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The 1986 Study

Record Number: W4N05

Level 1: Prepositional Phrases

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Current technology makes it extremely difficult to draw lines, etc. from word to word in web documents. In Level One, I have therefore indicated words modified by prepositional phrases in following brackets. These brackets will be deleted in the answer keys to subsequent levels.

     The worst day I had {in my life}  [Adverb to "had" or 

Adjective to "day"] was yesterday, 9/25/86. {On the tire} [Adverb 

to "bruised"] yesterday, I brused my behind. Now it hurts. Plus, 

I almost cracked my head {on the top pole.} [Adverb to 

"cracked"] The next thing that happened yesterday was the 

V.C.R. wouldn't record a show I wanted to watch. Then the 

most worst thing my cat got out and went {in the ceuar.}

[Adverb to "went"] Then he jumped {in another tunnel} [Adverb 

to "jumped"] {in the ceuar.} [Adjective to "tunnel"] Finally when 

we left he came out. I thought he would fall {in the deep, 

deep, hole} [Adverb to "would fall"] Then I had to take care {of 

Mack.} [Adverb to "take care" or Adjective to "care"] Note #1 Boyy!! 

Was he heavy Then I had homework. I was pooped {at the 

end} [Adverb to "was pooped"] {of the day!} [Adjective to "end"]

Yesterday, I was left {in the car} [Adverb to "was left"] {with my

baby brother.} [Adverb to "was left"] When we were {in the car}

 [Adverb to "were"] it was raining, thundering, and lightning. As 

soon as Mark finished his bottle, he was scared {to death.} 

[Adverb to "was scared"] I was scared, too. I told myself "If dad 

doesn't come now, I'm going in Note #2 {with Mark."} [Adverb

to "going"] So I did. When I was {out of the car,} [Adverb to 

"was"] here comes my dad!  Whoo! I thought we were going to

get hurt. But we didn't. 

     What is your favorite gem? I had a great time yesterday. 

There's this hill {next to my driveway,} [Adverb to "is" or 

Adjective to "hill"] and when you go {down it} [Adverb to "go"]

{on your bike,} [Adverb to "go"] it's {like a roller coaster!} 

[Adjective to "it"] Note #3{During the summer} [Adverb to "had to 

go"] I had to go {to playcamp.} [Adverb to "had to go"]  One day 

{at playcamp,}  [Adjective to "day" or Adverb to "went"] we went 

{to Kings Dominion.} [Adverb to "went"] We got there {by a 

Blue Bird Bus.} [Adverb to "got"] When we got there we split 

{into four groups.} [Adverb to "split"] My group people were 

Diane, Tereasa, Matthew, and me. First we went {on Smurf 

Mountain Roller Coaster!} [Adverb to "went"]  I sat {with my 

best friend Tereasa. Note # 4} [Adverb to "sat"] Boy! Was that 

fun! Then we went {on the Diamond Falls Ride!} [Adverb to 

"went"] We went up, up, up, and we turned and went {down 

the slide,} [Adverb to "went"] and Splash! I was soaked!  Then 

we went {in the Troll Mines.} [Adverb to "went"] I didn't look 

because I was afraid something would pop out {in front of 

me.} [Adverb to "would pop out"] Then we went {on the swings, 

Scooby-Doo, Fairis Wheel,} [Adverb to "went"] played a game, 

climbed a net and when we got {to the top} [Adverb to "got"]

Tereasa and I went {down the giant tube slide,} [Adverb to 

"went"] we were going to go {on White Water Canion} [Adverb 

to "were going to go"] but it was closed. Then we got some 

lunch. Then we played one more game, and I won a Giant 

Pink Dog!  I'll bring him one day, just tell me when! 

Yesterday, my mom went to start a fire, and when she 

opened it, there was a big mouse! You see we have a cat 

and each time he comes in, we think he brings in a mouse or 

something and stores it somewhere.
 

Notes

1. Grammarians will argue forever about constructions like this, but such arguments only confuse and frustrate students. It makes much more sense to accept either answer and move on.

2. I have not counted this "in" because most students at this level will not recognize a phrase with its object ellpised. This case is even more complex because the ellised object is unclear -- it could mean "in the house," or "in the store," etc.

3. Expect students to have problems with this. Analyzed in this way, the phrase functions as a predicate adjective, which the students will not have studied yet. Second, at level two, "looks like" can be viewed as a verb ("resembles") with "roller coaster" as a predicate noun.

4. I have included "Tereasa" in the prepositional phrase because that is probably the way that most students will analyze this passage. In level five, "Tereasa" would be analyzed as an appositive.
 
 

Progress:
Total Words = 449 Words %
L1: In Prep Phrases  125  28

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