Grammar Worksheets

Downloadable Phrase Exercises & Worksheets for Teachers and Students

Phrase exercises are a crucial element of mastering English grammar, and they can often present challenges to learners. This guide offers a carefully revised set of exercises to help you become more confident in identifying and using different types of phrases correctly.

Remember to go back and study the articles mentioned below to improve your knowledge of phrases:

Download Phrase Worksheet

Phrase worksheet with grammar exercises on verb phrases, noun phrases, appositive phrases, and gerund phrases for English learnersPin
Phrase Worksheet – Created by 7ESL


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Phrase Exercises

Phrase Exercise 1: Read the following sentences and underline the verb phrases

  1. The children were playing in the park.
  2. She has been studying for her exams all week.
  3. I will travel to Japan next year.
  4. They can swim very fast.
  5. He did not want to go to the party.
  6. We have been waiting for the bus for half an hour.
  7. She can solve complex math problems easily.
  8. They might go to the cinema tonight.
  9. The teacher is grading the papers.
  10. You must finish your work before going out.

Answers

  1. The children were playing in the park.
  2. She has been studying for her exams all week.
  3. I will travel to Japan next year.
  4. They can swim very fast.
  5. He did not want to go to the party.
  6. We have been waiting for the bus for half an hour.
  7. She can solve complex math problems easily.
  8. They might go to the cinema tonight.
  9. The teacher is grading the papers.
  10. You must finish your work before going out.

Phrase Exercise 2: Choose the option that correctly identifies the appositive phrase in each sentence

  1. My brother, an engineer, is coming to visit me next week.
    • A) My brother
    • B) an engineer
    • C) is coming to visit
    • D) next week
  2. The novel “To Kill a Mockingbird,” a classic of American literature, was written by Harper Lee.
    • A) The novel
    • B) “To Kill a Mockingbird”
    • C) a classic of American literature
    • D) was written by Harper Lee
  3. We are going to visit the :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}, a famous landmark, during our trip.
    • A) We are going to visit
    • B) the Eiffel Tower
    • C) a famous landmark
    • D) during our trip
  4. Leonardo da Vinci, a painter and inventor, is well-known for his artwork.
    • A) Leonardo da Vinci
    • B) a painter and inventor
    • C) is well-known
    • D) for his artwork
  5. She handed the homework to Ms. Johnson, her English teacher, right before the bell rang.
    • A) She handed the homework
    • B) to Ms. Johnson
    • C) her English teacher
    • D) right before the bell rang
  6. Can you pass me the salt, that white shaker on the table?
    • A) Can you pass me
    • B) the salt
    • C) that white shaker on the table
    • D) on the table
  7. The CEO of the company, a very shrewd businessman, decided to invest in new technology.
    • A) The CEO of the company
    • B) a very shrewd businessman
    • C) decided to invest
    • D) in new technology
  8. My pet beagle, Snoopy, loves to chase his tail.
    • A) My pet beagle
    • B) Snoopy
    • C) loves to chase
    • D) his tail
  9. My friend Sarah is planning a trip to Ireland.
    • A) My friend
    • B) Sarah
    • C) is planning
    • D) a trip to Ireland
  10. The book, a gripping mystery novel, kept me up all night.
    • A) The book
    • B) a gripping mystery novel
    • C) kept me up
    • D) all night

Answers

1. B 2. C 3. C
4. B 5. C 6. C
7. B 8. B 9. B
10. B    

 

Phrase Exercise 3: Rewrite the following sentences to replace the infinitive phrases with gerund phrases

  1. It’s fun to swim in the lake.
  2. I need to make a shopping list.
  3. They hope to win the championship.
  4. She decided to take a nap.
  5. To read before bed helps me relax.
  6. To walk in the morning is a good start to the day.
  7. To play the violin takes a lot of practice.
  8. It’s necessary to clean your room regularly.
  9. To learn programming can enhance your career prospects.
  10. She loves to sing at karaoke nights.
  11. To make your own clothes can be very rewarding.
  12. To drive safely is essential at all times.
  13. It’s fun to go camping in the wilderness.
  14. To meditate daily is beneficial for mental health.
  15. To bake with whole grains is healthier.

Answers

  1. Swimming in the lake is fun.
  2. I need to finish making a shopping list.
  3. Winning the championship is what they hope for.
  4. Taking a nap was what she decided on.
  5. Reading before bed helps me relax.
  6. Walking in the morning is a good start to the day.
  7. Playing the violin takes a lot of practice.
  8. Cleaning your room regularly is necessary.
  9. Learning programming can enhance your career prospects.
  10. She loves singing at karaoke nights.
  11. Making your own clothes can be very rewarding.
  12. Driving safely is essential at all times.
  13. Going camping in the wilderness is fun.
  14. Meditating daily is beneficial for mental health.
  15. Baking with whole grains is healthier. 
B1 Knowledge Check · 5 questions

Downloadable Phrase Exercises & Worksheets for Teachers and Students — Practice Quiz

1 / 5
Q1

Question 1: What does the term 'phrase' mean in English grammar?

Question 1 options
A phrase is a group of words that functions as a single unit within a sentence but does not contain both a subject and a verb working together as a clause. It adds meaning to a sentence by acting as a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb.
Q2

Question 2: In the sentence 'She has been studying for her exams all week,' the verb phrase is 'for her exams all week.'

Question 2 options
This is false. The verb phrase in that sentence is 'has been studying,' which includes the auxiliary verbs 'has been' and the main verb 'studying.' The phrase 'for her exams all week' functions as a prepositional/adverbial phrase, not a verb phrase.
Q3

Question 3: Which sentence correctly uses an appositive phrase?

Question 3 options
'My neighbour, a retired pilot, often tells stories about his travels' correctly uses the appositive phrase 'a retired pilot' to rename and give extra information about 'my neighbour.' The other sentences misuse the appositive structure or place it incorrectly.
Q4

Question 4: Match each phrase type to its correct example.

Question 4 options
Gerund phrase
Infinitive phrase
Appositive phrase
Adverbial phrase
To travel abroad
Swimming in the lake
A famous landmark
Very quickly

Select an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.

'Swimming in the lake' is a gerund phrase (starts with a gerund). 'To travel abroad' is an infinitive phrase (starts with 'to' + base verb). 'A famous landmark' is an appositive phrase (renames a noun). 'Very quickly' is an adverbial phrase (modifies a verb by describing how).
Q5

Question 5: According to the article, when the infinitive phrase 'To read before bed helps me relax' is rewritten with a gerund phrase, the result is:

Question 5 options
The article shows that the infinitive 'To read' is replaced by the gerund 'Reading,' producing 'Reading before bed helps me relax.' The rest of the sentence stays the same.

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