Is phrase and clause the same thing?

Phrase and clause both are important elements of English grammar. For some learners of English language, it is difficult to differentiate between a phrase and clause and they think that they both are the same thing. The simple answer to that is NO. Phrase and clause are both different elements. They have some similarities but they cannot be identified as the same thing.

Phrase:

A phrase is a group of words in a sentence that has a specific meaning but lacks a verb or subject. They are thus incomplete sentences.

Example:

The white stool was broken.

In the above simple sentence, two phrases are used;

The white stool

Was broken

Both these phrases are incomplete sentences. They lack the subject and verb and they cannot give a complete meaning.

Clause:

A clause is also a group of words in a sentence with a specific meaning. A clause is different from a phrase in a sense that it always has a subject and verb and can be identified as a complete sentence.

Example:

Ally speaks fluently although she lacks the ability to read.

In the above example, the clauses are;

Ally speaks fluently

She lacks the ability to read

Note that the clauses have the subject and the verb both. they are also a complete sentence and are conveying a complete thought.