Name: __________________________________
Grammar Review
Fall 2013
PREPOSITIONS and PRONOUNS
A preposition is a word that relates a _____________ or ______________ that appears with it to another
word in the sentence.
The choice of preposition affects the way the other words in a sentence relate to each other.
The relationship may involve location, directions, time, cause, or possession. A preposition can affect
the entire meaning of a sentence and may consist of one word or multiple words.
REMINDER: A clause has a subject and a verb; a phrase does not!
Common Prepositions (not an exclusive list)
aboard, about, above, across, after, against, among, amid, around, as, at, atop, before, behind, below,
beneath, beside, besides, between, beyond, by, despite, down, during, except, for, from, in, inside, into, like,
near, of, off, on, onto, out, outside, over, past, since, through, throughout, till, to, toward, under, until, unto,
up, upon, with, within, without
Compound Prepositions
Some prepositions can consist of more than one word.
According to
by means of
instead of
Ahead of
in addition to
next to
Apart from
in front of
on account of
Aside from
in place of
out of
As of
in regard to
owing to
Because of
in spite of
prior to
Prepositional Phrase
A group of words that includes a preposition and a noun or pronoun, called the object of the
preposition.
Examples: We had a picnic in the park.
[park is the object of the preposition in]
In a minute our purpose will become clear to everyone in the room.
[minute is the object of the preposition in; everyone is the object of the preposition to;
room is the object of the preposition in]
Let’s try practicing together!
Draw a circle around the preposition(s) and underline the prepositional phrase(s).
1. In 1868, San Francisco selected the roughly 1000 acres of the Golden Gate Park.
2. Few were pleased by this selection because of its windy landscape.
3. When John Lewis became superintendent in 1890, the site was suffering from neglect and overuse.
4. Under his supervision, an international exposition was held during 1894; nothing was preserved
from it except the Japanese Tea Garden and a museum.
Prepositional phrases can act as ______________________OR______________________.
An adjectival phrase is a prepositional phrase that modifies a noun or pronoun by telling what kind
or which one.
Examples: Let’s take a picture of the Empire State Building.
[The prepositional phrase of the Empire State Building is modifying the noun picture.]
We bought tickets for the rides in the park.
[The prepositional phrase in the park modifies the noun rides; for the rides modifies
tickets.]
A prepositional phrase that acts as an adverb is called an adverbial phrase. Adverbial phrases can
modify ____________, ____________, or ____________ by pointing out how, when, where, why, in
what way, or to what extent.
Examples: The coins rolled across the table.
[The prepositional phrase across the table is modifying the verb rolled. The phrase tells
where.]
Joan was worried beyond belief.
[The prepositional phrase beyond belief modifies the adjective worried. The phrase tells
how or to what extent.]
He kept his comments deep in his mind.
[The prepositional phrase in his mind modifies the adverb deep. The phrase tells where.]
Time to apply your knowledge!
Draw a circle around the preposition(s) and underline the prepositional phrase(s). THEN, identify if
the prepositional phrase is adjectival OR adverbial by writing an ADJ or ADV above each phrase.
NOTE: Although both prepositional phrases and infinitives begin with to, a PREPOSITIONAL phrase
ALWAYS end with a NOUN or PRONOUN. An INFINITIVE ALWAYS end with a VERB.
1. I had to program my cell phone with my favorite numbers.
2. During a break, I went into the bookstore to purchase a textbook.
3. Can we go to my favorite restaurant?
4. At the hardware store I must buy hinges for my door.
5. Finding the noun with a prepositional phrase after it is easier now.
6. I have placed the wood carving from you on my front lawn.
Now, let’s examine some longer sentences!
7. Do you have to go to school tomorrow to finish your incomplete grammar practice?
8. The man with the most damaging testimony will be on the witness stand in the afternoon.
9. A large package with Christmas presents arrived in the mail without any return address.
10. Today, I have to be at Piggly Wiggly by noon for the sale on chicken breasts.
PRONOUNS
Pronouns help writers and speakers avoid awkward ____________ of ____________.
Pronouns are words that stand for nouns or for words that take the place of nouns.
____________ pronouns refer to the person speaking (first person), the person spoken to (second
person), or the person place or thing bring spoken about (third person).
Personal Pronouns
Singular
Plural
First Person
I, me, my, mine
we, us, our, ours
Second Person
you, your, yours
you, your, yours
Third Person
he, him his, she, her, hers, it, its
they, them, their, theirs
Example: My name is listed as most likely to be a dentist. [My is a fist person pronoun.]
Practice ______________________________________________________________________
____________ pronouns end in -self or -selves and indicates that someone or something in the
sentence acts for or on itself.
_____________ pronouns in the same endings, but they simply add emphasis to a noun in the
sentence.
Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns
Singular
Plural
First Person
myself
ourselves
Second Person
yourself
yourselves
Third Person
himself, herself, itself
themselves
Example: The children prepared themselves for the upcoming presentation. [Themselves indicates
the children.]
Practice: _______________________________________________________________________
_____________ pronouns directs attention to a specific person, place, or thing. They may come
before or after their antecedents (nouns or words that take the place of nouns).
Demonstrative Pronouns
Singular
Plural
this, that
these, those
Example: That is the country I would like to visit. [That specifies the country.]
Practice: ________________________________________________________________________
____________ pronouns introduce an adjectival clause and connects it to the word that the clause
modifies.
Relative Pronouns
that
which
who
whom
whose
Example: She watched a movie that portrayed a character’s childhood memories. [That indicates
the beginning of an adjectival clause and connects the phrase to the word movie.]
Practice: ________________________________________________________________________
____________ pronouns refer to a person, place, or thing, that may or may not be specifically named.
Singular
Another, anybody, anyone,
anything, each, either,
everybody, everyone,
everything, little much, neither,
nobody, no one, nothing, one,
other, somebody, someone,
something
Indefinite Pronouns
Plural
Both, few, many, others,
several
Both
All, any, more, most, none,
some
Example: One of the students did not go to the presentation. [One specifies the antecedent
students.]
Practice: __________________________________________________________________