Prepositional Phrase
This is a group of words that is usually made up of a preposition and a noun or pronoun. They can also have other words (like adjectives) between the preposition and the noun or pronoun. Prepositions do not have a subject or a verb and can usually act as an adjective or adverb to modify other words. They are usually followed by an object (when you are writing formally).
When a prepositional phrase acts as an adverb, it answers the question ‘which one?’
When a prepositional phrase acts as an adjective, it answers either ‘where’, ‘when’ or ‘how’.
Let us look at a few examples.
At school
on time
with her
from my father
in the way
Example;
1We hung our coats under the staircase.
2Jack and Jill went up the hill.
3The dog with the pink bow is very cute.
4The girl in the thick glasses is pretty.
The prepositional phrases in sentence 1 and 2 act as adverbs, they answer the question ‘where?’
The prepositional phrases in sentence 3 and 4 act as adjectives, they answer the question ‘which one?’