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Grades 5-6 - Prepositions

Grammar & Writing Activities »

Name: _________________________ Date: _____________
 
Prepositions: An Introduction
Use this information sheet to complete the activities that follow.
 
Example: Read the sentence below by placing different prepositions from the parentheses in the blank. Any one could fit, depending on the intended meaning.
 
The book is _____ the table. (on, under, on top of, above, behind, upon)  
 
In the sentence The book is on the table, the word on is a preposition and the word table is called the object of the preposition, or the noun that on refers to. The phrase on the table is called a prepositional phrase, telling where the book is located. Look at the underlined phrases below.
 
Examples: The cat on the porch belongs to my neighbor, Mrs. Klein, who adopts cats from the animal shelter. She gave one cat to me.
 
In the underlined phrases, the prepositions are on, to, from, and to. The objects of the prepositions are porch, neighbor, animal shelter, and me. 
Check that a prepositional phrase has a noun or pronoun as the object.
 
Because prepositions take objects, any pronoun should be an object form. This rule also applies when the preposition has a compound object.
INCORRECT: Alan will go over to the game with Allie and I.
CORRECT: Alan will go over to the game with Allie and me.
To check, ask yourself, “Would I say with I or with me?” With me is correct.
 
In general, prepositional phrases do not affect subject-verb agreement.
Example: Cara’s love of musicals makes others love them too.
Though musicals is plural, the subject of the sentence is love, which is singular. Therefore the verb makes must also be singular. The phrase doesn’t change this.
 
Prepositions are words that indicate direction, position, time, or location. Common prepositions include words like in, on, to, from, of, and with. See the chart below for other examples. 
 
about      before despite   like     since    up
above     behind down    near     through   upon
across    below during   of     throughout   with
after      beneath except off     till           within
against   beside for    on onto to    without
along      between from   out     toward in front of
among    beyond in    outside          under      ahead of
around    but   inside    over     underneath next to
at      by   into    past   until   on top of
Name: ________________________________________ Date: _____________
 
Preposition Activities
Use the information sheet provided to complete the activities below.
 
 
On your own paper, place each sentence below in the center of a separate preposition web and fill in the surrounding bubbles with prepositions that would make sense in the sentence, depending on the intended meaning. Write the prepositional phrases under each web.
 
1. This large package is ______ Angelo. 
 
2. The horse walked _____ you. 
 
3. How many times will Kylie kick the ball _____ the goalie?
 
Now write a sentence of your own and place it in the center of a web below. Leave the web blank. Exchange webs with a partner, complete them, and check your work together. Circle each prepositional phrase.
 
4.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Circle the correct verb form for the sentences below. Underline any prepositional phrases in between the subject and the verb and mentally remove them to check subject-verb agreement.
 
5. The roses in this vase (are, is) absolutely beautiful.
6. Anita’s preparation for the tests (has been, have been) impressive.
7. All classes in the school except art (is, are) open to all students.
8. The student of languages (has, have) an advantage when applying to college.
9. Aside from you and me, Kelly and Pablo from the community center (is, are) volunteering for the fund drive.
10. The leaders from all the nations (has, have) spoken on this issue.
 
 
Name: ________________________________________ Date: _____________
 
More Work with Prepositions
 
Use the information above and the guidelines on prepositions to complete the activity. In the sentences below underline each prepositional phrase. When you are finished, ask a partner to check your work. Also discuss any subordinate clauses or infinitive forms of verbs you find in the sentences.
Example: Bart ran into the wall with his bike, but he was okay. 
 
1. Gillian ran quickly down the stairs, and her mother told her to stop before she got hurt. 
HINT: There is a subordinate clause in this sentence. Write it below.
_____________________________________________________________
HINT: There is also an infinitive in this sentence. Write it here: ____________
2. Despite the pain in his knee, Franco ran into the end zone for a touchdown. 
3. Many divers love to take underwater pictures of marine life.
4. Juanita used to play the guitar in a band with Celia and me.
5. During the summer, many people like to travel away from home and tour places around the world.
 
Sometimes you might mistake another kind of phrase for a prepositional phrase. For example, do not confuse a prepositional phrase with a subordinate clause. 
 
Example: Before we go, take your coat from the closet.
 
Even though before can be used as a preposition, before we go is a subordinate clause. We is the subject and go is the verb. Before is an adverb introducing the clause. Therefore, from the closet is the only prepositional phrase in the sentence.
 
Do not confuse a prepositional phrase with the infinitive form of a verb. 
 
Example: The class likes to perform in musicals that we produce at school.
 
Even though to can be a preposition, to perform is the infinitive form of a verb. The prepositional phrases in this sentence are in musicals and at school. Remember that a preposition takes an object, which must be a noun or pronoun. If the word following to is a verb, then to is not a preposition.