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soluuhuong1
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07/01/2010
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PREPOSITION PHRASES
http://www.yourdictionary.com/grammar-rules/Prepositional-Phrases.html
Prepositional Phrases
Prepositional phrases modify nouns and verbs while indicating various relationships between subjects and verbs. They are used to color and inform sentences in powerful ways.
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What are the Parts of a Prepositional Phrase?
In simplest terms, prepositional phrases consist of a preposition and an object of a preposition. Prepositions are indeclinable words that introduce the object of a prepositional phrase. Indeclinable words are words that have only one possible form. For example, below is a preposition, but belows or belowing are not possible forms of below.
The noun phrase or pronoun that follows the preposition is called the object of the preposition. For example, behind the couch is a prepositional phrase where behind is the preposition and the noun phrase the couch acts as the object of the preposition. Sometimes adjectives are used to further modify the object of the preposition, as in behind the big old smelly green couch.
Formal Functions of Prepositions
Prepositions perform three formal functions in sentences. They can act as an adjective modifying a noun, as an adverb modifying a verb, or as a nominal when used in conjunction with the verb form to be.
Prepositions Functioning as Adjectives
In the following sentences, prepositional phrases perform the function of modifying the nouns boat, pen, and car:
Look at the boat with the blue sail. Please hand me the pen next to the telephone. Park the car beside the fence.
Prepositions Functioning as Adverbs
In these examples, notice how the prepositional phrases perform adverbial functions by modifying the verbs after, stalled, and won:
The coyote runs after the rabbit. The car stalled despite the tune-up. The team won without the starting quarterback.
Prepositions Functioning as Nominals
In English, sometimes words function as nouns but aren't themselves nouns. These words are called nominals. Prepositions sometimes perform this important function in sentences when they are used in conjunction with the verb to be. For example:
The park is next to the hospital. The student is between an A and a B. The fight scene is before the second act.
Semantic Properties of Prepositions
In semantic terms, the preposition functions to illustrate a logical, temporal, or spatial relationship between the object of the prepositional phrase and the other components of the sentence. Consider the following examples:
The dog is asleep on his bed.
In this example, the prepositional phrase on his bed indicates a spatial relationship between the subject dog and the object bed. If the preposition on was replaced with under or beneath the spatial relationship would be altered.
The town hasn't been the same since the war.
In this sentence, the prepositional phrase since the war indicates a temporal relationship between the verb phrase hasn't been the same and the object war.
The family survived despite the accident.
he prepositional phrase despite the accident in this sentence indicates a logical relationship between the survival of the family and the accident.
List of Common Prepositions
List of Common Prepositions
The following table lists the most commonly used prepositions in English.
• about• above• across• after• against• along• among• around• at• before• behind• below• beneath• beside• between• beyond• but• by• despite• down• during• except• for• from• in• inside• into• like• near• off• of• on• onto• out• outside• over• past• since• through• throughout• till• to• toward• under• underneath• until• up• upon• with• within• without
Tips for Using Prepositions Properly
Of all the grammar issues that cause frustration among teachers, arguments among linguists, and fear among students, the use of prepositions is one of the biggest and most confusing. Yes, there is a proper way to use prepositions. The fact of the matter is, very few people, even talented writers and grammarians, agree how often prepositions are to be used properly. Winston Churchill underscored this very issue when he was attacked for misuse of prepositions, saying “That is the sort of thing up with which I will not put!” It takes a second to realize that, although his usage is certainly “proper,” it does not make much sense—“…I will not put up with” is much clearer.
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Tips for Using Prepositions Properly
In an effort to persuade people to use prepositions properly, it makes sense to explain the rules and then demonstrate when the rules may be broken. Following are a few tips on proper preposition use, and when these tips may be eschewed for the sake of common sense and functionality.
Remember the Relationship
Prepositions demonstrate a relationship: the relationship of an object to its environment, or its place in a proper phrase. Basic preposition use begs an understanding of what these relationships are. To begin with, prepositions should be used to demonstrate place, time, and direction. Take, for example, the sentence “Put the check in the box at the bank across the street by 6:00.” This sentence uses four prepositions properly. In and at demonstrate the place where the check is to be put. Across the street shows us the direction of the bank. Finally, the word by clues us in to when the check should be placed into the box—by 6:00. Prepositions can also be used to demonstrate other relationships, such as accompaniment (I went with him), mission (we cried for help), and instrument (they traveled by train). Remembering these relationships is the first key toward using prepositions correctly.
Recall Collocations
Collocations are those words attached to prepositions that can make the prepositional phrase clear, or inappropriately applied, confusing. Proper use of prepositions means choosing the correct preposition for the sentence one hundred percent of the time. This is not one of those rules that can be broken. Misuse of collocations will make a sentence sound foolish, and will degrade oral or written communication into a grammarless cesspool. Take, for example, the word “accuse.” A person is accused of a crime. They are not accused by the crime (that is, the crime is not doing the accusing), for a crime (as though the crime is something worth merit), with a crime (they and the crime are not associated together). Being accused of a crime does not imply as close an association as being charged with a crime, which associates the crime and the accused more closely. Similarly, you give a speech on a subject, not about; you are addicted to television, not with it; you blame some for, not with or about.
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Ending Sentences
The mother of all preposition rules is, “never end a sentence with a preposition!” In many cases, this rule makes perfect sense; otherwise you would expect to see “never end a sentence a preposition with!” In truth, the rule is far more complicated. For instance, people often ask one another “where did you come from?” It sounds much clunkier to say, “from where have you come?” or to use the antiquated “whence have you come?” In everyday use—in fact, even in formal writing—“where did you come from” is entirely appropriate and encouraged because it is a commonly used, commonly accepted phrase. However, there are times when you may need to reconsider your use of prepositions at the end of a sentence because writing it properly simply makes the most sense. The gratuitous preposition tacked onto the end of questions like “where is the theater at?” and “where are we going to?” can be omitted entirely to create “where is the theater?” and “where are we going?” Similarly, “that’s the girl Bryan’s in love with” can easily be said and written as, “that’s the girl with whom Bryan is in love” without sounding silly.
Author: Christy Rakoczy
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