in Cambodia" is a a positive phrase.]
Types of phrases
In common, the main types of phrases are: noun phrases, prepositional phrases, verbal phrases, and appositive phrases.
1. Noun phrase
A noun phrase is a group of words that comprises a noun and any associated modifiers. A noun phrase is a group of words used as noun.
For examples,
- Angkor Wat is the main tourist destination.
- A group of teachers are discussing a new curriculum.
Note: - Noun phrase is made up of modifiers and ends with a noun (noun phrase= modifiers + noun).
- It is used in the same way as noun (i.e. as noun, object,....)
- It is used in the same way as noun (i.e. as noun, object,....)
គួរចងចាំៈ Noun phrase ជាក្រុមនៃពាក្យបញ្ចប់ដោយ នាម ហើយនាំមុខដោយឃ្លា គុណនាម (Noun phrase = ឃ្លាគុណនាម + នាម)។ នៅក្នុងប្រយោគ វាមានតួនាទីដូចគ្នានឹងនាមដែរ។
2.Prepositional Phrase
A prepositional phrase is a group of words beginning with a preposition and usually ending with a noun or pronoun.
For examples,
- Look! he is walking across the street.
- Everyone in the room stood up and welcome the new teacher.
Object of prepositional phrase
The noun or pronoun that ends the prepositional phrase is the object of the preposition.
For examples,
- Across the street
- in the room
Functions of prepositional phrase
Function as adjective –
It functions as adjective when it modifies a noun or pronoun, in the same way as a single adjective. The phrase tells which, what kind, or how many.
For examples,
- Please park in front of a school near the bank.
- One of the student works quite hard.
Function as adverb –
It functions as adjective when it modifies a verb, and adjective, or an adverb. The phrase tells how, when, where, or to what extent. It can also be called adverbial phrase.
For examples,
- I came by car.
- I have to see the doctor again in the afternoon.
- Prepositional phrase begins with a preposition (in, on, at, under, over ...) followed by a noun or noun phrase.
- It, in sentences, functions as adjective or adverb.
គួរចងចាំៈ Prepositional phrase ចាប់ផ្តើមដោយ preposition និងបញ្ចប់ដោយនាម ឬកន្សោមនាម (Prepositional phrase = preposition + noun / noun phrase)។ នៅក្នុងប្រយោគ វាដើរតួនាទីជាគុណនាម ឬគុណកិរិយា (កិរិយាស័ព្ទវិសេស)។
3. Verbal Phrase
Verbal are forms of a verb that are not used as verbs but as other parts of speech. There are three kinds of verbal: participle, gerund, and infinitive phrase.
គួរចងចាំៈ Verbal phrase ជាទម្រង់នៃកិរិយាស័ព្ទ ប៉ុន្តែពុំមានតួនាទីជាកិរិយាស័ព្ទនៅ ក្នុងប្រយោគទេ។ វាដើរតួជានាម គុណនាម ឬគុណកិរិយា។
A. Participle phrases
Participles
Participle is the verb form used as an adjective. It is formed by adding –ed or –ing to the verb. It doesn’t tell the action, but modifies noun or pronoun (same as adjective).
Present participles – Consist of the plain form of the verb plus –ing.
For examples,
- A boring book
- Boiling water
Past participles – Consist of the plain form plus –ed.
For examples,
- A frustrated man
- Grilled fish
The Participial Phrase
A participial phrase consists of a participle and its related words, such as modifiers which act together as an adjective.
For examples,
- The student writing the article on Angkor Wat is so genius.
- Having review a student satisfactory research, the faculty decides to modernize its study curriculum.
Note:
- Participle phrase begins with a participle (verb ending in "-ed" or "-ing" and is followed by an object and its modifier -- a noun phrase.
- It, in a sentence, functions as adjective. គួរចងចាំៈ Participle phrase ចាប់ផ្តើមដោយ participle និងបញ្ចប់ដោយកន្សោមនាម (participle phrase = verb-ed/-ing + noun phrase)។ នៅក្នុងប្រយោគ វាដើរតួនាទី ជាគុណនាម។
B. Gerund Phrase
Gerund
A gerund is a verbal that ends in -ing and functions as a noun.
For examples,
- Reading may broaden your thinking.
- My favorite hobby is sleeping.
Gerund phrase
A gerund phrase consists of a gerund together with its complements and modifiers. The phrase functions as noun.
For examples,
- Driving a car needs concentration.
- Sokha has finished painting his room.
- Gerund phrase begins with a gerund (verb ending in "-ing" and is followed by an object and its modifiers.
- It, in a sentence, functions as noun. គួរចងចាំៈ Gerund phrase ចាប់ផ្តើមដោយ gerund និងបញ្ចប់ដោយកន្សោមនាម (Gerund phrase = verb-ing + noun phrase)។ នៅក្នុងប្រយោគ វាដើរតួនាទី ជានាម។
C. Infinitive Phrase
Infinitive
An infinitive is a verb form, usually preceded by to, that is used as a noun, adjective or adverb.
For examples,
- To think helps us better understand things.
- What I want is to read.
Infinitive phrase
An Infinitive phrase consists of an infinitive together with its complements and modifiers.
For examples,
- To exercise everyday is a good habit.
- I intend to finish my project.
- Infinitive phrase begins with an infinitive (to + verb) and is followed by an object and any modifiers.
- It, in a sentence, functions as noun.
គួរចងចាំៈ Infinitive phrase ចាប់ផ្តើមដោយ infinitive និងបញ្ចប់ដោយកន្សោមនាម (participle phrase = to verb + noun phrase)។ នៅក្នុងប្រយោគ វាដើរតួនាទី ជានាម គុណនាម ឬគុណកិរិយា។
4. Appositive Phrase
Appositive
An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that immediately follows and renames another noun or noun phrase. It adds extra meaning to the noun.
For examples,
- You students should work hard.
- My friend Bopha is never late.
Appositive phrase
An appositive phrase is made up of an appositive and its modifiers.
For examples,
- Tom Teav, a Khmer tragic story, has been studied and rewritten in English.
- She, my beautiful sister, is always late.
