Grammar Queen, can you please explain what a prepositional phrase is and why it’s important?

Why, of course I can explain. The root word of preposition is position. Thus, a preposition is a part of speech that helps a verb by explaining some aspect of the positioning of the verb. The “pre” is simply alluding to English syntax; other languages have postpositional phrases. Shrug.

A prepositional phrase is the preposition and the verb’s object (a noun) with any modifiers stuck in there to make the sentence descriptive.

I originally learned about prepositions with the mouse and house analogy. A preposition describes a mouse in relation to a house. It can be in the house, on the house, under the house, around the house, etc. This is a little simplistic, but it certainly works for garden-variety prepositions. Is it possible to come up with exceptions? Please, I think I was seven when my mother used this teaching tool.

Why is it improper grammar to end a sentence with a preposition? Well, a preposition is a transitional word connecting the verb and its object (normally a noun). So a preposition without the rest of its prepositional phrase is a bridge to nowhere. However, transformational grammarians (the quantum physicists of grammar) agree that in modern usage, the prepositional object can be implied. They also don’t have difficulties with split infinitives, so take that with a pinch of salt.

Why are prepositional phrases important? They’re the rest of the sentence after the verb.

Oh, and if you want to understand the title of this post, watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4jIC5HLBdM

I do not understand why The Powers That Be ever took Schoolhouse Rock off the air. It, well, rocked.

-Val, sometimes a grammar queen, but usually just a grammar geek