Here's a breakdown:
* Preposition: A word that shows the relationship between its object and another word in the sentence. Common prepositions include: on, in, at, to, from, with, by, for, of, about, etc.
* Object: The noun, pronoun, or phrase that the preposition acts upon.
Examples:
* "On the table": "on" is the preposition, and "the table" is the object.
* "In the park": "in" is the preposition, and "the park" is the object.
* "With a smile": "with" is the preposition, and "a smile" is the object.
* "Around the corner": "around" is the preposition, and "the corner" is the object.
* "For my birthday": "for" is the preposition, and "my birthday" is the object.
Function:
Prepositional phrases typically function as adjectives (modifying a noun or pronoun) or adverbs (modifying a verb, adjective, or another adverb).
Example:
* "The cat on the mat": "on the mat" is a prepositional phrase acting as an adjective, modifying the noun "cat."
* "She walked slowly to the store": "to the store" is a prepositional phrase acting as an adverb, modifying the verb "walked."
Key Takeaways:
* Prepositional phrases start with a preposition and end with an object.
* They often describe location, time, or direction.
* They can function as adjectives or adverbs.