Which term describes a phrase consisting of a preposition and its object?

• A. Propositional phrase
• B. Prepositional phrase
• C. Gerund
• D. Infinitive

Answer: (A)

A phrase consisting of a preposition and its object is called a prepositional phrase. The preposition shows the relationship, and the object is the noun or pronoun that completes that relationship. Together they form a unit that can describe location, time, direction, or other details. For example, in the park, on her birthday, or to the store each shows a relationship between words and can function inside a sentence as a descriptor.

This is different from a gerund, which is a verb form ending in -ing used as a noun (like Swimming is fun), and an infinitive, which is to + a verb (like to eat), which can function as a noun, adjective, or adverb. It’s also not a commonly used term; a prepositional phrase specifically centers on a preposition and its object acting together as a unit.