What is the Prepositional Phrase in the Busy Squirrel Dug in the Ground?
To make a sentence, you must include a subject, verb, and optional complement pattern. The other parts of the sentence are joined together by conjunctions. Almost every word in an English sentence describes something in the S/V/C pattern, and the adjectives and adverbs modify those words. This sentence also includes a prepositional phrase, “in the tree,” which identifies the subject of the sentence and functions as an adjective.
Prepositional phrase
A busy squirrel dug a hole in the ground, and the book on the floor was damp and wet with shower steam. The sweet potatoes in the vegetable bin were green with mold, and a note from Beverly confessed to eating leftover pizza. The busy squirrel dug the hole, hopped to each stick, and nibbled happily. A deer was standing between two trees. A purple flower grew in the weeds.
A preposition is a word that indicates the relationship between two or more words in a sentence. It can be an adjective or an adverb. In the busy squirrel dug in the ground, the preposition “in the tree” identifies the subject of the sentence and functions as an adjective. It is also an adverb. And, as you can see, it can also change the meaning of a noun.
Meaning of a preposition
In the sentence “The busy squirrel dug in the ground,” the subject is identified by the preposition “in,” and the verb “digged” indicates action. It functions as an adjective in describing the subject. The next word, “of the tree,” functions as a complement. The rest of the sentence is in the same structure. The busy squirrel dug in the ground and sat on a branch, and the boy Jip, the busy squirrel, watched from the oak tree.
Bobby, the little duck, was playing in the muddy brook. He pushed his flat bills into the mud and scrambled to get away from the mother duck. Then, Bobby, the big duck, ran higher up the tree, and the little duckling scuttled back to the house. Then, a gentle wind blew over the tall grass in the field, and it hurried to the woods.
Location of a preposition in a sentence
In the busy squirrel dug in the ground sentence, the subject, the verb, and the complement should all be underlined. The subject and the verb should be surrounded by parentheses and the complement should be underlined. The busy squirrel dug in the ground sentence ends with a prepositional phrase. The subject and verb should be underlined as well.
In English, a prepositional phrase is a word that governs another word, usually a verb. An adjective prepositional phrase modifies the object of a preposition in another prepositional phrase. It can also modify a noun or a gerund. Whether it is a noun or an adjective, a prepositional phrase is essential to a sentence.
Examples of prepositional phrases
Prepositional phrases serve as adverbs, which modify a verb, adjective, or other part of speech. In the busy squirrel dug in the ground example, the word “busy” indicates that the activity was happening in a specific place. It also serves as a generalization of the direction of a person’s running. These types of prepositions can be a great help when writing a long article or paragraph.
A good example of a prepositional phrase is “the busy squirrel dug in the ground.” A sentence can begin with an action, followed by a noun or other noun. Using a noun to introduce a preposition allows a writer to add more details about a subject. In the busy squirrel dug in the ground example, “the busy squirrel” would refer to the action taking place in the sentence.
What is the prepositional phrase in the sentence “The busy squirrel dug in the ground”?
“In the ground” is the prepositional phrase.
What is the function of a prepositional phrase?
A prepositional phrase typically functions as an adjective or adverb.
In this sentence the prepositional phrase is functioning as an adverb modifying the verb “dug.
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What word does the prepositional phrase modify?
The prepositional phrase “in the ground” modifies the verb “dug.
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What is the prepositional phrase in the sentence “I put the book on the table”?
“On the table” is the prepositional phrase.
What is the function of the prepositional phrase in the sentence “I put the book on the table”?
The prepositional phrase is functioning as an adverb modifying the verb “put.
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What word does the prepositional phrase “on the table” modify in the sentence “I put the book on the table”?
The prepositional phrase “on the table” modifies the verb “put.
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What is the prepositional phrase in the sentence “The cat slept under the tree”?
“Under the tree” is the prepositional phrase.
What is the function of the prepositional phrase “under the tree” in the sentence “The cat slept under the tree”?
The prepositional phrase is functioning as an adverb modifying the verb “slept.
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What word does the prepositional phrase “under the tree” modify in the sentence “The cat slept under the tree”?
The prepositional phrase “under the tree” modifies the verb “slept.
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What is the prepositional phrase in the sentence “The bird flew over the house”?
“Over the house” is the prepositional phrase.
What is the function of the prepositional phrase “over the house” in the sentence “The bird flew over the house”?
The prepositional phrase is functioning as an adverb modifying the verb “flew.
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What word does the prepositional phrase “over the house” modify in the sentence “The bird flew over the house”?
The prepositional phrase “over the house” modifies the verb “flew.
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What is the prepositional phrase in the sentence “I am going to the store”?
“To the store” is the prepositional phrase.
What is the function of the prepositional phrase “to the store” in the sentence “I am going to the store”?
The prepositional phrase is functioning as an adverb modifying the verb “going.
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What word does the prepositional phrase “to the store” modify in the sentence “I am going to the store”?
The prepositional phrase “to the store” modifies the verb “going.
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Jessica Watson is a PHD holder from the University of Washington. She studied behavior and interaction between squirrels and has presented her research in several wildlife conferences including TWS Annual Conference in Winnipeg.
