Prepositions (and infinitives) Grammar Unit Prepositions (and infinitives)

First, let's start with a basic definition: Prepositions show relationships between nouns or pronouns and other words in a sentence.

Commonly used prepositions: Aboard About Above Across After Against Along Among Around At Before Behind Below Beneath Beside Between Beyond By Down During Except For From In Into Like Of Off On Over Past Since Through Throughout To Toward Under Underneath Until Up Upon With Within without

Prepositional Phrases: Prepositional phrases generally contain the preposition and an object of the preposition. The object of the preposition MUST be a noun. Here are some examples:

Identify the preposition, noun, article, and adjective in the following: In bed (in, preposition and bed, noun) To Texas (to, preposition and Texas, noun) The noun may have modifiers. In the big bed (in, preposition / the, article / big, adjective / bed, noun) To the all-natural, organic, grocery store (to, preposition / the, article/ all-natural, adjective / organic, adjective / grocery, adjective / store, noun)

***RULE*** Subjects and verbs will NEVER be found in prepositional phrases. It is a good habit to learn to spot prepositional phases. Use ((parentheses)) to mark them; That way when you are looking for the subject and verb of the sentence, it will narrow down the search.

Try this one. Copy the sentence and place the parentheses to identify the preposition(s) and/or prepositional phrases. The boy by the window on the other side of the room was looking over his shoulder at the pretty girl in the hall. The boy (by the window) (on the other side) (of the room) was looking (over his shoulder) (at the pretty girl) (in the hall.) Once the prepositional phrases are eliminated, "The boy was looking" is left.

Now, let’s try some more: Lucy played behind the couch for hours with her imaginary friend. Before the ballgame on Sunday afternoon, a man in a chicken costume dashed across the field. A man stood upon a railroad bridge in northern Alabama, looking down into the swift waters twenty feet below. The high gray-flannel fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and from all the rest of the world. One hot night in the summer of 1949, I climbed to my usual perch in the cramped press box above the wooden stands of the baseball park in Lumberton, North Carolina.

During the luncheon, a mouse darted across the salad bar. This summer we traveled by train from Biloxi to Dubuque. The convertible swerved off the road, crashed through the guardrail, and careened off a maple tree. After his quarrel with Mr. Jimmy, Mick planted seeds in his garden. Grandpa dropped his false teeth into a glass of prune juice.

A word about "to.” When "to" is used with a noun, it is a preposition; but when it is used with a verb, it is an infinitive. Be careful to recognize the difference. Examples: To bed to plus noun = preposition To sleep to plus verb = infinitive

In just a few minutes . . . You will have a preposition quiz. Please take this time to look over your notes.

Preposition Homework In a newspaper or magazine, find an article that interests you and is more than 10 lines long. X through the subject and verb of the sentence. Then, place parentheses around or underline ALL the prepositions in the article. Also identify the Infinitives by highlighting them. Due Tomorrow at the beginning of class.