Lesson 5.
6
Prepositions
Grammar
➠ Prepositions connect another word in a sentence to a noun or
pronoun (and its modifiers, if any) to form a prepositional phrase. (For
more about prepositional phrases, see Lesson 7.1.)
Major fires raged across the park. They burned for eleven days.
Some prepositions are compound. They are made up of two or
more words.
We went to the game in spite of the rain.
The roads were closed because of the race. some commonly
used prepositions
Some words are both prepositions and adverbs. To tell the difference, about above along
look for a prepositional phrase. If the word is part of a prepositional as at before
below by down
phrase, it is a preposition. If not, it is an adverb.
during except for
adverbs In ten minutes, we will be through with this job. from into like
“Move along,” shouted the cattle driver. near of off
prepositions I walked through the narrow hallway. on out over
since to under
The news moved along the line quickly. until up upon
with without outside
across inside against
through around toward
but (meaning “except”)
Exercise 12 Expanding Sentences Some Common
Compound
Expand the sentences below with prepositional phrases. Add no more
Prepositions
than three in a row to each sentence; more than three can make according to due to
a sentence singsongy. Make the sentences interesting and vivid. To along with in front of
do so, add details, and change words as necessary. Underline every apart from in place of
aside from in spite of
preposition you add.
as to instead of
example A dark shape beckoned. because of out of
t the end of the abandoned lane, a dark shape
A in addition to
beckoned to us.
Copyright © 2014 by William H. Sadlier, Inc. All rights reserved.
1. The skier races. 6. Skaters glide. In formal writing, avoid
ending a sentence with a
2. The climber dangled. 7. Few paused to look up.
preposition. In informal
3. The pile teetered. 8. Several hours passed. writing, however, ending a
sentence with a preposition
4. The watchdog is growling. 9. It was dawn. sometimes makes sense.
FORMAL
5. People hurried. 10. The brakes screeched.
From whom should we
seek advice?
INFORMAL
Whom should we get
advice from?
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Exercise 13 Identifying Prepositional Phrases
In the following sentences, underline each prepositional phrase.
1. The abbreviation FM stands for frequency modulation.
2. It was invented by Edwin Howard Armstrong.
3. Armstrong was aiming for clarity at high frequencies.
4. He wanted a clear sound with a minimum of distortion.
5. According to some sources, Armstrong’s inventive genius was like Edison’s.
6. Thomas Edison was the inventor of the lightbulb and of the phonograph.
7. In spite of his accomplishments, many people do not know
Armstrong’s name.
8. He performed the first tests of his frequency-modulation transmitter from
the top of the Empire State Building.
9. In spite of the marvelous quality of the sound, large broadcasting networks
did not welcome his invention.
10. They worried, instead, about the huge amounts of money they had invested
in AM radio.
Exercise 14 Distinguishing Prepositions from Adverbs
Fill in the blank with PREP if the underlined word functions as a preposition in
the sentence. Write ADV if the underlined word functions as an adverb.
1. “Don’t look down,” cautioned the rock-climbing instructor.
2. We will hike down the mountain later.
3. Is the light off?
Copyright © 2014 by William H. Sadlier, Inc. All rights reserved.
4. That record has practically gone off the charts.
5. Did that car just go through the stop sign?
6. Clean the kitchen as soon as you are through.
7. We walked out after the first act.
8. Did Will go out the same exit?
9. That group is operating outside the law.
10. The children played outside all day.
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