大学英语语法7——介词短语

CollegeEnglishGrammar:GrammarandWritingByZhuXiangjunUnit7Phrases:Prepositionalphrase•Grammar:Prepositionalphrase•Writing:Correcting:UnnecessaryshiftsRewriting:HowtousethepassivevoicePrepositionalphraseAphrasemaybedefinedasagroupofrelatedwordswithoutasubjectandaverb.Aphrasefunctionswithinasentenceasasinglepartofspeech---noun,adjective,oradverb.Themostcommonphrasesareprepositionalphrases,participialphrases,gerundphrasesandinfinitivephrases.PrepositionalphrasePrepositionalphrasesmodifynounsandverbs,indicatingvariousrelationshipsbetweensubjectsandverbs.OfteninEnglish,writersemployprepositionalphrasesexcessivelytocreateanalmostcomicaleffect.•“Coming!Awaysheskimmedoverthelawn,upthepath,upthesteps,acrosstheveranda,andintotheporch.1.FormAprepositionalphrase=apreposition+(adjectives)+anoun/pronoun•Myolderdaughtergraduatedfromschool.•Shethentookajob.•Myolderdaughtertookajobafterschool.•WhenIstudied,Ihadmanyquestionsaboutmyselectivecourses.•Ioftenconsultedtheadviser.•Duringmystudyperiod,Ioftenconsultedtheadviseraboutmyselectivecourses.2.FunctionsPrepositionalphraseshavethreeformalfunctionsinsentences.Theycanactasanadjectivemodifyinganoun,asanadverbmodifyingaverb,orasanominalwhenusedinconjunctionwiththeverbformtobe.2.1.AsanadjectiveWhenaprepositionalphraseisusedasanadjective,itmodifiesanounorapronoun,answersthequestion“whichone?”andalwaysfollowstheworditmodifies.•Peoplelivesinthecity•Peopleareaccustomedtothetrafficjams.•Peopleinthecityareaccustomedtothetrafficjams.•Pleasehandmethepen.•Thepenisbehindthekeyboard.•Pleasehandmethepenbehindthekeyboard.2.2.AsanadverbWhenaprepositionalphraseisusedasanadverb,itmodifiesaverb,anadjective,oranotheradverb,answersthequestions“how?”,“when?”,“where?”andmayappearindifferentpositionsinasentence.•Thequeengreetedthecrowd.•Shesmiledgraciously.•Thequeengreetedthecrowdwithagracioussmile.•Itwasatmidnight.•Childrengotasurprise.•Theyallwokeup.•Atmidnight,childrenallwokeupwithasurprise.(Generally,whenaprepositionalphrasebeginsasentence,itmodifiestheverb.)2.3.AsanounWhenusedinconjunctionwiththeverbformtobe,theprepositionalphrasefunctionsasanounandactsasapredictivetoexpresstheexistenceorstateofbeingofthesubject.•Ourproductsaregood.•Theirqualityisprime.•Ourproductsareofprimequality.•Itwasoutofmyexpectation.•Abeautifulgirlgreetedme.•ThegirlcamefromJapan.•Outofmyexpectation,thebeautifulgirlgreetingmewasfromJapan.Somewordsmaybeusedaseitherprepositionsoradverbs.Ifawordhasanounorapronounasitsobject,thenthewordisapreposition.Ifaworddoesnothaveanobject,thewordisanadverb.•Abovethesurfaceofthewater,thetowersrisetoaheightofnearly700feet.•(aspreposition)•Iheardastrangesoundcomingfromtheroomabove.•(asadverb)•Hehasbuiltawoodenbridgeoverapool.•(aspreposition)•Hewassodrunkthathefelloverintheroad.•(asadverb)3.PositionIngeneral,aprepositionalphraseoftenappearsaftertheworditmodifies:•Peopleintownspurchasetheirnecessitiesfromtheshops.•Afamousactorinaplaywasoncecastintheroleofademon.•However,likeadverbs,prepositionalphrasesthatmodifyverbscanalsobefoundattheverybeginningorveryendofasentence:•Intheletterhewasaskedtocallatthestation.•Onarrivingattheshore,thegirlstruggleduptheclifftowardsthelight.4.PunctuationIfaprepositionalphrasebeginsasentence,thereisusuallyacommaafterit.But,iftheprepositionalphraseisshort,thecommaislessnecessarybutstillanoption.•Atnight(,)theylieddownonthemosstosleep.•Inthelightofthisstatement,teacherslivebysellingknowledge.Ifprepositionalphrasescomebetweenthesubjectandpredicate,thecommaisoftenused.•Firemen,atlast,haveputoutabigforestfireinCalifornia.•Adrunk,duringabullfight,wanderedintothemiddleoftheringsuddenly.Ifaprepositionalphraseisapartofthemainclauseoritendsasentence,thereisnocomma.Forexample:•BigBentakesitsnamefromSirBenjamin.•Anancientbusstoppedbyadryriverbed.Exercises:Combinethesentencesineachsetintoasingleclearsentencecontainingatleastoneprepositionalphrase.•Hewasstillmumblingsomething.Thesethingswereabouthospitals.Hewasmumblingattheendoftheparty.Hewasstillmumblingsomethingabouthospitalsattheendoftheparty.•Shemustappearintheplay.Shemustwearadress.Shemustwearstockings.Thedressisred.Thestockingsarelong.Intheplay,shemustappearinabrightreddressandlongblackstockings•Iwasdespaired.Iaskedheraquestion.Thequestionwaswhethershewasenjoyingherdinner.Indespair,Iaskedherwhethershewasenjoyingherdinner.4.Hewasinhospital.Hewouldhavetostaythere.Hewouldhavetospendanothertwoweeks.Hewouldhavetostayinhospitalforanothertwoweeks.5.Wearenowlivinginahouse.Thehouseisbeautiful.Thehouseisnew.Thehouseisinthecountry.Wearenowlivinginabeautifulnewhouseinthecountry.6.Theyhadgotaway.Theyhadtakendiamonds.Thediamondsareworthofthousandsofpounds.Theyhadgotawaywiththousandsofpoundsworthofdiamonds.UnnecessaryshiftsKeepsentencessmooth,clear,andconsistent.Avoidsudden,aimlessshiftsofthefollowing.1.ShiftsinsubjectThesubjectofasentenceistheperson,thing,place,orideathatisdoingorbeingsomething.Itiswhat/whomasentenceisabout.Thatis,subjectisthefocusofasentenceandtherealinterestofthewriter.Beconsistentinyourchoiceofsubject.•