Prepositional Phrases

By: Sharon Mndez Rodrguez

Prepositions
What are prepositions?
There are about 150 prepositions, but there are 49 to 50 most
common prepositions.
AND right now I can see you wanting to kill me and thinking Im crazy
because you ARE NOT get cheat sheets.
.But dont kill me YET

Ways to Learn to Remember the

Basic Prepositions
Videos on the Blog

Another preposition song.

Videos on the Blog

Any suggestions for making a

Preposition song?

Prepositional Phrases The Crash

Course
Prepositional phrases begin with a ___________________
..?
Yes, Christopher with a preposition.
So first step remember your prepositions

Prepositional Phrases
Prepositional Phrases (Prep) are composed of two main
elements:
Preposition and Object or Noun Phrase

Noun Phrase
A noun phrase is composed of a: (determiner)
(intensifier) (Adj) Noun.

SO. My Prep Phrase may look like:

Preposition (+ determiner) (+intensifier) (+ adjective) +
noun
Example: in the yellow car
Example: at the very difficult test

SO now lets make different Prep

Phrases
Create a least five (5) prepositional phrases. You have
five (10) minutes. Start now!!!!
First five (5) students to make the prepositional phrases
and write them on the board get a reward.

Practice Exercises
Underline the prepositional phrases in each sentence
1. Sonja was the daughter of a Norwegian fur dealer.
2. Trained as an ice skater, she competed in the 1924 Olympics at age
eleven.
3. Her costume, a knee-length, flared skirt, made an impression on
observers.
4. This skirt might have been considered improper on an adult.
5. However, opinions at the Olympics four years later had changed.
6. Sonja left the 1928 Olympics with her first gold medal.
7. Sonja introduced the elements of dance and showmanship to skating.
8. Furthermore, Sonja did jumps that had only been performed by men.
9. Sonja preferred to be treated like someone of great celebrity.
10. She was considered temperamental by many.

Check your Answers

Underline the prepositional phrases in each sentence
1. Sonja was the daughter of a Norwegian fur dealer.
2. Trained as an ice skater, she competed in the 1924 Olympics at age
eleven.
3. Her costume, a knee-length, flared skirt, made an impression on observers.
4. This skirt might have been considered improper on an adult.
5. However, opinions at the Olympics four years later had changed.
6. Sonja left the 1928 Olympics with her first gold medal.
7. Sonja introduced the elements of dance and showmanship to skating.
8. Furthermore, Sonja did jumps that had only been performed by men.
9. Sonja preferred to be treated like someone of great celebrity.
10. She was considered temperamental by many.

More Practice Exercises

Underline the prepositional phrases in each sentence.
1. On weekends, many members of my family enjoy ice-skating.
2. Last winter we went to the ice-skating rink many times.
3. Once, my cousins Sarah and Cameron came with us.
4. The ice-skating rink in their hometown closed a few years ago.
5. My mother did figure eights in the center of the rink.
6. Sarah and Cameron especially enjoyed the music from the 1950s.
7. Nadia Comaneci competed in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal.
8. Her performance on the uneven bars occurred during the first game day.
9. This fourteen-year-old girl from Romania received a judges mark of 10.00.
10. In the gymnastic events, Nadia earned a total of three gold medals and
seven
perfect scores.

Check your Answers

Underline the prepositional phrases in each sentence.
1. On weekends, many members of my family enjoy ice-skating.
2. Last winter we went to the ice-skating rink many times.
3. Once, my cousins Sarah and Cameron came with us.
4. The ice-skating rink in their hometown closed a few years ago.
5. My mother did figure eights in the center of the rink.
6. Sarah and Cameron especially enjoyed the music from the 1950s.
7. Nadia Comaneci competed in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal.
8. Her performance on the uneven bars occurred during the first game day.
9. This fourteen-year-old girl from Romania received a judges mark of 10.00.
10. In the gymnastic events, Nadia earned a total of three gold medals and
seven perfect scores.

Fun Exercise at Home

Find ten (10) song titles or movie titles that are
prepositional phrases.
Here is an example:
Video on Blog

Preposition Preposition Phrase

who is the fairest one of all?
So here is where some people get confused so wait
just a gosh darn second and let me finish the
explanation.
Whew! Okay.
Prepositional phrases DESCRIBE.
We classify prepositional phrases depending on the
word they describe.

Types of Prepositional Phrases

Adjectival or Adjective
Describes:
Nouns
Pronouns
Example: The store beside the
road is the one I love to shop in.
Example: I found it across from
your room.

Adverbial or Adverb
Describes:
Verbs
Adverbs
Adjectives
Example: Anna dove under
the boat.
Example: Karina swam
alongside our boat after
lunch.
Example: The teacher was
thrilled at their attitude.

PRACTICE EXERCISE
Classify each underlined prepositional phrase as an adjectival phrase
(ADJP) or an adverbial phrase (ADVP).
1. Sonja was the daughter of a Norwegian fur dealer.
2. Trained as an ice skater, she competed in the 1924 Olympics at age eleven.
3. Her costume, a knee-length, flared skirt, made an impression on observers.
4. This skirt might have been considered improper on an adult.
5. However, opinions at the Olympics four years later had changed.
6. Sonja left the 1928 Olympics with her first gold medal.
7. Sonja introduced the elements of dance and showmanship to skating.
8. Furthermore, Sonja did jumps that had only been performed by men.
9. Sonja preferred to be treated like someone of great celebrity.
10. She was considered temperamental by many.

Check your Answers

Underline the prepositional phrases in each sentence
1. Sonja was the daughter of a Norwegian fur dealer. (ADJP)
2. Trained as an ice skater, she competed in the 1924 Olympics at age eleven.
(ADVP,ADVP,ADVP)
3. Her costume, a knee-length, flared skirt, made an impression on observers. (ADJP)

4. This skirt might have been considered improper on an adult.(ADVP)

5. However, opinions at the Olympics four years later had changed. (ADJP)
6. Sonja left the 1928 Olympics with her first gold medal. (ADVP)
7. Sonja introduced the elements of dance and showmanship to skating. (ADJP, ADJP)
8. Furthermore, Sonja did jumps that had only been performed by men. (ADVP)
9. Sonja preferred to be treated like someone of great celebrity. (ADJP)
10. She was considered temperamental by many. (ADVP)

PRACTICE EXERCISES
Complete exercise 1 in page 162 of Grammar for Writing
in your book.

Appositives and Appositive Phrases:

The Name Game
Appositives are nouns or pronouns that IDENTIFY or
EXPLAINS the noun that precedes it.
Example: His daughter, Eva, is in college.
An appositive phrase is an appositive with all of its
modifiers.
Example: His daughter, a college student in UPR, is Eva
Prior.

A Tale of Two Commas

Appositive phrases are NON-ESSENTIAL if they are NOT
NEEDED for the meaning of the sentence.
These phrases are writing in between commas.
Example: Francisco, the best speller in the class, will
compete in a spelling bee.

No Commas No Problem
Appositives phrases are ESSENTIAL when they are
NEEDED to give meaning or explain something in a
sentence.
Example: My teacher Mrs. Nelson was my favorite
English teacher.
(I have had many English teacher; she is the one I
am referring to.)

Practice Exercises
Turn to the Grammar for Writing book.
Answer Exercise 3, 4, and 5 in pages 163-164.

Participles and Participle Phrases;

and Absolute Phrases
Participles, participle phrases and absolutes are what
are verbals.
Verbals are verb forms that function as a
different part of speech, not as verbs.
Participles and Participle phrases act as adjectives
modifying nouns or pronouns.

Types of Participles
In regular verbs, the present participle ends with ing. (Ex. Crying)
In regular verbs, the past participle ends with d.(Ex. Examined)
In regular verbs, the present perfect participle begins with HAVING
and is followed by a PAST PARTICIPLE (Ex. having examined)
IRREGULAR VERBS DO NOT FOLLOW THESE RULES

Practice Exercises
Directions: Underline the participle or participial phrase in each
sentence.
1. Laughing, Dave rescued the whining puppy from the high bed.
2. Chosen by the selection committee, Cindy felt extremely honored.
3. Leaping over the hurdles, Cindy appeared as graceful as an antelope.
4. The burned brownies did not satisfy my chocolate craving.
5. Running quickly, the policeman caught the burglar.
6. After tripping on my shoes, my mother demanded that I put them away.
7. Before applying for this job, I need to read the requirements carefully.
8. Wrapped in crispy bacon, the green beans were delicious.
9. Having completed the training program, Henry was ready to go to work.
10. Unprepared for the bad news, the family burst into tears.

Practice Exercises
Directions: Underline the participle or participial phrase in each
sentence.
1. Laughing, Dave rescued the whining puppy from the high bed.
2. Chosen by the selection committee, Cindy felt extremely honored.
3. Leaping over the hurdles, Cindy appeared as graceful as an antelope.
4. The burned brownies did not satisfy my chocolate craving.
5. Running quickly, the policeman caught the burglar.
6. After tripping on my shoes, my mother demanded that I put them away.
7. Before applying for this job, I need to read the requirements carefully.
8. Wrapped in crispy bacon, the green beans were delicious.
9. Having completed the training program, Henry was ready to go to work.
10. Unprepared for the bad news, the family burst into tears.

Absolutely, Absolute
Absolute phrases are composed of a noun and a
participle or participle phrase. It is INDEPENDENT AND
NON-ESSENTIAL.
They are neither part of the subject or the verb.
They are used with commas to separate them from the
rest of the sentence.
They are used to open, conclude or interrupt a
sentence.
Example: Her seat taken, Gabriela left the classroom.

Practice Exercises
Turn to Grammar for Writing Page 165-166
Answer the Ex.6 and 7 in your notebook.

Gerund
Gerunds are verbals.
Verbals are ___________________________.
These verbals are used as nouns.
Example: Jogging is good for your health.

Gerund Phrases
A gerund phrase is a gerund with all of its modifiers.
REMEMBER THAT PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES ARE
MODIFIERS TOO. INCLUDE THEM!!!!!!!!
Example: Watching basketball games on television is
a hobby of mine.

Practice Exercises
Underline the gerund phrases in the sentences below.
1. Keeping a light on in the house helps discourage robbers.
2. Mrs. Norman enjoys playing bridge.
3. I remember promising Steve my old bike.
4. Standing during a two-hour train trip is not my idea of fun.
5. Do you like sailing on the lake?
6. Volunteering at the hospital is just one of Helen's activities.
7. Mrs. Brent enjoys watching quiz shows on television.
8. Allow twenty minutes a pound for roasting the turkey.
9. Taking out the garbage is not my favorite job around the house.
10. Understanding a foreign language and speaking it well are two
different things.

Practice Exercises
Underline the gerund phrases in the sentences below.
1. Keeping a light on in the house helps discourage robbers.
2. Mrs. Norman enjoys playing bridge.
3. I remember promising Steve my old bike.
4. Standing during a two-hour train trip is not my idea of fun.
5. Do you like sailing on the lake?
6. Volunteering at the hospital is just one of Helen's activities.
7. Mrs. Brent enjoys watching quiz shows on television.
8. Allow twenty minutes a pound for roasting the turkey.
9. Taking out the garbage is not my favorite job around the house.
10. Understanding a foreign language and speaking it well are two
different things.

Practice Exercises
Go to Grammar for Writing Page 167 and 168
Answer Ex. 8 and 9

To Infinity and Beyond:

Infinitives
An infinitive is also a verbal.
A verbal is (once again ALL together)
a___________________________.
An infinitive uses the BASE FORM of the verb
preceded by TO.
Example: to be, to have, to act, to imagine
An infinitive can act as:
A noun
An adjective
An adverb

and Infinitive Phrases

Infinitive phrases are the infinitives with their
modifiers and/or complements.
Example: I like to watch television while I eat.

Practice Exercises
Underline the infinitive or infinitive phrase in each sentence
below.
1. To be objective in my decision is hard.
2. Does Joan have enough change to make a phone call?
3. Always try to proofread your paper before you turn it in.
4. Ellen is able to swim six lengths of the pool.
5. The Harlow twins came to play with my little brother.
6. Would you like to warn me if anyone comes?
7. I was happy to give you a ride home.
8. To move to a larger house would be unwise for us now.
9. Fred was frightened to be alone in the old house.
10. Megan is trying to practice the piano an hour a day.

Practice Exercises
Underline the infinitive or infinitive phrase in each sentence
below.
1. To be objective in my decision is hard.
2. Does Joan have enough change to make a phone call?
3. Always try to proofread your paper before you turn it in.
4. Ellen is able to swim six lengths of the pool.
5. The Harlow twins came to play with my little brother.
6. Would you like to warn me if anyone comes?
7. I was happy to give you a ride home.
8. To move to a larger house would be unwise for us now.
9. Fred was frightened to be alone in the old house.
10. Megan is trying to practice the piano an hour a day.

Practice Exercises
Go to Grammar for Writing Page 169 to 170
Answer Ex. 10 and 11

I Hope You
I hope you understood phrases.
NOW PRACTICE,

PRACTICE,

PRACTICE!!!!!