Clauses:
* Must have a subject and a verb. This means they express a complete thought.
* Can stand alone as a sentence.
* Can be either independent (main clause) or dependent (subordinate clause).
Phrases:
* Do not have a subject and verb. They express an incomplete thought.
* Cannot stand alone as a sentence.
* Function as a single part of speech, like a noun, adjective, or adverb.
Here's a table summarizing the key differences:
| Feature | Clauses | Phrases |
|---------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| Subject & Verb | Yes, must have both | No, lacks either subject or verb |
| Complete Thought | Yes, expresses a complete thought | No, expresses an incomplete thought |
| Stand Alone | Yes, can stand alone as a sentence | No, cannot stand alone as a sentence |
| Function | Independent (main) or dependent (subordinate) | Part of speech (noun, adjective, adverb, etc.) |
Examples:
* Clause: *The dog barked loudly.* (Complete thought, can stand alone)
* Phrase: *Loudly barking.* (Incomplete thought, cannot stand alone, functions as an adjective modifying "dog")
In essence:
Both clauses and phrases are building blocks of sentences, but clauses form the core structure with complete thoughts, while phrases add detail and function as specific parts of speech.