Honors Day 12: Nonfiction Grammar—Prepositional Phrases 15 minutes work time “We Shall Overcome” Outline his argument Rhetorical analysis in groups “Flowing” your response/analysis Homework: Reciprocal Questions: speeches Outlines due tomorrow, Speeches next week http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1732754907698549493&pr=goog-sl http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/lbjweshallovercome.htm

Reciprocal Questioning Write down questions as you read—questions that would help you make predictions This will be the basis of discussion tomorrow, so do a good job

The traditional outline has three sections: introduction, body, and conclusion. The basic model looks like this: Title Introduction The background—the way it is now, what we already know The thesis statement—What you are proving, main points Body First major category of support Supporting detail Second major category of support Third major category of support Conclusion Review of the major categories of support The answer, solution, or final option http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/writing/outline.html 

Alcohol Testing for Mass Transportation Employees Example Alcohol Testing for Mass Transportation Employees Congress mandates testing for transportation employees Background on government testing Explanation of new policy How and why alcohol testing is used Circumstances for Alcohol Testing Pre-employment Post-accident Reasonable suspicion Random Return to duty/follow-up testing Method of Alcohol Testing Blood Urine Breath Performance Options for Alcohol Abusers Retesting Treatment Termination of employment Conclusion http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/writing/outline.html 

A phrase is a group of related words that lacks both a subject and a predicate. Because it lacks a subject and a predicate it cannot act as a sentence. A phrase typically functions as a single part of speech in a sentence (e.g., noun, adjective, adverb). There are five types of phrases: 1. Prepositional phrases, which begin with a preposition and include the object of the preposition. 2. Participial phrases, which begin with the participle and include the object of the participle or other words that are connected to the noun by the participle. 3. Gerund phrases, which begin with the gerund and include the object of the gerund or other words that are acting as the complete subject or complete object. 4. Infinitive phrases, which begin with an infinitive and include the object of the infinitive or other words that are acting as part of the phrase. 5. Appositive phrases, which are nouns or pronouns adding more information to another noun or pronoun in the sentence.

Prepositions A preposition is a word that links a noun or pronoun following it to another word in the sentence. about behind around against across as of outside down except but by on over of before beyond during despite for onto at A noun or pronoun always follows a preposition. A prepositional phrase is a preposition and its object (remember, objects are always nouns or pronouns). on the wing in the door near the violently swaying oak trees on account of his nearly-depleted bank account

PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES The prepositional phrase includes the preposition and the object of the preposition as well as any modifiers related to either. [In the following examples, the preposition is bold and the prepositional phrase is underlined.] The flying saucer appeared above the lake before it disappeared into space. ABOVE is not an adverb because it has an object to complete its meaning; therefore, ABOVE is a preposition and the entire phrase is an adverb phrase. Crystal could hear her sister snoring across the room. Objects usually answer the question what. Therefore, we can ask across what? to determine the object of the preposition. Christine discovered a pile of books hidden under the staircase. UNDER is not an adverb because it alone does not answer where about the verb.

You should consider reading the notes before class. BEFORE is not an adverb because it alone does not answer where about the verb. You should consider reading the notes before you come to class. BEFORE is not a preposition because is not followed by an object that it links to the clause. It is followed by another clause that is subordinate in meaning to the independent clause; therefore, it is a subordinate conjunction. Alix walk down the ramp to the beach. DOWN is not an adverb because it alone does not answer where about the verb. Alix fell down. DOWN is an adverb answering where about the verb. There is no object, so it cannot be a preposition.

More Prepositions and Phrases The manager with the pink slips terrorized the employees. The price of the promotion was much too steep. Something in the corner of the desk was moving. She lost her head at the retro drive in. The salesperson skimmed over the product's real cost. The boss was thrilled at their attitude. The rock climbers arrived late at night. Ms. Werner bribed the students with candy. Rozakis, Laurie. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Grammar and Style. New York: Alpha Books, 1997 (131-32).