Phrases and clauses

Phrases and clauses are basic units of sentences. A phrase is a group of words that work together but do not have both a subject and a verb; it adds information but cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. For example, "the red car" is a phrase. A clause, on the other hand, has both a subject and a verb. An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence, like "She runs." A dependent clause cannot stand alone and needs an independent clause to complete its meaning, such as "because she is tired." Understanding these helps in constructing clear and effective sentences.