介系詞片語 (prepositional phrases) 是由介系詞及其後的受詞所組成。介系詞片語中最常見的受詞是名詞 (片語) 和代名詞,但副詞 (片語) (通常是地點或時間副詞)、動名詞以及較不常見的介系詞片語和 wh-子句亦可當介系詞片語中的受詞。例如:
- He’s sitting at the table in the corner. (他坐在角落的一張桌子旁)
- 介系詞 (at, in) + 名詞片語 (the table, the corner)。 - They work during the night and sleep by day. (他們夜裡工作,白天睡覺)
- 介系詞 (during) + 名詞片語 (the night)。 - I’ll be with you in a second. (我馬上就過來)
- 介系詞 (with) + 代名詞 (you)。 - They’re over there. (他們在那裡)
- 介系詞 (over) + 副詞 (there)。 - I live near here. (我住在這附近)
- 介系詞 (near) + 副詞 (here)。 - It’s so cold in here. Shut the door! (這裡面/屋內好冷。把門關上!)
- 介系詞 (in) + 副詞 (here)。 - Until quite recently, no one knew about his paintings. (直到最近,沒有人知道他的畫作)
- 介系詞 (until) + 副詞片語 (quite recently)。 - That’s a machine for making popcorn. (那是一台製作爆米花的機器)
- 介系詞 (for) + 動名詞 (making)。 - She’s decided on taking a writing course. (她決定修讀一門寫作課)
- 介系詞 (on) + 動名詞 (taking)。 - If you can wait until after my meeting with Kevin, we can talk then. (如果你能等到我和凱文會面之後,屆時我們就可以談談)
- 介系詞 (until) + 介系詞片語 (after my meeting with Kevin)。 - We were really surprised at what they said. (我們對他們所說的話感到非常驚訝)
- 介系詞 (at) + wh-子句 (what they said)。