Prepositional phrases
A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition such as at, by, for, from, in, of, on, to, or with and usually ends with a noun or a noun equivalent called the object of the preposition.
Prepositional phrases function as adjectives or adverbs.
Adjective phrases
When functioning as an adjective, a prepositional phrase nearly always appears immediately following the noun or pronoun it modifies.
Adjective phrases answer one or both of the questions Which one? and What kind of? If we ask Which walls? or What kind of walls? we get a sensible answer: the walls of mud.
Adjective phrases
Adverbial prepositional phrases that modify the verb can appear nearly anywhere in a sentence.
Adverbial word groups usually answer one of these questions: When? Where? How? Why? Under what conditions? To what degree?
James walked his dog how? On a leash.
Sabrina will adjust when? In time.
The terrain can change under what conditions? During a mudslide.
Common prepositions
Exercise: Prepositional phrases 1
Exercise: Prepositional phrases 2
Exercise: Objects of prepositions
Related topics:
Prepositions
Commas with adjective phrases
preposition A word placed before a noun or noun equivalent to form a phrase modifying another word in the sentence: They fell in line with the crowd.
noun The name of a person, place, thing, or an idea.
adjective A word that modifies or describes a noun or pronoun: lame, old, rare, beautiful; also the articles a, an, the.
adverb A word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb: very, smoothly, never.