Phrase vs Sentence - Difference

Phrase vs Sentence - Difference in Details

Point Phrase Sentence
1. Definition Group of words that makes sense but no complete meaning. Group of words that makes complete sense.
2. Subject + Verb No Subject + Verb pair. May have verb form like running, to eat but no finite verb. Must have Subject + Verb. Without both, it’s not a sentence.
3. Meaning Incomplete meaning. You’ll ask "then what?"
Ex: In the morning → In the morning what?		 Complete meaning. Reader understands fully.
Ex: We wake up in the morning.
4. Capital + Punctuation Doesn’t start with capital letter. No full stop, ?, ! needed. Starts with capital letter. Ends with . ? !
5. Function Works as a part of sentence. Like noun, adjective, adverb. Stands alone as a complete thought.
6. Example A beautiful girl
To win the match
Under the tree		 A beautiful girl is dancing.
He wants to win the match.
Birds sit under the tree.

1. Key Test to Identify - "Subject + Verb Test"

Ask 2 questions:

  1. Is there a Subject? Who/What is it about? Noun/Pronoun
  2. Is there a Verb? What is it doing? Finite verb
If both YES → Sentence
If NO → Phrase

Examples:
1. Running fast → Subject? No. Verb? "Running" is non-finite. → Phrase
2. Boys run fast → Subject: Boys. Verb: run. → Sentence

2. Types of Phrases - All are part of sentence only

Type Example Function in Sentence
Noun Phrase The tall boy Subject/Object: The tall boy won the prize
Verb Phrase has been sleeping Predicate: He has been sleeping
Adjective Phrase full of water Describes noun: The pot full of water
Adverb Phrase very carefully Describes verb: She wrote very carefully
Prepositional Phrase in the garden Place/Time: We play in the garden
Gerund Phrase Swimming daily As subject: Swimming daily is good
Infinitive Phrase To err is human As subject: To err is human

Note: All these phrases cannot stand alone.

3. Types of Sentences - All give complete thought

Type Example Punctuation
Declarative The sun rises in east. . Full stop
Interrogative Where do you live? ? Question mark
Imperative Close the door. . or !
Exclamatory Wow! What a view! ! Exclamation

4. Can a phrase become a sentence?

Phrase → Sentence
After dinner → We sleep after dinner.
To learn English → I want to learn English.

Sentence → Phrase
She sings sweetly → singing sweetly
The boy who is brave → a brave boy

5. Quick Memory Trick

Phrase = "Half thought" → Like trailer of movie
Sentence = "Full story" → Complete movie
Ex: Because it was raining = Phrase = "Because it was raining...then what?"
Because it was raining, we stayed home = Sentence = Complete story.
Most common mistake students do:
They think any group of words ending with full stop is sentence. Wrong.

Wrong: In the morning. → Phrase only
Right: We go for walk in the morning. → Sentence