What is a prepositional phrase and what is a participial phrase?

A participial phrase starts with a participle. A prepositional phrase starts with a preposition.

A participial phrasei starts with either a participle or a particple. It acts as an adjective .

ex: The boy, frightened by the thunder , ran to his mother.

The phrase **frightened by the thunder** starts with a past participle. It describes the boy.

ex: Shivering with cold , the man wandered through the forest.

"Shivering with cold" starts with a present participle. It describes the man.

A prepositional phrase starts with a preposition and is followed by an object. A prepositional phrase acts either as adjective or adverb .

ex: The lady between the two men is my aunt.

"Between the two men" describes or modifies the lady. (Ask: Which lady? Ans: the lady between the two men) The phrase acts as adjective.

ex: The bird perched on the branch .

"On the branch" tells where the bird perched. The phrase acts as an adverb.

Note: Notice that a participle followed by a prepositional phrase becomes a participial phrase.

ex: 1. frightened by the thunder frightened --- past participle by the thunder --- prepositional phrase

ex 2. shivering with cold shivering -- present participle with cold ---prepositional phrase