1. Adverbs, Pronouns, and Prepositions
Grammar Focus
Adverbs, Pronouns, and Prepositions

2. Grammar Focus: Prepositions
Definition:
Relates one word to another word
Starts a prepositional phrase
Examples:
at, by, for, from, in, of, on, to, with
Ben broke his leg at the concert.
Prepositions
Def: ________________________
Proof:_______________________
Examples:
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preposition
object of the preposition

3. Prepositions

4. Prepositional Phrases
A group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun (the object of the preposition).
All eyes were locked on the giant screen.
We left the theater after the first act.
We sought shelter during the terrible storm.
We ordered dessert after our dinner.
A couple of things to note:
There is never a verb in a prepositional phrase.
Words that are sometimes prepositions can act as adverbs. A preposition requires an object. An adverb does not. A single word acting as an adverb answers where, when, how or to what degree about the verb

5. Preposition or Adverb?
The broken shutter was outside the house. (A, P)
The man saw the broken shutter outside. (A, P)
He had not heard that before. (A, P)
He appeared before the class. (A, P)
The beautician stood behind her client. (A, P)
Ann waited behind. (A, P)
The children ran near the playground. (A, P)
I like that the stores are very near. (A, P)

6. Preposition or Adverb? The broken shutter was outside the house. P
The man saw the broken shutter outside. A
He had not heard that before. A
He appeared before the class. P
The beautician stood behind her client. P
Ann waited behind. A
The children ran near the playground. P
I like that the stores are very near. A

7. Check Yourself
Write the prepositional phrase from each sentence. Then underline the preposition.
Not many people stayed until the end.
We sat around the table discussing the book.
The guests are playing croquet on the lawn.
There was a long line outside the theater.
Please do not stand in front of the window.

8. Check Yourself
Write the prepositional phrase from each sentence. Then underline the preposition.
Not many people stayed until the end.
We sat around the table discussing the book.
The guests are playing croquet on the lawn.
There was a long line outside the theater.
Please do not stand in front of the window.

9. Grammar Focus: Adverbs
Definition:
adds to/describes verbs
Proof:
runs how?______ runs where?______ runs when?______
Example:
(speaks when?)
Michael sometimes speaks
(speaks how?)
harshly to his friends.
Adverbs
Def: ________________________
Proof:_______________________
Examples:
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10. Grammar Focus: Adverbs
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs by telling where, when, how, and to what extent.
Where: The children played outside.
When: The author spoke yesterday.
How: We walked slowly behind the leader.
To What Extent: He worked very hard.
Adverbs may occur in many places in sentences, both before and after the words they modify.
Suddenly the wind shifted.
The wind shifted suddenly.

11. Test Your Knowledge Add adverbs to the sentences below.
The flowers grew. (where?)
I arrived at the game. (how?)
She ran home. (when?)
He sneezed loud. (to what extent?)

12. Grammar Focus: Pronouns
Definition:
Stand for nouns (take the place of nouns)
Example:
(subj. pronoun) (obj. pronoun)
We don’t care about them very much.
Pronouns
Def: ________________________
Examples:
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13. Grammar Focus: Pronouns
A subject pronoun is used as the subject in a sentence.
Ex: A Christmas Carol tells about Ebeneezer Scrooge. He visits his past.
An object pronoun is used as a direct object, an indirect object, or the object of a preposition.
subject object object of preposition
Ex: He will lead them to us.
A possessive pronoun shows ownership.
The pronouns mine, yours, hers, his, its, ours, and theirs can be used in place of nouns.
Ex: This money is mine.
The pronouns my, your, her, his, its, our, and their are used before nouns.
Scrooge thanked the spirits for their help.

14. See What You Know!
Write the correct pronoun to complete each sentence.
Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol when (he, him) was 31 years old.
This work of (him, his) was written in only a few weeks.
Dickens wrote other novels about Christmas. All of (their, his) dates of composition are from the 1840s.
(Them, They) have rather serious themes mixed with some humor.
When William Makepeace Thackeray, a fellow writer, reviewed A Christmas Carol, he said that (its, his) publication was a national benefit.