Prepositional Phrase Examples Sentences
You’ve probably learned about prepositional phrases before – those little groups of words that begin with a preposition and help describe a noun or verb. They’re everywhere in the English language, helping make sentences flow better and sound more natural.
But it can still be tricky to identify prepositional phrases or use them correctly in your writing. That’s where this article comes in! In the next 100 words or so, we’ll walk through tons of different prepositional phrase examples in sentences.
You’ll see how they work, where they commonly show up, and how to use them yourself. With these prepositional phrase examples as your guide, you’ll be spotting and using these important parts of speech in no time!
So let’s dive in – here are prepositional phrase examples in sentences to help you master this common grammar concept.
What Is a Prepositional Phrase?
A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with its object. The preposition is the first word in the phrase, and it’s usually a word like in, on, under, over, from, to, for, with, about, etc.
Prepositions Indicate Location or Direction
Prepositions are words that indicate location, time, or direction. They describe where or when something is about something else. For example, “The book is on the table” indicates the location of the book relative to the table. “We went to the store after work” shows when we went to the store relative to finishing work.
Objects Complete the Phrase
The preposition requires an object to complete the phrase. The object is usually a noun, pronoun, or gerund. For example, in the prepositional phrase “with friends,” “friends” is the object. In “according to me,” “me” is the object. In “by laughing,” “laughing” is the object.
Prepositional Phrases Add Detail
Prepositional phrases are used to add more detail to sentences. They make your writing more interesting by painting a clearer picture. For example, “The old cabin stood in the woods” is more descriptive than just “The old cabin stood.” The prepositional phrase “in the woods” adds important detail about the location of the cabin.
Prepositional phrases allow you to be more precise in your language. Mastering their use will make you a stronger, more compelling writer. Understanding prepositions and the phrases they form is key to fluent and natural-sounding English.
Prepositional Phrase Examples in Sentences
When it comes to using prepositional phrases, the possibilities are endless! To give you an idea, here are examples of prepositional phrases used in sentences:
Location and direction
• The book is on the table.
• The cat jumped over the fence.
• The kids ran around the playground.
• Let’s meet by the old oak tree.
Time
I went to the store after dinner.
• The sun shone during the day. She studied all night for her exam.
Possession
• The owner of the house lives next door.
• A friend of mine recommended that movie.
Cause or purpose
• He went to the store for some milk. She cried on account of being so happy.
Comparison or reference
- He is smarter than his brother.
- As for me, I prefer chocolate.
The list goes on and on. Prepositional phrases help give context to sentences by answering questions like where, when, why, and how. They add richness, nuance, and precision to language. So don’t be afraid to use them liberally in your writing and speech.
With so many options to choose from, you’ll never run out of ways to express yourself!
Common Mistakes With Prepositional Phrases
One of the most common mistakes people make with prepositional phrases is using the wrong preposition. Choosing the correct preposition depends on the meaning you want to convey.
For example, you would say “I’m going to the store” but “I’m coming from the store.” Using the wrong preposition can change the meaning of your sentence or make it nonsensical.
Another frequent error is dangling a prepositional phrase. This means the prepositional phrase is not connected to the main part of the sentence.
For example, “After finishing my work, the day was over.” The phrase “after finishing my work” is dangling because it’s not immediately clear what it modifies. It would be better written as “After I finished my work, the day was over.”
People also often place prepositional phrases in awkward positions within a sentence. While there are no strict rules about prepositional phrase placement, putting a long phrase in the
middle of a sentence can make it clunky and hard to read. It usually flows better to place longer prepositional phrases at the beginning or end of a sentence.
For example, “The old, abandoned house down the street with the broken windows” is awkward, whereas “The house down the street with the broken windows, old and abandoned” reads more smoothly.
One last common mistake is using prepositions where they are not needed. Some verbs do not require a preposition to connect them to their object. For example, “I waited the bus” is incorrect; “I waited for the bus” is the proper phrasing. Other examples of verbs that do not require a preposition include: enter, exit, embark, disembark, ascend, descend, etc.
Paying attention to proper preposition usage, connecting dangling phrases, rearranging awkward phrases, and avoiding unnecessary prepositions will help you use prepositional phrases correctly and confidently in your writing. With practice, these techniques will become second nature and help make your writing clear and compelling.
Tips for Using Prepositional Phrases Correctly
When employing prepositional phrases in your writing, there are a few guidelines to keep in mind. Following these tips will help ensure you’re using prepositional phrases properly and effectively.
First, place prepositional phrases closest to the words they modify. Don’t separate a prepositional phrase from the word it’s supposed to describe. For example, say “The dog with the curly tail ran across the street,” not “The dog ran across the street with the curly tail.” Next, use prepositional phrases sparingly.
While a few prepositional phrases can add detail and nuance to your writing, overusing them makes your writing chinny and hard to read. As a nonoral rule limit yourself to 1-2
One last common mistake is using prepositions where they are not needed.
Some verbs do not require a preposition to connect them to their object.
For example, “I waited for the bus” is incorrect; “I waited for the bus” is the proper phrasing. Other examples of verbs that do not require a preposition include: enter, exit, embark, disembark, ascend, descend, etc.
Paying attention to proper preposition usage, connecting dangling phrases, rearranging awkward phrases, and avoiding unnecessary prepositions will help you use prepositional phrases correctly and confidently in your writing.
With practice, these techniques will become second nature and help make your writing clear and compelling.
How do I use prepositional phrases in a sentence?
Prepositional phrases act as modifiers in a sentence, providing more detail
about nouns, verbs, adjectives or adverbs. They answer questions like where, when, who, why, or how.
For example:
- The package from my mom arrived today. (Where did the package come from?)
- We met with the client over dinner. (When did we meet?)
- The kids were playing behind the shed. (Where were the kids playing?)
To use a prepositional phrase in a sentence, determine what question it answers about another word in the sentence. Then place the prepositional phrase next to the word it is modifying.
What’s the difference between a preposition and a prepositional phrase?
A preposition is a word that indicates location or direction, such as in, on,
under, over, before, behind, next to. A prepositional phrase includes the preposition plus its object and any modifiers.
For example:
Preposition: in • Prepositional phrase: in the box
The preposition “in” is part of the longer prepositional phrase “in the box”
which acts as a modifier in the sentence. So a prepositional phrase gives more detail than a single preposition alone.
Prepositional phrases are key to creating rich, descriptive sentences. With practice, using them will become second nature and your writing will benefit from the added detail and clarity. Keep exploring examples and trying them out in your sentences!
Conclusion
There you have it – prepositional phrase examples to help you understand how these handy little word combos work. Whether you’re looking to brush up on grammar rules or add some variety to your writing, incorporating different types of phrases can make a big difference. Just remember to keep it natural and don’t overdo it.
The goal is to make your sentences flow smoothly, not confuse your reader. So start small, reread as you go, and you’ll be stringing these phrases together like a pro in no time.
This is just one more tool to add to your writer’s toolkit. Keep practicing and have fun playing with language. The more techniques you try, the more creative you can get with your self-expression.
