Name ______Date ______Period _____

Bellringers Term 1 Week 3

Focus: Phrases (participial, prepositional, and absolute phrases)

Monday, August 25th

Participial phrases

A participial phrase begins with a verb form that acts as an adjective, modifying a noun or a pronoun. (Participial may end in either –ing or –ed.)

Example 1 (The participial phrase is underlined.)

The horse trotting up to the fence hopes you have an apple.

Example 2 (The participial phrase is underlined.)

Glazed with barbecue sauce, the rack of ribs lay nestled next to a pile of coleslaw.

Underline the participial phrases in the following sentences.

  1. Washed with my clothes, my cell phone no longer worked.
  2. Knowing what I know now, I wish I had never come here.
  3. I am really excited, considering all the people that will be there.
  4. We are looking forward to the movie, having seen the trailer last week.
  5. Grinning from ear to ear, she accepted her award.

Prepositional phrases

A prepositional phrase is a modifying phrase consisting of a preposition and its object.

Example 1 (The prepositional phrase is underlined.)

The dog is resting under the deck.

Example 2 (The prepostional phrase is underlined.)

My sister that lives in Atlanta, Georgia, is beautiful.

Place parentheses around the prepositional phrases.

  1. Amanda and Dedra are working hard at a workshop.
  2. The children are playing on the merry-go- round at the park.
  3. Under the table, the dog slept soundly.
  4. Above the sink in the cabinet, the roaches crawled on the dishes.

Review from last week- Underline the adverb phrase in the sentence below.

5. Wherever there is music, people will often dance.

Tuesday, August 26th

Absolute phrases

An absolute phrase combines a noun and a participle with any accompanying modifiers or objects. They modify entire sentences.

Example 1 (The absolute phrase is underlined.)

Legs quivering, our old dog Gizmo dreamed of chasing squirrels.

Example 2 (The absolute phrase is underlined.)

We devoured Aunt Lenora's carrot cake, our fingers scraping the leftover frosting off the plates.

Underline the absolute phrases in the following sentences.

  1. Her arms folded across her chest, Professor Hill warned the class about the penalties of plagiarism.
  2. Her work completed, Amanda flew home.
  3. We scrambled along the shore, the waves splashing at our feet.
  4. The birds having flown off, the cat climbed down from the tree.
  5. A storm is brewing, judging by the dark clouds.

Wednesday, August 27th

On the line before each sentence, writePart. if the underlined phrase is a participial phrase or Prep. if the underlined phrase is a prepositional phrase or Abs. if it is an absolute phrase.

  1. ____ Weather permitting we shall meet in the evening.
  2. ____ Katie and Cooper Ann are going to the skating rink.
  3. ____ Kicking the dirt, the child was angry at the umpire.
  4. ____ Debbie is in the kitchen with her mother and grandmother.
  5. ____God willing, we shall meet again.
  6. ____ The water drained slowly in the pipe clogged with dog hair.

Thursday, August 28th

1. Compose 2 sentences each containing a participial phrase. (Circle each participial phrase.)

  1. ______
  1. ______

2. Compose 2 sentences each containing a prepositional phrase. (Put parentheses around each prepositional phrase.)

a.______

b.______

3. Compose 2 sentences that each contains an absolute phrase. (Circle each absolute phrase.)

a. ______

b. ______

Friday, August 29th

Now, it is time for you to look and see if you can find examples of these phrases in the passages we have read so far this school year. Refer to your student packets.

  1. Example of a participial phrase-______

Passage ______

  1. Example of a prepositional phrase- ______

Passage ______

  1. Example of an absolute phrase- ______

Passage ______