Prepositional-Participal-Gerund-Infinitive Phrases

Hi, I need help in deciding what type of phrases these are ( Prepositional-Participal, Gerund, Infinitive or absolute)

1. In spite of a sprained ankle, John won the race. (Prepositional phrase?)

2. My work finished, I went home. (Absolute phrase ?)

3. Is that to much to ask you? (Prepositional phrase ?)
4. Searching diligently, he soon found the lost coin. (Gerund phrase?)

5. Accepting Jesus Christ changed his life completely. ( Infinitive phrase?)

6. Where did you come from?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by raelynn

Hi, I need help in deciding what type of phrases these are ( Prepositional-Participal, Gerund, Infinitive or absolute)

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1. In spite of a sprained ankle, John won the race. (Prepositional phrase)

2. My work finished, I went home. (Absolute phrase)
==> absolutes begin with a noun or a pronoun (i.e. my).

3. Is that too much to ask you? (Infinitive phrase)
==> That is too much to ask you.

4. Searching diligently, he soon found the lost coin. (Gerund phrase)

5. Accepting Jesus Christ changed his life completely. (Gerund phrase)
==> Gerund phrases begin with "-ing" words; Infinitive phrases begin with the word "to".

6. Where did you come from?
==> You came from where? (Prepositional phrase)

:D

You can also combine them:
On arriving at the station, he realised he had lost his ticket.

This would be both a prepositional and a gerund phrase. ;-)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by raelynn

Hi, I need help in deciding what type of phrases these are ( Prepositional-Participal, Gerund, Infinitive or absolute)

1. In spite of a sprained ankle, John won the race. (Prepositional phrase?) (Preposition phrase used as Adverb phrase to modify the verb "won")
2. My work finished, I went home. (Absolute phrase ?) (A phrase made up of the noun "work" and its modifiers, used as Adjective phrase to describe the pronoun "I")
3. Is that too much to ask you? (Prepositional phrase ?) (Infinitive phrase used as Adverb phrase to modify the Adjective "much")
4. Searching diligently, he soon found the lost coin. (Gerund phrase?) (Particple phrase used as Adjective phrase to describe the pronoun "he") Note that "searching" is not a gerund here.
5. Accepting Jesus Christ changed his life completely. ( Infinitive phrase?) (Participle phrase used as Noun phrase, as subject of the verb "changed")
6. Where did you come from? (Preposition phrase [from where] used as Adverb phrase to modify the verb "did come")

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You didn't indicate which is the phrase in each sentence. I have assumed the phrase to be the one in blue colour that I've marked. The answers are in red.

What is your teacher asking for? Or what do you wish to know?

If you want to know types of phrases by construction, they are:
1 Preposition phrase (headed by preposition)
2. Adverb phrase (headed by adverb)
3. Infinitive phrase (headed by the infinitive of a verb)
4. Participle phase (headed by either of the two participles)
5. Phrase consisting of a noun (or nouns) and its modifiers

Phrases by usage:
1. Noun phrase
2. Adjective phrase
3. Adverb phrase

Examples:
1. He wants to start a new business. (Infinitive phrase used as Noun phrase, as object of verb "wants")
2. The law to reduce pollution has wide support. (Infinitive phrase used as Adjective phrase to describe noun "law")
3. They are lucky to have a friend like you. (Infinitive phrase used as adverb phrase to modify adjective "lucky")
4. She went to buy movie tickets. (Infinitive phrase used as Adverb phrase to modify verb "went")

A Verb phrase is a construction, not a usage. It refers to the Infinitive phrase or the Particple phrases.