fronted prepositional phrase

In English, we often put where or when something happens before the subject of the clause.  We can focus the reader or listener on a prepositional phrase.  Here is a long example of fronting with two prepositional phrases:

And for the first time in my life, I felt something good.

Listen to the sentence.

Notice the comma between the prepositional phrase and the clause:

, I felt …

 

*Side note, ‘for the first time in‘ is the 17th most frequent 5-word Ngram in English. 

iWeb 83,907

In the English Grammar Profile (EGP), A2 point 1 and the only point in the category of FOCUS / fronting is defined as:

a prepositional phrases in the front position for focus.


A search in iWeb corpus for:

. _I * * *

*Note, many of these are not the simple time or location phrases found in the A2 EGP examples,

such as: ‘In my country‘.

Complex adverbs in fixed expressions (idiom) have the form of prepositional phrases, too.

For example, ‘As a result‘.

 

1 . AS A RESULT, 195850 Probably B2

The phrase “As a result,” is often used at the beginning of a sentence to indicate the consequence or outcome of an event or action mentioned in a previous sentence. It’s a transitional phrase that connects the cause and effect in a text, making the writing more coherent and logical.

In terms of grammar, “As a result,” is followed by a comma and precedes a clause (a group of words containing a subject and predicate) that describes the outcome or effect.

In the sentence “As a result, we were able to finish the project ahead of schedule,” the phrase “As a result,” implies that something happened (not mentioned in this sentence), and the consequence of that event or action was that “we were able to finish the project ahead of schedule.” The exact cause isn’t stated in this sentence, but it would have been mentioned in the context or previous sentences.

So, it’s used to show cause and effect relationships between two clauses or sentences. It helps to make your writing more clear and organized by showing how your thoughts are connected.

Here’s an example of a sentence that could precede it: “Our team worked diligently and put in extra hours every day.” As a result, we were able to finish the project ahead of schedule. The first sentence provides the cause (the team working diligently and putting in extra hours), and the second sentence (“As a result, we were able to finish the project ahead of schedule”) provides the effect or result of that cause.

2 . IN OTHER WORDS, 181088 B2
3 . ON THE OTHER HAND 156769
4 . AT THE SAME TIME 117107 B1
5 . IN THIS CASE, 104769 B2 EVP
6 . FOR MORE INFORMATION, 102640

For more information, please visit our website.

google.com

7 . AT THE END OF 99183
8 . IN FACT, THE 81036 B1 emphasis:

In factthe chances that you get rejected

 at some point in your life,

 at some point this year, are high.

TED

9 . IN THE CASE OF 70996
10 . IN ADDITION TO THE 69823
11 . IN SOME CASES , 52326
12 . FOR MORE INFORMATION ON 52196
13 . FOR THIS REASON , 51135
14 . IN FACT, IT 49821
15 . IN THE END, 49141
16 . IN FACT, I 44815
17 . IN THE MEANTIME, 43070

As I lose my sight,

 I experienced this degeneration 

the way you might expect: as a loss.
In the meantime,

 I feel privileged to still be able to see things like sunsets 

or tree frogs or celebrity breakfasts on Instagram.

TED

18 . FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT 40673
19 . AT THIS POINT, 38125
20 . BY THE END OF 37546
21 . AS A RESULT OF 36124
22 . IN MOST CASES, 34806
23 . BECAUSE OF THIS, 34282
24 . AT THE TIME, 33114
25 . IN ANY CASE, 31955
26 . BY THE WAY, 31468

By the way, youre gonna get your legs back.

listen

27 . ON TOP OF THAT 27914
28 . IN THAT CASE, 27465 B2

We had AI complete results 29-100:

  1. In the past, people used to communicate through letters.
  2. In this way, we can solve the problem more efficiently.
  3. For the first time, I felt truly free.
  4. At the time of the incident, I was at home.
  5. As part of the agreement, we will provide technical support.
  6. In many cases, a simple apology can mend the situation.
  7. Over the years, our friendship has only grown stronger.
  8. With the help of my team, we completed the project on time.
  9. At that time, I was not aware of the consequences.
  10. In my opinion, honesty is the best policy.
  11. In the event of an emergency, call this number.
  12. Other than that, everything was perfect.
  13. On the contrary, he was very kind to everyone he met.
  14. Over the course of my career, I have learned many valuable lessons.
  15. As a matter of fact, she has already left for Paris.
  16. For those of you who don’t know me, I am John Doe.
  17. In the event that you can’t attend, please let us know in advance.
  18. In fact, you are one of the best students in this class.
  19. At that point, I realized I had made a mistake.
  20. In doing so, you may risk losing your job.
  21. On the one hand, it’s a great opportunity, but on the other hand, it’s a big responsibility.
  22. After all, the journey matters more than the destination.

 

  1. In this article, we will discuss the impact of climate change.
  2. In fact, they were the first to reach the summit.
  3. With that in mind, we should proceed with caution.
  4. In fact, we have already started the project.
  5. During this time, we have made significant progress.
  6. At the very least, we should consider all options.
  7. As an example, consider a situation where you have to choose between two jobs.
  8. In recent years, there has been a surge in the use of renewable energy.
  9. In fact, there is a need for more sustainable practices.
  10. In addition to this, we also need to consider other factors.
  11. In fact, if we don’t act now, it might be too late.
  12. In this example, you can see how the law of gravity works.
  13. At this time, we are unable to provide more details.
  14. In fact, he was the one who proposed this idea.
  15. For that reason, we decided to change our approach.
  16. Along the way, we learned many valuable lessons.
  17. With that said, it’s important to keep an open mind.
  18. In the United States, there are many national parks worth visiting.
  19. For one thing, it’s important to stay positive.
  20. With this in mind, let’s move forward with our plan.
  21. In these cases, it’s best to consult with a professional.
  22. To that end, we have set up a committee to look into this matter.
  23. In fact, this is one of our most ambitious projects yet.
  24. In fact, a new study shows the benefits of regular exercise.
  25. As such, the event has been postponed until further notice.

 

  1. With the exception of a few, everyone arrived on time.
  2. At the beginning of the year, we set ambitious goals.
  3. After all, it is our responsibility to protect the environment.
  4. In the absence of clear evidence, we cannot make a decision.
  5. In the same way, we must respect each other’s opinions.
  6. At one point, I thought about giving up, but I persevered.
  7. In fact, in most situations, communication is key to resolving conflicts.
  8. In such cases, it’s best to consult an expert.
  9. For some reason, I felt uneasy about the situation.
  10. In either case, we will support your decision.
  11. In fact, many people share your concerns.
  12. In this case, the solution is quite straightforward.
  13. Prior to that, I had never traveled abroad.
  14. On the other side of the river, there is a beautiful park.
  15. In my case, I prefer to work early in the morning.
  16. As such, it requires careful planning and execution.
  17. In an effort to reduce waste, we started composting at home.
  18. In addition to being a talented artist, she is also a great teacher.
  19. Since then, the city has grown rapidly.
  20. By the time the sun set, we had reached our campsite.
  21. In my experience, patience and persistence often lead to success.
  22. At the age of twenty, he started his own company.
  23. In addition to his duties as a teacher, he also coaches the soccer team.
  24. At the moment, we are working on several new projects.
  25. To this end, we have introduced several new initiatives.

A1 prepositions:
as, at, for, in, of, on, to, with

A2 vocabulary at the lowest sense:
by, case, cases, fact, information, point, reason, way

 


The examples in the EGP follow the pattern:

_ii _a _nn ,

(in the iWeb corpus will require checking against the English Vocabulary Profile too.)

1 AS A RESULT, 290795
2 IN THE WORLD, 190027
3 AT THE TIME, 168187
4 IN THE PAST, 163602
5 IN THE END, 144888
6 BY THE WAY, 138727
7 OVER THE YEARS, 122255
8 IN THE FUTURE, 103232
9 AROUND THE WORLD, 97683
10 IN THE MEANTIME, 94573
11 IN MY OPINION, 90529
12 AT THE MOMENT, 76707
13 AT A TIME, 75724
14 IN THE MORNING, 69197
15 IN THE COUNTRY, 58979
16 IN THE GAME, 52619
17 ALONG THE WAY, 51139
18 AS A WHOLE, 46227
19 IN THE AREA, 45406
20 ON THE MARKET, 45020
21 ACROSS THE COUNTRY, 40418
22 ON THE CONTRARY, 40261
23 ON THE GROUND, 39184
24 IN THE CITY, 38545
25 ON THE INTERNET, 37699
26 ON THE ROAD, 36751
27 AS AN EXAMPLE, 36726
28 IN THE PROCESS, 35675
29 AT THE END, 35360
30 IN THE AIR, 33846
31 IN THE FIELD, 33081
32 DURING THE DAY, 32580
33 IN MY EXPERIENCE, 31710
34 IN A ROW, 31355
35 OVER THE WORLD, 30648
36 IN THE DAY, 30313
37 IN A WAY, 29346
38 IN THE INDUSTRY, 29111
39 IN MY CASE, 28788
40 IN MY LIFE, 27693
41 ON THE FLOOR, 27584
42 IN THE SUMMER, 27569
43 TO THE PUBLIC, 27263
44 AT THE TOP, 26257
45 IN THE REGION, 25933
46 IN THE HOUSE, 25358
47 THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, 24429
48 IN THE BEGINNING, 24386
49 TO THE RIGHT, 24197
50 IN YOUR LIFE, 24076
51 IN THE BODY, 23714
52 IN THE MIDDLE, 23049
53 IN THE COMMUNITY, 22764
54 IN A WHILE, 22527
55 ON THE RIGHT, 22484
56 ON THE SITE, 21818
57 ON THE SURFACE, 21482
58 IN THE WATER, 21255
59 IN THE BOOK, 20576
60 AROUND THE CORNER, 20546
61 IN THE EVENING, 20430
62 AS A CHILD, 20423
63 IN THE MARKET, 20297
64 FROM THE BEGINNING, 19941
65 THROUGHOUT THE DAY, 19918
66 TO THE GROUND, 19838
67 IN THE BACKGROUND, 19786
68 IN THE KITCHEN, 19459
69 IN THE CLASSROOM, 19330
70 IN A NUTSHELL, 19293
71 IN THE STATE, 19277
72 IN A STATEMENT, 19125
73 OVER THE WEEKEND, 18909
74 ON THE WEB, 18856
75 IN MY MIND, 18651
76 IN A SENSE, 18561
77 IN THE WINTER, 18443
78 OF THE WAY, 18313
79 IN THE FILM, 18262
80 FROM THE START, 18200
81 IN THE ROOM, 18031
82 IN THE CAR, 17961
83 IN THE FALL, 17478
84 IN THE VIDEO, 17131
85 OF THE BOX, 17082
86 IN YOUR HOME, 17025
87 ON THE BEACH, 16997
88 AT THE BEGINNING, 16946
89 IN MY VIEW, 16895
90 ON THE PLANET, 16428
91 DOWN THE ROAD, 16403
92 IN THE SPRING, 16392
93 ON THE TABLE, 16302
94 ON THE LIST, 16260
95 TO AN END, 16247
96 IN THE SERIES, 16077
97 AT THE BOTTOM, 15821
98 ON THE FIELD, 15676
99 AT A MINIMUM, 15585
100 ON YOUR COMPUTER, 15582

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