Phrases Review Worksheet Answers

I. Prepositional Phrases 

1. They travelled in a private coach across the Rockies. (Adv, how?) (Adv, where?)

2. Snow melted down John's back. (Adv, where?)

3. Select a paint for walls with oil-based paint and tough stains. (Adj modifying paint) (Adj modifying walls) (This sentence contains a nested prep phrase. I just can't show it easily in html. The first phrase is for walls with oil-based paint and tough stains. The phrase inside that phrase is with oil-based paint and tough stains.)

4. Without much enthusiasm, Joan hired an assistant. (Adv, how?/manner?)

5. Petra lives in a cottage with a thatched roof. (Adv, where?) (Adj modifying cottage) (The second phrase is nested inside the longer, first phrase: in a cottage with a thatched roof.

6. Early motorists had to drive machines with unreliable engines. (Adj modifying machines)

7. In 1897, the council of our town approved a law banning cars on public roads. (Adv, when?) (Adj modifying council) (Adv, where?)

8. In those days constables were on foot or rode bicycles on their beats. (Adv, when?) (Adv, how/manner?) (Adv, where?)

9. Around 1910 a law requiring cars to have horns was passed by the legislature. (Adv, when?) (Adv, by whom?) (Remember that to have horns is NOT a prep phrase. It's an infinitive phrase. The difference is that prepositional phrases are "prep + noun/pro" and infinitive phrases are "to + verb.")

10. To travel anywhere by horse is difficult and uncomfortable. (Adv, how?/manner?)

II. Verbals and Verbal Phrases

1. The captain scuttled the treasure to save the ship. (Inf: adv, why?)

2. The de Young Museum displays art collected over decades. (Part modifying art)

3. Climbing out of bed during nap time was my sister's first trick. (Ger: subj)

4. James needs to take a nap this afternoon. (Inf: noun, DO)

5. The first mall attacked by the shopping sisters was full of bargains. (Part modifying mall) (Also, shopping is a Part modifying sisters.)

6. George and Emily planned to surprise our teacher. (Inf: noun, DO)

7. Crowds thronging around the gate struggled to see the princess in the window. (Part modifying crowds) (Inf: adv, why?)

8. David won an award for writing the best academic essay. (Ger: OP)

9. To load the trailer correctly required specialized knowledge. (Inf: noun, subj) (Part modifying knowledge)

10. The shop with the best sales is the one to visit early. (Inf: adj, modifying one)

11. Three great songs composed by Stevie Wonder featured on the program. (Part modifying songs)

12. Nearly burnt food is now described on menus as "blackened" items. (Part modifying food) (Part modifying items)

13. Nathan preferred studying by himself. (Ger: DO)

14. During high school, he decided to scale Half Dome with his climbing buddy. (Inf: noun, DO) (Also, climbing is a Part modifying buddy.)

15. Shoe styles sold at WalMart are not available at Macy's. (Part modifying styles)

16. My hamster eats to overcome boredom. (Inf: adv, why?)

17. My sister has adopted a puppy abandoned in Pope Valley. (Part modifying puppy)

18. Tom's least favorite job is washing dishes. (Ger: PN)

19. We helped the neighbors move into their new house. (Inf. When the to is missing in an infinitive, it creates a situation beyond the usual jobs for infinitives that we discussed in class. Just mark it as 'Inf'.)

20. Local regulations allow picnicking by the lake. (Ger: DO)

III. Appositives

1. Nicole Green, the actress chosen for the lead role, was involved in a car accident yesterday.

2. He was intrigued by backgammon, an ancient game designed for two players, and computer solitaire.

3. The band played Silent Night, a special favorite of the vicar's wife, for the Christmas program.

4. Our neighbors, the Greenes, have bought a new sailboat, a catamaran.

5. We settled down next to my aunt, the mother of the bride, in the front row.

IV. Writing Sentences

Here are some sample sentences. Of course, your sentences will be different than mine and different than your friends' sentences.

1. Use running in a participial phrase modifying the subject.
   The criminal running along beside the getaway car fell and was arrested.
   A classmate running a cash register at WalMart was promoted to be a manager.
   The kid running in the street is crazy.

2.   Use to jump in an infinitive phrase acting as a DO.
   We planned to jump out of the window in case of fire.
   Pete wanted to jump higher this time around.
   I wanted to jump into my car and drive away.  

3. Use hoping in a gerund phrase as the subject of the sentence.
   Hoping to be successful is not the same as actually being successful.
   Hoping to get accepted to medical school helped her keep her mind on the goal.
   Hoping for a miracle won't make it happen.  

4. Make an appositive phrase to follow your own name in a sentence.
   Mrs. Dibben, the English teacher at Prep, is giving us a grammar test on Thursday.
   I wrote a thank-you note to Mrs. Dibben, the greatest English teacher in the world. :-)   

5. Use torn in a participial phrase modifying the DO.
   I repaired the pants torn in the dog fight.
   The police rescued the baby torn from her mother's arms by the raging water.  

6. Use singing in a gerund phrase acting as an OP.
   Jacob relaxed by singing in the church choir.
   Rachel chose drama instead of singing in the school choir.
   By singing very loudly, the lost child attracted the attention of a good samaritan.  

7. Use to claim in an infinitive phrase acting as a PN.
   The important thing is to claim your prize quickly.
   His fondest dream is to claim a gold medal in the Olympics.