Name __________________________________
Date ________
Period _____
Bellringers Term 1 Week 3
Focus: Phrases (participial, prepositional, and absolute phrases)
Monday, August 24th
Participial phrases
A participial phrase begins with a verb form that acts as an adjective, modifying a noun or a pronoun. (Participial may end
in either –ing or –ed.)
Example 1 (The participial phrase is underlined.)
The horse trotting up to the fence hopes you have an apple.
Example 2 (The participial phrase is underlined.)
Glazed with barbecue sauce, the rack of ribs lay nestled next to a pile of coleslaw.
Underline the participial phrases in the following sentences.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Washed with my clothes, my cell phone no longer worked.
Knowing what I know now, I wish I had never come here.
I am really excited, considering all the people that will be there.
We are looking forward to the movie, having seen the trailer last week.
Grinning from ear to ear, she accepted her award.
Prepositional phrases
A prepositional phrase is a modifying phrase consisting of a preposition and its object.
Example 1 (The prepositional phrase is underlined.)
The dog is resting under the deck.
Example 2 (The prepostional phrase is underlined.)
My sister that lives in Atlanta, Georgia, is beautiful.
Place parentheses around the prepositional phrases.
1. Amanda and Dedra are working hard at a workshop.
2. The children are playing on the merry-go- round at the park.
3. Under the table, the dog slept soundly.
4. Above the sink in the cabinet, the roaches crawled on the dishes.
Review from last week- Underline the adverb phrase in the sentence below.
5. Wherever there is music, people will often dance.
Tuesday, August 25th
Absolute phrases
An absolute phrase combines a noun and a participle with any accompanying modifiers or objects. They modify entire
sentences.
Example 1 (The absolute phrase is underlined.)
Legs quivering, our old dog Gizmo dreamed of chasing squirrels.
Example 2 (The absolute phrase is underlined.)
We devoured Aunt Lenora's carrot cake, our fingers scraping the leftover frosting off the plates.
Underline the absolute phrases in the following sentences.
1. Her arms folded across her chest, Professor Hill warned the class about the penalties of plagiarism.
2. Her work completed, Amanda flew home.
3. We scrambled along the shore, the waves splashing at our feet.
4. The birds having flown off, the cat climbed down from the tree.
5. A storm is brewing, judging by the dark clouds.
Wednesday, August 26th
On the line before each sentence, write Part. if the underlined phrase is a participial phrase or Prep. if the
underlined phrase is a prepositional phrase or Abs. if it is an absolute phrase.
1. ____ Weather permitting we shall meet in the evening.
2. ____ Katie and Cooper Ann are going to the skating rink.
3. ____ Kicking the dirt, the child was angry at the umpire.
4. ____ Debbie is in the kitchen with her mother and grandmother.
5. ____ God willing, we shall meet again.
6. ____ The water drained slowly in the pipe clogged with dog hair.
Thursday, August 27th
1. Compose 2 sentences each containing a participial phrase. (Circle each participial phrase.)
a. ___________________________________________________________________________
b. _______________________________________________________________________
2. Compose 2 sentences each containing a prepositional phrase. (Put parentheses around each prepositional
phrase.)
a.___________________________________________________________________________
b.___________________________________________________________________________
3. Compose 2 sentences that each contains an absolute phrase. (Circle each absolute phrase.)
a. ___________________________________________________________________________
b. ___________________________________________________________________________
Friday, August 28th
Now, it is time for you to look and see if you can find examples of these phrases in the passages we have read so far
this school year. Refer to your student packets.
1. Example of a participial phrase-______________________________________________________________
Passage __________________________________________
2. Example of a prepositional phrase- ______________________________________________________________
Passage ___________________________________________
3. Example of an absolute phrase- _________________________________________________________
Passage ___________________________________________