Prepositional Phrases

Teacher Guidelines ▶ pages 1 – 2

Instructional Pages ▶ pages 3 – 4
Activity Page ▶ page 5
Practice Page ▶ page 6
Grade Level: 4 – 6 Homework Page ▶ page 7
Answer Key ▶ pages 8 – 9
Classroom Procedure:
1. Refer several students to find the different Approximate Grade Level: 4 - 6
items you placed in the room by using a Objectives:
prepositional phrase. For example: Tanisha, The students will be able to identify and use prepositional
phrases, write a story using prepositional phrases, and explain
please hand the pencil I placed under the shelf. the difference between adverb and adjective prepositional
2. Continue to do this until all items are located. phrases.
Common Core State Standards:
3. Next, ask students: What was similar to each CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.1.E CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3
of the instructions given, places items were CSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.1.A CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.3
found, or the positions of the items? CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.1 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.3

4. Allow for responses and discussion leading to Class Sessions (45 minutes):
1 - 2 class sessions
“position” is part of the word preposition.
Teaching Materials/Worksheets:
Review some of the prepositions the students Prepositional Phrases content page, Activity page, Practice
should have already learned. page, Homework page
5. Distribute the Prepositional Phrases content Student Supplies:
page. handouts, scissors (optional)
Prepare Ahead of Time:
6. Read and review the information with the Place items in the room for the opening of the lesson, prepare a
students, emphasizing the two types: Adverb list of prepositional phrases to use. Copy handouts.
phrase and Adjective phrases. Additional Resources:
7. During the reading, share additional examples http://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-
rules/preposition/prepositional-phrases/ (Content)
of prepositional phrases until the students show http://www.donnayoung.org/english/grammar/prepositions.htm
a clear understanding of them. (Content and more)
https://www.ixl.com/ela/grade-5/identify-prepositional-phrases
8. Distribute the Activity page. (Interactive)
9. Review the steps of the instructions. (You may http://www.michigan-proficiency-exams.com/prepositional-
phrases.html (Content and list)
give additional lined-paper if needed.) http://www.momswhothink.com/reading/list-of-prepositions.html
(Content and list)
10. Once the lists are completed, either assign
http://www.worksheetworks.com/english/partsofspeech/prepositi
students who they can exchange them with, or ons/identifying-prepositions.html (Worksheets)
distribute randomly. http://www.ereadingworksheets.com/languageartsworksheets/p
arts-of-speech-worksheets/preposition-worksheets/
11. Students will now write the short stories using (Worksheets)
the list they received. VIDEOS:
http://www.schooltube.com/video/561c997a29d307f9111a/
12. Once completed, allow students to share their (4 min.)
stories with the class. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0AKUvlBvsk (3 min.-Song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzAjhwQ_F3c (3 min.)
13. Distribute the Practice page and review the https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFV6oGbqSzM (5 min.)
students’ responses checking for Options for Lesson:
understanding. Students may work in pairs for the activity, exchanging with
(continued) another pair of students. Switch the assignment for the Practice
page and Homework page. Use additional resources for the
videos, which includes some update and interesting
presentations of the information.

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Classroom Procedure (continued):
14. Distribute the Homework page and check the next day.
15. In closing, ask each student to verbally share a sentence using an adverb prepositional phrase or an
adjective prepositional phrase.

Teacher Notes
Prior to the start of this lesson, the students should have had a lesson on prepositions. This lesson could
also be used when introducing prepositions for the first time. Many students may not understand the point
of learning the terminology, but explain how it will overall assist them in writing and communicating more
effectively.

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Prepositional Phrases
A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a word called a preposition (examples in the
box on the next page), and ends with a noun or pronoun. There is no set number of words in a
prepositional phrase, but there must be at least two words. In addition, the noun or the pronoun of the
phrase is called the object. Following are some examples of prepositional phrases:
 in the room  past her
REMINDER:
 at the desk  through the tunnel Nouns can be
 under the rock  for him persons, places,
or things.
 with you  on top
REMINDER:
Pronoun
examples
The noun or pronoun in the examples are called include he, she,
the objects of the prepositional phrases. You need him, her, we, us,
to be aware of the many prepositions available in them, and
the English language. If there is not a preposition, several others.
then there is not a prepositional phrase.
Prepositional phrases can also be connected together using coordinating
conjunctions such as the following: for, and, or, nor, but, yet, so
The worker stores his tools in a box and on a shelf.
Notice the two prepositional phrases are connected by a coordinating
conjunction.

In the following sentence notice

1. the prepositional phrases
2. the objects of the preposition, and
3. the coordinating conjunction:

The lake is located near the mountain

but across the canyon.

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 Examples of Prepositions
aboard at but inside on round unlike
about before by into onto since until
above behind down like opposite than up
across below during minus out through up to
after beneath except near outside to upon
against beside following next over toward with
along between for from of past under within
around beyond in off plus underneath without
as

Prepositional phrases answer these questions for a sentence:

 Which one?  Where?
 What kind?  To what extent?
 How?
Prepositional phrases serve as adjectives describing a noun
or pronoun in the sentence. The can also serve as adverbs
modifying a verb, adjective, or another adverb.
Prepositions can describe location, direction, time, purpose,
and other relationships.
PREPOSITIONAL ADJECTIVE PHRASES

The girl with blonde hair is the daughter. The

prepositional phrase, with blonde hair, describes the
noun: girl. It answers the question: Which one? The
one with blonde hair.
PREPOSITIONAL ADVERB PHRASES

They, climbed up the ladder to get the cat. The

prepositional phrase, up the ladder modifies the verb:
climbed. The phrase answers the question: Where?
They climbed where: up the ladder.
Prepositional phrases are necessary because they provide important
and useful details about the nouns, verbs, adjectives, or adverbs in
sentences. Of course, knowing how to use prepositional phrases will
help with your writing, too.

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Activity Name __________________________ Date ________
Instructions
1. You will create 20 different prepositional phrases.
2. Write each of the phrases in the spaces at the bottom of the page.
3. When the teacher tells you, you will tear off the list and give it to another student.
4. You will also receive a new list of 20 prepositional phrases from another student.
5. Using the new list of 20 prepositional phrases, you will create a short story on the lines below. It’s okay
to use more than one phrase in a single sentence. Use additional paper if needed.
6. Be creative and make up a story. Be sure each phrase is used correctly.
7. Underline each of the 20 prepositional phrases in your story.
8. Once your story is complete you may be asked to share it with the class.
____________________________________________________________________________________

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1 6 11 16

2 7 12 17

3 8 13 18

4 9 14 19

5 10 15 20

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Practice Name __________________________ Date ________
Underline the prepositional phrases and circle the objects of the preposition.
1. The students were extremely tired after the test.

2. The girls and boys looked under the rocks and near the trees for the colored eggs.

3. How many cupcakes will be needed for the students’ treats after the play this evening?

4. There were nearly one hundred people who were lined up at the window before the game.

5. I was not sure if I wanted sprinkles on top of my ice cream cone.

6. The little girl with the red dress had on pink shoes, too.

7. Inside the cabinet I found some hidden pieces of candy underneath the shelf.

8. Because of the snow, the game at the high school will be postponed until next week.

9. The dog jumped off the sofa when he saw its owner come through the door.

10. Grandma and Grandpa Wilson placed ten gifts under the Christmas tree this year.

11. The movie playing in the middle of town was about a monster.

12. The bicycle ride was cut short due to the rain falling out of the sky.

13. As I rode in the car, I saw a cat run across the road and dog playing in the lake.

14. You will come with me and with her to the store.

15. Everything seems to taste better with chocolate syrup.

16. Near my home is a ballfield where I like to run around the bases.

17. Do you think it will be too cold for surfing?

18. The last house on the right is the one where the fire started in the upstairs bedroom.

19. The baseball was hit far and landed among the rose bushes in Mrs. Greely’s yard.

20. Wow! Did you see how fast the rabbit hopped across the street and down into a hole?

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Homework Name __________________________ Date ________
The prepositional phrase is underlined. Tell whether it’s an adverb (ADV) or adjective(ADJ) phrase.
Then on the line that follows the sentence, tell what the phrase modifies or describes.

1. The dog with the sharp teeth scared the children.

2. My girl's mother was excited about the softball game.

3. The boy with big blue eyes appeared in the window.

4. The boy with big blue eyes appeared in the window.

5. I was happy to see his cat outside the door.

6. The plumbers arrived late in the day.

7. Something was moving in the corner of the room.

8. Something was moving in the corner of the room.

9. The salesperson scanned over the barcode of the product.

10. The salesperson scanned over the barcode of the product.

11. I can see three people with glasses coming down the street.

12. I can see three people with glasses coming down the street.

13. After the party, we will leave for vacation.

14. In the house with twenty windows, there is only one door.

15. In the house with twenty windows, there is only one door.

Write five sentences. Write a prepositional phrase using: between, inside, until, beneath, and upon

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 ANSWER KEY
Practice Name __________________________ Date ________
Underline the prepositional phrases and circle the objects of the preposition.
1. The students were extremely tired after the test.

2. The girls and boys looked under the rocks and near the trees for the colored eggs.

3. How many cupcakes will be needed for the students’ treats after the play this evening?

4. There were nearly one hundred people who were lined up at the window before the game.

5. I was not sure if I wanted sprinkles on top of my ice cream cone.

6. The little girl with the red dress had on pink shoes, too.

7. Inside the cabinet I found some hidden pieces of candy underneath the shelf.

8. Because of the snow, the game at the high school will be postponed until next week.

9. The dog jumped off the sofa when he saw its owner come through the door.

10. Grandma and Grandpa Wilson placed ten gifts under the Christmas tree this year.

11. The movie playing in the middle of town was about a monster.

12. The bicycle ride was cut short due to the rain falling out of the sky.

13. As I rode in the car, I saw a cat run across the road and dog playing in the lake.

14. You will come with me and with her to the store.

15. Everything seems to taste better with chocolate syrup.

16. Near my home is a ballfield where I like to run around the bases.

17. Do you think it will be too cold for surfing?

18. The last house on the right is the one where the fire started in the upstairs bedroom.

19. The baseball was hit far and landed among the rose bushes in Mrs. Greely’s yard.

20. Wow! Did you see how fast the rabbit hopped across the street and down into a hole?

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 ANSWER KEY
Homework Name __________________________ Date ________
The prepositional phrase is underlined. Tell whether it’s an adverb (ADV) or adjective(ADJ) phrase.
Then on the line that follows the sentence, tell what the phrase modifies or describes.
ADJ 1. The dog with the sharp teeth scared the children. dog

ADV 2. My girl's mother was excited about the softball game. excited

ADJ 3. The boy with big blue eyes appeared in the window. boy

ADV 4. The boy with big blue eyes appeared in the window. appeared

ADV 5. I was happy to see his cat outside the door. see

ADV 6. The plumbers arrived late in the day. arrived

ADJ 7. Something was moving in the corner of the room. in the corner

ADJ 8. Something was moving in the corner of the room. of the room

ADJ 9. The salesperson scanned over the barcode of the product. of the product

ADJ 10. The salesperson scanned over the barcode of the product. over the barcode

ADJ 11. I can see three people with glasses coming down the street. people

ADV 12. I can see three people with glasses coming down the street. coming

ADV 13. After the party, we will leave for vacation. leave

ADJ 14. In the house with twenty windows, there is only one door. with twenty windows

ADJ 15. In the house with twenty windows, there is only one door. in the house

Write five sentences. Write a prepositional phrase using: between, inside, until, beneath, and upon