Identifying Prepositional Phrases

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Handbook
CLASS
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6 Phrases
WORKSHEET 1
Identifying Prepositional Phrases
Exercise A On the line provided, identify each of the following word groups by
writing PHR if the word group is a prepositional phrase and NP if it is not a prepositional
phrase.
PHR
EXAMPLE
1. over the mountain
_________ 1. in the kitchen
_________ 2. with my bicycle
_________ 3. Talbot and him
_________ 4. across the highway
_________ 5. Mrs. Lindenmeyer is reading my book report
_________ 6. under a harvest moon
_________ 7. beyond the solar system
_________ 8. when I was six
_________ 9. over the river
_________ 10. into the trees
Exercise B
Underline each prepositional phrase, and circle the preposition.
EXAMPLE
1. The longest river in North America is the Mississippi.
1. I am reading a book about the Columbia River.
2. The river begins in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
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3. The entire length of this mighty river is 1,240 miles.
4. The Yakima tell a story that explains why the river narrows at The Dalles.
5. The Yakima Indian Reservation is located near the Columbia River.
6. During the Ice Age the Columbia River had a different course.
7. The Grand Coulee may be the old riverbed of the Columbia.
8. Last summer we traveled through the Grand Coulee region.
9. We went to the Grand Coulee Dam.
10. The Grand Coulee Dam is located in Washington.
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NAME
Language
Handbook
CLASS
DATE
6 Phrases
WORKSHEET 2
Identifying and Using Adjective Phrases
Exercise A In the following paragraph, underline each adjective phrase. Then, draw
an arrow to the word it modifies. There are ten adjective phrases to identify. Not every
sentence contains an adjective phrase. If a sentence does not contain an adjective phrase,
write NONE above the sentence.
EXAMPLE
[1] The original home of salsa and merengue music is the
Caribbean.
[1] Juan Luís Guerra is a well-known singer from the Dominican Republic. [2] During
the 1980s and 1990s, he became internationally known. [3] His music is a blend of two
popular Caribbean styles, salsa and merengue. [4] Guerra often writes lyrics about social
issues in the Dominican Republic and Latin America. [5] His music is influenced by the
roots of other Caribbean and African styles of music. [6] Guerra was born and raised in a
middle-class neighborhood in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.
[7] He studied music at a college in Boston, Massachusetts, then returned to his country.
[8] One of his albums won a Grammy Award in 1991.
Exercise B On each line provided, write a sentence that includes the given noun or
pronoun, followed by an adjective phrase. Try not to use the same preposition twice.
EXAMPLE
1. the sandals The sandals under the bed are too small for me.
2. an author __________________________________________________________________
3. the map ____________________________________________________________________
4. the stars ____________________________________________________________________
5. each ________________________________________________________________________
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Language Handbook
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1. someone __________________________________________________________________
NAME
Language
Handbook
CLASS
DATE
6 Phrases
WORKSHEET 3
Identifying and Using Adverb Phrases
Exercise A In the following paragraph, underline each adverb phrase. Then, draw
an arrow to the word or words it modifies. There are ten adverb phrases to identify. Not
every sentence contains an adverb phrase. If the sentence does not contain an adverb
phrase, write NONE above the sentence.
EXAMPLE
[1] Most workers in the United States do not work on Labor Day.
[1] Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday in September. [2] The purpose of the
celebration is to honor the working class. [3] A labor organization called the Knights of
Labor initiated Labor Day in the United States. [4] In 1882, this labor organization held a
large parade in New York City. [5] Two years later the group held a parade on the first
Monday in September and passed a resolution to call the day Labor Day. [6] Later, worker
organizations campaigned in other states to have the day declared a legal holiday.
[7] During the next few years, a law to that effect was passed in four states. [8] In 1894,
the U.S. Congress declared the day a legal holiday. [9] Today, Labor Day is celebrated
with parades and speeches by labor leaders and political figures.
On each line provided, write a sentence using the given italicized
adverb phrase. Then, circle the word that the phrase modifies.
Exercise B
EXAMPLE
1. in a hurry The teacher left the classroom in a hurry and
forgot her briefcase.
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1. without leaving home ______________________________________________________
2. for more than two hours ______________________________________________________
3. according to the teacher __________________________________________________________
4. around ten o’clock ________________________________________________________________
5. during the last century ______________________________________________________
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