Unit Nine
Modifying
Nouns with Prepositional Phrases
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Prepositional phrases, groups of
words beginning with prepositions like in, on, near, of) with, about, at,
to, for, and from, can also modify nouns. Prepositional phrases have
many purposes.
They often
tell place:
We bought a house in the country.
The keys on the desk are mine.
She owns the cafe near the railroad station.
But they
often give other information as well:
Everyone knows the dangers of smoking.
I bought a car with a sunroof.
She wrote a novel about evil politicians.
In this
unit, you will use prepositional phrases to modify nouns. Like other modifiers
of more than one word that you studied in Unit Eight, prepositional phrases
come after the nouns they modify:
EXAMPLE: The dance club admits everyone.
The
dance club is for teenagers.
Everyone
is between 18 and 21.
SOLUTION: The dance club for teenagers admits everyone
between 18 and 21.
Just as you
did in the exercises in the previous unit on adjective modifiers, try crossing
out repeated words and forms of the verb be in the
sentences containing the prepositional phrases; then place the prepositional
phrases after the nouns they modify in the base sentence.
Exercise
One The Great Outdoors
In this
exercise, the nouns you should modify are underlined. Create one sentence from
each set of sentences, placing the prepositional phrases after the nouns they
modify. As you did in the adjective modifier unit, cross out repeated words and
forms of be in the sentences containing prepositional phrases.
EXAMPLE: Brian rarely leaves his home for
trips.
His home is in
the city.
The trips are in
the wild.
SOLUTION: Brian rarely leaves his home in the
city for trips in the wild.
1 . A group persuaded my cousin Brian
to join them on a camping trip.
The group was of
outdoorsmen.
My cousin Brian
is from New York.
The trip was to
Yosemite National Park.
2. They rented a car, set out
for Yosemite, and got caught in traffic.
The car was with
a rack.
The rack was for
their camping gear.
The traffic was
from San Francisco.
3. When they finally arrived at
midnight, they found a campsite.
The campsite was
for backpackers.
The campsite was
next to a stream.
4. His friends hung their bags
in a tree, but Brian hid his pack in his tent.
His friends' bags
were of food.
Brian's pack was
of candy bars and romance novels.
5. Throughout one night, Brian
heard strange noises and felt strange lumps.
One night was of
terror.
The noises were
outside the tent.
The lumps were
under his sleeping bag.
6. When they awoke the next day, they
discovered they had chosen a campsite.
The campsite was
under a pine tree.
The campsite was
next to a sleeping bear.
7. After cooking breakfast, the
group went on a hike.
The breakfast was
of freeze-dried eggs and applesauce.
The group was of
tired campers.
The campers were
in shorts and t-shirts.
The hike was to
the top of a waterfall.
8. The trail was crowded with
experienced hikers.
The trail was
beside the waterfall.
The hikers were
in raingear.
9. While his drenched companions hiked
ahead, Brian returned to the campsite, grabbed his pack,
and moved to a motel.
His pack was of
romance novels and candy bars.
The motel was
with a swimming pool and a restaurant.
The motel was on
the outskirts of Yosemite.
10. Anyone prefers a roof,
a floor, and a restaurant.
Anyone
is in his right mind.
A roof is over his head.
A floor is under his feet.
A restaurant is within walking distance.
Exercise
Two Global Warming
In this
exercise, you will again practice using prepositional phrases to modify the
underlined nouns. Plan your solutions by crossing out repeated nouns and forms
of the verb be in the sentences containing prepositional phrase
modifiers.
EXAMPLE: A radical shift is under
way and human dependence is at least partly to blame.
The shift is in the Earth's
climate.
The
dependence is on fossil fuels.
SOLUTION: A radical shift in the Earth's climate is
under way, and human dependence on fossil fuels is at least partly to blame.
1. Heat enters the atmosphere
and warms the surface.
The heat is from
the Sun.
The surface is of
the Earth.
2. Carbon-dioxide and other greenhouse
gases trap the heat, causing global warmingÑ rising
temperatures and
rising levels.
The temperatures
are in climates.
The climates are
throughout the world.
The rising levels
are of oceans.
3. The burning is the main source
that produces greenhouses gases.
The burning is of
fossil fuels.
The source is of
human-caused carbon dioxide.
4. Currently, emissions are
expected to double in the next 100 years unless people take action.
The emissions are
of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides. The
people are throughout the world.
5. Already there are signs.
The signs are of
far-reaching ecological effects.
6. Glaciers, the
Greenland ice cap, and the ice shelves are shrinking.
The glaciers are
in the Swiss Alps.
The ice shelves are
of Antarctica.
7. We are also witnessing the growth.
The growth is of
El Nino.
The growth is in
strength and frequency.
8. Most scientists think that a rapid change
will produce more frequent and severe droughts and
floods, widening epidemics,
and greater loss.
The change is in
the Earth's climate.
The epidemics are
of infectious diseases.
The loss is of
biological diversity.
9. Scientists are studying alternate forms,
including fuels made from fermented grasses, solar panels, and vast networks.
The forms are of
energy.
The panels are on
rooftops.
The networks are
of wind turbines, hydroelectric dams, and big heat exchangers.
10. Fortunately, there is no shortage.
The
shortage is of solar energy, the primary alternative.
The
alternative is to fossil fuels.