Types of Phrases Quiz: Spot Appositive, Gerund, Infinitive, and More

Appositive phrases rename or clarify a noun - think "My sister, a talented chef, won the contest." In an appositive phrase quiz you'll spot the noun followed by another noun or noun phrase set off by commas. A handy mnemonic is "Appositive = A Positive ID," helping you remember that it always adds identifying detail.

Gerund phrases start with an - ing verb form that functions as a noun, like "Swimming in the ocean relaxes me." When practicing gerund phrase exercises, look for - ing words and their modifiers/objects acting as subjects, objects, or complements. A tip from Cambridge Grammar: treat the entire gerund phrase as you would any other noun when testing.

Infinitive phrases begin with "to" plus the base verb, for example "to write a novel takes dedication." In infinitive phrase identification tasks, determine whether the phrase acts as a noun, adjective, or adverb. Remember the "To-Do" trick: if you can replace "to + verb" with a simple noun or purpose statement, you've got an infinitive.

Participial phrases use present (-ing) or past (-ed, irregular) forms as adjectives, as in "The book, torn and dusty, lay forgotten." When you encounter participial phrase exercises, ensure the phrase directly modifies the intended noun to avoid dangling modifiers. According to the Oxford English Grammar, attaching the phrase close to its noun keeps your sentence clear and precise.

Prepositional phrases consist of a preposition plus its object and any modifiers, such as "under the old oak tree." In a prepositional phrase test, identify how these phrases show relationships of place, time, or direction. A quick hack from Purdue OWL: prepositions answer "where," "when," or "how," so ask those questions to spot them fast.