PHRASES WORKSHEET

Name:  _______________________________

PHRASES WORKSHEET

Prepositional Phrases, Participle Phrases, Gerund Phrases

PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES:  These phrases are either adjectives or adverbs depending upon how they are used.  A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun.

            Examples:

·  At the high school, Mr. Thompson taught history.  (adverbial modifying taught)

·  The gym at the high school is sold out for the big game.  (adjectival modifying gym)

·  In 1892, James Corbett became the heavy weight champion of boxing.  (first phrase is and adverb; second phrase is an adjective)

            Same phrase used two different ways:

·  Ann found in her drink a fly.  (adverb phrase modifying found)

·  The fly in her drink bothered Ann.  (adj. phrase modifying bee)

·  From the shore, Randy caught fifteen catfish.  (adverb modifying caught)

·  Greg visited his friend from the shore of Lake Superior.  (adj. modifying friend)

PRACTICE

For each sentence, put the prepositional phrase in parentheses.  Circle the preposition.  Finally, determine if this phrase is an adjective phrase or an adverb phrase.  Draw an arrow to the word it modifies.        

                       

1.     The table in the kitchen was my mother’s.

2.     We put the table in the kitchen

3.     The keys in my pocket belong to my boss.

4.     I found the keys in my pocket.

5.     The bridge over the river is longer than the one over the creek.

6.     Using the bridge, the cars went over the river.

7.     The stars beyond the solar system are still a mystery.

8.     Let’s build a rocket that goes beyond the solar system.

9.     Between you and me, this cake of my aunt’s is dry on the outside.

10.                        The house of the father of my best friend’s uncle from Kansas is for sale.

PARTICIPLE PHRASES:  These phrases function as adjectives and contain a present or past participle.  Participles all tend to end in “’ing” (present participle), “-ed,” “-d,” “-en,” “-n,” or “-t” with a few exceptions like “swum” and “hung.”  Participial phrases are made up of a participle along with an object or modifier or both.  These adjective phrases are usually placed as near as possible to the words they modify.  Participles are the third and fourth principle parts of verbs.

Examples:

·  Fortified against an attack, Macbeth’s army almost deserted their leader.

·  Singing “Aida” in the shower, Gary annoyed his roommates. 

·  Marching in the parade, Patrick showed his Irish pride.

·  Dedicated to the health of the poor, Mother Theresa helped others.

·  Thrashing the shore with great force, the storm pounded the rocky coast of Maine.

PRACTICE

For each sentence below, underline the participle phrase.  Include the present or past participle and other parts of the phrase.  Draw an arrow to the noun or noun phrase that the participle phrase modifies. 

1.     Sam, encouraging his brother, cheered him on at the finish line.

2.     The growing population forced the city to build a new school.

3.     Studying math, Calvin is planning a career as an accountant.

4.     The mother quieted the sleeping baby.

5.     April, expecting an important phone call, waited in the hallway outside.

6.     The defeated soldiers laid down their weapons.

7.     The coffee shop, located on the north side, hosted a sing-along.

8.     She found the exhausted doctor asleep on one of the hospital beds.

9.     Mr. Larsen found the opened letter on his desk.

10.                        The basketball players walked away with wounded pride.

GERUND PHRASES:  Like any noun, a gerund phrase can function as a subject, direct object, indirect object, object of the preposition, or predicate nominative.  The gerund phrase is made up of the present participle (“-ing”) and can contain an object and/or a modifier (and sometimes many modifiers).  The gerund is a verbal noun.

Examples:

            Gerund phrase as a subject:

·  Making the varsity team is a challenging endeavor.

Gerund phrase as a direct object:

·  The rookie catchers practiced protecting the plate.

Gerund phrase as an indirect object:

·  If students give learning grammar a fair chance, their writing will improve.

·  My brother once gave swinging a golf club his undivided attention.

Gerund phrase as an Object of the Preposition:

·  Carrie got first prize by memorizing the most poetry.

Gerund phrase as a Predicate Nominative:

·  Robyn’s greatest accomplishment is singing in the opera.

PRACTICE

For each sentence below, underline the gerund phrase.  Label the phrase Subject, Direct Object, Indirect Object, Object of the Preposition, or Predicate Nominative.

1.     I love eating burgers and fries.

2.     Listening to the orchestra inspired me to practice more.

3.     Mrs. Jones heard loud growling in his back yard.

4.     A trait of successful employees is working cheerfully.

5.     I can hear from my window the hammering on the building.

6.     Ben is not very good at staying awake after 10:00 pm.

7.     Jumping on the trampoline gives Mandy all the exercise she needs.

8.     I am not very good at locating cities on a map.

9.     The candidates reveal their personalities by arguing with one another.

10.                        Some women use group cooking to prepare food for their families.