Using Phrases - Study Guide

Welcome to Your Study Guide

This course will help you understand and use three important types of phrases in English: gerund phrases, participle phrases, and infinitive phrases. Each type of phrase has unique characteristics and functions in sentences.

1. Gerund Phrases

A gerund is a verb ending in -ing that acts strictly as a noun. A gerund phrase includes the gerund plus any objects or modifiers.

Examples:

Running in the mornings
Speaking with my clients
Laying on the couch
Playing with my dog

Usage: Swimming with sharks is a stressful hobby.

2. Participle Phrases

Participles are verb forms that usually end with -ed/-en (any past or irregular form of a verb). They describe a noun. A participle phrase includes the participle plus any modifiers.

Function: Adjective phrases

Examples:

Built during the 19th century
Written in gold ink
Baked into the pie

Usage: Hidden by the trees, the cabin was hard to see.

3. Infinitive Phrases

An infinitive is the base form of a verb preceded by the word to (e.g., to eat, to run). An infinitive phrase includes the infinitive plus any objects or modifiers.

Function: Can act as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.

Example (Noun): I love to bake bread. (an activity)
Example (Adjective): I need a place to sit down. (Describes "place")
Example (Adverb): He ran to catch the bus. (Explains why he ran)

Comparing the Three Phrase Types

The following example sets show how the same basic idea can be expressed using each of the three phrase types, with each one serving a different grammatical function:

Example Set A: Writing a Letter

Gerund: Writing a letter to a friend is a nice way to say hello. (Subject: The activity)
Participle: The letter written to a friend is on the table. (Adj: Which letter?)
Infinitive: I bought some stationary to write a letter to a friend. (Adv: bought why?)

Example Set B: The Broken Window

Gerund: Fixing the broken window will cost fifty dollars. (Subject: The activity)
Participle: The window broken by the ball needs new glass. (Adj: Which window?)
Infinitive: He got a hammer to fix the broken window. (Adv: got why?)

Example Set C: The Lost Keys

Gerund: Finding the lost keys took all morning. (Subject: The activity)
Participle: The keys lost in the park were never found. (Adj: Which keys?)
Infinitive: We stayed outside to find the lost keys. (Adv: stayed why?)

How to use this guide: Click on each lesson below to explore detailed examples of how each phrase type fills different sentence slots. Each lesson provides numerous real-world examples to help you understand and practice using these phrases correctly.