Explain the concept of adverbial phrases and clauses.

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Explain the concept of adverbial phrases and clauses.

Adverbial phrases and clauses are grammatical structures that function as adverbs in a sentence. They provide additional information about the verb, adjective, or adverb in the sentence, answering questions such as how, when, where, why, or to what extent.

An adverbial phrase is a group of words that acts as an adverb, modifying a verb, adjective, or adverb in a sentence. It can be made up of prepositional phrases, infinitive phrases, or gerund phrases. For example, in the sentence "She ran to the store," the phrase "to the store" acts as an adverbial phrase, providing information about where she ran.

On the other hand, an adverbial clause is a group of words that also functions as an adverb, but it contains a subject and a verb. It can stand alone as a complete sentence, but when used as part of a larger sentence, it provides additional information about the verb, adjective, or adverb. For example, in the sentence "He studied hard so that he could pass the exam," the clause "so that he could pass the exam" acts as an adverbial clause, explaining the purpose or reason for his hard studying.

Overall, adverbial phrases and clauses enhance the meaning of a sentence by providing more details about the action, manner, time, place, or reason behind it. They play a crucial role in adding depth and clarity to our communication.