Download Two Kinds of Prepositional Phrases:

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Two Kinds of Prepositional Phrases:
Part 1 - The Adjective Phrase
Now that we have learned about prepositions and how to identify them in
sentences, we need to understand that prepositional phrases can be used in two main
ways, either as an adjective phrase or an adverb phrase.
First, a little review: A preposition is a word that shows the relation of a noun or
pronoun to another word in the sentence. A phrase is a group of related words that
does not contain a subject or a verb, and that is used as a single part of speech. There are
other kinds of phrases, but right now we are concerned only with the prepositional
phrase. A prepositional phrase includes the preposition, its object(s), and any words
that modify the object(s).
As the preceding paragraph noted, a prepositional phrase, though it contains
more than one word, is used as a single part of speech. One way in which it can be used
is as an adjective. An adjective, you will recall, is a word that modifies, or describes, a
noun or pronoun. Therefore, an adjective phrase will do the same.
• An adjective phrase is a prepositional phrase that modifies a noun or a pronoun.
An adjective phrase will also answer the same questions as a regular adjective: What
kind? Which one(s)? How many? How much? or Whose? While regular adjectives
frequently answer the last three questions, adjective phrases will almost always answer
the first two. Below is a comparison of adjectives and adjective phrases that answer the
same question.
WHAT KIND?
Adjective:
Adjective Phrase:
Tracy was an outstanding student.
Tracy was a student of great ability.
Both examples say what
kind of student she is.
WHICH ONE?
Adjective:
Adjective Phrase:
Roger wore his purple shirt.
Roger wore his shirt with purple stripes.
Both examples
say which shirt.
Warning: Two adjective phrases often are found in succession (or right after each
other). Sometimes they will both be modifying the same noun.
 EXAMPLE: The portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart is famous.
In this sentence the two prepositional phrases “of George Washington” and
“by Gilbert Stuart” both modify the noun “portrait.” Each answers the
question “Which one?”
In other cases, you might have two prepositional phrases in succession, and the
second one will modify the object of the first.
 EXAMPLE: The brother of the man in the blue shirt stole my briefcase. In
this sentence the prepositional phrase “of the man” modifies the noun
“brother,” but the second prepositional phrase, “in the blue shirt,” modifies
“man,” which was the object of the first prepositional phrase. Get it? Again,
each prepositional phrase answers the question, “Which one?”