Download Preposition Notes - English with Mrs. Lamp

Preposition Notes
American Lit: Prepositions
• Key Idea ONE:
–A preposition is a word that shows a
relationship between one word in
the sentence and the “object of the
preposition”
–Ex: The duck is in the lake.
Key Idea TWO:
• Prepositions are
often words that
are hard to define
by themselves -they need other
words around them
to have meaning.
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
About
At
By
For
From
Of
Since
To
with
Key Idea THREE:
• Prepositions often show spatial
relationships, so if you can “do it to the
mountain” then it’s a preposition.
• She went under the tree bough.
Key Idea FOUR:
• Both linking verbs and prepositions show relationships.
• This means you must study and know the list of linking verbs
from your notes!
• If you see a word that shows a relationship, and you know it is
not a linking verb, then you know it is a preposition.
– I am a teacher. (Linking verb)
– I am on the treadmill. (Preposition)
Objects of Prepositions
• The object of the preposition is the noun or
pronoun that follows the preposition.
– Some of the construction crew built a scaffold near
the tower.
– The library will hold the book until tomorrow.
– The prompter sat behind the scenery with a small
flashlight.
Try it yourself! Find the prepositional phrase
and tell which word is the object.
1. Chirps of the newly hatched chicks could be
heard in the corridor.
2. A plane made an emergency landing in a
cornfield.
3. The elephants lumbered past us toward the
water hole.
4. The puppy came into our tent and slept at the
foot of my sleeping bag.
5. The city was without power for several hours.
Prepositions
• Sometimes the same word can be used as a
preposition or as an adverb. If there is no
object, then the word is an adverb.
– Ex: “Come along” vs “The messages travel along
the telephone wire”
Determine whether the word is an
adverb or a preposition
1. I have spoken to you before, haven’t I?
2. Before the speech, the audience was
restless.
3. Write these words down quickly.
4. The train continued down the track.
What is a Preposition?
• Prepositions are words that we use to show
relationships between words.
• The dog is under the bed.
– Here, “under” shows the relationship between
dog and bed.
Prepositional Phrases
• A prepositional phrase consists of a
preposition, its object (the noun that follows
it, like “bed” in “under the bed”), and any
modifiers of the object (like the adjective
“the”).
• People communicate in many ways.
– Here, the preposition is “in,” the object of the
preposition is the noun “ways,” and the
prepositional phrase is “in many ways.”
Using Prepositional Phrases
• Prepositional phrases are ALWAYS related to
another word in the sentence.
• They modify that word in the same way an
adjective or an adverb does.
Types of Prepositional Phrases
• “Adjective Phrases” are prepositional phrases
that modify nouns or pronouns
– They tell which one, how many, or what kind
• “Adverb Phrases” are prepositional phrases
that modify a verb, an adjective, or another
adverb.
– They tell where, when, how, why, or to what
extent
Find the Prepositional Phrase. Then, tell whether it is an
adjective phrase or an adverb phrase.
1. People enjoy talking with one another.
2. They share news of their daily lives.
3. News about international events is
broadcast on television.
4. Many people find current news on the
internet.
5. Communication methods have changed over
the centuries.