Phrases and Clauses: Practice Exercise
Directions: For each of the following sentences, bracket the dependent clauses and
underline the verbal phrases, labelling each according to its kind.
noun clause
1. [How the cook fled from the scene of the crime] remained a mystery.
gerund ph
2. Nagging at Holmes’s mind was his interview with the butler, [who had
adjective clause
seemed frightened, not guilty.]
adverb clause noun clause
3. [When the cook was finally recaptured,] we asked her [why she had been
infinitive ph participle ph
willing to leave the house unguarded by any of the other servants.]
noun clause
4. The jury took a bus to [where the crime had occurred.]
infinitive ph
5. Some people seem to enjoy constant bickering with their spouses, but the
gerund ph
infinitive ph
cook had preferred simply to murder hers.
gerund ph
6. Thinking about murder is as tiring as the work itself.
gerund ph adjective clause
7. Our class really enjoyed reading , [which was written by Henry Melville.]
noun clause infinitive ph
8. The treasurer said [ he wanted to know the reason for the cash shortfall. ]
infinitive ph noun clause
9. The prosecutor wanted to know [whose voice she had heard .]
participle ph noun clause
10. Sobbing uncontrollably, she admitted [that her entire story was a lie]
participle ph
concocted to help her escape the gallows.
infinitive ph
