EXPANDING YOUR KNOWLEDGE / 25 The man, who had been bitten by a dog, became very ill. The boy, whose bike had been stolen, cried. The player, whom I supported, lost the match. A phrase is a group of words that does not contain a finite verb. Leaping off the bus. This is a phrase as ‘leaping’ is the present participle. There is no subject or tense. Leaping off the bus, Sheila rushed across the road. ‘Sheila rushed across the road’ is the main clause and it could stand alone but it has been introduced by ‘leaping off the bus’ which is a phrase. When a phrase starts the sentence, it is followed by a comma as in the example. Phrases add information that is not essential to the sense of the sentence. Mr Ransome, the retiring headmaster, made a stirring speech at his farewell dinner. Mr Ransome is described by the phrase ‘the retiring head- master’ but it is not essential for the sense of the sentence. You now have the basic ‘tools’ with which to write a variety COLOURING YOUR WRITING HANDLING PHRASES