What word does this prepositional phrase modify?

Question

Hi! With regard to the following sentence, my son's homework has him identify the prepositional phrase and the word it modifies:

A.A. Milne wrote Winnie the Pooh about a lovable bear.

The prepositional phrase is "about a lovable bear." What word does this phrase modify? The curriculum answer key says it modifies the word "wrote." However, it seems to me it actually modifies Winnie the Pooh.

Answer 1

The prepositional phrase “about a lovable bear” tells what A.A. Milne wrote. So it modifies the verb “wrote”, not “Winnie the Pooh.”

Think of it this way: the phrase explains the action of writing, not the name of the book.

Answer 2

To be honest, this sentence is not very well written. I would revise it to read, "A. A. Milne wrote Winnie the Pooh, a book about a lovable bear." In this case, the preposition would be modifying "book."

I know this is over a year late, but this question makes me curious about the curriculum from which the question is drawn.

Answer 3

Hi!

I would say that you are correct in thinking that it modifies "Winnie the Pooh". I believe it modifies this noun because it tells WHAT the writing is about. If the prepositional phrase told HOW or WHEN it was written (e.g. "in 1926"), then it would modify the verb.

Let me know if you have any other questions! :)

Answer 4

The main function of preposition is to tell the reader the amount of an item, a property, of item, or a service. How much did you pay for the car==Much modifies "did pay," so because the preposition, much, modifies a verb phrase, it is an adverbial phrase.

A preposition now tell where the is going. The man is going away from the van. near the park. away modifies is going and is adverbial. from the van modifies is also adverbial. adjectives modify nound: The girl in yellow is a friend. in yellow is modifying a noun, and is an adjective phrase.,