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100 Examples of Adverb Prepositional Phrases

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Adverb prepositional phrases are an essential part of English grammar, allowing speakers and writers to add rich detail, clarify meaning, and enhance sentence variety. They modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs by providing information about time, place, manner, reason, and more. Mastering these phrases empowers English learners to communicate with greater precision and fluency.

This comprehensive article offers an accessible yet in-depth exploration of adverb prepositional phrases. You’ll find:

Whether you’re a student aiming to improve your writing, a teacher seeking teaching materials, or a writer looking for stylistic variety, this guide will boost your understanding and usage of adverb prepositional phrases. Let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

3. DEFINITION SECTION

3.1 What Is a Prepositional Phrase?

A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with its object (a noun or pronoun), often including modifiers of the object.

Examples:

3.2 What Is an Adverb Prepositional Phrase?

An adverb prepositional phrase is a prepositional phrase that functions as an adverbial modifier. It modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb by answering questions like when?, where?, how?, why?, under what condition?, or to what extent?

Examples:

They provide essential details that enrich communication.

3.3 Grammatical Classification

Within sentence structure, adverb prepositional phrases act as adverbials. They differ from adjective prepositional phrases, which modify nouns or pronouns.

Adverbial PP: He arrived on time. (modifies verb)

Adjectival PP: The book on the table is mine. (modifies noun book)

3.4 Functions & Usage Contexts

They frequently:

Table 1: Comparison of Prepositional Phrases Functioning as Adjectives vs. Adverbs
Function Modifies Example Question Answered
Adjective PP Noun The man with the hat Which man?
Adverb PP Verb/Adj/Adv He ran with speed How did he run?

4. STRUCTURAL BREAKDOWN

4.1 Components of a Prepositional Phrase

The typical structure is:

Preposition + Object (noun/pronoun) + Modifiers

Example:

4.2 Position in a Sentence

Adverb prepositional phrases can occur in three main positions:

4.3 Prepositions Commonly Used in Adverbial Phrases

Table 2: Common Prepositions Classified by Meaning
Function Prepositions Example Phrase
Time at, in, on, during, after, before, until, since, by after lunch
Place under, over, between, among, near, at, on, beside, behind, inside under the bridge
Manner with, without, by, like, as with care
Reason because of, due to, owing to, thanks to because of the rain
Condition in case of, under in case of emergency
Degree to, by, at to a great extent
Frequency on, from, at from time to time
Purpose for, to for safety

4.4 Modifiers Inside the Phrase

Modifiers expand the noun/pronoun object, including:

Example: during the long, hot summer

4.5 Step-by-Step Construction

Step 1: Choose a preposition based on the meaning.

e.g., after (time)

Step 2: Add the noun or pronoun object.

e.g., after lunch

Step 3: Expand with modifiers as needed.

e.g., after the important team lunch

Complete phrase: after the important team lunch

 

100 Examples of Adverb Prepositional Phrases

5. TYPES OR CATEGORIES OF ADVERB PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES

5.1 Time

Tell when an action happens.

5.2 Place

Tell where something occurs.

5.3 Manner

Tell how something happens.

5.4 Reason or Cause

Explain why.

5.5 Condition

Express circumstances.

5.6 Degree or Measure

Describe extent.

5.7 Frequency

Tell how often.

5.8 Purpose

Explain the intended goal.

In the next section, we provide 100 categorized examples with sentences and notes.

6. EXAMPLES SECTION (100 Examples)

6.1 Organization & Conceptual Notes

The following tables categorize 100 adverb prepositional phrases into their main functions. Each phrase is used in a contextualized sentence with explanations.

6.2 Example Tables

Table 3: 15 Examples of Time Adverb Prepositional Phrases
Phrase Sentence Notes
after the meeting We will discuss the plan after the meeting. When? After event
before dawn Before dawn, the hikers started their journey. Early time
during the night The alarm sounded during the night. While night lasted
at midnight The fireworks began at midnight. Exact time
by noon Please finish the report by noon. Deadline
since last week I have been sick since last week. Duration start
until next year The store is closed until next year. End point
in the morning He practices yoga in the morning. Part of day
on Monday The meeting is scheduled on Monday. Specific day
after dinner They went for a walk after dinner. Later in time
over the weekend I relaxed over the weekend. Time span
within an hour They arrived within an hour. Time limit
throughout the day Rain fell throughout the day. Continuous duration
during lunch She called me during lunch. Inside time period
at sunset Birds return at sunset. Specific time
Table 4: 15 Examples of Place Adverb Prepositional Phrases
Phrase Sentence Notes
at the beach They spent the day at the beach. Location
under the bridge The boat passed under the bridge. Below place
between the trees A deer appeared between the trees. Intermediate
near the station Let’s meet near the station. Close by
on the roof A cat sat on the roof. Surface
behind the house The garden is behind the house. Rear position
inside the building The conference is held inside the building. Interior
in the city She lives in the city. Area
at home I work at home. Location
along the river They walked along the river. Beside
across the street The shop is across the street. Opposite
among friends He felt confident among friends. Within group
outside the gate The car is parked outside the gate. Exterior
beside the lake They had a picnic beside the lake. Next to
over the hill The town lies over the hill. Beyond
Table 5: 15 Examples of Manner Adverb Prepositional Phrases
Phrase Sentence Notes
with care Handle the glass with care. How? Carefully
like a pro She played tennis like a pro. As a professional
by hand The craftsman made the bowl by hand. Manually
without hesitation He accepted the offer without hesitation. Confidently
in silence They observed the ceremony in silence. Quietly
with enthusiasm She participated with enthusiasm. Energetically
in a hurry They left in a hurry. Quickly
like a child He laughed like a child. Comparison
with a smile She greeted me with a smile. Cheerfully
without warning The storm hit without warning. Suddenly
under pressure He works well under pressure. Stress condition
with confidence She spoke with confidence. Assertively
by mistake I deleted the file by mistake. Accidentally
like an expert He fixed the car like an expert. Skill comparison
with passion The actor performed with passion. Emotionally
Table 6: 15 Examples of Reason/Purpose Adverb Prepositional Phrases
Phrase Sentence Notes
because of the rain The game was canceled because of the rain. Reason why
due to illness He missed work due to illness. Cause
owing to traffic We were late owing to traffic. Cause
thanks to his help She succeeded thanks to his help. Reason
for better results Mix thoroughly for better results. Purpose
for safety reasons Passengers must stay seated for safety reasons. Purpose
for your information For your information, the office closes early today. Purpose (inform)
because of his efforts The project succeeded because of his efforts. Cause
due to a misunderstanding The order was incorrect due to a misunderstanding. Reason
for clarity He repeated the instructions for clarity. Purpose
because of budget cuts The event was canceled because of budget cuts. Cause
for future reference Please save this email for future reference. Purpose
due to unforeseen circumstances The flight was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. Reason
because of technical issues Service was interrupted because of technical issues. Cause
for maintenance The system is offline for maintenance. Purpose
Table 7: 10 Examples of Condition and Degree Phrases
Phrase Sentence Notes
in case of emergency In case of emergency, call 911. Condition
under certain conditions The warranty applies under certain conditions. Condition
to a great extent He improved to a great extent. Degree
by a large margin They won by a large margin. Degree
at full capacity The factory is operating at full capacity. Degree
under review The proposal is under review. Condition/state
to some extent I agree to some extent. Degree
in the event of failure In the event of failure, notify your supervisor. Condition
at minimum cost We aim to complete the project at minimum cost. Degree/Goal
by no means He is by no means inexperienced. Extent (negative)
Table 8: 10 Examples of Frequency Phrases
Phrase Sentence Notes
from time to time I visit my hometown from time to time. Occasionally
on occasion He travels abroad on occasion. Sometimes
at regular intervals The bell rings at regular intervals. Periodically
once in a while We go hiking once in a while. Sporadically
every now and then I indulge every now and then. Occasionally
on a daily basis He exercises on a daily basis. Daily frequency
at times The task is challenging at times. Sometimes
over the years Her skills improved over the years. Gradual frequency
on weekends They relax on weekends. Weekly
from week to week The schedule changes from week to week. Variable frequency

6.3 Summary Notes

7. USAGE RULES

7.1 Correct Placement

Placing phrases at the beginning adds emphasis or sets context and usually requires a comma:

After the meeting, we went home.

Final position is neutral:

We went home after the meeting.

7.2 Agreement and Parallelism

Maintain parallel structure when listing:

Correct: She worked with diligence and with care.

Incorrect: She worked with diligence and carefully. (mixes phrase and adverb)

7.3 Choosing Prepositions

Be aware of subtle differences:

7.4 Avoiding Ambiguity

Placement can change meaning or cause confusion:

She spoke to the man with a smile. (She smiled)

She spoke to the man with a smile. (Man has the smile)

7.5 Formal vs. Informal Contexts

Choose phrases appropriate for your audience:

7.6 Special Cases & Exceptions

8. COMMON MISTAKES

8.1 Misidentifying the Phrase’s Function

Confusing adjective and adverb phrases:

8.2 Incorrect Preposition Choice

Incorrect: on the night

Correct: at night

8.3 Redundant Prepositions

Incorrect: inside of the house

Correct: inside the house

8.4 Misplaced Phrases Leading to Confusion

Incorrect: Walking through the park, the flowers bloomed beautifully. (Implies flowers were walking)

Correct: Walking through the park, I admired the blooming flowers.

8.5 Overuse or Wordiness

Overloaded: He went to the store with his friend in the afternoon on foot.

Better: He walked to the store with his friend in the afternoon.

8.6 Incorrect Examples and Corrections

Incorrect Correct Explanation
I will see you in Monday. I will see you on Monday. Use on for days.
She arrived on time with a hurry. She arrived on time and in a hurry. Parallel structure needed.
He went inside of the house. He went inside the house. Drop “of”.
The report is under the review. The report is under review. Omit “the”.
At night, she likes to walk on the park. At night, she likes to walk in the park. “In” for enclosed spaces.

9. PRACTICE EXERCISES

9.1 Fill-in-the-Blank (Use the phrase bank)

Phrase Bank: at night, with care, because of the rain, under the bridge, before lunch, in silence, thanks to his help, on weekends, from time to time, for safety reasons

  1. They postponed the picnic __________.
  2. We meditate __________.
  3. The train passes __________.
  4. She studies __________.
  5. The package must be handled __________.
  6. They go hiking __________.
  7. The cat hides __________.
  8. He succeeded __________.
  9. They usually eat out __________.
  10. I like to take a short walk __________.

9.2 Identify the Function

Underline the prepositional phrase and label: Time, Place, Manner, Reason, Condition, Degree, Frequency, or Purpose.

  1. We will meet after the game.
  2. The kids played in the garden.
  3. He fixed the bike with ease.
  4. The event was canceled due to bad weather.
  5. In case of emergency, push the button.
  6. She improved to a large extent.
  7. I call my parents every now and then.
  8. He wore gloves for protection.
  9. They arrived before sunrise.
  10. The team won by a narrow margin.

9.3 Correction Exercise

Identify and correct mistakes.

  1. He will arrive in Monday.
  2. She spoke with loudly voice.
  3. The dog ran inside of the house.
  4. Because of of the accident, the road closed.
  5. They met on the park.
  6. In the night, the owl hunts.
  7. He sang with happiness and confidence.
  8. Owing traffic, we were late.
  9. The letter was sent by mistake accidentally.
  10. At weekends, she relaxes at home.

9.4 Sentence Construction

Write a sentence using each phrase.

  1. under review
  2. with passion
  3. over the years
  4. in a hurry
  5. due to illness
  6. on occasion
  7. for your information
  8. before dawn
  9. inside the building
  10. by a large margin

9.5 Matching Exercise

Phrase Category
because of the rain
at midnight
with a smile
from time to time
in case of emergency
on the roof
to a great extent
for better results

9.6 Answer Keys

Fill-in-the-Blank Answers:

  1. because of the rain
  2. in silence
  3. under the bridge
  4. at night
  5. with care
  6. from time to time
  7. before lunch
  8. thanks to his help
  9. on weekends
  10. for safety reasons

Identify Function Answers:

  1. Time
  2. Place
  3. Manner
  4. Reason
  5. Condition
  6. Degree
  7. Frequency
  8. Purpose
  9. Time
  10. Degree

Correction Exercise Answers:

  1. He will arrive on Monday.
  2. She spoke loudly or with a loud voice.
  3. The dog ran inside the house.
  4. Because of the accident, the road was closed.
  5. They met in the park.
  6. At night, the owl hunts.
  7. He sang with happiness and with confidence.
  8. Owing to traffic, we were late.
  9. The letter was sent by mistake.
  10. On weekends, she relaxes at home.

Matching Exercise Answers:

Phrase Category
because of the rain Reason
at midnight Time
with a smile Manner
from time to time Frequency
in case of emergency Condition
on the roof Place
to a great extent Degree
for better results Purpose

10. ADVANCED TOPICS

10.1 Layering Multiple Adverb Prepositional Phrases

Multiple phrases add rich detail:

She arrived on time with a smile after a long journey.

10.2 Ellipsis and Reduced Phrases

Shortened for style:

After lunch (is over), we’ll meet.

10.3 Idiomatic Expressions with Prepositional Phrases

10.4 Prepositional Phrases in Passive Constructions

The cake was eaten in the morning.

10.5 Distinguishing Prepositional Phrases from Adverb Clauses

10.6 Nuances in Formal vs. Informal Registers

11. FAQ SECTION

  1. What is an adverb prepositional phrase, and how is it different from an adjective prepositional phrase?
    An adverb prepositional phrase modifies verbs, adjectives, or adverbs, answering questions like when, where, how. An adjective prepositional phrase modifies a noun or pronoun, answering which one?
  2. Can a single prepositional phrase modify multiple elements in a sentence?
    Sometimes, especially when modifying compound verbs or adjectives, but clarity is key; otherwise, use separate phrases.
  3. Are there restrictions on where adverb prepositional phrases can be placed?
    Generally flexible, but initial placement often adds emphasis and requires a comma. Avoid confusing placements in the middle of sentences.
  4. What are the most common prepositions used in adverbial phrases?
    At, in, on, by, with, after, before, because of, due to, under, over, near, during.
  5. How can I tell if a prepositional phrase is essential or non-essential?
    If removing it changes the core meaning, it’s essential. If it adds extra detail, it’s non-essential and often comma-separated.
  6. What is the difference between because of and due to?
    Because of modifies verbs and is more neutral. Due to traditionally modifies nouns and is more formal, though in casual speech they’re often interchangeable.
  7. Can multiple adverb prepositional phrases be used in one sentence?
    Yes! Layering adds detail, but avoid overloading sentences and ensure clarity.
  8. Should I always use a comma after an introductory adverb prepositional phrase?
    Use a comma when the phrase is long (4+ words) or for clarity/emphasis. Short phrases can omit it.
  9. How do adverb prepositional phrases improve sentence variety?
    They allow flexible sentence openings and add descriptive detail, making writing richer and more precise.
  10. What are some common idiomatic adverb prepositional phrases?
    By heart, in vain, at a glance, by all means, on purpose, at once.
  11. Are there differences in usage between American and British English?
    Minor; for example, at the weekend (BrE) vs. on the weekend (AmE). Most phrases are common to both.
  12. How can I practice and master using these phrases correctly?
    Read widely, notice usage, complete exercises like those here, write your own sentences, and seek feedback.

12. CONCLUSION

Adverb prepositional phrases are vital tools in English, enabling you to add nuance, clarity, and vivid detail to your communication. By understanding their structure, functions, and usage rules, you can craft more precise and engaging sentences.

This guide provided:

Keep practicing by incorporating these phrases into your speaking and writing. Review the examples and tables regularly. As you master adverb prepositional phrases, you’ll find your English becomes more fluent, expressive, and sophisticated.

Happy learning!

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