Prepositional Phrases:
* Structure: Begin with a preposition (e.g., on, in, at, with, by, for, etc.) followed by a noun or pronoun, called the object of the preposition.
* Function: They typically modify nouns or pronouns, acting as adjectives, or they can modify verbs or entire clauses, acting as adverbs.
* Example:
* "The book on the table is mine." (modifies "book" as an adjective)
* "He walked into the room." (modifies "walked" as an adverb)
Participial Phrases:
* Structure: Begin with a participle (a verb form ending in -ing or -ed/-en) and usually include other modifiers and objects.
* Function: They always act as adjectives, modifying nouns or pronouns.
* Example:
* "The singing bird perched on the branch." (modifies "bird" as an adjective)
* "The broken window needs to be repaired." (modifies "window" as an adjective)
Key Differences:
1. Structure: Prepositional phrases start with a preposition, while participial phrases start with a participle.
2. Function: Participial phrases always act as adjectives, while prepositional phrases can act as adjectives or adverbs.
3. Relationship to the verb: Participial phrases are closely related to the verb, while prepositional phrases have an independent function.
Here's a simple way to remember the difference:
* Prepositional phrases: Think of them as "position phrases" – they describe where something is or how something is done.
* Participial phrases: Think of them as "verb-like phrases" – they describe the action of a noun or pronoun.
Examples:
* Prepositional phrase: "The cat sat under the table." (Describes where the cat sat)
* Participial phrase: "The roaring lion scared the zebra." (Describes the action of the lion)