A prepositional phrase that modifies a verb, an adjective, or an adverb is called an adverbial prepositional phrase or an adverbial phrase.
It answers the questions how, when, where, or why.
Read the selection.
Voyager 2 was launched in 1977 to travel out into space. It is a deep space probe that will help in studying some of the planets in our solar system.
In space, Voyager 2 takes superb pictures and sends them back to Earth on radio waves. These radio waves or signals fly through space. They travel at a speed of 186,000 miles per second. This probe also carries messages stored in long-playing records. These messages are basically for any intelligent beings who may exist in outer space.
Voyager 2 is very important to space experts because it is the first space probe to pass through the four outer planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. At present, Voyager 2 continues its explorations.
The italicized words in the selection are prepositional phrases.
Study the chart, which shows the prepositional phrases, the words they modify, and the parts of speech of the word/s modified.
| Prepositional Phrase | Modified Word/s | Part of Speech |
|---|---|---|
| in 1997 | was launched | Verb |
| into space | out | Adverb |
| to Earth | back | Adverb |
| through space | fly | Verb |
| at a speed | travel | Verb |
| in long-playing records | stored | Verb |
| in outer space | may exist | Verb |
| to space experts | important | Adjective |
These prepositional phrases are called adverbial prepositional phrases, because they modify a verb, an adjective, or an adverb.
Like adverbs, adverbial prepositional phrases also answers the questions how, when, where, or why.