Practicing Phrases

Prepositions

A word that shows a relationship between a noun or pronoun and some other word in the sentence. The baseball player in the white shirt hit a homerun.

A word that shows a relationship between a noun or pronoun and some other word in the sentence. on her boat before noon in a house during class near the goat about a goon under a mouse without a pass

OBJECT OF THE PREPOSITION The noun or pronoun that ends a prepositional phrase. The baseball player in the white shirt hit a homerun.

OBJECT OF THE PREPOSITION The noun or pronoun that ends a prepositional phrase. on her boat before noon in a house during class near the goat about a goon under a mouse without a pass

Always begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun. Write sentences for these prepositional phrases:

Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases practice Complete worksheet page 19: Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases

The puppy in the shop window jumped up. Modifies a noun or pronoun It answers the same questions an adjective would: Which one? What kind? How many? The puppy in the shop window jumped up.

The puppy jumped to the food. Modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb It answers the same questions an adverb would: Where? When? How? The puppy jumped to the food.

The paper with the blue border is floating through the air. Identify the prepositional phrases and the objects of the preposition: The paper with the blue border is floating through the air. Jordan’s eyes sparkle like a sunny day. With great ease, Michael jumped up on the table.

The paper with the blue border is floating through the air. v The paper with the blue border is floating through the air. Jordan’s eyes sparkle like a sunny day. With great ease, Michael jumped up on the table.

Prepositional Phrases Used as Adjectives and Adverbs practice Complete worksheet page 20: Prepositional Phrases Used as Adjectives and Adverbs

infinitives

What is an infinitive? An infinitive is a verb form that usually begins with the word to and acts as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. Example: Mars is a place some people want to visit.

What is an infinitive phrase? An infinitive phrase is an infinitive plus its modifiers and complements. Example: To believe in life on Mars was common in the 1930’s. Martians might use flying saucers to invade earth. I took time to read an old science fiction book.

Infinitive Phrase or Prepositional Phrase? Be careful not to confuse infinitive phrases with prepositional phrases. Remember… if a verb follows to, you have an infinitive phrase if a noun or pronoun follows to, you have a prep. phrase. Example: Of all the planets, Mars is the most similar to Earth. (prep) It was easy to imagine creatures on Mars. (infin) Would you like to travel to Mars? (infin/prep)

Infinitives and Infinitive Phrases practice Complete worksheet page 24: Infinitives and Infinitive Phrases

Gerunds A gerund is a verb form that ends in –ing and is used as a noun. Like other nouns, a gerund can serve as the simple subject of a sentence. It can also be a direct object or the object of a preposition. It can be used, albeit infrequently, as a predicate noun.

Examples: Blocking requires strength. (Subject) The athletes enjoy exercising (Direct Object) They maintain endurance by running (Object of a Preposition)

Gerund Phrases A gerund phrase is a group of words that includes a gerund and other words that complete its meaning. Ex. Kicking the ball takes skill. Ex. A team tries scoring a touchdown. A touchdown results from moving the ball across the goal.

Remember… A gerund is a verb form that ends in –ing and is used as a noun. A gerund phrase is a group of words that includes a gerund and other words that complete its meaning. You can replace a gerund with the word it and the sentence would still make sense.

Gerunds and Gerund Phrases practice Complete worksheet page 25: Gerunds and Gerund Phrases

Participles

The hurdler eyed the finish line. A pretty good sentence: The hurdler eyed the finish line.

The flying hurdler eyed the finish line. Using a PARTICIPLE: The flying hurdler eyed the finish line. Using a PARTICIPIAL PHRASE: Flying through the air, the hurdler eyed the finish line.

Participle A verb that functions as an adjective. Usually ends in –ing or –ed Example: The hissing snake attacked its prey. The frightened child wanted his mother.

Includes participle along with modifiers to complete the image. Participial Phrase Includes participle along with modifiers to complete the image. The entire phrase is used as an adjective. Usually set off by commas. Hissing their forked red tongues, the diamond-scaled snakes attacked their prey.

A searching beam of light swung out into the darkness. Searching through the fog, a beam of light swung out into the darkness. A searching beam of light swung out into the darkness.

Participles and Participial Phrases practice Complete worksheet page 26: Participles and Participial Phrases