Prepositions

1. He is a man of learning.

2. Our friends over the seas still remember us.

3. The vessel was wrecked on the coast.

4. Your father works for you.

In these sentences the groups of words, of learning, over the seas, on the coast, and for you modify the meaning of the words man, friends, was wrecked, and works, with which they are connected, like adjectives or adverbs.

Such groups of words are called phrases.

The first word in each phrase is called a preposition.

In these phrases learning is called the object of the preposition of seas the object of the preposition over, coast the object of the preposition on, and you the object of the preposition for.

The noun or pronoun of a phrase is called the object of the preposition.

Phrases used to modify nouns or pronouns are called adjective phrases. Phrases used to modify verbs, adjectives, or adverbs are called adverbial phrases.

A preposition is a word which shows the relation of its object to some other word.

A preposition is a part of speech.

Point out the prepositions in the following sentences and tell the object of each. Tell also what word each phrase modifies:

1. The shouts of the children had ceased.

2. We heard the bleating of the flock.

3. The boy shot an arrow into the air.

4. She wore a dress of many colors.

5. Men are judged by the company they keep.

6. I walked through the woods at twilight.

7. Do not cry for spilled milk.

8. In the morning we shall start for New York.

Write five sentences using adjective phrases, five using adverbial phrases.