When formulating sentences, students should use the five different phrases. By using these phrases, students can make their papers appear interesting, informative, and professional.

• A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition and its object, and any other modifying words. It can shows relationships and generally acts as an adjective or adverb. Examples:
  • As reporters of information to the general public, journalists must accurately represent the people and events of which they write.
  • During the awards ceremony, Alicia Keys performed her latest hit single.
  • For a paycheck every month, she works five days a week.
• An infinitive phrase may act as a noun, adjective, or adverb. It consists of the infinitive ("to" plus the regular form of the verb) and any other necessary modifiers. Examples:
  • To win a gold medal, athletes must practice often.
  • To perform at the ceremony, singers auditioned in the fall.
  • To attend classes at the school, participants must pay $1,000.
• An appositive phrase renames the noun or pronoun that precedes it. Examples:
  • Her article discussed Spears' new album, Britney, and her first feature film.
  • Tom Cruise acted in a film, Vanilla Sky, during 2001.
  • Our new coach, John Smith, played professional hockey for 5 years.
• A participal phrase is a group of words that act as an adjective to describe a noun. Unlike gerunds, these phrases are set off by commas. They generally end with -ing, -t, -d, -ed, or -n. Examples:
  • Published in Rolling Stone, Jenny Eliscu's article coincided with the release of Britney Spears' single, "I'm A Slave 4 U."
  • Formed in the late 1970s, U2 has become the most commercially successful Irish band in the history of popular music.
  • Having played soccer in college, Professor Jones teaches history and coaches our soccer team.
• A gerund phrase ends in -ing and acts as a noun. Followed by a verb, the use of a gerund does not require a comma. Examples:
  • Coaching hockey takes up most of John Smith's time.
  • Winning a gold medal is the biggest achievement for many athletes.
  • Performing in competitions made her a champion dancer.