STUD)A UBB P()LOLOG)A, L)X, ʹ, ʹͲͳͶ, p. ʹͷ - ͵ͷ ȋRECOMMENDED C)TAT)ONȌ ON PHRASES AND CLAUSES ALINA PREDA * ABSTRACT. On Phrases and Clauses. The aim of this study is to point out the reasons why the distinction between phrases and clauses is sometimes difficult to make, by tracing the roots of the problem back to the terminological confusion brought about by the challenging similarities exhibited by these two linguistic items whenever non-finite verb forms feature in their configuration. A solution to the terminological problem is put forward in the form of a more systematic clear- cut classification of the various phrases and clauses in English Syntax. Key words: gerund, infinitive, participle, phrase, clause. REZUMAT. Despre sintagme şi propoziţii. Acest studiu prezintǎ o sintezǎ a trǎsǎturilor fundamentale ce caracterizeazǎ pe de o parte sintagmele, iar pe de altǎ parte propoziţiile din sintaxa limbii engleze, oferind, totodatǎ, o nouǎ clasificare a celor douǎ tipuri de structuri, cu scopul de a permite o schemǎ clarǎ de analizǎ, esenţialǎ pentru evitarea confuziilor care se produc adesea datoritǎ prezenţei structurilor verbale nepredicative. Cuvinte cheie: gerunziu, infinitiv, participiu, sintagmǎ, propozi ţie. 1. Definition. The English term Dzphrasedz dates back to the ͳͷʹͲs, being the result of a back formation process that yielded this noun from the plural of phrasis, namely Dzphrasesdz. The Latin phrasis ȋplural phrasēsȌ meant Dzdictiondz or Dzstyledz, coming from the Greek phrásis, which had the additional meaning of Dzspeechdz, from phrázein = to speak, to declare, to tell, to point out ͳ . The English term Dzclausedz dates as far back as the ͳʹʹͲs, being the result of a * PhD. Reader at The School of Letters, DzBabeş-Bolyaidz University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Dr. Preda finished her doctoral studies in ʹͲͲ͸ with a thesis in Philology, namely English Literature. An active member of The Centre for Research of the Contemporary British Novel, she currently teaches B.A.-level courses in English Syntax, Discourse Analysis, Gender and Discourse, Psycholinguistics and Formal Semantics, as well as M.A.-level courses in Contemporary English Literature and Gender Studies. E-mail: alinapreda͹Ͷ@gmail.com. ͳ Dzphrase.dz Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random (ouse, )nc. Last updated on ͵.Ͳ͸.ʹͲͳͳ. Available at: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/phrase ｐｲｯｶｩ､･､＠｢ｹ＠ｄｩ｡｣ｲｯｮｩ｡Ｎｲｯ＠ｦｯｲ＠ｉｐ＠ＱＸＸＮＲＴＮＱＲＴＮＷＷ＠ＨＲＰＱＷＭＰＷＭＳＱ＠ＱＲＺＴＴＺＳＶ＠ｕｔｃＩ ｂｄｄＭａＱＵＸＴＲ＠ﾩ＠ＲＰＱＴ＠ｅ､ｩｴｵｲ｡＠ｐｲ･ｳ｡＠ｕｮｩｶ･ｲｳｩｴ｡ｲă＠ｃｬｵｪ･｡ｮă