how to differenciate between -

* noun phrase * noun clause

*adverb phrase*adverb clause

*adjective phrase

*adjective clause ??

Noun Phrase and Noun Clause:

While a noun clause has a verb, a noun phrase does not. Both of them function as a noun in a sentence. 

Example: 

Noun phrase: The boy wants to go to school.

"To go to school" is the object of the verb "wants". Hence it is a noun phrase. The phrase "to go to school" performs the work of a noun. It answers the question "What does the boy want?".

Noun Clause: The book I was reading last night is written by Jhumpa Lahiri' 

In this sentence, the section 'The book I was reading last night' is a noun clause, which acts as a noun.