I have had trouble sending this message (new system?) so I apologize if you receive it more than once.

I am interested in ways to understand constructions like the following.

1)  They hovered forty miles above the earth.

2) They hovered forty miles above.

3) The road was forty miles long.

4) They went forty miles past the exit sign.

5) They went forty miles past.

6) They went way past.

We can come up with similar patterns for time location.

7) We came in twenty minutes after the speech.

8) We came in twenty minutes after.

9) We came in twenty minutes late.

What are the standard views? Are there alternatives?

Craig