Funny misplaced modifiers grammar girl quick and dirty tips. Then explain your answer in one sentence, underlining all prepositional phrases you use. The common prepositions are listed in the table at the end of this article. A prepositional phrase is a group of words that lacks either a verb or a subject, and that functions as a unified part of speech. Prepositional phrases contain the preposition itself, followed by its object and any modifiers. Because prepositional phrases are here to provide extra information about a clause. Prepositional phrases prepared by ann humes a prepositional phrase consists of a preposition and an object a noun or a pronoun. If there are two phrases in a sentence separate them by a slash. Refer to discovery, 320324, for additional practice. Language handbook worksheets additional practice in grammar, usage, and mechanics support for the language handbook in the student edition second course.
Prepositional phrases english grammar today a reference to written and spoken english grammar and usage cambridge dictionary. There are two quick ways to fix a misplaced prepositional phrase. Prepositional phrases exercises prepared by ann humes exercises. Here, prepositional phrases acting as adjectives tell the reader. Determine whether the sentences below contain misplaced or dangling modifiers. Avoid placing a prepositional phrase so that it seems to modify either of two words. The following words are modifiers that are commonly misplaced. A modifier is a word or a phrase that is used to describe another word or phrase. Displaying top 8 worksheets found for misplaced prepositional phrases.
It normally consists of a preposition and a noun or a preposition and a pronoun remember the following rules for prepositional phrases and. Chapter 2 the prepositional phrase prepositional phrases add detail, description and vividness to writing. Focus on the use of patterns, functions, modifiers, structure, misplaced and dangling modifiers as suggested by the rubrics. Here are some examples of the most basic prepositional phrases. A prepositional phrase is a group of words starting with a preposition and ending with the object of the preposition, usually a noun. Because of this separation, the meaning of the sentence is often awkward, ridiculous, illogical, or confusing. A prepositional phrase is always related to another word in a sentence. The prepositional phrase here are some key facts about prepositional phrases. I took a nap and dreamed about a faraway castle on my blue couch. Other misplaced modifiers essential grammar skills sat.
A misplaced modifier can be a word, phrase, or clause that is incorrectly positioned in a sentence. When modifiers adjectives and adverbs are out of place, too far away from the word they modify, the sentence will be awkward or confusing. Prepositions and prepositional phrases overview an important element of english sentences is the prepositional phrase. Some of the worksheets for this concept are name date misplaced and dangling m e 1, 7 misplaced and dangling modifiers, chapter 11 using modifiers correctly good well, sat essential grammar, dangling modifiers work 1, additional practice in grammar usage and mechanics, dangling. Examples of misplaced modifiers show us how important it is to place our modifying words and phrases in the proper place. A modifier is a phrase or clause that describes something. Module moduleid, moduletitle a participle or participial phrase generally follows the noun or pronoun it modifies. Indicate whether the sentence is correct or incorrect, according to the rules of punctuation for prepositional phrases. Misplaced and dangling modifiers towson university.
Recognizing and correcting misplaced prepositional phrases is one of the skills tested on the sat writing section. T he pr eposi ti onal p hr as e recognize a prepositional phrase when you see one. Locate and underline the prepositional phrases in the following sentences. There may be one or two prepositional phrases in a sentence. There are two main reasons why you should understand what a prepositional phrase is. Most of the time, a prepositional phrase modifies a verb or a noun. Place a prepositional phrase used as an adjective or as an adverb near the word it modifies. Prepositions and prepositional phrases prepared for the student learning center january 2010 updated august 2010 what you need to know. Learning to use prepositional phrases will help your writing come alive. Revising sentences with misplaced prepositional phrases. In this show, well explore the world of misplaced prepositional phrases, a kind of misplaced modifier. A prepositional phrase is a group of words consisting of a preposition, its object, and any words that modify the object. 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. A prepositional phrase never, ever contains a verb.
Conciseness upon successful completion of this lesson, you should be able to. Prepositions and prepositional phrases ryerson university. Nonessential phrases can sometimes come before the noun. A collection of english esl worksheets for home learning, online practice, distance learning and english classes to teach about prepositional, phrases, prepo. Misplaced modifiers may be single words, phrases, or. A prepositional phrase is a set phrase introduced by a preposition. Prepositional phrases taken together, a preposition and its objectthe noun or pronoun linked to the sentenceare called a prepositional phrase. The noun or pronoun in the prepositional phrase is called object of preposition. That noun equivalent could be a pronoun, a gerund, a noun phrase or a noun clause. Because a participle is a verbal that functions as an adjective, it must come close to the noun or pronoun that it modifies remember that present participles end in ing and past participles end in ed participles and participle phrases that do not seem to modify any word in the sentence are called dangling participles. Use prepositional phrases to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing. At the minimum, a prepositional phrase will begin with a preposition and end with a noun, pronoun, gerund, or clause, the object of the preposition. Avoiding misplaced and dangling modifiers t 2000, 1999, 1998, 1998 margaret l. It consists of a preposition prep and its object o.
They usually go at the end or at the beginning of sentences. Draw an arrow from the phrase to its correct location in the sentence. The prepositional phrase prepositional phrases, independent and subordinate clauses, sentence structure ca 6th grade sentence structure 1. This handout discusses only prepositional phrases and relative. What are prepositional phrases and why should you learn about them.
Prepositions are words which begin prepositional phrases a prepositional phrase is a group of words containing a preposition, a noun or pronoun object of the preposition, and any modifiers of the object a preposition sits in front of is prepositioned before its object the following words are the most commonly used prepositions. A prepositional phrase is a group of words which begin with a preposition and end with a noun or noun equivalent which acts as its object. Misplaced prepositional phrases place modifying words, phrases,and clauses as close as possible to the words they modify. Prepositional phrases never contain verbs or the subject of the sentence. If you take out the preposition, you must take out the noun or. Demonstrate the mastery of the use of prepositional phrases in writing. The preposition works in conjunction with its object to form the prepositional phrase, as seen below. The primary reason is to become a better writer and speaker because when you understand different modifying word phrases, youre able to form complex sentences.
Remember, the subject is the part of the sentence that tells who or what did something in the sentence. A phrase is a group of words without a subject and verb, used as one part of speech. The teacher asked the boys to learn the poem by heart here the expression by heart is an example of a prepositional phrase he bought the car for a heavy price, but had to sell it at a loss. Click on the picture for clear view prepositional phrases by click on image for. Each prepositional phrase always begins with a preposition. Modifiers can be adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases. A preposition connects a noun or pronoun to another part of the sentence. A prepositional phrase is a short phrase that begins with a preposition. The preposition connects its object to the rest of the sentence, often by indicatinglocation ordirection. Finding and using prepositional phrases finding prepositional phrases in a sentence takes practice. Prepositional phrases english grammar today cambridge. Without so much as a blink, the gleaming sword was unsheathed by the warrior. Prepositional phrase worksheet kyrene school district.
An adjective phrase is a prepositional phrase that modifies a noun or pronoun. Using modifiers correctly pages 295297 misplaced prepositional phrases exercise b underline the misplaced prepositional phrase in each of the following sentences. Misplacedanddanglingmodifiers 1 misplaced and dangling modifiers a misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is improperly separated from the word or clause it modifies or describes. Activities include marking phrases within given sentences, identifying the objects within said phrases, noting where they are. A preposition is a word that shows how a noun or a pronoun is related to another word in a sentence. In each of the following sentences, underline and label all participial phrases part, prepositional phrases prep, appositives app, and infinitive phrases inf, and rewrite any sentence to fix any misplaced modifiers. Keep working until you trim the paragraph to 88 words. Prepositions and prepositional phrases page 1 of 3 last updated. Prepositional phrases a prepositional phrase begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun. Misplaced prepositional phrases worksheets learny kids.
Their meaning is often not related to the meaning of the original verb. The following collection of worksheets will give your students practice in identifying and construction each of the phrases. These two kinds of prepositional phrases are called adverbial phrases and adjectival phrases, respectively. Circle the 20 prepositions in the following sentences. At the mountain pass, i saw a girl with binoculars.
There are several prepositional phrases in english. Check your answers with the interactive version of the exercise. Because of this separation, the meaning of the sentence is. A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that is improperly separated from the word it modifies describes.
Other words may be in between the preposition and the noun or pronoun, which is also known as the object of the preposition. A misplaced prepositional phrase often results in a sentence that is humorous if taken literally, but is grammatically incorrect nonetheless. Cross out the prepositional phrases, circle the predicates, underline the subjects, and double underline objects. And the 2nd sentence is for what the sentences look like without the. It is always best to put prepositional phrases with the words they modify unless you are consciously moving an adverb phrase. Misplaced prepositional phrases place modifying words,phrases,and clauses as close as possible to the words they modify.
Remember, the subject and verb will never be found inside of a prepositional phrase. You may change a few words if you like, but dont change the meaning of any statements. Dangling prepositions never end a sentence with a preposition. Analyze the use of prepositional phrases in the following sentences, and then on a separate slice of paper, 1. Youve probably heard the term misplaced modifier before. Prepositional phrases always begin with a preposition prepositional phrases always end with a noun or pronoun prepositional phrases never contain the subject or verb of the sentence it is helpful to identify prepositional phrases first before looking at other structures in the sentence. Make sure you dont put a prepositional phrase after a noun that it doesnt modify.