Prepositional Phrase Modifier: Basic Definition and Better Usage

A prepositional phrase modifier describes or modifies the prepositional phrase in a sentence.

What is a Prepositional Phrase?

A prepositional phrase is a group of words consisting of a preposition and its object. The object can be a noun, gerund, pronoun, or clause. Prepositional phrases modify nouns, noun phrases, or verbs. They provide information about where something is or where an incident happened.

Prepositional phrase modifiers include the words and phrases that modify the prepositional phrase. They give a detailed description of the prepositional phrase.

Prepositional Phrase Modifiers in English

The prepositional phrase modifiers in English are adverb phrases and adjective clauses.

The following explanations and examples will help you better understand how adverb phrases and adjective clauses function as prepositional phrase modifiers in English.

1. Adjective Clauses

Adjective clauses are a group of words that includes an adjective and a verb. They grammatically function as prepositional phrase modifiers.

The adjective and the verb work together to describe the prepositional phrase. Adjective clauses acting as prepositional phrase modifiers are italicized in the sentences below:

• Before we start the meeting, which is the last of the year, we should have breakfast.
• Amid the confusion, which was caused by a misunderstanding, a phone was stolen.
• Throughout the thick forest, which was scary, the girls kept panicking.

2. Adverbial Phrases (Adverb Phrases)

An adverb phrase is a group of words (including an adverb) that modify a verb, an adjective, an adverb, or another adverb phrase. These phrases can also modify other parts of speech.

Adverbial phrases are the commonest prepositional phrase modifiers in English Grammar. They are used to describe the location of the action, the temporal duration, manner, or reason for an action.

Adverbial phrases acting as prepositional phrase modifiers are italicized in the sentences below:

• Mary ran very fast to school.
• Nora danced surprisingly well at the party.
• Get the car to the mechanic as soon as possible.

To Wrap Up

Prepositional phrase modifiers are words or phrases that describe or modify a prepositional phrase. A prepositional phrase modifier changes how the central part of the sentence is construed.

Adverbial phrases and adjective clauses are the prepositional phrase modifiers in English Grammar. They give a detailed description of the prepositional phase in a sentence.