Types of modifying phrases

1. Absolute phrase: a word group that modifies a whole clause or sentence. Absolute phrases usually consist of a noun followed by a participle or participial phrase. a. He was known to have written, cigarette in mouth, for hours at a time.  2. Appositive phrase: a noun or a noun phrase that renames a nearby noun or pronoun. a. I often read Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, my favorite novel.  3. Prepositional phrase: a phrase beginning with a preposition and ending with a noun or noun equivalent (called the object of the preposition). a. To the hikers, the brief shower was a welcome relief.  4. Participial phrase: a phrase beginning with a present or past participle and its objects, complements, or modifiers. a. *Hint: A present participle and a verb form ending in –ing. A past participle is a verb form ending in –d, -ed, -n, -en, or –t. b. Running every day, Anna hoped to improve her cardiovascular health