Prepositional

Phrases
Glencoe Language Arts Grade 9
(pgs. 89-90)
 Objectives
Identify prepositions, objects of
prepositions, and prepositional
phrases
Classify the prepositional phrases
as adjectival and adverbial
Recognize the words a
prepositional phrase modifies
 Phrases
A phrase is a group of related
words that is used as a single
part of speech and that does
not contain both a verb and its
subject.
 Phrases
•Prepositional Phrases
•Verbal and Verbal Phrases
•Appositives and Appositive
Phrases
 Prepositional Phrases
A prepositional phrase begins with a
preposition and usually ends with a
noun or a pronoun, called the object
of the preposition.
The object may be compound or
may have modifiers.
Prepositional Phrases
Don’t be misled by a modifier
coming after the noun or
pronoun in a prepositional
phrase.
The noun or pronoun is still
the object.
 Prepositional Phrases
Example:
Heidi and Mrs. Braun worked at the
polls today.
[Polls is the object of the preposition at.
The adverb today tells when and modifies
the verb worked.]
 Common Prepositions
above aboard as down of
below about at during off
inside along before except out
on top of amid between for since
concerning among but (meaning like till
except),
until with according to aside from in spite of
as of prior to because of in addition to instead of

by means of in place of on account

of
 Prepositional Phrases
Examples:
1. We are going to the pool.
2. My friends are at the Jacksons’ house.
3. I like reading instead of writing.
 Examples
1. Our stockpile of snowballs was depleted
quickly.
2. This pudding is made with milk and bread.
(compound object)
3. I brought back film footage of the horrible
storm. (object with modifier)
 Prepositional Phrases
A prepositional phrase acts as an
adjective when it modifies a noun
or a pronoun.
A prepositional phrase acts as an
adverb when it modifies a verb, an
adjective, or an adverb.
 Examples
1. David tried every pair of skis in the lodge.
(adjective phrase modifying the noun pair; adjective
phrase modifying the noun skis)

2. You can come to the party.

(adverb phrase modifying the verb phrase can come)
 Prepositional
Phrases

Adjective Adverb
Phrases Phrases
 Prepositional Phrases
A prepositional phrase can modify the
object of another prepositional phrase.
Examples:
 Next to the door of the old barn stood two
horses.
 [The prepositional phrase of the old barn
modifies door, which is the object of the
compound preposition Next to.]
 Prepositional Phrases
A prepositional phrase can contain
another prepositional phrase.
Example:
Meet us at the Museum of Science
and Industry.
[The prepositional phrase at the Museum of Science
and Industry contains the prepositional phrase of
Science and Industry.]
 Prepositional Phrase

Adjective Adverb
Phrase Phrase
It modifies a verb,
It modifies a noun
an adjective, or
or a pronoun. an adverb.
 Adjective Phrase Adverb Phrase

It modifies a noun: It modifies a verb:

My visit to the aquarium Mark Twain was born in
was fascinating. Florida, Missouri.

It modifies an adjective:
It modifies a pronoun: Exercise is good for your
There, I found her in a health.
blue dress.
It modifies an adverb:
She acted wisely for her
age.
Adjective Phrases Adverb Phrases

Answer the
Answer the questions:
questions: When?
What kind? Where?
Which one? Why?
How?
To what extent?
 Practice
Underline each prepositional
phrase in the following
sentences.
1. My sister took her books off the table at dinnertime.
2. At the party, we met students who did not go to our
school.
3. Which of the movies is your favorite?
4. Tim sat motionless for a long time.
5. We ran toward the water when we reached the beach.
6. Sheila always gets nervous before a performance.
7. Inside the auditorium people talked loudly until the end of
the show.
8. I ran around the table and hid beneath the chair.
9. Sue promised me her recipe for stew.
10. Cheers filled the stadium throughout the football game.
 Practice
Circle each prepositional phrase
in the sentences below and draw
an arrow to the
word or words it modifies.
1. The captain slipped on the wet deck.
2. We went to the movie at the last minute.
3. Which of the barbells is heavier?
4. Melissa earned the money for her new dress.
5. When Jo forgot her key, she knocked on the window.
6. The boy in the red jacket plays on my soccer team.
7. The doctor told him that joining the track team
would be healthful for him.
8. She was taught table manners at a young age.
9. We found sticky paw prints on the kitchen floor.
10. Let’s meet the new coach at four o’clock.