Page 43 - English Expedition Class 6

3. The children in my neighbour’s home __________________________________ over the most
trivial matters.
4. The government is waiting to __________________________________ before making any
hasty decision to declare a war.
5. The minister’s shameful behaviour has __________________________________ and
prompted her opponents to ask for her resignation.
6. ‘I will pay you a rich reward if you __________________________________ and tell me how
you do the trick,’ said the rich trader to the magician.

B. Find out the meanings of these proverbs and use them in your own expressions.

1. When the cat’s away, the mice will play.
2. Has the cat got your tongue?

3. A cat may look at a king.
4. Who will bell the cat?
5. All cats are grey in the dark.

Grammar

Kinds of Phrases
You have read previously that a phrase is a group of words that conveys some sense but not
complete sense. Read these sentences and note the highlighted phrases.

1. The cook was stirring a large cauldron.
2. The Duchess was sitting on a stool with three legs.

3. Alice started talking in a timid manner.
In sentence 1, the italicized words function as the object of the verb was stirring. The phrase a large
cauldron does the work of a noun. Such a phrase is called a noun phrase. A noun phrase contains a
noun as well as its modifi ers (adjectives and determiners). A noun phrase can also be the subject of a
sentence. For example,
The large cat was grinning.

In sentence 2, the italicized words describe the noun stool. They can be replaced by the adjective
three-legged without changing the meaning of the sentence: The duchess was sitting on a three-legged
stool. Therefore it is an adjective phrase.
Remember that an adjective phrase must always be placed closest to the noun it describes.

In sentence 3, the phrase in a timid manner does the work of an adverb by replacing timidly. Therefore
it is an adverb phrase. Adverb phrases can be made from adverbs.

A. Write what kind of phrase is italicized.

1. A thing of beauty is a joy forever.
2. The boys turned away from the beggar without care.
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