Select the one prepositional phrase in a sentence
This quiz helps you identify the prepositional phrase in a sentence and spot tricky modifiers. Build speed and accuracy with short questions and instant feedback. For more practice, try our preposition quiz, work through a preposition fill in the blanks, and check a preposition quiz with answers to review what you miss.
Study Outcomes
- Identify Prepositional Phrases -
Scan a sentence to pinpoint the prepositional phrase, distinguishing it from other parts of speech.
- Analyze Modifiers -
Recognize how adjectives and adverbs within prepositional phrases adjust meaning and function in context.
- Select the Prepositional Phrase in This Sentence -
Apply targeted strategies to accurately choose the prepositional phrase in varied sentence structures.
- Differentiate Phrase Types -
Compare prepositional phrases with other grammatical constructions to reinforce understanding.
- Improve Sentence Precision -
Leverage your grasp of prepositional phrases to craft clearer, more concise sentences.
Cheat Sheet
- Definition of Prepositional Phrases -
A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition and ends with its object, a noun or pronoun. According to the Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab), this structure clarifies how other words relate. Example: In "at the park," "at" is the preposition and "the park" is its object.
- Spotting Prepositions and Their Objects -
Identify the core of the phrase by spotting the preposition and its direct object. Cambridge University Press guidelines suggest asking "Where?" or "When?" to pinpoint phrases, as in "with her friend" in "She chatted with her friend." Focusing on that pair makes it easy to select the prepositional phrase in this sentence.
- Handling Modifiers Inside Phrases -
Modifiers like adjectives and adverbs can appear within prepositional phrases to add detail. For instance, in "in the vast, open field," "vast" and "open" modify the object "field." The University of Oxford's Style Guide recommends reading until you reach a main verb to capture the full prepositional phrase with modifiers.
- Adjectival vs. Adverbial Roles -
Prepositional phrases can function adjectivally or adverbially, altering nouns or verbs. In "the book on the shelf," the phrase "on the shelf" describes which book, while in "we'll leave after lunch," "after lunch" tells when. The Chicago Manual of Style highlights this dual role to help you identify prepositional phrases.
- Quiz Strategy: Prepositional Phrase Quiz Tactics -
Use the "POP" mnemonic - Preposition, Object, Phrase - for quick identification in quizzes. When you select the prepositional phrase in this sentence, scan for the preposition and then include its object and modifiers until a verb or punctuation appears. British Council quiz exercises reinforce this strategy effectively.