Name Grammar
4.4.1
Prepositions
A preposition is a word that shows the connection between other words in the
sentence. Some prepositions are used to show time, location, and direction. Other
prepositions, such as with and about, provide details.
time We played until bedtime.
location The dog sleeps on his own bed.
direction She walked into the corner store.
detail The dog with the pink collar is mine.
> Underline the preposition in each sentence. Tell if it describes time, location,
direction, or detail.
1. My friends and I built a doghouse in the backyard.
2. On the doghouse, we painted a white bone.
3. We worked throughout the afternoon.
4. We stopped once and drank lemonade with ice.
5. My dog Oscar had always slept with me.
6. I can see the doghouse from my window.
7. Its entrance faces toward the house.
8. The elm tree will provide shade during the summer.
9. She put the newspapers into the box.
10. The lightning struck over the field.
> Revisit a piece of your writing. Edit the draft to make sure prepositions are used
correctly.
Grade 5 • Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases Printable
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Name Grammar
4.4.2
Prepositional Phrases
A prepositional phrase adds information to a sentence. It can tell where, when, or
how, or it can add detail. It begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or
pronoun. The noun or pronoun is the object of the preposition.
where Holly is the feature editor for our local newspaper.
when She became editor in 2011.
how She writes her stories on the computer.
detail She often writes stories about dogs and cats.
> Underline the prepositional phrase. Then write the object of the preposition on the
line and where, when, how, or detail to tell what information the phrase adds.
1. Holly interviewed several people about their pets.
2. She walked throughout the neighborhood.
3. During her interviews, she discovered some interesting facts.
4. She also took photos with her camera.
5. One dog can jump ten feet off the ground.
6. To her amazement, she even saw one dog smile.
7. One cat with very white teeth helps advertise pet toothbrushes.
8. By Tuesday afternoon, Holly had written her article.
9. Before the show, they all gathered backstage.
10. The man and his dog walked around the track.
> Revisit a piece of your writing. Edit the draft to make sure prepositional phrases are
used correctly.
Grade 5 • Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases Printable
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Name Grammar
4.4.3
Combining Sentences
A prepositional phrase can be used to combine two sentences.
Short sentences: My dog loves his treats. He has one in the
morning and at night.
Combined sentence: My dog loves his treats in the
morning and at night.
> Rewrite the two short sentences by combining them into one sentence using a
prepositional phrase.
1. Our dog Fritz loves to look out the window. The window is in our living room.
2. Fritz barks at the mail carrier. The mail carrier is by the front door.
3. Fritz and I play with the ball. We play in the yard.
4. I take Fritz for a walk. We walk along the river.
5. Fritz chased a squirrel up a tree. We were at the park.
> Revisit a piece of your writing. Edit the draft to make sure prepositional phrases are
used correctly.
Grade 5 • Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases Printable
© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Name Grammar
4.4.5
Connect to Writing: Using Prepositions and
Prepositional Phrases
> Read the selection and choose the best answer to each question.
Blake wrote a paragraph about his dogs. Read his paragraph and look for any revisions he
should make. Then answer the questions that follow.
Our Dogs
(1) My dogs are my best friends. (2) They like to play near a tree in
the backyard. (3) We gave the dogs a bath. (4) We put them in our bathtub.
(5) During the summer, we exercise the dogs after dinner. (6) We run with
the dogs on the beach. (7) I keep a photograph of my dogs on a shelf in my
room.
1. Which shows the best way to combine Sentences 3 and 4 by using a preposition?
A. We gave the dogs a bath and the bathtub.
B. We gave the dogs a bath we put them in our bathtub.
C. We gave the dogs a bath in our bathtub.
D. Make no change.
2. Which shows the best way to combine Sentences 5 and 6 by using a preposition?
A. During the summer, we exercise the dogs after dinner on the beach.
B. D
uring the summer we exercise the dogs after dinner we run with
them.
C. D
uring the summer, we exercise the dogs after dinner run on the
beach.
D. Make no change.
> Do you have a pet? Write two or three sentences about it.
Grade 5 • Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases Printable
© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
