Prepositions Notes
A prepositional phrase
is a word or phrase that shows the relation between the noun that it
takes as an object and some other word in the sentence.
Some common prepositions:
Aboard amidst beneath down of since with
About among between during off throughout within
Above around beyond except on to without
According to as for but (meaning for on account of toward near
Across at except) from out under onto
After because of by in out of until over
Along before by
means of inside outside up past
Amid behind by
way of into regarding upon
Against below beside concerning like
The preposition together with
its object and the modifiers of the object is called a prepositional phrase.
The boy fell off the boat. (off is the preposition, boat
is its object, the modifies boat.)
Helen went to the corner store. (to is the preposition, store
is its object, the and corner modifies store.)
The man with the boot, cares not wear he
steps. (with is the preposition,
boot is its object, the modifies boot.)
Many prepositions are also
adverbs. The difference?
A preposition always has a
noun or pronoun following it that acts as its object.
An adverb has no object. (Remember, an adverb answers where, when,
how, why, to what extent. It modifies
verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.)
Everyone went out the
back door. Out is a preposition
since it has door following it as its object.
Do you want to go out? Out is an adverb since it has no
object following it.
A prepositional phrase
consists of a preposition, its objects, and any modifiers of the object.
Prepositional phrases that modify nouns or pronouns are adjective phrases, since the entire phrase acts like an adjective modifying a noun or pronoun. These phrases tell which one, what kind, or how many about the noun or pronoun it modifies.
Did Mom read the news article
about me? About me is an
adjective prepositional phrase modifying article.
Prepositional phrases that
modify verbs are adverb phrases, since the entire phrase acts like an adverb
modifying a verb. These phrases tell
how, when, where, and to what extent about the verb it modifies.
Marlene put the flowers into
a vase. Into a vase is an adverb
prepositional phrase modifying the verb, put.
Sometimes two prepositional
phrases (or more) may be in a row.
Sometimes the second phrase is an adjective phrase modifying the (noun)
object of the first phrase.
Marlene put the flowers into
a vase of water. Of water is an
adjective prepositional phrase modifying the noun, vase. Vase is the object of the first
prepositional phrase. (See above.)
A conjunction is a word that
joins words or groups of words.
The most common coordinating conjunctions are: and, but , and or.
Janice and Howard are going
swimming. I’d like to come, but
I can’t.
Some common correlative conjunctions are used in pairs:
Both…and not
only…but (also)
Either…or whether
… or
Neither…nor
I need both pens and pencils. Either
Nancy or Betsy will help.