Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases | Language Structure Usage & Linguistics IV

Prepositions are words that show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. They indicate location, time, direction, manner, and other types of relationships. Prepositional phrases consist of a preposition and a noun or pronoun, called the object of the preposition. In this article, we will explore prepositions and prepositional phrases, their various types of relational meanings, their structures, and their functions.

Prepositions and Examples

Some common prepositions include in, on, at, under, over, between, among, beside, behind, and above. Examples of how these prepositions are used in sentences include:

• She is in the library studying for her exam.

• The book is on the table.

• The party is at my house.

• The cat is under the bed.

• The bird is flying over the tree.

• Spatial: The book is on the shelf.

• Temporal: I will see you at the party.

• Directional: She walked toward the door.

• Manner: He spoke with confidence.

• Instrumental: She wrote the letter with a pen.

• The cat is _______ the couch.

• The flowers are _______ the vase.

• The car is _______ the garage.

• She is standing _______ the window.

• The plane is flying _______ the clouds.

• She walked to the store.

• The book is on the shelf.

• The cat is under the bed.

• She wondered about what to wear to the party.

• He told me where he was going.

• She left without saying goodbye.

• He went to bed after finishing his homework.

Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases

Prepositional functions

1. Preposition as adverbial:

• She walked to the store. (The prepositional phrase "to the store" modifies the verb "walked" and tells us where she went.)

• He drove through the tunnel. (The prepositional phrase "through the tunnel" modifies the verb "drove" and tells us how he got to the other side.)

2. Preposition as modifier of the noun phrase:

• The boy with the blue hat is my brother. (The prepositional phrase "with the blue hat" modifies the noun "boy" and tells us which boy we're talking about.)

• The girl in the red dress is the singer. (The prepositional phrase "in the red dress" modifies the noun "girl" and tells us what she looks like.)

3. Preposition as verb complement:

• She is good at playing the piano. (The prepositional phrase "at playing the piano" serves as a complement to the verb "is good" and tells us what she is good at.)

• They are interested in studying abroad. (The prepositional phrase "in studying abroad" serves as a complement to the verb "are interested" and tells us what they are interested in.)

4. Preposition as adjective complement:

• He is afraid of heights. (The prepositional phrase "of heights" serves as a complement to the adjective "afraid" and tells us what he is afraid of.)

• She is tired from running. (The prepositional phrase "from running" serves as a complement to the adjective "tired" and tells us why she is tired.)

• The cat sat on the mat.
• The book under the desk belongs to me.
• She talked with her hands.
• The party at the beach was a lot of fun.
• He was late for the meeting because of traffic.
• Prepositional phrase: "on the mat" / Function: adverbial
• Prepositional phrase: "under the desk" / Function: modifier of the noun phrase
• Prepositional phrase: "with her hands" / Function: adverbial
• Prepositional phrase: "at the beach" / Function: modifier of the noun phrase
• Prepositional phrase: "because of traffic" / Function: adverbial

1. Complete the following sentences with the appropriate preposition:

• The book is _______ the table.

• The bird flew _______ the tree.

• The cat is hiding _______ the bed.

• I am going _______ the store.

• The restaurant is located _______ the city center.

2. Identify the prepositional phrase in each sentence:

• The dog ran across the street.

• She is reading a book on the couch.

• They went to the park after school.

• I am studying for my exam in the library.

• The birds are chirping in the trees.

3. Rewrite the following sentences by adding a prepositional phrase to modify the underlined word:

• The girl is happy. (modifying "girl")

• The car is fast. (modifying "car")

• The house is old. (modifying "house")

• The pizza is delicious. (modifying "pizza")

• The movie was boring. (modifying "movie")

4. Identify the prepositional function in each sentence:

• We went to the store for some groceries.

• The cat is sleeping on the bed.

• She is studying for her exam in the library.

• The flowers in the vase are wilting.

• The car drove through the tunnel.

Types of Relational Meaning in Prepositions

Prepositions can have various types of relational meanings, including spatial, temporal, directional, manner, and instrumental. For example:

Exercises of Prepositional Relationships

To practice prepositional relationships, try filling in the blanks with appropriate prepositions:

The Structure of Prepositional Phrases

Prepositional phrases have a specific structure that consists of a preposition and an object of the preposition. The object of the preposition can be a noun or pronoun, and it can be modified by adjectives or other words. Prepositional phrases can be used as adverbials, noun modifiers, verb complements, and adjective complements.

Preposition + Noun Phrase

In this type of prepositional phrase, the object of the preposition is a noun or pronoun. For example:

Preposition + Wh Clause

In this type of prepositional phrase, the object of the preposition is a wh-clause, which is a clause that starts with a wh-word (such as who, what, where, when, why, or how). For example:

Preposition + -ing Clause

In this type of prepositional phrase, the object of the preposition is an -ing clause, which is a clause that starts with a verb ending in -ing. For example:

Prepositional functions refer to the roles that prepositional phrases play in a sentence. Prepositions are used to show the relationship between the noun or pronoun that follows the preposition and another word in the sentence.

Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases

1. Preposition as adverbial: When a prepositional phrase modifies a verb in a sentence, it is serving as an adverbial. For example: "He ran through the park." In this sentence, the prepositional phrase "through the park" modifies the verb "ran" and tells us where the action took place.

2. Preposition as modifier of the noun phrase: Prepositional phrases can also modify a noun or pronoun in a sentence, functioning as an adjective. For example: "The book on the table is mine." In this sentence, the prepositional phrase "on the table" modifies the noun "book" and tells us where the book is located.

3. Preposition as verb complement: A prepositional phrase can also function as a complement to a verb. For example: "I am fond of swimming." In this sentence, the prepositional phrase "of swimming" serves as a complement to the verb "am fond" and tells us what the speaker is fond of.

4. Preposition as adjective complement: Prepositional phrases can also function as a complement to an adjective. For example: "She is afraid of spiders." In this sentence, the prepositional phrase "of spiders" serves as a complement to the adjective "afraid" and tells us what the subject is afraid of.

Some prepositions can have multiple functions depending on the context in which they are used. For example, the preposition "on" can be used to show location, time, or manner.

Understanding prepositional functions is important for understanding the meaning of a sentence and how its parts work together. Practice identifying prepositional phrases and their functions can help improve overall understanding of sentence structure and grammar.

Prepositional functions

Here is an exercise to practice identifying prepositional functions in sentences:

Identify the prepositional phrases in the following sentences and indicate their functions (adverbial, modifier of the noun phrase, verb complement, or adjective complement):

Answers:

some more exercises to practice with prepositions and prepositional phrases:

Remember, practicing with exercises like these can help you improve your understanding and use of prepositions and prepositional phrases in your writing and communication.

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