How is a clause different from a phrase?

Answer 1

A clause has both a subject and a verb while a phrase does not.

A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb.

Question: What is the difference between phrases and clauses?

The difference between phrases and clauses can be confusing.

A phrase is a group of words that has either no subject or no predicate.

opening the gate (no subject) the man at the counter (no predicate) across the river (a modifier: neither a subject nor a predicate)

A clause is a group of words containing both a subject and a predicate.

Dependent Clauses cannot stand alone as sentences.

• although the man held his daughter
• because Jerry was laughing at the joke

Independent Clauses can stand alone as a sentence.

• Alfred did not want to marry
• My sister, Mariana, was talking about our mother

"I am eating in the kitchen" is a clause.

"

In the kitchen" by itself is a prepositional phrase (a phrase formed from a preposition, in this case, "in."

Answer 2

A phrase is a group of related words that does not have a subject and a verb working together. In contrast, a clause includes a subject and a verb and can stand alone as a complete sentence or be part of a larger sentence.