Prepositional Phrases

Prepositional Phrases A Phrase is a group of related words that does not include a Subject and Verb. on the coast in college to the game

Prepositional Phrases The most common kind of Phrase is a Prepositional Phrase. Prepositional phrases usually tell you where the topic and main idea of the sentence (Subject and Verb) happened. SubjectVerb Prepositional phrase • Jasontraveledon the coast. • Jasonenrolled in college. • Jasonwentto the game.

Prepositional Phrases Prepositional phrases usually have three words: the Preposition, an adjective, most often ‘the’ or ‘a’, and a noun. PrepositionAdjectiveNoun in theshade at a table

Subject-Verb-Prepositional Phrase.The manis (behind the sled). The words in a Prepositional Phrase are a unit. Imagine a dog sled.

Subject-Verb-Prepositional Phrase Sheenrolled (in college). The words in a Prepositional Phrase are a unit. Imagine a dog sled. The sled acts like the Noun. The dog acts like the Preposition

Prepositional Phrases The point is that if you separate the Preposition from the Noun, you no longer have a Prepositional Phrase! It’s the same: if you separate the dogfrom the sled, you no longer have a dog sled!

Here is a list of the most common Prepositions. You should memorize the first list and be familiar with the second! in on at to for by with of from Above, across, after, against, along, among, around, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, during, except, inside, into, like, near, off, out, over, since, than, through, till, toward, under, upon

Prepositional Phrases can come anywhere in the sentence! Prepositional phrases can come before the Subject or after the Verb. (At college), the girlstudied. The girlstudied(at college).

Prepositional phrases can even separate the Subject from the Verb, so watch out! The girl(with the sandals)studied.

Prepositional Phrases – Lots of them! (At college), the girl(with the sandals)studied(on a bench)(in the sun).

Prepositional phrases can be a lot of things, but they cannot be theSubject! Subject Prep PhraseVerb • The buildings(of New York)are skyscrapers.

Subject Prep PhraseVerbThe buildings(of New York)are skyscrapers. In this sentence, New York is not a “skyscraper.” “The buildingsare skyscrapers,” so “buildings” is the Subject, and not “New York!” The Prepositional Phrase (of New York) only tells you where the buildings are.

Commas with Prepositional Phrases Use a comma after an opening Prepositional Phrase. Example: (In the early morning light) Isaw the Rocky Mountains

Commas with Prepositional Phrases Use a comma after an opening Prepositional Phrase. Example: (In the early morning light),Isaw the Rocky Mountains

Do not use a comma if the Prepositional Phrase is not at the beginning of sentence! [no comma!] Isaw the Rocky Mountains (in the early morning light). [Comma!] (In the early morning light),Isaw the Rocky Mountains.

Here’s an important point: If you don’t have a Preposition, you can’t have a Prepositional Phrase! “Ireturned the book.” “The book” cannot be a Prepositional Phrase because “the” is not on the list of Prepositions. “Ireturned the book to the library.” “to the library” is a Prepositional Phrase because tois a Preposition, and “to the library” tells where you returned the book.

Underline the Subject, put the Verb in bold, (put parentheses around each Prepositional Phrase), and add any commas that are needed. • Oceans cover three-quarters of the earth's surface. • Yet most people know very little about the oceans. • From simple cloth a quilter makes wonderful art objects. • Sometimes Earle stays underwater for up to two weeks. • An experienced quilter with simple materials works magic.

Prepositional Phrases