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Word Order in Noun Phrases and Prepositional

Phrases
Make students aware of the order in noun phrases and prepositional
phrases. This can be done using all the exercises in the book:

Meeting • Noun phrases which can work as subjects, objects, appositives

are formed by the noun and its modifiers. These modifiers
normally follow a certain order and on the answer choices you
December 8, 2009 should be careful with the order:

Determiners
D t i * adverb(s)**
*+ d b( )** + adjectives(s)
dj ti ( ) + noun
The incredibly fast runner / a very good opportunity

• Order in Prepositional Phrases:

Antonieta Arellano Prep. + Determiners* + adverb(s)** + adjectives(s) + noun
in the very comfortable living room / during my first class

* Determiners can be: articles, poss.prons., every, each, etc.

**Adverbs appear if there is an adjective to modify.

Exercise 2, Skill 2: Be Careful of Objects of

Prepositions, pp. 100-101
1. The interview by radio broadcasters was carried live by the station.
2. In the last possible moment before takeoff he took his seat in the airplane.
Penicillin, probably _______, came into
3. At the neighborhood flower shop, flowers in quantities of a dozen or a half dozen
can be delivered for free.
widespread use after the Second World War.
4. The progressive reading methods at this school are given credit for the improved
test scores.
(A) an antibiotic of known
5. For the last three years at various hospitals in the county she has been practicing
medicine.
(B) was known the antibiotic
6. In the past a career in politics was not considered acceptable in some circles. (C) the best-known antibiotic
7. Shopping in the downtown area of the city has improved a lot in recent years.
8. At the building site the carpenters with the most experience were given the most (D) known best antibiotic
intricate work.
9. For the fever and headache I took two aspirin tablets.
10. The report with complete documentation was delivered at the conference. From: ETS practice books.

Thomas Jefferson served as president of the ___ of tissues is known as histology.

American Philosophical Society, an organization
that encouraged _____ of scientific and (A)Studying scientific
intellectual research. (B) The scientific study
(A) ranging wide (C) To study scientifically
(B) a wide range (D)That is scientific studying
(C) which ranged widely
(D) a widely ranging
From: ETS practice books.

From: ETS practice books.

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Jackie Robinson, _______ to play baseball in the

major leagues, joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in
1947. A lodestone is ______
(A)the Black American who first A) an occurring naturally magnet
( ) the first Black American
(B) B) a magnet naturally occuring
(C) was the first Black American C) naturally a magnet occuring
(D)the first and a Black American who D) a naturally occuring magnet

From: ETS practice books.

From: Rogers, Bruce. Complete Guide to the TOEFL Test.

Missing object Examples of Objects from Ex. 2, Skill 2, pp. 100-

• Some items require you to identify a missing object. Objects 101
normally come after the main verb or the verb of one of the
dependent clauses. 1. In the last possible moment before takeoff he took his seat in
• When the item has a blank after a verb with tense, you the airplane.
normally have to look for the object. 2. The progressive reading methods at this school are given
• To identify the object, think about what (D.O.)or who (I.D.) credit for the improved test scores.
receives
i th
the action
ti off th
the verbb di
directly
tl or iindirectly.
di tl 3 For the last three years at various hospitals in the county she
3.
• The object can be a proper noun, a pronoun, or a noun has been practicing medicine.
phrase. 4. At the building site the carpenters with the most experience
• In the options that include noun phrases you have to be were given the most intricate work.
careful with the correct order of the words. 5. For the fever and headache I took two aspirin tablets.
• Remember the normal order for noun phrases is:
– Determiner + adverb/s (modify adj.) + adjective/s + noun

Missing Object
The protection of technologies and
technological information has become ____ of
many nations.
Examples A the importance of a concern
A.
B. a concern of important
C. the importance concerning
D. an important concern
From: ETS practice books.

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The monarch butterfly’s migration of 1,800 By the 1950’s, Mahalia Jackson’s powerful,
miles or more makes _____ among insects. joyous gospel music style had gained her _____.
A. uniquely A. and she had an international reputation
B. is uniquely B. with an international reputation
C. it unique C. which was her international reputacion
D. it is unique D. an international reputation

From: ETS practice books. From: ETS practice books.

Cold temperatures, short growing seasons, and

Broadway musical comedy has been called heavy snows prevent ________ at high
_______ of the United States to the modern elevations.
theater. (A) grow trees
(A) the major contribution that (B) the
th growthth off ttrees
(B) what is the major contribution (C) trees are growing
(C) the major contribution (D) and growth of trees
(D) to the major contribution
From: ETS practice books.
From: ETS practice books.

Skills 56-57: Problems with Prepositions Prepositions

Prepositions are not only used to show time, place, and agent, but are
Prepositions also used in combination with verbs, adjectives, nouns, and in many
common set expressions. Some important groups are:

Literal way Idiomatic way 1. Verb + Preposition

depend on lead to
It’s very far 2. Adjective/Participle + Preposition
Means exactly
from the real surprised at famous for
what
h you expect
meaning 3. Noun + Preposition
example of possibility of
Example 4. Other Combinations with Prepositions
as a result of in addition to
The boy ran up the mountain. v/s I call up my friend. 5. Prepositions of Time and Place
on May 16 in Washington
6. Prepositions in Common Expressions
Literal / Idiomatic meaning at present in general

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OTHER COMBINATIONS WITH PREPOSITIONS

VERB + PREPOSITION according to in the process of
account for contribute to insist on plan on as a consequence of in view of
believe in depend on lead to rely on as a result of on account of
belong to detach from obtain from result in because of on behalf of
confined to fight for overcome by withdraw from by means of on the basis of
in addition to prior to
ADJECTIVE/PARTICIPLE + PREPOSITION in spite of with the exception of
in terms of with the purpose of
accustomed to different from necessary for responsible for
afraid of expert at opossed to successful in PREPOSITIONS IN COMMON EXPRESSIONS
based on free from possible for surprised at at times by land/sea/air
compared to famous for related to typical of at present by far
at first/last by chance
NOUN + PREPOSITION at the moment by accident
cause of equivalent of influence on result of by day/night
cost of evidence of need for use of in common on fire
danger of example of possibility of solution to in general on the other hand
effect on increase in reason for supply of
in existence on the whole
in the future/past on purpose
in theory on land

PREPOSITIONS OF TIME AND PLACE PREPOSITIONS OF TIME AND PLACE

• Prepositions of Time
at time of day (at 8 a.m.) • Prepositions of Place
noon, night midnight
at address (at 200 Main Street)
in parts of the day (in the
morning/evening/afternoon) on street/road/avenue (on Kings Road)
month (in July)
season (in the fall)
in building (in the drugstore)
year (in 1980) city (in Los Angeles)
decade (in the 1980s) state (in California)
century (in the nineteenth century)
on days of the week (on Monday) country (in Japan)
dates (on March 20) continent (in Africa)
for/since duration of time (for three days)
point in time (since March 20) from . . . to from beginning point . . . to ending
from . . . to from beginning time . . . to ending (from 8 a.m. point (from Alaska to California)
to 5 p.m.)

Skill 56-57: Problems with Prepositions

Skill 56: Sometimes an incorrect preposition is given in a

sentence in the Written Expression section of the TOEFL.

The game was called on because of the rain.

It must be called off – (canceled)
I knew I could count in you to do a good job.
It must be count on someone

Skill 57: Sometimes a necessary preposition has been omitted

from a sentence in the Written Expression section of the TOEFL. Examples
l
Can you wait me after the game.
It should be: wait for me.
I plan attending the meeting.
It should be: plan on attending.

Review: Appendix D from Longman’s TOEFL Preparation Course for the

TOEFL Test. The Paper Test.

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Recognize Incorrect Prepositions Recognize when Prepositions have been omitted

• At the fourth century B.C., the “thumbs up” • Hollywood, a famous center of movie
A A B
gesture was used to give silent instructions to and record production is located
B
C
Etruscan gladiators in the arena about whether or
C D Southern California.
not to spare an opponent’s life. D

(In) (in Southern California)

• 1. The rocky island of Alcatraz in San Francisco

Bay (A) was discovered by (B) the Spanish in
1769 (C) and named by (D) its large pelican
Exercise from: colony
Broukal, Milada. In-A-Flash: Grammar for the
TOEFL Test.
• 2. Bacteria are responible of (A) many of the
textures (B) and flavors in our food (C) and are
particularly important in (D) milk products.

• 3. Art Nouveau, a style that was in fashion (A) • 5. Wood, the hardened material from which
in the 1890s (B), was based of (C) long curving (A) trees are composed (B), is made up of
lines inspired by (D) clmibing plants. millions (C) of tiny tubes of fibers (D) packed
together.

• 4. The brain is made up of (A) billions of • 6. Animals that live in areas (A) that are
neurons (B) that differ with (C) each other covered in (B) snow in winter (C) change the
greatly in size and shape (D). color of their coat according (D) the seasons.

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• 7. The need for vitamins (A) of our diet (B) was
discovered by (C) the Dutch doctor Christian
Eijkman in 1896 (D).
• 8. Many of the satellites (A) of space (B) carry
telescopes and other instruments used in
astronomy (C) to look at the stars (D).
• 9. Homes that have cable television get their
programs (A) from a local television station (B)
through a cable (C) connected with (D) the
set.
set
• 10. Henry David Thoreau stressed the
importance in (A) individuality and of living (B)
in harmony (C) with nature (D).

• Answers:
• 11. The hormone insulin controls by (A) the 1. D
amount of sugar (B) in the blood (C) which 2. A
3. C
provides energy (D) for the body. 4. C
5
5. B
6. D
• 12. Frogs get much of their (A) oxygen by 7. B
means blood (B) capillaries in the surface (C) 8. B
9. D
of the skin (D) 10. A
11. A
12. B

Bibliography:
Broukal, Milada. In-A-Flash: Grammar for the TOEFL Test. New Jersey:
Thomson Learning, Inc. 2001.
Educational Testing Service. TOEFL Sample Test. 6th. Edition. New Jersey:
ETS 1998.
Phillips,
hilli Deborah.
b h Longman Preparation i Course for
f the
h TEFL Test. The
h Paper
Test. New York: Pearson Education, 2003.
Phillips, Deborah. Longman Preparation Course for the TEFL Test. The Paper
Test. CD-ROM. New York: Pearson Education, 2003.
Rogers, Bruce. Complete Guide to the TOEFL Test. CBT Edition. New Jersey:
Thomson Learning, Inc. 2001.