phrasal sentence elements

A phrasal sentence element is any group of words which collectively serve as a sentence element, but which does NOT constitute a clause.

We can identify four types of phrase.

noun: these phrases have a noun (or pronoun) head. Adjectives, determiners and relative clauses may modify the noun. Noun phrases may form the subject, object, predicative and adverbial sentence elements.

the old man who lived next door (with pre and post modification)
prepositional: these phrases have the structure of a preposition followed by a noun phrase. Prepositional phrases may form prepositional objects and adverbials.

Lorna gave the book to the old man. (SUBJECT + VERB + OBJECT + PREP OBJECT)
We saw them in the evening. (SUBJECT + VERB + OBJECT + ADVERBIAL)
adjectival: these phrases consist of an adjective and possible modifiers. As sentence elements adjectival phrases are predicatives.

She was very able to write a book. (with pre and post modification)
verbal: the verbal group consists of a main verb, possible auxiliary verbs and possible adverbial particles. They only occur the verbal structure of the sentence.

We will have washed up. (SUBJECT + VERBAL STRUCTURE)