August 17, 2024

Hi again!
Here is a continuation of skills for your review! Have a great day!

Grammar Fun
Review of the Prepositional Phrase
In an effort to create more interesting sentences, we can use phrases, clauses, and appositives to add details that make your writing pop. Let's review the prepositional phrase first!

A prepositional phrase starts with . . . a preposition! This is a positional word that gives direction to something happening in your sentence. Here is an example:

I went to the park yesterday.

The words in bold print make up a prepositional phrase. The word to is the preposition that starts the phrase! This phrase tells where you went, and since words that tell where are known as adverbs, this prepositional phrase is functioning as an adverb phrase.

Here is another:

He will meet us by the front door.

In this prepositional phrase, by is the preposition and the entire phrase tells us where he will meet us. This is again a prepositional phrase functioning as an adverb phrase.

A prepositional phrase can also function as an adjective phrase. Remember: An adjective is a word that describes a noun. Notice how the prepositional phrase below describes a noun in the sentence.

The book about dinosaurs was especially interesting.

The prepositional phrase above is describing a book. It does not tell where the book is. This is an example of a prepositional phrase used as an adjective. The preposition about, when used in this way, is often used to begin an adjective phrase.

Directions:
In the following sentences, please pick out the prepositional phrases. Tell which word in these phrases is used as a preposition, and then decide if the phrase is used as an adjective phrase or an adverb phrase. The number in parenthesis after each sentence tells you how many prepositional phrases are located in each one.

1. Nikki ran down the street. (1)
2. Tomas watched a program about sea life. (1)
3. The boys from Boston waited by the Old North Church. (2)
4. There were so many pencils in her bag that it made it too heavy to carry. (1)
5. The story about her favorite musician was true. (1)
6. In the park, I found the missing bracelet. (1)
7. I told my friend I am on my way. (1)
8. The books on the shelves were purchased at Barnes and Noble. (2)
9. Do you see the girl who is sitting on the bench? (1)
10. I am happy when I sit at the beach on a comfortable chair and can stick my feet in the water! (3)

Directions Part Two: Now take each prepositional phrase you found in the sentences above and use it in a sentence of your own creation. Since you should have found fourteen phrases, be sure to use each one either in a sentence of its own or in combination with other phrases in the same sentence!

​Note: To help you a bit, here are the prepositions that started each phrase in the sentences above! Check your answers to see if your phrases began with these words!

1. down
2. about
3. from, by
4. in
5. about
6. in
7. on
8. on, at
9. on
10. at, on, in