Exercise:1

Identify the determiners and headwords in each noun phrase in the following sentences.

1. The old tree in the backyard fell during the storm.

 The old tree: Determiner = The, Headword = tree

 The backyard: Determiner = The, Headword = backyard
 The storm: Determiner = The, Headword = storm

2. My brother’s friend from college visited us last weekend.

 My brother’s friend: Determiner = My, Headword = friend

 College: (No determiner), Headword = college
 Us: (Pronoun, functioning as a noun phrase)
 Last weekend: Determiner = Last (adjective acting as determiner), Headword = weekend

3. Sarah brought her favorite books to the reading club.

 Sarah: (Proper noun, no determiner needed)

 Her favorite books: Determiner = Her, Headword = books
 The reading club: Determiner = The, Headword = club

4. That new coffee shop on the corner has amazing pastries.

 That new coffee shop: Determiner = That, Headword = shop

 The corner: Determiner = The, Headword = corner
 Amazing pastries: (No determiner), Headword = pastries

5. Our cat loves sleeping on the soft, blue couch.

 Our cat: Determiner = Our, Headword = cat

 The soft, blue couch: Determiner = The, Headword = couch

6. Several friends from work attended the big company picnic.

 Several friends: Determiner = Several, Headword = friends

 Work: (No determiner), Headword = work
 The big company picnic: Determiner = The, Headword = picnic

7. The teacher gave each student a special assignment.

 The teacher: Determiner = The, Headword = teacher

 Each student: Determiner = Each, Headword = student
 A special assignment: Determiner = A, Headword = assignment
8. Many families gathered at the park for the annual festival.

 Many families: Determiner = Many, Headword = families

 The park: Determiner = The, Headword = park
 The annual festival: Determiner = The, Headword = festival

9. His little sister joined him on the bus to school.

 His little sister: Determiner = His, Headword = sister

 Him: (Pronoun, functioning as a noun phrase)
 The bus: Determiner = The, Headword = bus
 School: (No determiner), Headword = school

10. A beautiful sunrise over the mountains greeted the hikers.

 A beautiful sunrise: Determiner = A, Headword = sunrise

 The mountains: Determiner = The, Headword = mountains
 The hikers: Determiner = The, Headword = hikers

Exercise:2
Identify the adjective phrases

1. The house on the corner is remarkably old and charming.

2. She wore a dress with bright red flowers.
3. The man extremely happy with his job smiled all day.
4. I saw a movie that was really exciting.
5. The painting by the famous artist was sold for a high price.
6. Her attitude towards work is very professional.
7. We stayed in a hotel near the beach.
8. He owns a car faster than any of his friends.
9. The cat under the table looks content.
10.This dessert is delightfully sweet and creamy.
Answers
The house on the corner is remarkably old and charming.
She wore a dress with bright red flowers.
The man extremely happy with his job smiled all day.
I saw a movie that was really exciting.
The painting by the famous artist was sold for a high price.
Her attitude towards work is very professional.
We stayed in a hotel near the beach.
He owns a car faster than any of his friends.
The cat under the table looks content.
This dessert is delightfully sweet and creamy.
TH E PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE

The second kind o f phrase we will examine is the prepositional phrase, a word group that shows
up throughout the sentence, sometimes as a part o f a noun phrase and sometimes as a modifier
o f the verb. The prepositional phrase consists o f a preposition and its object, which is usually
a noun phrase.
In the following three noun phrases, which you saw in Exercise 2.2, the noun headword is
shown in bold; the underlined word group that follows the headword in each case is a prepo­
sitional phrase:
an extensive collection o f old umbrellas
our cousins from Atlanta
an annual pilgrimage to the Mojave Desert

The prepositional phrase is one of our m ost com m on ways o f modifying a noun, in order to
add details or to make clear the identity o f the noun:
that house near the corner
their reports about the Civil War
the man with the camera
a ticket for the concert

You’ll note that in each o f these examples, there’s a noun phrase embedded as a modifier in
another phrase.
In the foregoing prepositional phrases, we have seen the following prepositions: of, from,
to, near, about, with, and for. In Chapter 13 of Understanding English Grammar, there is a list
o f about fifty more, all o f which are among the most com m on words in the English language—
words we use automatically every day. Some prepositions consist o f more than one word. Among
them are according to, because of, except for, instead of, on account o f and in spite of. It would be
a good idea at this point to become familiar with all the possibilities.
W hen prepositional phrases modify nouns, they are functioning the way that adjectives do,
so we call them adjectivals. W hen they modify verbs, they are functioning as adverbs do, so we
call them adverbials. Like adverbs, they tell when, where, how, why, and how often:
My sister has developed some strange allergies in recent years.
In the fall my brother usually gets hay fever.

Copyright © 2012, 2009, 2006, 2002 Pearson Education, Inc. 19

 As you see, these adverbials are identical in form to the adjectival prepositional phrases: a
preposition followed by a noun phrase. But the adverbial ones can be moved around in their
sentences:
In recent years my sister has developed some strange allergies.
My brother usually gets hay fever in the fall.

This movability is an im portant difference between the two functions: The adjectival prepo­
sitional phrase cannot be moved from its position following the noun it modifies. N ot every
adverbial is movable either, but if a prepositional phrase can be moved, it is clearly adverbial.
Sometimes we use an adjectival prepositional phrase to identify or describe the object of
another preposition:

O ur excursion took us into the backwoods o f West Virginia.

adj

adv

The postmark on this l^tterjxom my niece says Bonn, Germany.

adj
adj

Copyright © 2012, 2009, 2006, 2002 Pearson Education, Inc.

20
 Name

Exercise 2.3
Identifying Prepositional Phrases

Directions: Underline the prepositional phrases in the following sentences and identify them as
adjectival (adj) or adverbial (adv). (Note: Remember to call on your knowledge o f pronouns in
deciding if a prepositional phrase is part o f a noun phrase. In the example, we could substitute
they for the subject because it would replace “M any industries from the U nited States.” W hen a
prepositional phrase is part o f a noun phrase, it is, by definition, adjectival.)
Example:

M any industries from the U nited States have built m anufacturing

adj
plants in Mexico in recent years.
adv adv

1. M any paths lead to the top o f the m ountain.

2. Byron Scott became the new coach o f the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010.

3. O n a cold November afternoon, the new coach met me at his office.

4. According to M ark Twain life on a riverboat was an opportunity for adventure.

5. The students from my study group take long walks around the campus on
sunny days.

6. In spite o f an aversion to public appearances, the candidate held regular press

conferences throughout the campaign.

Copyright © 2012, 2009, 2006, 2002 Pearson Education, Inc. 21

The student assistant in our botany class made a presentation about wild tu r­
keys.

D uring the night our dog cornered a skunk behind the garage.

The passengers with stand-by tickets waited by the gate for an hour.

Because o f a com puter error, your refund will not arrive until next m onth.

Copyright © 2012, 2009, 2006, 2002 Pearson Education, Inc.

 In each sentence below, identify the adjective phrase and determine whether it is
attributive or predicative. Remember:
• An attributive adjective phrase directly modifies the noun and usually
appears immediately before it.
• A predicative adjective phrase appears after a linking verb (like seem,
look, taste, appear, remain) and describes the subject of the sentence.

❖ The cake was sweet and delicious.

❖ • The cake was sweet and delicious. (predicative)
❖ Her explanation was clear and concise.
❖ • Her explanation was clear and concise. (predicative)
❖ The house was surrounded by lush trees.
❖ • The house was surrounded by lush trees. (predicative)
❖ The child was excited and eager.
❖ • The child was excited and eager. (predicative)
❖ The well-maintained garden was full of beautiful flowers.
❖ • The well-maintained garden was full of beautiful flowers. (attributive)
❖ The confident singer performed wonderfully.
❖ • The confident singer performed wonderfully. (attributive)
❖ His thoughtful and respectful approach impressed the team.
❖ • His thoughtful and respectful approach impressed the team. (attributive)
❖ We met a dedicated scientist focused on environmental protection.
❖ • We met a dedicated scientist focused on environmental protection. (attributive)
❖ The basketball player looked extremely tall.
❖ • The basketball player looked extremely tall. (predicative)
❖ The cake tasted sweet and delicious.
❖ • The cake tasted sweet and delicious. (predicative)
❖ Her explanation seemed clear and concise.
❖ • Her explanation seemed clear and concise. (predicative)
❖ The house appeared surrounded by lush trees.
❖ • The house appeared surrounded by lush trees. (predicative)
❖ The child felt excited and eager.
❖ • The child felt excited and eager. (predicative)