Identify prepositional phrases

Key notes:

Definition:

  • A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition followed by a noun or pronoun (the object of the preposition) and any modifiers of that object.

Structure of Prepositional Phrases:

  1. Preposition: A word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and another word in the sentence (e.g., in, on, at, by, with, about, under).
  2. Object of the Preposition: A noun or pronoun that follows the preposition (e.g., the book, her, the park).
  3. Modifiers: Words that provide additional information about the object (e.g., the blue book, the old park).

Examples:

  • Prepositional Phrase: “under the table”
    • Preposition: under
    • Object: table
  • Prepositional Phrase: “with great enthusiasm”
    • Preposition: with
    • Object: enthusiasm
    • Modifier: great

How to Identify Prepositional Phrases:

  1. Look for Prepositions: Identify prepositions in the sentence.
  2. Find the Object: Look for the noun or pronoun that follows the preposition.
  3. Check for Modifiers: See if there are any adjectives or adverbs that describe the object.

Tips for Identification:

  • Prepositional phrases often answer questions like “where?”, “when?”, “how?”, and “why?”.
  • They can function as adjectives or adverbs in a sentence, providing more information about a noun or verb.
  • Prepositional phrases can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence.

Examples in Sentences:

  1. Beginning: “In the morning, I like to jog.”
    • Prepositional Phrase: “In the morning”
  2. Middle: “The cat slept on the warm windowsill.”
    • Prepositional Phrase: “on the warm windowsill”
  3. End: “She will meet us at the café.”
    • Prepositional Phrase: “at the café”

Let’s practice!🖋️