Brighter Grammar 1 - Margaret Macaulay 1987

Lesson Eighteen. Prepositions. Adverb phrases. Adjective phrases

Let’s open the next box and see what comes out. Here they come: to, with, on, in. They include some of the shortest words in the language, but sometimes they are the most difficult to use.

You will generally hear or see them used with a noun or pronoun to make a phrase (a group of words without a verb). For example: at my house; in your school; with you. Here are some more examples:

These phrases often do the work of an adverb: they tell how, when or where an action was done. We call them adverb phrases.

The soldiers fought bravely (adverb of manner).

The soldiers fought with great bravery (adverb phrase).

He came yesterday (adverb of time).

He came at four o’clock (adverb phrase).

She sat there (adverb of place).

She sat in the corner (adverb phrase).

At other times they do the work of an adjective: they limit the meaning of a noun. These phrases are called adjective phrases. Here are some examples:

A dirty (adjective) boy opened the door.

A boy with a dirty face (adjective phrase) opened the door.

I like a corner (adjective) seat in the train.

I like a seat in the corner (adjective phrase).

Here are some more examples of adjective phrases:

The children of the village go to this school.

The picture on the wall shows Westminster Abbey.

The view through the open window is very pretty.

The boy with me is Richard.

Sometimes the same group of words may be an adverb phrase or an adjective phrase. It all depends on the work it is doing. Look at these phrases:

The view through the open window is very pretty. This is an adjective phrase because it qualifies, or limits the meaning of, the noun view.

The bird flew through the open window.

An adverb phrase because it modifies, or limits the meaning of, the verb flew. It tells where it flew.

The class in this room is learning English.

An adjective phrase. It qualifies the noun class.

We learn English in this room.

An adverb phrase. It modifies the verb learn.

The bell at eleven o'clock tells us that the lesson is finished.

Adjective phrase. It qualifies the noun bell.

They ring the bell at eleven o’clock to tell us that the lesson is finished.

Adverb phrase. It modifies the verb ring.

There is just one more thing to notice. After a preposition, the pronoun in the phrase is always the object pronoun.

He came with them.

He will sit between you and me.

This letter was written by him.

He bought the house from us.

We say that the preposition governs the noun or pronoun it goes with.

Exercises

A Here is another short story. The prepositions in it are printed in italics. Say which noun or pronoun each governs. We have done the first sentence of the story as an example.

A life for a life

Richard Savage was once living in London in great poverty. To earn a little money he had written the story of his life, but not many copies of the book had been sold in the shops. Savage was still very poor. Because he couldn’t buy enough food, he became very ill. But after a time, owing to the skill of the doctor, he got well again. After a week or two the doctor sent a bill to Savage for his visits, but poor Savage hadn’t any money and couldn’t pay it. The doctor waited for another month and sent the bill again. But still no money came. After several weeks he sent it to him again, asking for his money. In the end he came to Savage’s house and asked him for payment. He said to Savage, ’You know you owe your life to me and I expected some gratitude from you?’

’I agree,’ said Savage, ’that I owe my life to you. To prove to you that I am not ungrateful for your work I will give my life to you.’ With these words he handed to him two volumes with the words ’The Life of Richard Savage’ on the cover.

В Put prepositions in the blank spaces.

1 Savage lived ... London ... great poverty.

2 He wrote the story ... his life.

3 He was still ... need ... money, and he couldn’t pay ... enough food.

4 ... a time, as a result ... his lack ... food, he became ill.

5 He got better, thanks … the doctor who looked him.

6 The doctor sent a bill ... Savage ... his visits.

7 He waited ... several weeks and then sent the bill ... him again.

8 ... the end, he came ... the house and asked ... his money.

9 I expected gratitude ... you, as you owe your life ... me.

10 I am not ungrateful ... you ... what you did, so I will give my life ... you.

11 Tears came ... the man’s eyes and ran ... his cheeks.

12 A woodcutter was cutting a piece ... wood ... his axe ... a wide river.

13 The axe flew ... his hand and fell ... the deep water.

14 The boy rushed ... the room and shouted ... an excited voice, ’The house is ... fire!’

15 There was a big pot ... water ... the top ... the stove.

C

a Copy out these sentences and underline all the prepositions.

b Put brackets, (), round each adjective phrase and show by an arrow the noun it qualifies.

c Draw two lines under this noun.

d Round each adverb phrase draw a box,[ ], and show by an arrow the verb it modifies.

e Draw three lines under this verb.

1 The driver of the car went fast.

2 She drove down the main road.

3 My mother cut the cake with a knife.

4 The cake was made by my brother.

5 It had been baked in a big oven.

6 It was a cake with pink icing.

7 The boy at the next desk borrowed my pencil.

8 The son of the king is called the Crown Prince.

9 The cat jumped through the window.

10 The lesson finishes at four o’clock.

11 She spoke with a French accent.

12 We played football after the lesson.

13 The sailor with the wooden leg told us a story.

14 The girl with the long hair is Grace Brown.

15 She lives in our street.

16 Grace sang a song at the concert.

17 The men in that country work very hard.

18 The cottage in the woods is very pretty.

19 The sound of the bell was heard all over the house. (2 phrases)

20 After a week or two the doctor sent the bill for his visits. (2 phrases)

D Use these words as prepositions in sentences.

Example: under

Answer: The cat is under the table.

1 on 6 from 11 behind 16 along

2 to 7 after 12 through 17 over

3 by 8 for 13 into 18 about

4 of 9 with 14 down 19 between

5 in 10 at 15 near 20 before