Chapter 04-03: Phrases III – Analyzing Examples – ALIC

chapter 4: analyzing examples

The English language is messy, and many times analyzing for grammatical elements is not always as obvious as the simple examples that we use on the content pages. So to assist your ability to analyze all the different texts you may encounter as you read, we want to offer a few more sample analyses of more difficult texts.

For these more complicated examples, we review some or all of the key features discussed in Chapter 5. Please review these examples closely, trying to understand the choices made for the analysis. As always, if you have any questions, please ask your instructor or start a conversation in your work group.

Analyzing for Prepositional Phrases – Example #1

Adapted from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald:

His house had never seemed so enormous to me as it did that night when we hunted through the great rooms for cigarettes. We pushed aside curtains that were like pavilions, and felt over innumerable feet of dark wall for electric light switches—once I tumbled with a sort of splash upon the keys of a ghostly piano. There was an inexplicable amount of dust everywhere, and the rooms were musty, as though they hadn’t been aired for many days. I found the humidor on an unfamiliar table, with two stale, dry cigarettes inside. Throwing open the French windows of the drawing-room, we sat smoking out into the darkness.

For this example, we’ll analyze how each of the prepositional phrases are functioning in the context of the sentence. Begin by identifying the prepositions, verifying it is followed by a nominal only, then determining who the words are “hanging out with”:

Prepositional Phrases

to me – adverbial prepositional phrase
through the great rooms – adverbial prepositional phrase
for cigarettes – adverbial prepositional phrase
over innumerable feet – adverbial prepositional phrase
of dark wall – adjectival prepositional phrase, modifying FEET
for electric light switches – adverbial prepositional phrase
with a sort – adverbial prepositional phrase
of splash – adjectival prepositional phrase, modifying SORT
upon the keys – adverbial prepositional phrase
of a ghostly piano – adjectival prepositional phrase, modifying KEYS
of dust – adjectival prepositional phrase, modifying AMOUNT
for many days – adverbial prepositional phrase
on an unfamiliar table – adverbial prepositional phrase
with two stale, dry cigarettes – adverbial prepositional phrase
of the drawing-room – adjectival prepositional phrase, modifying WINDOWS
into the darkness – adverbial prepositional phrase

Analyzing for Prepositional Phrases – Example #2

Adapted from The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie:

I took an early opportunity of testing that statement by stationing my friend Monsieur Hastings in the left wing of the building, just outside Mrs. Cavendish’s door. I myself, in company with the police, went to the deceased’s room, and whilst there I, apparently accidentally, knocked over the table in question, but found that, as I had expected, Monsieur Hastings had heard no sound at all.

Prepositional Phrases

of testing that statement – adjectival prepositional phrase, modifying OPPORTUNITY
by stationing my friend . . . – adverbial prepositional phrase
in the left wing – adverbial prepositional phrase
of the building – adjectival prepositional phrase, modifying WING
outside Mrs. Cavendish’s door – adverbial prepositional phrase
in company – adverbial prepositional phrase
with the police – adjectival prepositional phrase, modifying COMPANY
to the deceased’s room – adverbial prepositional phrase
whilst there – adverbial prepositional phrase
in question – adjectival prepositional phrase, modifying TABLE
at all – adverbial prepositional phrase

Note on Other Elements

KNOCKED OVER is a main verb phrase, with OVER being a verb particle, not a preposition, and THE TABLE is the direct object of KNOCKED OVER

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