In this exercise, the prepositional phrases have been made bold.
1. Both of the trolls lived under the bridge.
2. Some of the elves refused to help Santa make the toys .
3. One of the dragon's eggs cracked!
4. Two of the baby dragon's claws stuck through the shell.
5. Many of the ogres had blood dribbling down their chins.
6. Most of the knights who had come to slay the ogres had been devoured.
7. Either of the fairies could have been the one of evil repute.
8. None of the children had been switched at birth.
9. Most of the mothers hoped so, at least.
10. However, one of the babies had little wings.
In this exercise, the prepositional phrases have been put in bold. Above the prepositional phrases is written whether they are adjectives or adverbs. Below the prepositional phrases has been written what they modify.
adj. .........................adv.
1.The sorceress's bag of winds had been stolen by the sailor.
bag............................. stolen
adv. ..........adv. ...............................adv.
2. In the dark of the night the sailor sneaked away from the island.
...sneaked....of the night...................................sneaked
adj.
3.The sailor opened the bag of winds.
bag
adj.
4.One of the winds filled the sails.
one
adj. .......................adv.
5. Another of the winds blew open the sorceress's window.
another ..................blew
adj.
6. A lamp of crystal fell and shattered, waking the sorceress.
lamp
adj. ......................................adv.
7. The eyes of the sorceress's cat glowed red with anger.
eyes.............................glowed
adj.
8. The sorceress of unsurpassed kindness and power awoke.
sorceress
adj. ......................adv.
9. The winds of the bag howled for the sorceress.
winds.....................howled
adj. .....................adv.
10. Most of the winds returned to the sorceress.
most........................returned
adv.
11. The one remaining wind blew the sailor far from the island.
....................................................blew
In this exercise, draw a line THROUGH the prepositional phrases; identify the subject; and identify the verb.
For instance: The windows of the room
slammed shut.
'Windows' is the subject; 'slammed' is the verb.
1. A drawer of the bureau opened, and
the windss folded themselves into the drawer.
'Drawer' is the first subject; 'opened' is the first verb.
'Winds' is the second subject; 'folded' is the second verb.
2. The sorceress waved her hand, and all of
the pieces of crystal reassembled
into a lamp.
'Sorceress' is the first subject; 'waved' is the first verb.
'All' is the second subject; 'reassembled' is the second verb.
3. The cat with its burning eyes leaped
onto the window sill and meowed. NOTICE THAT THIS IS
A COMPOUND VERB
'Cat' is the subject; 'leaped' and 'meowed' is the verb.
4. "Yes," said the sorceress of the
island, "let's go for a ride;
the night is so beautiful."
'Sorceress' is the first subject; 'said' is the first verb.
'You' is the second subject; 'let go' is the second verb. The sorceress is talking to her companion, the cat, and so would address it as 'you.' 'Let us go' is a declaritive statement, and subject of declaritive statements is the implied 'you.'
'night' is the third subject; 'is' is the third verb.
5. The two of them exited the room.
'Two' is the subject; 'exited' is the verb.
6. Both of the magical creatures passed
through the long corridors.
'Both' is the subject; 'passed' is the verb.
7. The two of them entered a vast chamber.
'Two' is the subject; and 'entered' is the verb.
8.On the floor of the chamber lay
a vast carpet.
'Carpet' is the subject; 'lay' is the verb.
9. On the other side of the room were
french doors; these the sorceresss unlocked.
'French doors' is the subject; 'unlocked' is the verb.
10. "Which of you wants to ride
me?"
'Which' is the subject; 'wants' is the verb.
11. In answer, the cat of gleaming,
black fur jumped onto the carpet .
'Cat' is the subject; 'jumped' is the verb.
12.The sorceress in her billowing gown also
settled herself on the carpet.
'Sorceress' is the subject; 'settled' is the verb.
13. "Both of you wish to go then?"
'Both' is the subject; 'wish' is the verb.
14. Neither the sorcerss of the island nor the cat
of burning eyes answered. In "neither/nor"
statements such as this, the noun closest to the verb is used to form agreement
and so "cat" is underlined as the subject of the verb "answered."
15. Taking this as a "yes," the carpet of magic
soared into the starry night.
'Carpet' is the subject; 'soared' is the verb.
16. All of the stars brightened as the
magic carpet flew past them.
'All' is the first subject; 'brightened' is the first verb.
'Carpet' is the second subject; 'flew' is the second verb.
17. Below the flying carpet, ships sailed
on the sea.
'Ships' is the subject; 'sailed' is the verb.
18.The night of bright stars, pale moon, and glistening
ocean waves was one of the most beautiful the
sorceress or cat had ever seen.
'Night' is the first subject; 'was' is the first verb
'Cat' is the second subject; 'had seen' is the second verb. In 'or' construction, such as this, the noun or pronoun closest to the verb is used for agreement. This is why 'cat' is given here as the subject of the second clause.
More information and more exercises on subjects and verbs are available. Just go to the GRAMMAR TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE.