What is a Prepositional Phrase?

A prepositional phrase is a group of words which functions as an adjective or adverb, and is made up of a preposition and its object. The object can be a noun, pronoun, gerund or even a clause. Furthermore, the object of the preposition could often have one or more modifiers to describe it.

A prepositional phrase that functions as an adjective will answer the question: Which one?

Examples:

The gift inside the big box is mine.

-Which gift?  -The one inside the big box.

The car beside the green one is the one I want to buy.

-Which car? –The one beside the green car.

I like to tell stories about the war of Troy.

-Which stories? –The stories about the war of Troy.

A prepositional phrase that functions as an adverb will answer questions such as: How? When? Where?

Examples:

Without a GPS, we lost our way.

-How did we lose our way? –Without a GPS.

Until today, I have never finished a relationship.

-When? –Until today

I would like to live in New York.

-Where do I like to live? –In New York.