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Adverb and Prepositional Phrases

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Adverb and Prepositional Phrases

Read each sentence carefully. Identify what each phrase tells you: where, when, how or why. For the writing tasks, more than one answer may be correct.

Spot the Phrases

Find the phrase named in each question. Write it exactly as it appears in the sentence.

1.In “The magpies gathered near the oval before sunrise,” which phrase tells where they gathered?

2.In “Grace packed her art supplies with great care,” which phrase tells how Grace packed them?

3.In “The hikers rested beside the track after midday,” which phrase tells when they rested?

4.In “The puppy wagged its tail rather enthusiastically,” which phrase tells how the puppy wagged its tail?

What Does the Phrase Tell You?

Match each phrase to its purpose: where, when, how or why.

5.Match each phrase with the information it gives.

beyond the dunes
before the concert
with surprising speed
quite softly

when
how
where
how

6.The netball game will begin ____. Choose the phrase that tells when.

beside the courts
at half past four
very confidently

7.The echidna moved ____ across the garden. Choose the phrase that tells how.

yesterday morning
under the wooden gate
remarkably slowly

Build Your Own Phrases

Add a phrase that makes each sentence more specific. Your phrase may tell where, when or how.

8.Complete the sentence with a phrase: “The kookaburra called ____.”

9.Complete the sentence with a phrase: “We discovered a smooth shell ____.”

10.Complete the sentence with a phrase: “The rain started ____.”

11.Complete the sentence with a phrase: “Harper opened the gift ____.”

12.Write one sentence containing both an adverb phrase and a prepositional phrase. Underline each phrase and label it “adverb phrase” or “prepositional phrase”.

13.Choose a setting, then write three sentences about it: one with a phrase telling when, one with a phrase telling where, and one with a phrase telling how. Label each phrase by its purpose.

Phrase Detective

Read the paragraph and find its adverb phrases and prepositional phrases.

14.Read the paragraph. Underline every adverb phrase and prepositional phrase. Early on Saturday, the cycling group set off along the river path. They pedalled quite steadily through the shaded reserve. Near the old footbridge, a curious duck waddled towards them. The riders stopped beside the water for a short break.

15.List the phrases from the paragraph and state whether each tells where, when, how or why. Include all the phrases you underlined.