A prepositional phrase is a group of words including a preposition, an object and any modifiers.
Most prepositional phrases modify a noun or verb, often called adjectival or adverbial phrases, respectively.
A prepositional phrase contains a preposition and an object. The object can be a noun, a gerund (a verb ending in -ing that acts like a noun), or a clause.
Here are a few examples, with each prepositional phrase in bold:
Notice how prepositions can modify nouns or verbs.
Some of us learned that ending a sentence with a dangling preposition was bad form. The Oxford Dictionary states that’s no longer the case: what used to hold true in years past for Latin isn’t how we use English today.
It’s perfectly acceptable to end some sentences with a preposition:
If you tried to rewrite the above sentences to avoid ending with a preposition, they would be awkward at best:
Per OxfordDictionaries.com, "There is no necessity to ban prepositions from the end of sentences. Ending a sentence with a preposition is a perfectly natural part of the structure of modern English."
When you use too many prepositional phrases in a single sentence, it becomes ungainly and inelegant:
When you use ProWritingAid to check your work, too many prepositional phrases will show up in the Sticky Sentences Report. You can then reword to express yourself better:
This sentence is far clearer. Notice that we still have two prepositions, but the structure is now straightforward and every word carries weight.
Want more information on prepositional phrases? Our friend Daniel over at Daily Writing Tips has written a useful article about what they are and how to identify them in your writing.
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