Phrase vs. Sentence Main difference Phrases and sentences are structures that are common in any language and are comprised of a group of words. A phrase is a short or long group of words that does not convey a complete idea . A sentence is likewise a group of words, yet it conveys a complete idea . This is the principal contrast among a phrase and a sentence. Phrases As phrases do not express a complete idea, they can’t stand alone. They can only be used as parts of sentences. It does not have a subject or a verb or in some cases both. Therefore, it cannot form a predicate. There are different types of phrases like noun phrases, verb phrases, adjective phrases, adverb phrases, and the like. Sentences A sentence refers to a group of words that expresses a complete idea. A sentence needs to have a subject and a verb. There are four types of sentences according to purpose and according to structure. For purpose, we have declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, and i...