عبارت یا phrase مجموعه ای از کلمات بدون فاعل هستند که مفهومی را منتقل می کنند. به عبارت دیگر تفاوت اصلی phrase با clause این است که در phrase فاعل وجود ندارد.
به مثالهای زیر که انواع مختلف phrase را نمایش می دهد، توجه نمایید:
That song choice was way too bold.
(Adjective)
She was taller than all of her classmates.
(Adjective)
He bakes cakes every Sunday.
(Adverb)
We ran out of there at a breakneck speed.
(Adverb)
My small dog barks at ducks.
(Noun)
The boxy van outside has circled the block twice already.
(Noun)
Shelley has been waiting for an hour already.
(Verb)
I am writing a novel.
(Verb)
The cat jumped onto the counter.
(Prepositional)
All the neighbors are looking forward to barbecuing on Sunday.
(Gerund)
We had hoped to be there.
(Infinitive)
Mom said to call Grandma tomorrow.
(Infinitive)
The fish that swam away from its school got eaten by a shark.
(Participle)