
To avoid fragments and to state ideas as
complete thoughts, proofread to identify
the subjects and verbs of each
sentence.

Identifying prepositional phrases as you
proofread will help you locate the
subject of the sentence.

A preposition is a word that has a noun
or pronoun as its object and states a
relationship between its object and
another word.

For example – I went into the building to find
my friend.

A prepositional phrase begins with a
preposition and ends with the object of
the preposition.

For example – Volunteering is the act of serving
others without reward.

Common prepositions with possible
objects…
Preposition object
Preposition object
About the house
In my wallet
Along the street
For Texas
After the movie
From the past
As the parent
Of the boys
Below the surface
On the chair
By evening
To the college
During the storm
With patience

Prepositions often modify the location of
an object; for example, in, out, next,
with, under, over, inside, outside, next to,
without, underneath, between, etc…

Prepositions often modify time; for
example, during, after, before, since,
etc…

Prepositional phrases are everywhere in
English sentences because they can
modify nouns, verbs, adjectives, and
adverbs.

To modify means to change somewhat
the form or qualities of; alter partially;
amend: to modify a contract

To modify descriptive, limiting, or
particularizing meaning.
› For example - In a good man, good modifies
man

1.
Try these: Identify every prepositional
phrase in the following sentences and
indicate which word each phrase is
modifying.
After the long hike, the children ate with
gusto.
2.
Pollution experts say we need stricter
controls on emissions from all gasoline
engines.
3.
Outside the theater, eager young
people waited impatiently in line for
tickets.
4.
The wise man on my right ate nothing
and slept like a baby during the flight.
5.
The songs of whales are full of beauty
and variety, and they change in subtle
ways over the course of a mating
season