WORD AND GROUPS

WORDS

We always talk and write in words. Sometimes a single word makes an idea clear. If I say to you “listen” – you can understand what I mean.

Similarly the word – “Come”. Or “Sit”. Or “Stand” makes the speaker’s meaning clear. 

WORD – GROUPS

We cannot go very far with such single words. Mostly we use several words together, i.e., word – groups. We say –

1. Listen to what I say.
2. Come back in no time.
3. Sit down here.
4. Stand up in the sun.

Each of these words – groups makes a meaning of the speaker clear. The hearer or the reader can follow them easily. 

ORDER OF WORDS

Observe these words – groups:

1. a Mary has lamb little
2. two are we brothers
3. a very sum easy is this
4. chased the cat rat the

None of these words – groups has any meaning. Why is it so? Because their words are not in proper order. They stand jumbled. Let us put them in their proper order:

1. Mary has a little lamb.
2. We are two brothers.
3. This is a very easy sum.
4. The cat chased the rat.

Now each word – group makes sense and gives complete meaning. So, we must arrange the words in a certain order to express clear meaning. 

THE PHRASE

Observe the following word – groups:

1. In the corner
2. at dead of night
3. in a hurry

Does each word – group make sense? Yes, it does make sense but not complete sense. The words are in correct order, but they give incomplete sense. We have to know something more in each case to get complete meaning. For example-

1. What is – in the corner?
2. What happened – at dead of night?
3. Who is – in a hurry?

Word – groups that make some sense only are called phrases.

A phrase is a word – group that makes some sense but not complete sense. 

THE SENTENCE

Let us add the required words to each of the above phrases:

1. The chair is in the corner.
2. It began to rain at dead of night.
3. The teacher was in a hurry.

Now each word – group gives clear and complete meaning. Such word – groups are called sentences.

A sentence is a word – group that makes complete sense.