Putting Prepositional Phrases in the Proper Place

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Putting Prepositional Phrases in the Proper Place
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What is a preposition?

• A preposition is a word that shows the
  relationship of a noun to another word in the
  sentence.
• You can remember common prepositions by thinking
  of
• Anywhere a rabbit goes up, down, inside, along,
  before, on top of, in front of, etc.
• Plus words like to, for, as, with,
• since

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Here is a list of common prepositions
at by for of to
above below from off toward
aboard between in on under
among since inside outside until
against despite into over upon
beneath during like than with
beyond except near through without
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Prepositional Phrases

• Prepositions begin prepositional phrases.
• A prepositional phrase can be described with this
  equation
• preposition any modifiers object of
  preposition Prepositional Phrase
• For example
• Ned juggles dots in the air.
• In the air is the prepositional phrase.

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Whats not a prepositional phrase?

• Remember that the part of speech a word is
  depends on how it is used.
• A prepositional phrase will always be directly
  followed by its object (a noun or pronoun) and
  any modifiers, NEVER by a verb or by a subject
  and verb.

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Watch for these prepositional imposters!

• The preposition in a TRUE prepositional phrase
  will not be followed by a verb. That is called an
  infinitive.
• For example, in the sentence, I like to read
  books in my spare time, the phrase to read is
  not a prepositional
• phrase because to is followed by
• the verb read.

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Another imposter!

• The preposition in a prepositional phrase will
  NEVER be the start of a clause with a verb and
  its subject.
• For example, consider this sentence The car
  stopped as the traffic guard held up a yellow
  sign. The phrase as the traffic guard held
  up a yellow sign is NOT a prepositional phrase
  because it is followed by the noun traffic
  guard and the verb held.

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Find the prepositional phrases in these sentences.

• Sonny presents a fishing rod to his grandfather.
• The rod and reel with the red bow were bought in
  town.
• Sonny hopes he and Grandpa can go fishing in the
  summer.

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Find the prepositional phrases in these sentences.

• Sonny presents a fishing rod to his grandfather.
• The rod and reel with the red bow were bought in
  town.
• Sonny hopes he and Grandpa can go fishing in the
  summer.

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Sometimes sentences have more than one
prepositional phrase.

• Find the prepositional phrases in these
  sentences
• The student in the art class measures the figures
  in the painting with his thumb.
• He is painting a picture to go in a show for
• students and their parents,
• hosted by his college.

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Sometimes sentences have more than one
prepositional phrase.

• Find the prepositional phrases in these
  sentences
• The student in the art class measures the figures
  in the painting with his thumb.
• He is painting a picture to go in a show for
• students and their parents,
• hosted by his college.

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Prepositional phrases make sentences more
interesting!

• Add at least one prepositional phrase to each of
  the following sentences.
• Bob runs.
• Fred waits.
• Bob hands the baton.
• The crowd watches.

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What did you write?
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Misplaced Prepositional Phrases

• Prepositional phrases should go as closely as
  possible to the word they are modifying.
• If they modify a noun, they should be directly
  after that noun.
• If a prepositional phrase is misplaced,
• the meaning of the sentence
• is confused!

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Heres an example of a misplaced prepositional
phrase.

• This Christmas, the family tree was decorated by
  Fred and Ethel with red and yellow ornaments.
• (This sentence sounds like
• poor Fred and Ethel are
• covered in Christmas
• ornaments!)
• Hint What actually has the
• red and yellow ornaments?

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Corrected!

• Instead, correct the sentence by putting the
  phrase with red and yellow ornaments next to the
  words it modifies.
• This Christmas, the family
• tree with red and yellow
• ornaments was decorated
• by Fred and Ethel.

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Heres another example of a misplaced
prepositional phrase.

• During the rain storm, Spot, with a blue
  umbrella, is being sheltered by his master.
• (Isnt Spot a lucky dog to have his very own blue
  umbrella?)
• How would you correct this
• sentence?
• Hint Who really has
• a blue umbrella?

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Corrected!

• How about this?
• Change the prepositional phrase with a blue
  umbrella so that it is next to master.
• During the rain storm, Spot
• is being sheltered
• by his master
• with a blue umbrella.

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Heres a third example of a misplaced
prepositional phrase.

• The lost golf ball was discovered near the golf
  course hole by the golfer with a blue flag on
  top.
• (This sentence seems to mean
• that the golfer had a blue flag
• flying on top of his head!)
• Hint What actually has
• a blue flag on top?

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Corrected!

• Instead, try this version
• The lost golf ball was discovered by the golfer
  near the golf course hole with a blue flag on
  top.
• Now the prepositional phrases with
• a blue flag on top are directly after
• the words they modify, golf course
• hole. By the golfer is next to discovered.
• The sentence makes sense!
• The golfer was probably glad
• not to have to walk around all day
• with a blue flag on his head!

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Now its your turn!

• Step 1 Select one of the sentences below. Write
  the uncorrected version in the space provided on
  the back of your notes sheet.
• Step 2 Draw a picture that illustrates the
  uncorrected version.
• Step 3 Write the corrected version in the space
  provided.
• Step 4 Draw a picture of the corrected version.

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Select one of these uncorrected sentences.

• The lady at the grocery lost her purse with a new
  hairdo.
• In the city, we saw a man walking a dog with a
  tuxedo on.
• My dress was sent to the dry cleaners with pink
  polka dots.
• My brother has a new car in college.

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Good Job!